baby rambutan

i’m certifiably hooked on “You Are What You Eat” the BBCAmerica daytime reality show. it’s about a star acupuncturist-holistic-nutritionist helping mostly morbidly obese clients out of their deadly eating habits and lifestyles into healthier, fitter regimens.

“Dr.” Gillian McKeith has got me. yeah she’s gimmicky, and eyebrows have been raised over her claims and qualifications, but i must say, it’s truly mind-boggling and eye-opening. obese? no i’m not there yet. if i had to choose a celebrity to represent my figure (take note, i didn’t say looks) it’s more Valerie Bertinelli than Kirstie Alley. but i do see a glimpse, a possibility, of my figure turning into a Spongebob Squarepants shape, much like Dr. Gill’s clients.

she discusses meal plans and healthy food all in an attention-grabbing way. for example she examines tongues, hair and skin, and ummm…body “by-products” for tell-tale deficiencies, and she palpates their bellies and ankles for the harmful effects of excessive junk food consumption.

she also asks them to keep a one-week food diary which she then lays out on a table so the clients can ogle just how awful the food is…in one episode she had to hire out a function room because the table she needed couldn’t fit in the client’s home!

she then gives them a meal and exercise plan tailored to their needs.

i wish she’d come and help me with my diet! (oh, what diet?) at least, i have become more conscious of what i pop into my mouth, and of how i treat this poor aging body of mine.

results: i now gravitate to and linger at the produce section and try to cut up the fruits and vegs straight away (as opposed to letting them sit and wait in the veggie bin) and set out bowls for us to nibble on. i’ve TRIED to banish the junk food….but! confession: yesterday i caved in and bought a teeny bag of Kettle-cooked salt and pepper potato chips (oooh bad mommy! bad mommy! spank yourself on your big fat belly).

while kids were clamoring for their favorite spaghetti with Bolognese sauce, i told them i’d make something similar but with grilled vegetables and just a few meatballs thrown in for their carnivorous cravings.

[i've made this before, with store-bought cheese tortellini. this time it is spaghetti with jar pasta sauce (we are partial to Paul Newman's Roasted Garlic--proceeds go to children's charities). just cut up zucchini, eggplant, carrots, and any other vegetable you want to throw into the grill pan.]

i have embarked on my new “exercise” routine which entails walking away from my car as swiftly and as far as possible for 10 minutes then doing an abrupt about face and walking back to the car while avoiding being hit by speeding cars on the causeway or swooped down upon by starving seagulls, tasty plump morsel i am to them, i’m sure…

tomorrow i will walk more even if my feet are sore and my leg muscles are swooning.

i am looking into buying a mini trampoline for the winter because no one’s bought me a membership at the gym or YMCA yet. *wink*wink*hint*

i’m announcing it here to shame myself into continuing this regimen, Doctor’s Orders! after all –and i have to prove to myself that i love myself and i only get one body and it has to last me another 50-at-least more years.

wish me luck? no, wish me discipline and self control.

*now about that raffle…it’s not too late, friends! come on you know you want it! let me know if you want to throw in your name for the “street food” cookbook by Tom Kime. email me with your address by October 15.

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 27th, 2007 at 5:38 pm and is filed under doodles, vegetables, fruits, sides. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.