| Search Sensei Talks |
|
|
| Labels |
|
|
|
| Tuesday, July 07, 2009 |
| Ladies Menu |
When I was growing up, “ladies” were always guests in “nice” restaurants, and were always given special Guest menus without prices. I thought, as a child, life was like that. No prices, no calories, no limits, no worries. It took me quite a few years to realize that life, like the ladies menu, is much more complicated than I thought. There really is no such thing as a guest menu. There is always a cost, there are always rules. There are always expectations and disappointments. Sometimes these rules are clearly stated; sometimes you get the “ladies” menu and have to figure them out for yourself.
When I was growing up, I sensed but never understood my mother’s silent disapproval at meals. This provoked guilt and anxiety because her message was much too vague, subtle, or adult for a child who was too young, happy, and dumb to comprehend the signals she thought she was sending. Everything has a price, and I imagine her code of silence allowed her to feel she had sent the message and I had failed to listen. We were both disappointed by her system.
When I was growing up, I needed to hear “gee, those cookies are delicious, dear, but have two or three now and save the rest for tomorrow.” Or, “gee, those cookies are delicious, honey, but they have these things called calories and two or three is all we should eat at a time.” What I “heard” was that a chubby red-head with freckles was not her dream, but it wasn’t mine either. Now I’m all grown-up and I finally hear a voice that offers me “cookies” but warns me to eat just a few. It’s my voice, but I didn’t learn to speak or hear these words until I was all grown-up.
Now I’m all grown-up, and I understand and believe in the power of full disclosure. The price of silence is too costly. Whether I am a host or guest, cooking for family or company, eating out, or ordering to-go; I like to know what the meal will “cost” me. I’m not a calorie-counter, but I watch what I eat and the contents and preparation of a meal have a cost I want to factor in, in advance. Everyone needs to know that what we choose to eat has consequences, has a cost and a price. Everything has a place on the menu, but some things should have limits. A healthy lifestyle includes learning to make good choices.
What have you learned? What are you still working to change?
- Nancy
Labels: food for thought, healthy eating, Nancy
|
posted by My Sensei @ Tuesday, July 07, 2009   |
|
-->
add to del.icio.us
|
|
| 2 Comments: |
-
I grew up on fattening & high sugar foods... lots of treats, calories & the such. The whole family ate like that so there was no.. don't eat that. We were all heavy except one sister.
I had to do it alone as I got older & did it wrong before I got it right.
I think we need to teach children the way by example rather than pushing it down their throats. If we are eating well, they know nothing else. If we don't stress about a treat here & there, it does not become something they can't have but wants..
I think that is the best approach.
-
hmm...I think it can go both ways...I'd rather a kid not worry about calories...it could easily spin off the other direction...you're right in that we need to learn a balance and moderation, though.
|
| |
| << Home |
| |
|
|
|
|
I grew up on fattening & high sugar foods... lots of treats, calories & the such. The whole family ate like that so there was no.. don't eat that. We were all heavy except one sister.
I had to do it alone as I got older & did it wrong before I got it right.
I think we need to teach children the way by example rather than pushing it down their throats. If we are eating well, they know nothing else. If we don't stress about a treat here & there, it does not become something they can't have but wants..
I think that is the best approach.