Wednesday, January 06, 2010
“Day five and I’ve taken a dive!” Well, it’s really day six, but I can’t think of anything that rhymes as well. Anyway, it was only the beginning of day six of this new year when I stuffed myself silly at breakfast. For the last few days, I’ve been eating within my caloric range and enjoying that “not too stuffed” feeling. It’s almost like I can feel my waistline wanting to come back. It’s not hunger; it’s more of a nice “hallowness” in my stomach. Don’t you love that feeling? I love that feeling even more than I love the taste of … well; let me not get carried away. I do like that weightlessness though and here’s how I’ve been achieving it up until today.

Plan One

You should try this. Put just enough food on your plate; eat somewhat slower than usual and when you’re done eating, access whether you’re full or still hungry. If you find yourself still hungry, wait 10 minutes before getting any additional food. If after that 10 minute wait you’re still hungry, have something more to eat. Good plan. And it has been working for me. So to my surprise and disappointment, this morning I moved with robot-like resolve to eat more food before the 10 minute wait. (Granted I was reading emails at the same time I was having breakfast - maybe I was too distracted why plan one failed??). Before I was halfway through that second breakfast, I knew I was full. Still I continued to eat and emptied the plate as the voice of the starving children of Africa raised its dreadful head. Those of you from the Caribbean know that voice for sure. For those of you who don’t, it’s really the voice of a mother, grandmother or older sibling who was responsible for taking care of us as children and served us our meals.

Post colonial Caribbean consisted of stiff discipline and strong community; the Europeans raped our beautiful, resource filled islands then left us financially poor. To our credit, strong foundations were created in order to build ourselves up as an innovative, resourceful and culturally rich people. Part of that foundation meant every adult was parent to all young children within a neighborhood and discipline was aplenty. This spirit of community, general concern and caring seemed to extend all the way to Africa, if only in sentiment. At breakfast, lunch or dinner time, we were always reminded, by our caretakers, of how fortunate we were to have food and not be in the position of the starving children of Africa. It was therefore, a sign of stark ungratefulness to leave food uneaten on our plates. During the early 1970’s (here I go dating myself) many families in the Caribbean lived without refrigerators, so there was no putting food in the fridge for preservation. Of course, that situation has long since improved. Yet, during that time, a child’s cry of being full and not needing to eat more was often met with unswerving rebuke and admonition to be thankful and to show that gratitude by “eating everything on that plate.” “Waste not, want not” was usually added for good measure.

As I was overeating this morning, I wanted to stop; knew I should stop but ate all the food anyway. I kept thinking, “it’s just a little more, why waste the food.” The only reasons I could come up with for continuing to eat when I was full are: 1.) It was already there on the plate and 2.) I didn’t want to waste the food. Ridiculous, I know. Now, I’m not making any excuses or blaming anyone for my behavior, I’m really determined to beat this thing and gain complete control of the way I behave with food. Outside of food, I am not a greedy or selfish person.

Plan Two

As mentioned above, plan one is good - that’s the 10 minute wait before getting seconds plan. However, should plan one fail, as it did this morning, plan two will be employed. Plan Two is, to stop eating before finishing the second serving. After every two bites or forkfuls, I will stop and ascertain whether or not I’m full. If I am full, I will acknowledge that it’s okay to put the “little” food remaining on my plate in a bowl and place that bowl in the fridge until next meal time. Right now, even before I begin my next meal, I acknowledge and embrace the fact that stuffing myself fat, in no way benefit the poor and unfortunate of any continent.

Truth be told, I can do something truly meaningful that will actually help starving children. I can send a little money to “Feed the Children” or some other organization that does that kind of work – there’s an endless number of them. Now my philanthropic juices are flowing, I’m sure that right here in my city, I can find children in need who I can cook a meal and take to ever so often. I don’t have to eat to off-set anyone’s hunger. Sharing my food with the genuinely hungry, I can have a clear conscience and won’t have to clear my plate by eating everything on it, even after I’m no longer hungry.

To all my sisters and brothers who are starving – the blessing of good food and peace to you, wherever you are on this planet!