The new year is off to a great start. The first two days of 2012 were spent in pajamas, passing the time as a complete couch potato. My full DVR was my to-do list. I felt a sense of accomplishment watching the complete fourth season of Big Love by January 3rd. (I know I'm a little behind the times, but I have at least heard of Downton Abbey.)
The new year inspires people to better themselves, and marketers take advantage of this sentiment by increasing the number of fitness equipment and diet ads on television. (A Nutra System ad is still a Nutra System ad even through the speed of the fast forward.) This made me think of how I could better myself, then I settled on thinking about diets. (By thinking about, I mean updating my Facebook status.) This caused my Facebook sponsored links to be for various fad diets, meditation, and of course the old stand by - Weight Watchers. Fad diets have always fascinated me, not enough to actually try one, but enough to read about them. (I almost signed up for the cookie diet in Sky Mall, but bailed after I learned the diet didn't mean Girl Scout cookies.)
When someone tells me they are following a new diet trend, I judge them negatively. What a person eats reveals details into their psyche. Would you date a grown man who still eats Flaming Hot Cheetos or a woman who only eats items labelled Low-Fat and Sugar-Free? (If the answer is yes, more power to you!) Even on the other side of the spectrum, I'm hesitant to tell people I'm a locavore leaning vegetarian. I assume that screams Liberal Hippie Tree Hugger Snob! ...and it probably does. To compensate for my snobitude, in my "you are what you eat dreams", I would be a giant french fry or a bag of Doritos...not baked.
Perhaps this year, I will resolve to be appreciative of the food I eat and less judgmental towards the choices of others. (Hey! Oh good, you're eating that new hormone flavored burger topped with type 2 diabetes!) Maybe I should resolve to be proud of my food choices and not worry if I am reviled as a hippie snob. Either way, enjoy what you eat, and may 2012 be the year of strong resolve and world peace!
~Kristen
P.S. Here is a link to a great book about the importance of food. It changed my life!
P.P.S. Here is a link to a hilarious video about loving carbs, it gets a little PG-13 at the end.
