Food…..Drugs……Worth it?!
I’ve come to realize how important it is to separate the function of food from the emotional side of eating food. (At least MOST of the time) Should we take LSD or heroin, simply because these drugs bring momentary pleasure? How about drinking a case of beer or a couple bottles of wine everyday, since they bring pleasure? The answer is obvious. But how about food? How many people make a regular diet of pizza, chips, fried foods, ice cream, cake, beer, etc., simply because they bring momentary pleasure, or comfort?
More & more, I am learning to view food primarily as fuel. One wouldn’t dream of paying $1 million for a thoroughbred race horse, then feed it a daily diet of pizza, chips, french fries, ice cream, cake, etc., and wash it all down with beer or wine. How many Triple Crown races would it win on that diet? But people do that to themselves everyday. Hmmmmmm.
You’ve got to ask yourself one question: "Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?".…….OOPS, sorry! Having a Dirty Harry moment. But we should ask ourselves, ‘Are the finite & momentary pleasures of eating crap food worth it?’ Worth it to be overweight, tired, unhealthy (LOTS of health problems stem from our diet, NOT AGE), etc.? I am NOT saying this is an easy or instantaneous change of mindset, or easy to put into practice. It is a process. I’m certainly a work-in-progress, and not 100% there yet. But I’ve made huge strides the past few years.
Back to Harry: "Go ahead, make my day"…….. 
September 15, 2009 at 11:54 am
My son did pizza delivery a couple years ago. And some of the stories he came home with were very sad. One woman ordered 2 pizzas for herself.
There are times when I would have that momentary want of pleasure food. I, like you, am learing about food being fuel. It’s coming to me slowly.
September 15, 2009 at 12:19 pm
A moment of pleasure on the lips a lifetime on the hips.
September 15, 2009 at 12:54 pm
hey big bad wolf!!
you got me thinking about the food and how i view it mate. still not sure really,maybe its a combination of pleasure and the need to eat like a pig!
was it 5 or 6 bullets? in all the excitement…
September 15, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Stu, that crap’s gonna catch up to ya. You may not be overweight (but then again, THAT might catch up too), but you’re gonna start having having unnecessary health issues in your 50’s & 60’s. Due to diet, not age.
Hey I’m just trying to help out a Limey.
September 15, 2009 at 1:34 pm
eat clean=stay lean eat bad=be sad!
September 15, 2009 at 2:17 pm
This is why U ROCK Al..lol u always b my inspiration as u just know the rite words to say at the rite time! awesome… i worked with heroin/crack users for 3 years so i know the addicitve behaviours us humans hav ! ii dont care what anyone says - chocolate is like crack!
September 15, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Nothing tastes as good as being in shape feels.
See how that one tastes.
September 15, 2009 at 3:03 pm
It will always be a work in progress on my end. Good post.
September 15, 2009 at 3:36 pm
I like it. The funny thing is had you asked me about eating about 10 yrs ago. I would of said that I could skip it. I didn’t enjoy it and mainly forced myself to eat because I knew I had to.
Somewhere in my 30’s.. which goes along with my banker career and taking clients to lunch. I decided I liked food. Problem was: I liked the crap food. The stuff you get at most restaurants. Added weight easily. (that might work for Stu.)
Now I realise that I feel a ton better by not eating crap. No migraines or heartburn.
I read a note the other day.
"Wisdom begins with sacrifice of immediate pleasures for long-range purposes." ~ Louis Finkelstein
September 15, 2009 at 6:19 pm
You ‘ve hit the nail on the head this time ,Al
September 15, 2009 at 8:17 pm
Great post! Now to take it to heart…
September 16, 2009 at 3:31 am
I wish I could rate this blog-post.. A clear 10!
So well said! I think it’s important to strike the golden mean - also to be able to maintain the joy of eating.. There’s a lot of tradition in eating.. That may be a fault too but that’s how it is!
Anyway good post!
September 16, 2009 at 4:40 am
Great post Al. This is exactly what I am focusing on!!
September 16, 2009 at 6:52 am
Love the blog today. What you eat has a HUGE impact on your overall health. So many people overlook diet when wanting to lose weight and think exercise will get them there. I have had to explain how wrong that is to so many people LOL
September 16, 2009 at 7:56 am
wow this is such a good post. for a long time I have wished that we could have food the same way dogs do (sounds weird I know…but almost like constant supplementation). But they get food for fuel and it has the best ingredients for what they need. It’s also the same everyday thing and maybe a treat every blue moon.
September 16, 2009 at 9:08 am
This is a a great blog. I am going to share this with some of my good friends who love to hound me about my food choices!
Very well Said!
September 16, 2009 at 11:24 am
Love your post Al!!
I used to binge eat and can inhale tremendous amount of food especially carbs. But that gave me nothing good. In fact, it gave me heart burns, a huge mid section, made me feel lethargic all day long and my self-confidence was down in the drains… Now I know that eating clean is really the only way to be healthy 
September 16, 2009 at 12:12 pm
thank you for posting this! I have been feeling at whits ends because I am not seeing progress. I know that it is my diet that I need to change. The funny thing is that I was doing great whith it in the begining. I was on a 1200 calorie diet and I was not giving into junk. Then I just stoped seeing changes and I turned to food as a comfort. I have been over weight my whole life and I guess I never truly realized how I sue food for my cruch when I am down. Reading what you have wrote has let me see that I am not alone because of everyone’s posts in responce to your blog. Thank you!!!
September 17, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Thank you for refering me to your blog. The first paragraph is one of the most powerful yet simple statements I have read in a long time. Your absolutely right-I wouldn’t take LSD or Heroin simply for the finite pleasure it may bring and I need to start thinking the same way about the food I take into my body. Your insight is appreciated.
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