So I recently had the privilege of visiting Italy and France. Most of my time was spent in Italy in Rome and the Amalfi Coast. I wanted to prepare myself for the change in lifestyle I would experience while I was there. So I stepped up my exercise routine, got a better handle on my eating habits (journaling, more water, and eating less not different). I managed to lose some inches going into the trip. Also, my fitness level helped my adjustment to the new time zone.
While I started with a strong resolve to keep control of my eating habits (I continued food journaling which I thought would be fun to do as a memoir to the trip), I found a new perspective on food. Actually not an altogether new one, but one that I haven’t allowed myself in some time. After being inspired by Elizabeth Gilbert’s book Eat, Pray, Love I realized I had the opportunity to enjoy the best food Italy has to offer. One of life’s great pleasures is to sample the creations of chefs in far off lands and I decided I was deserving.
Permission to enjoy
I now realize that this permission to enjoy gelato, pizza, lemon cream puffs, olive oil, pasta, almond croissants, wine, and crusty European bread (which I prefer over any other starch) was therapeutic for me. As someone who has struggled with eating disorder tendencies, I was amazed at my calm enjoyment of foods I don’t (and won’t) otherwise consume. I had gelato for breakfast (with fruit and crepes) and felt such gratitude and appreciation that I surprised myself. Where was the anxiety? Where was the fear and anger? There was no fretting about my arteries, my waistline, my cancer risk, my lack of self control or my ability to be loved. And I wasn’t even exercising (besides walking across the street for cream puffs and cappuccino post-meal or huffing up the hill to the best pizzeria in Naples or maybe the entire world).
Making peace with my body
I had made peace with my body every time I gazed at a menu or a selection of 20 different gelato flavors. And when my traveling partner tried to take my last piece of the most amazing pizza of my life, I was at peace with adamantly telling him “no way” (he had already had his fair share, so I was doing him a favor). I was on vacation and half-way around the world from home. My body and health would recover. I knew. This wouldn’t become my lifestyle. These ten days wouldn’t cut my life short. And if my life were to end and my plane were to go down half way over the Atlantic. What regret would I have, in those precious minutes before death, for not having loosened my grip on my eating habits for the short time I was in Italy?
On a side note, there were plenty of health-improving foods to be had in Italy too. I had some of the most delicious salads, mushrooms, berries, tomatoes, artichokes, and bean stews. In Paris, there were crisp haricot verts (french green beans) and a creamy non-dairy parsnip soup. There were whole grain breads, luscious figs, peppery arugula and rich coffee I hope to experience again.
Back to my routine
So now I am back to my routine and eating lifestyle that has served me well. My body bears the marks of someone who ate herself through Italy. New inches on my waist, uncomfortable bowel habits, acne all over my face (huh? I didn’t see that one coming), and I can foresee hormonal mood swings coming in a few weeks. For now, I will wear these like badges for someone who had a good time on vacation. I will recuperate. I will resume exercising and eating well and taking care of myself in a different way. I will detox from my sugar coma and I will be happy to give detailed descriptions of every delicious morsel I came into contact with to anyone who is happy to listen.
So what is the lesson from this story? I don’t think I have a clear answer. I believe there needs to be a distinction between celebration and overall lifestyle when it comes to food. If these celebrations happen too frequently, we may pay a price in the form of diminished health. But should food celebrations not come at all, life may lose its luster or we may lose an aspect of our humanity.
I am still learning what the precise balance is for enjoying foods that are not healthful but still increasing health-improving foods is. My advice so far is, at your next opportunity for a food celebration (Thanksgiving, Christmas) ask yourself, will eating this make me happy? Then, be grateful, be calm, and be hungry. The next day, continue your resolve to give your body the nutrients and exercise it needs.
PS. Next vacation I will make more of an effort to exercise.
