August 08, 2002

Encounter with aliens

Oh, THIS is why I row! I won't say it was cool today, but it was finally,
gloriously tolerable. (Only Arizona heat can make that combination of words make
sense.) And while I still had to stop occasionally for the periodic cough-hack-
blow session, I was finally able to put a bit of power into it. My body works
again -- yay!!

I did noticed I was tired and losing energy after the
first lap so I just did half of a second one. Wouldn't want to push things -- and
it's still the farthest I've rowed in about two weeks,

Then on to get
gas, which I did do in sports bra and spandex shorts because I was too hot to be
able to face putting a shirt on and like href="http://mechaieh.diaryland.com/deltoid.html">Mechaieh, I'll all about
comfort, and then it was on to the gym to shower. My routine involves soaking my
navel piercing first, while I get undressed (which involves some no doubt highly
comical snuggling up to the locker to prop the cup held to my stomach against the
locker door so I can use both hands to remove the sports bra. I floss my teeth at
night the same way.) Whie I was preparing my salt water soak, I overheard two
women whose immense collection of personal care items took up most of the space by
the sinks -- I'm always astounded at how many products are necesary to prepare
some people to go out in public. They were discussing the diet one was on. Here's
a rough transcript:

Dieting chick: I've actually gotten to the point
where food is something I have to do, you know?

Sympathetic chick: Yeah I
know what you mean -- just calories you have to eat.

Dieting Chick: Yeah,
just fuel, not something, like, pleasurable. So that's
good.

(Dichroic thinks: No, it's not!!! I've felt like that too,
lately, but only because I've been sick.)

Dieting Chick: The snack I really
look forward to is the afternoon one -- I have yogurt mixed with cottage
cheese.

Sypathetic Chick: Oh yeah, that's good.

(Dichroic, who doesn't
like cottage cheese, thinks: No, it's not!!!)

Dieting Chick: Those
protein bars taste like ass.

Dichroic, trying to avoid the visuals of that
last statement, can't resist jumping in: Luna bars aren't bad, especially the Chai
Tea flavor.

Dieting Chick and Sympathetic Chick, in harmony: But they
have so much sugar!

Dichroic: Well, isn't that why you work out, so
you can eat what you like?

Both Chicks, staring at Dichroic like
she's from another planet: Uh, no.

At that point, I had my saltwater
mixed, and I walked away, realizing they were clearly another species and I'm no
Jane Goodall. But really ... isn't that (at least part of) why you work
out?

I understand the idea of cutting down on food temporarily in
order to lose weight faster, but I still suspect eating normal food but less of it
is easier to maintain in the long run. And even Slimfast markets its probduct by
claiming it tastes good. (I'll never know. It reminds me too much of the Ensure
they kept making my grandmother eat in the nursing home, when she was dying.)
Emphasizing raw veggies and yogurt makes sense fot nutritional as well as caloric
reasons, but those things taste good. Food should be a pleasure. There may be
times when it's better to indulge moderately, just as you don't (well, I don't) go
around having sex with everyone you meet. There may even be reasons to cut back
severely for a short period. But what's the point of life if you can't not only
smell the cherry blossoms but pick and eat the cherries?

Those high-
maintenance Chicks are welcome to their protein-ass-bars. I'm going out tonight
for a beer.

Posted by dichroic at August 8, 2002 10:59 AM
Comments
Post a comment









Remember personal info?