I've been thinking about food a lot lately.
A few months ago, I read Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food. Now I'm reading Food Matters by Mark Bittman. (Not to be confused with Mark Bittner, the Telegraph Hill parrot guy.) Both are well worth the time and can be eye-opening.
I've been doing a pretty good job of sticking to a New Years resolution of eating more mindfully. I'm trying to eat mostly food I've prepared from something close to scratch so I know what's going into it. I stole my son's new bread machine (Don't worry, Dave, I'll get you another one once you have a real place to live.), and have been making some pretty good whole-grain breads. I try to bear in mind how little food one really needs to stay healthy and active; it's obviously a heck of a lot less than most of us have been eating lately. I try to avoid the industrial, corporate, packaged food-like products that passes for food these days.
I'm not on a diet. I have a new diet. I like to think this is permanent. (Hey, I can dream.) I did something like this a few years ago, so I know it's good. It takes discipline - something that is often in short supply around here - and I'm hopeful that my resolve will be stronger this time.
I think the thing that helped get me started again this time is the story of Scott Cutshall. I won't tell the whole story because he has his own blog: Large Fella on a Bike. He has a bit of an edge, and it's a bit hard to find the meat of his story his vast blog, but it's worth looking for because this guy went from 501 pounds to under 180 in just over three years by totally changing his eating habits and riding his bikes.
In this post, Scott has a YouTube video of his transformation. Check it out. It's a simply amazing example of what the human spirit can accomplish.
Dipping into the Stream #3
8 years ago
5 comments:
That video is so interesting. He changes so much that it almost looks like several different people. Wow.
Have you ever checked out The Tassajara Breadbook? I've been using that original bread recipe for over 30 years. Simplest ingredients ever: water, honey, yeast, flour, salt, oil. Voila! I find the whole breadmaking process, the Tassajara way, is very meditative.
Good for you. Preparing soups, stews, breads, etc., just wonderful, freeing up, skill making, freedom enhancing, always transportable, social, responsible, cost effective, pleasing...gee I guess I'm in favor of it.
I started making no-knead bread and have just loved the process and the product. Look it up on you tube and then play with it when you get a chance.
But, now I want to go to the kneading of bread. Somehow I think it will become one of my daily or regular activities.
The word image that had been occupying my mind for the past few months has been: "baking and breaking bread."
Tim
I loved that.
I bought that Bitner book after hearing him interviewed on NPR the other day. It really inspired me. I'm still "on the diet" although I'll admit that talking about it that way, naming it as a "diet" is a bit of a set up. I like to think I'll never go back. It's inconceivable to me that I would go back, but I must knock persistently on wood
oops, i meant Bittman
Wow! That is amazing and encouraging. Thanks.
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