What is it about the Holidays? November 26, 2007

What is it about the holidays that make people want to eat everything in sight?  Why is it that the average American gains 3 to 20lbs over the holiday season?  Is it the stress?  Is it debt?  Is it the thought that it may never come around again?  What is it about the holidays?

 We all know the truth and how not to gain weight -  Do not eat more calories that you burn.  We all know moderation is a key word – not starvation or deprivation or denial – just moderation.  Then why again is it so hard to not gain weight during the holiday season?  The answer is much deeper than food – much deeper then the pounds put on – much deeper than the sadness that we feel once our pants don’t fit. 

 The answer is happiness.  When we over eat we get a sense of euphoria and sometimes go into a form of a sugar coma – nothing bothers us, until we drop – then we eat again to get that same feeling.  (Does this sounds just like a drug user?  Yes it does, we just replace food as a more acceptable addiction.) We over eat looking for happiness, looking for a ways to escape.  We try to escape the here and now, the past, the future and ourselves.  What we need to do is find contentment in who we are, what we are doing and where we are going. 

Enjoyable Thanksgiving November 26, 2007

So how many of you pigged out on Thanksgiving?  This year I looked at Thanksgiving differently – no pigging out – no food free for all – just good, enjoyable food with activities planned after we ate.  We played many rounds of table tennis, changing partners, changing sides, cheating when ever possible, then we had desert, then more table tennis topping the evening with a  couple games of pictionary.  No extra pounds gained, no rolling ourselves out to the car to go home, just a healthy wonderful dinner with family.  I think this is what Thanksgiving was meant to be.

GreenFestival in San Francisco November 11, 2007

Have you ever felt the texture of the clothes and material made from bamboo?  This was my first introduction to it and I was won over – so soft and comfortable.  It will definitely be on my wish list.  Now that is not the only thing I walk away with after visiting the GreenFestival in San Francisco – I was educated on sustainable economy, ecological balance, social justice, alternative power, alternative vehicles, and green careers.  I had the chance to sample organic, hemp, soy, and other types of nutritional bars, teas, drinks and supplements.  Experience the feel of 100% organic cotton clothes, hemp clothing and bamboo clothing.  What amazed me about the event is how nice everyone was.  There were a lot of people there but I was not bumped with out an apology or push so someone else could try something or ignored because I might not buy something. . . people were nice . . . there was respect and consideration amongst strangers. . . smiles were found everywhere and the atmosphere was calming.  Uhmmm I wonder if they have something that most of us don’t?  Are people who truly live “green” more content?  More accepting?  Less rushed?  I believe there is something to it, don’t you?