Thursday, June 14, 2012

"Fat" Freebies


After seeing the ice cream truck pull up at work a co-worker said to me ‘no wonder American’s get so fat if everything is fun to eat’. What this person neglected to add at the end of that statement was ‘and free’.  Building management brought the truck here so it wasn’t entirely the company’s idea of making us want to indulge again after a holiday weekend. I can only do so much at work to try to eat healthy, drink water, bring my own lunch, pass on the freebies of pizza, burgers, dogs, etc. Motivate our ‘active’ team that 20 minutes a day is worth something, to work up to working out more than ½ hr, that working out can be fun and enjoyable, that eating healthy is an essential part of the deal.  But I find eating healthy the hardest point to get across with these folks since some of them fill their plates up to the brim with the freebies as if they aren’t going to eat dinner at home.

I pass on a lot of the freebies because during the work week I do not have a ‘cheat’ day to eat what I want and when it is its usually only one meal for me that’s a ‘cheat’ meal.  But again, one can only do so much to motivate and to get the point across.  What gets me is ‘cookie monster’ (I’ve mentioned this person before in a previous blog) wanted to take my ice cream, knowing I wasn’t having any.  Again, the self proclaimed ‘I go to the gym’ goes in my ear and out the other when I see this person poaching everything.  One could only guess this person hits the gym twice a day, but at that rate I still haven’t seen any difference (usually when someone works out the first thing you notice is their face gets thinner).  In closing we are what we eat – what we put in we need to burn off somehow.  We all cannot be perfect but we can get close to it by eating right (in and out of the workplace) and getting that best body you ever had!

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

My Birthday...finally some closure


Birthday’s over 30 should be properly phrased as such “We’re going out for my birthday” not ‘I’m having a birthday party!’   Anything hinting otherwise such as lavish cake, dinners, dramatic family gatherings should be avoided at all costs as to not assume that Homey the Clown will show up with a pinata and make a Shrek balloon.  With that said, family members/significant others/friends should not be limited to throwing you one as long as it’s a surprise and something that you would want (i.e. if I dream of one of my milestone birthdays to be celebrated at a rooftop bar in NYC don’t have the party at the K of C instead!)  Birthday’s are a celebration of you, not the typical political debate over the healthcare plan either by whoever was invited to celebrate with you.  Birthday’s are not for presents, at least I don’t care for them. If we go out for my birthday, I’m not expecting a gift. 

Overall, I’m not saying you shouldn’t celebrate your birthday, the day you were born, the day your parents became another extension of their adulthood, but there comes a time when you’re not ‘sweet 16 anymore’ and the balloons and cake turn into shots and martinis.

To my friends who aren’t afraid of driving to party and those who sent the snail mail cards..thank you, it means a lot.  I’m over the excuses for why my so-called friends can’t make it, I’m used to the let downs on a holiday weekend where bbqs are more important.  I just hope if you’re pregnant and due around a holiday to hold it in and not scar that kid for life, because trust me it does stick with you for life. 

So I’ve come to terms with the closure I’ve needed for my birthday, realized that true friends will make the effort to party, to bring back the traditional sleepover, peruse the Kama Sutra and add to the requirements list.  To joke about the past, to vent, to gripe, to drink more wine, to vent again and laugh some more.

I will always have one reason why I love my birthday and that makes up for all the reasons why I used to hate it.