An Eater's Manifesto, and Other Stuff

I love Michael Pollan, and his book "In Defense of Food, An Eater's Manifesto" is one of my favorites. This past weekend made me want to revisit the book and get back into my cleaner, more responsible, eating habits.

I'm sort of doing the Paleo Diet now, but it really just feels like the lifestyle I enjoyed for a while a year or so ago before getting lazy and slipping back into old habits. Visiting the Butler ranch and gathering cows in the fresh air must have done something to me.

It's not going to be easy, which is probably why I got lazy after we moved. I had been going to a local meat market, a farmer's market and some specialty stores in Pleasanton to do all of our food shopping. It would take an entire half of a day to procure all the food we would need for the week. It was also slightly more expensive, required a lot more planning, and was challenging at times. But I remember the pay off....oh yes, I want that pay off! Now that my horse is just minutes from Pleasanton, I find myself shopping there anyway so..... (my current town just doesn't have the good food resources).

Another benefit; not only is it healthier, it's also more in line with my Buddhist values. I admit it, I'm a crappy Buddhist. I do eat meat. I'm an omnivore, I can't help it. But that's OK. You don't have to be a vegetarian to be a Buddhist. But you should try to have a more intimate relationship with your food. Know it, honor it. Hunt for it yourself if you can (which I can't. Unless I can count the endless research and driving around to specialty produce and meat markets, and asking the poor butcher a ton of questions, as "hunting"). Ok, yes I hunt for my food.

Now, the "other stuff":

I will be changing the name of my blog. I'm not exactly a "fitwife". I'm not in training for a marathon anymore. I'm not exercise or fitness obsessed, or "losing weight" obsessed (not to be confused with "diet obsessed" which I will always be because food is a passion; the study of it, the procuring of it, the preparing and cooking of it, the eating of it, you name it!).

Any ideas....?

Oh...one more thing. While I may not be "losing weight" obsessed, I did a bad thing. I ordered my custom saddle's seat a 1/2" smaller than the saddle maker recommended for my current "size". That was a fun conversation to have with an old cowboy!

Me: "Sooooo....a 15" seat now. I guess I should tell you that by the time the saddle is made, I will be at least 10-15 pounds lighter. I mean it. This is my year!"
Ron: Speechless, followed by laughter "You're gonna do what now?"
Me: "Yes, I've been meaning to lose the weight I gained when I quit smoking. For like 7 years now. But I'm really gonna do it this time."
Ron: "Ok, well, let's see. Um...how many pounds did you say?"
Me: "Maybe 20. But probably 10-15 for sure. Let's say 10, at a minimum."
Ron: "Well..huh...you'd be swimming in this seat if you lost 20...uh...10 or 15...hmmmm."
Me: "So, maybe just a 1/2" smaller since most likely it will be closer to 10 or 15 pounds? Would a 1/2" smaller be too small if I only lost 10 pounds?"
Ron: "Uhhhh...hmmmmm....well....uh....You know...."

And then we were treated to a very entertaining story about oatmeal.

Some habits die harder than others! But I have a year or so.....