We are all Different for a Reason

My friend recently sent me a message saying that in the past 15 minutes, she had eaten 5 Cookies and Cream Good Humor bars.  She followed that up with the fact that she went to her freezer for the 6th, but then remembered that she had eaten it for breakfast.

My first reaction to this is quick.  Envy.  Followed by a shaking of my head.

You see, this friend is 5’7″ and weighs maybe 110 pounds.  She is skinny as a rail, and has been her entire life.  I remember when we were growing up together, her mother couldn’t find pants that fit her because she has always been skin and bones.  The pants that fit on her waist were too short.

My second reaction is how actually BAD that is for someone’s body.   All of that sugar and preservatives and colorings and chemicals just isn’t good for you.  Follow that up with the chemistry that then wreaks havoc on the inside trying to deal with all the fat and calories.

I on the other hand have to watch every little calorie that I put in my body.  Always have.  Always will.  I have embraced this as I am who I am and I have the body that I was born with.  My calories just want to stick around – they want to join my thighs.  (In all fairness, my thighs are pretty fun to hang out with… )

So am I happy that I can’t eat a box of ice cream bars?  Yes, actually.  Why would I want to do that to my body?  Perspective is everything and so I am taking this time to be thankful that I am not that skinny girl that can eat whatever, whenever I want.  I have the opportunity to be mindful of what goes into my body.  I wish the same for you.

Melissa Beaugrand, SOMA GET FIT CHEF.

This entry was written by mbeaugrand, posted on February 23, 2010 at 12:03 am, filed under Experiences, Food, Lifestyle and Spa, Nutrition, Santa Barbara and tagged , , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Food Happy

by Melissa Beaugrand, Soma Get Fit Chef

Cooking is something that I started doing at a very young age. My mother started teaching us girls as soon as we could hold a spoon. I have memories for as long as I can remember of being with my family and helping to prepare meals. It always seemed the more people, the more fun when I was young as there was always laughing and talking and teasing.  Personalities really come out during meals, especially if there is a preference (or dislike) for what is being served.

Now that I cook for a living, cooking has a slightly different feel to it for the most part.  I am in a professional kitchen which is VERY different from a home kitchen.   I don’t get to enjoy the meal with the people that I am cooking for, and neither do I get to watch them enjoy it. There is no talking about likes or dislikes, there is no feedback first hand.  Most importantly, I rarely know the people that I am cooking for.

It was so rewarding for me to cook for Edward last month.   We met at the beginning of his stay here at the farmers market, and I tried to get a sense of what he liked and disliked.  Because he was so agreeable and open and easy to talk to, I really feel like I got to know what  his general eating habits were.  I was able to tweak his meals based on what I thought he normally eats, yet make it healthier and more low calorie.

I also got to get feedback!! Yay!  Because of what I learned about him, I added more cilantro, I made sure all the carrots were raw.  I added lowfat cheese.   The feedback was first person – he was able to tell me face to face that he loved something – and it was so rewarding to see his eyes light up thinking about a meal that he had eaten.

I think that is what I am going to enjoy the most with SOMA forthwith.  I will get to not only meet great people, but get firsthand feedback and be able to make them happy with the food that they are going to eat.  Food makes people happy.  Food makes me happy.  Seeing my food make people happy is priceless.

This entry was written by mbeaugrand, posted on January 9, 2010 at 11:31 am, filed under Food, Life is Fitness, Nutrition, Santa Barbara and tagged , , , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

The Minefield of the Holidays

Holiday_Mix

by Melissa Beaugrand, Personal Chef SOMA GET FIT

Why do we overeat?

There are as many answers to that question as there are people that overeat.  Sure, there are some repeating themes, but, for me the answer revolves around comfort, good food, and the joy of celebration and being social.

How does one not overeat?  The answer to that is easier.  It is about awareness and intent.  You must be aware of why you do what you do before you can change it.   If you are not sure about yourself, give yourself a pass this year.  Just behave as you normally would while you go to holiday parties and eat out.  Become “a watcher” of yourself.  No judgment, no beating yourself up, no sacrificing.  Just do as you wish.  The only caveat is that you have to then think.  Your job is to watch yourself closely.  Then later, think about how you felt before, during, and after your actions.  Was it a compulsive non-chewing-get-as-much-down kind of eating, or was it more of an oh-my-god-this-is-so-good-I-want-more kind of eating, or perhaps it was a where-did-all-that-food-go type thing.  It might have even been an instance where you were having so much fun you forgot to eat.   We have to figure out why and when we eat and learn about ourselves before we can make any kind of decision as to how we want to change our behaviour.

Once you are clearer about your emotions and actions, you can see if they are in balance with what your body and your mind want/need.  Hopefully, they are the same with you (they are NOT with me).  If so, your job is easier, because the process becomes then about intent.  It is much easier to be mindful when you are clear as to what you want.  Walking into a party where there is your favorite food is a different experience when all you can think about is how you DON’T want to eat that whole vat of nachos.   If your intent is broader than that in perhaps something like, “I want to have a good time tonight and I don’t want to obsess about the nachos, so I will concentrate on dancing as much as I can and talking to _____ (in other words – fun!) because otherwise it is going to feel like a weight around my neck.”.

As I get older, I realize that it is not so much that I have to eat more to enjoy more during the holidays.  Sure, there is only one Thanksgiving feast a year, but it is EVERY YEAR!  I can enjoy it a little bit without feeling stuffed like the turkey was.  It is not a matter of more is better.  Actually, I have found that I enjoy it MORE when I eat LESS!  It is not my last meal after all, and I used to eat like it was.  Food is a gift, and I love it, but you definitely can have too much of a good thing.

It takes some mental work to become a watcher, then to have the consciousness to want to make changes and the fortitude to make them.

Happy Holidays to all of you.

This entry was written by mbeaugrand, posted on December 10, 2009 at 1:15 pm, filed under Food, Nutrition, Santa Barbara and tagged , , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Surprises

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by Melissa Beaugrand

I went to Gaviota today for a hike with the dogs.  I found heaven on the way home.

Sometimes life gives you a bowl of strawberries.  Literally.  I think I just ate some of the best strawberries in my life.  They came from a barn (called Peace Barn) that was on a farm in a valley that was right out of my dreams.  I wanted to pitch a tent and become a squatter it was so serene and beautiful.  What a magical thing to find the perfect berry in an empty barn where you take what you want and pay what you owe on the honor system.  When you walk back outside, you are surrounded by majestic natural beauty of all kinds.  I feel blessed. :)

Food makes me happy.  Perfect food makes me feel blessed.  Go to Classic Organic farm and support yourself with loving food from Helmut.

http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M18470

Peace, love, and perfect food to all of you.

This entry was written by mbeaugrand, posted on November 5, 2009 at 1:32 am, filed under Food, Nutrition, Santa Barbara and tagged , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

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