So Paula Deen most likely has Diabetes. Sure, many of us were thinking that all along. Maybe she is doing it for another financial opportunity, or maybe she is doing it because she wants to share her diagnosis with all of us. Every news media outlet is saying something different. The fact is, none of us will probably really know WHY she is deciding to share this with us now. Here’s my take on it…
What’s not to love about Paula? She is goofy, funny, a WONDERFUL chef and her recipes bring families together all across the country, and even world. Instead of everyone pointing out the fact that her cooking may be “bad” for you, let’s point the fingers at ourselves. There is nothing wrong with her recipes, and I still find her very admirable. It’s probably a good idea to avoid cooking her Gooey Butter cake every other day, for the obvious reasons in the title, but I personally think there is a compromise in it all.
…it is all about balance and control. In my eyes, there is nothing wrong with the recipes and “scrumptiousness” that Paula cooks up. What is most important is having the discipline and strength to control just how much you take in. You also have to find the balance between the recipes, your diet and your daily physical activity. If you make sacrifices elsewhere, it is do-able to cook like Paula Deen. Ways I am trying to balance and control my well-being during this challenge:
A) Half the recipes. There is no reason to cook an entire cake if you know there are only 3 people in the household. Unless you are giving away to others, keep the portion sizes down so that you don’t find yourself strolling into the kitchen to grab yet another bite. Let’s face it, you all saw the Gooey Butter Cake I baked up last week. I kept forgetting to take it into work, and it sat on the counter until it went bad. Of course I probably had 6 more bites than necessary as well. Portion control is a huge factor. If her recipe calls for 4 fried pork chops and it is just you and your significant other, I think you may only need 2. You will find yourself feeling wasteful, then guilty, and then before you know it you have another fried pork chop on your plate.
a. Hey, halving the recipes will also cut down the costs of ingredients. There are several “up sides” to halving recipes.
B) Meal planning. I am planning week long menu’s that include several different types of recipes. For instance; we do not need to bake two cakes, a pie and cookies all in one week. I’ll be narrowing it down to two or so desserts a week, a seafood recipe, red meat, vegetable, soup, etc. If there does happen to be more than one cake in one week, there will be a reason for it. It will be taken the next day to share with co-workers (sure they’ll love that!), maybe taken to a neighbors or for a special occasion.
C) Daily balance in foods. I am going to be packing and bringing my lunch to work. Rather than stopping in somewhere to grab a burger, sandwich or whatever it may be, I will be bringing my homemade lunch. This usually consists of a spinach salad with tuna.
D) Cut down soda, simply stated (but more difficult to kick).
E) Get outside. I am dragging my dogs into this one with me, not literally of course, they actually do most of the dragging. Exercise is now the new must for me. And, I will probably become good friends with Jillian Michaels.
Let’s face it, in most cases; weight gain and Diabetes go hand in hand. A large percentage of those with Diabetes (nearly 90), are also considered overweight. So while everyone questions why I am doing what I am doing, in the wake of Paula’s future announcement of concerning health issues, I am striving even harder to prove myself and the fact that physical activity and self-control are big factors in our well-being.
Therefore, I am introducing another challenge into this. I challenge myself to lose 20 pounds by the end of this. No, I do not know when this challenge will necessarily end since some days I will make more than one recipe while other days may be skipped. Most people say a recipe a day, but that isn’t the case in this. Tomorrow morning I will wake up and weigh myself. I’ll share my weight with you all (even though I find it embarrassing), and I will update you through it all. I am swallowing my pride in hopes that this motivates me, as well as others to take control of their health.
This is going to be very difficult. It will probably be a whirlwind of emotions! My goal is not only to become physically healthier, but also mentally. There are so many of us that would rather throw a baggy t-shirt on rather than a cute fitted top. Or so many of us that pull up a pair of jeans and find ourselves bending around all over the floor to try and stretch them out.
So now its time for me to combine two of my resolutions; losing 20 pounds and cooking my way through Paula Deen’s Southern Cooking Bible. This should be interesting, kinda like a cross between Super Size Me and Julie and Julia. Is there a compromise?
