Weight For Me

The other day I said to my husband "What's it like not to think about every single piece of food you put into your mouth?" He's one of those naturally thin people who never really snacks and exercises simply for his health. I remember being in a clothing store with him once and the clerk said to him "And we have a bit of space here in the pants in case you put on a few inches around the waist." To which Mr Smartypants replied "Oh, I haven't put on any weight since high school."

Out loud I said "Try having four kids bub, and then talk to me", and then I silently mouthed an obscenity at him as well.

Don't get me wrong - I'm happy with my weight now, but I do really work at it. I let loose on some poor person who was kindly complimenting me when they said "You're lucky you're so thin." I said "Lucky? Let me tell you - I work out 3 or 4 times a week and go to bed hungry most nights!" I think about food and drink and exercise as much as the next girl.

My friends and I laughed over a Macleans article last week which talked about "drunkerexics" which is basically women who give up food calories for booze calories (who doesn't do that?), but it hit a nerve. I do think about it way too much.

Then I read an excellent book called "Thin Is The New Happy" by Valerie Frankel. It is a memoir (if you've seen Burn After Reading, pronounce the word like John Malkovich did, just for fun) and it takes you through her lifelong battle with weight and how much brain power we women use up thinking about it. Great read. Pick it up. (I emailed her to tell her how much I liked it - and she emailed me right back - cool!) It'll make you think about more important things.

And now I'm going to have just one more of those little Halloween chocolates...and maybe a 100 calorie glass of wine...and not think about it at all.

Summertime and the eatin' is easy

Great - just when swimsuit and shorts season begins, my body decides to hang on to an extra five pounds. Must be the heat and humidity. I'm sure it can't be due to the cold glasses of pinot I've been drinking. Or the backyard bbqs. Or the heavily buttered popcorn at matinee movies with the kids. Or that unfortunate stop at the Dairy Queen.

Likely it was all of that, PLUS the two delicious Summerlicious meals I had within 18 hours of each other. A dinner at Canoe one night - love the view, love the food, love the people watching, love the gossip - which I did with my buddy Danielle Iverson, Toronto's p.r. queen. And the next day right back in an eating chair for lunch at Auberge Du Pommier - no view but lovely ambiance and again, great food - with my sister, "celebrating" her birthday. (We've agreed we don't find the word "celebrate" appropriate when discussing another year under our belts. Which is basically where all my extra weight is going, of course.)

If you haven't gotten out to a Summerlicious restaurant in Toronto yet, you have until July 20th. I figure the fatter I can get everyone else in this town, the thinner I'll look. Now pass me that pinot.