francene--blog. Year 2013
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April 17th

4/17/2013

 
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I can feel a stubbornness rising up inside me. You see, we ate a late fish meal yesterday, forced on us by people we've grown to know well.

My husband has been driving the elderly couple around for eight years. From a common background in London, they had plenty to talk about. Although he's retired from work as a cab driver, my husband still helps them when called. Lately, Steward has asked Brian to deliver cooked fish from a shop about five miles away, once or twice a week. Each time, he's cajoled my husband to share the meal. I've learned that the Jewish people's generosity with food stems from the time when they were lost in the wilderness.

At Steward's insistence, we divided one piece of plaice, fried in a crispy batter of superb quality, between us. Since then, he's passed on the message through his wife that he wants us to order some fish for ourselves. Each time, my husband has refused on the grounds that he'd just cooked us a good meal.

Yesterday, I answered the phone and found myself unable to refuse their generous offer. They would eat their meal early so we could partake. What could I say? I accepted, although I didn't want the fish, which, although delicious, contained tons of fat which I found swilling around the backing sheet after the last portion I'd reheated.


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                Now we were committed, my husband and I decided to eat a snack to tide us over the three-hour wait for our meal. I felt grumpy. My stomach wanted more at the accustomed time. When the fish arrived, I didn't enjoy it, either because I'd progressed past the hunger period, or the meal lacked the vegetables cooked the way I've grown to love.

The experience taught me how much I appreciate my husband, and also, how I like my life the way it is. Right, I know life is change—that we must bend before the wind like bamboo to avoid snapping—that something will force change in time. But I don't want to. And I don't want to be force-fed fish.

Anyway, all the fat content is bad for the health.

The Atkins Diet is still the source of unending controversy. If Dr Robert Atkins has instilled one message into the mind of the weight-conscious layman, it is that carbs make you fat. A decade after his death you'll still hear people attacking bread, pasta and potatoes as the root of all rotundity.

That's because the Atkins diet, first devised in 1972 but made famous by his second book, Dr Atkins' New Diet Revolution, in 2002, advocated a drastically reduced carbohydrate intake.  Followers of his high-protein diet could eat unlimited meat, eggs, cheese, fish and shellfish.

There is no perfect plan for losing weight. A person has to balance calorie intake against exercise and life-style. Let me say it again: Nobody is going to force-feed me. I'm in charge of my own body.

I feel better after that rant. And slightly silly. Are you happy with your normal diet?


Cher link
4/16/2013 07:22:12 pm

Hi Francene, I am with you here, as you know I am 90% raw vegan and my relationships are at risk, I am offended when people insist on trying to make me eat what they eat, it makes me cross, I know they mean well but I made my choice, and I don't force my ideas on them even if I do believe they would benefit form them!
Balance is needed, people eat way too much animal produce, we don't need that much.Calories are not important, they have only become an issue because people got lost. And Atkins oh wow!
Great post
Cher

Francene Stanley link
4/17/2013 03:14:48 am

It's hard to remain firm without causing offence.

suzanne link
4/16/2013 07:25:12 pm

Hi Francene, visiting from UBC :) I have been vegetarian for over 30 years now, and still find myself having to justify 'why' when it's no-one's business but mine. The people that say 'go on, one *insert something that I won't hurt, I won't tell if you don't* are the worst - do my head in!
Suzanne @<a href=http://suzannes-tribe.blogspot.co.uk/>Suzannes Tribe</a>

Francene Stanley link
4/17/2013 03:16:08 am

We should all be free to eat what we please, she says as a fat couple waddle past the window. ;-)


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    Author

    Francene Stanley, author of many published novels. If you like my writing, why not consider purchasing one of my books? You'll see them on the sidebar below.
    Born in Australia, I moved to Britain half way through my long life.

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