I AM a foodie (CaitPlusAte responds)

I’m a foodie.

I say that with total, complete confidence. The statement is 100% truthful.

Now ask me WHY I call myself a foodie. Well now, I’m happy you asked!

I’m a foodie because the perfect dish awakens a passion inside of me. The first smell of a long-loved favorite meal’s aroma induces hours’ worth of memories. A mind-blowing bite, chewed and swallowed in seconds, sparks minutes upon minutes of enthusiastic conversation and reflection. I experiment throughout consumption of my plate, creating unique flavor combinations by picking out different components to spear with my fork and make up each taste. I eat, appreciate, and repeat.

Sometimes, I spear with chopsticks.

A special restaurant can make me feel as if the world outside does not exist. Seeing a unique ingredient combo or preparation method on a menu elicits a squeal of excitement. I believe each dish’s designer puts a part of him or herself into the food, and that food is ordered and devoured by a foodie as a professor devours books, as an artist takes in paintings at a museum. A foodie is in awe of the creations of other foodies, and lives to experience them.

A foodie and her dad.

Food is so much more than something to shove in one’s mouth on the go just to get hunger out of the way. We are fortunate as humans to need to consume food to nourish our bodies and be at our best. The joy that can come of food is a gift that is not to be taken for granted. It is a special and essential part of life that, as it nourishes the body, feeds the soul. Food is our common ground. We all need it. We can all share this passion. It can be a great divider, but is an even greater unifier.

A foodie and her mom.

A foodie understands all of this, whether he or she has always understood or has had to learn. Foodies are open-minded and respectful of others. They will give any pairing, any use of an ingredient, any cuisine a chance. If they do not like what they taste, they will move on, but also be willing to taste again in time. They will continue to seek out new and exciting ways to stimulate the palate, and the best part is, they will never run out of the ways to do so.

That is because of the existence of other foodies. So long as humans exist, we will need food, and so foodies will exist and create. Foodies long to turn their loved ones into foodies because they want to share the passion they feel with each meal, each snack. Foodies understand that every meal CAN be made special and unique, but does not HAVE to be, so long as each bite is savored and enjoyed and appreciated for what it is – nourishment, memories, emotions, a great equalizer.

Nourishment from salad, happiness from wine, and memories from a friend.

I love bacon. I love broccoli. I love ice cream, and I love seafood. I love wine, and I love coffee. Foodies know no boundaries. A foodie does not limit him or herself to one food group just because he or she enjoys another. For foodies, balance can always exist because of the great variety of food consumed. Moderation can exist because of the acceptance of a vast amount of different forms of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. But foodies don’t have to like everything. I don’t like watermelon, grapes, or beef jerky. But I don’t discount the happiness those foods bring my loved ones and ones I will never meet. I accept and respect their tastes, and ask for the same respect in return.

Salad and wine – balance.

After reading this if you still don’t consider yourself a foodie, that’s fine. But my hope is that more often than not, you will read this and realize you ARE a foodie. You may not enjoy the finest of wines or chicken pate, but if you moan in delight at the first bite of your favorite chocolate cake or can go on forever about a great meal you had at a restaurant, then you my friend are a foodie.

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oooh SNAP. A NIGHT-exerciser responds:

Hi my name is Katie and I can’t work out before 5:30 at night.  

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That’s right I said it.  I can’t get up early and workout like some many other amazing fitness junkies.  I tried a few times and it was a complete bust for me.  My lungs don’t seem to want to wake up until at least 6:30 a.m..  So that means that I’m forced to SQUEEZE it in sometime after work, but before dinner.

Luckily, my husband is also an evening exerciser so we usually plan to go together and my son E gets to go to the nursery where he plays and makes a mess which someone else gets to clean up so it’s a win-win.  Between the time I leave work and get to the gym, my mind goes through a series of checkpoints (otherwise known as excuses that are quickly overruled).  I thought I’d share those with you to help you get over the hump and get to the gym.

 Excuses for not exercising in the evening debunked:

1.       Many people will say that “if I don’t go straight from work, I won’t go at all”  That’s NEVER been the case for me.  Fitness is a priority and always will be.  Because of that, I go home, I change, I get my husband and child ready and we all turn right back around and head to the gym.  No excuses.  So that’s my first recommendation for you: MAKE FITNESS AND YOUR HEALTH A PRIORITY

2.       I’ve also heard…”well, by the end of the day I’m exhausted.  I don’t have any energy”.  Another excuse that can easily be overcome.  First off, GO TO BED!!  Get your sleep.  Sleep is essential to making sure that your day goes smoothly.  Secondly, watch what you put in your body throughout the day…If you’re feeding your body lots of artificial sugars then you’re not even giving yourself a fighting chance.  Try adding an apple to the mix if you’re looking for something sweet.  Refrigerate it if you want something cold.  Add some peanut butter for added protein.  My second recommendation: EAT TO SUCCEED

3.       The third excuse I hear and again, you can work through it is…”I’ve had a terrible day, all I want to do is go home and veg”.  UMMM, no!  Sorry.  When I’ve tried doing this, I’ve found that I just sit and stew about the bad day that was instead of moving on.  Work is work is work.  When you walk out the door, try to put it all behind you and move on to the next part of your day.  Part of what makes fitness great is that no one is going to bite your head off for pushing yourself. Beside the sweat you’ll produce cleanses yourself of the terrible day’s toxins that might have built up.  My third recommendation: SWEAT IT OUT!

4.       Finally, there are days when you just need some help, some motivation, some energy and some support.  My final recommendation: Use our amazing twitter network for motivation, drink a 5 hour energy (my quick energy source) and hug someone.  Then off you go!!

Now what were you planning to do tonight?  Head to the gym…it’s waiting for you.

Katie is the creator and blogger of MomsLittleRunningBuddy.com, fitness junkie, former fitness competitor, runner, triathlete and working mom in the healthcare industry.  She’s been blogging since 2009 and has a passion for sharing her experiences and tips for staying fit and healthy while trying to maintain a balance. 

She carries that love of fitness into her extracurricular activities which include sitting on the planning committee for Celebrate Fitness in St. Louis and motivating anyone who needs it. 

 Her motto is “Make it Worth it” and wants everyone to know that it is possible to make time for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.  Even if it’s 10 minutes to cook, make sure that 10 minutes is focused and purposeful.

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