We all have our favorite part of being on vacation. My favorite part is when I get home because then I get to watch marathons of my television shows that are on my DVR. I was so excited to come home and be able to watch Bethenny Ever After (5 episodes but I smell divorce); The Real Housewives of Atlanta (they never disappoint and don’t think me strange but when I die, I kinda want Phaedra to embalm me); Spartacus: Vengeance (if you are not watching this, you are missing the Dynasty of sandals and togas); The Walking Dead (some of the best writing on television); and of course, Joan Knows Best – more on this one later.
All kidding aside, I may have been away for a while but all for a good cause. I was helping to plan a new hospital on a tiny volcano ravaged island in theCaribbean. I am actually quite excited about it and I left the island with more ideas than when I got there – that’s the real beauty of volunteering your time instead of just donating money. You get a real feel for what can be done.
Don’t get me wrong, when the time comes, I am still going to be asking for money but I think I have figured out a way to get most of the expensive equipment donated from my doctor friends here in the States – it would be a great tax benefit for them and the people on that island won’t have to fly three hours to get a CT scan. I am thrilled.
And in case you are wondering, I did go off my eating plan while I was away – partly because there is not much of a low carb selection on island but also because it was vacation and I am human after all. I am happy to report that I am back on track but, it was difficult this time. I am not quite sure why but it was.
Speaking of Being Human, that show always manages to have a great opening statement that really speaks to the human condition and really speaks to the world of dieting, nutrition and health. After all, those ideals; those instincts really, are right up there with the very basics of human life – survival; and no matter how much we struggle with it, the issues remain basic.
“Sometimes all it takes is your own focus and your own will to see it through; but, to solve a problem you first have to acknowledge that it exists and sometimes your worst obstacle isn’t circumstance or some external force or another person, it’s you. And in the end, most of us don’t have the strength to face the music, to admit that we are flawed and then you are stuck. You can’t save yourself if you don’t know the danger you are in.”
How many times do we place blame on others for our failure to eat right or to be healthy? It’s my husband, my boss, my children, society. While those may all be contributory factors, until you realize it’s you standing in your own way; deal with the self-loathing that comes from not being able to control yourself, you can never change.
Acknowledging the problem is the first step and I wish that OA was as glamorous or as supported as AA because working a program can help a lot of people. It may not be for everyone but those who are obese or overweight are frowned upon; derided for their lack of self control; but who offers them help? I know I often fall into that same category right here in these very pages but I do it so that you have to face the facts. People need help in order to be healthy and there are very few avenues of support out there. It makes me sad but I hope that something I do or something I write can make a difference in at least one person’ life.
And yet so much of life can get in the way. Let’s look at Joan Knows Best. I hate to admit that I love this show – at least this season. It has got to be the most real of the reality television shows and let me tell you why. Melissa found out that her partner was on the internet having sex with strangers from the inception of their relationship. She found this out from Perez Hilton –not from snooping around through her partner’s cache; but from a gossip columnist.
Now, don’t get me wrong, if you are a celebrity, you get paid to live your life in the view of the public and you don’t get the opportunity to mourn in solitude or to hide your dirty laundry – it’s all out there and I appreciated Melissa just breaking down and admitting that.
And part of me thinks that if we could all be so open and so honest in our failures and our foibles, maybe it would be easier to ask for help. We wouldn’t have to hide in the closet to eat or sneak a cookie when no one was looking; or lie to our doctor about why you didn’t lose weight this month. Accepting your fault in your health issues or weight issues is going to set you free. The truth will set you free but as Gloria Steinhem once said, but first it will piss you off.
Ok, Ok, a little deep for my first blog back but I did have a lot of time to think while I was away. Funniest TV line of the week comes from Renee on Mob Wives – you know I am addicted to them. They are in the Catskills of all places and Renee says she can’t wait to get back to see her father even if it is through a plate of glass.
Oh, and how happy was I to see the previews for…. Don’t be Tardy for the Wedding.
Until next time…