IN WHICH I SEND IN THE REINFORCEMENTS.
There’s never a time to turn over a new leaf like the New Year. But I purposely waited to post on this annual opportunity the second week into it. Because if you are human, most likely by now, all or some of your resolutions have already gone the way of eight-track tapes, video stores and MySpace. Never a better time, then, to call in the cavalry in the guise of me, your ever-optimistic and encouraging cheerleader, Mrs.Hot.
There’s a reason my gym makes its money in new memberships from the last week of December through the first weeks of the New Year: The tsunami of resolutions to get fit. But I’ve noticed already by February the attendance is lower, and in March the crowd shrinks pretty much to the level it was before the holidays.
As you may recall, I often mention we are constructing our reality one choice at a time: if most choices are positive, self-loving and life-affirming, than those will snowball into a happier, healthier, hotter you. If the opposite direction is taken, and choices tend to be self-destructive, then the negative snowballs into a toxic, unhappy, and most likely, unhot you.
In my opinion, the main reason people give up on their resolutions is they were too ambitious in the first place. Too many, or too hard to fulfill. That’s why baby steps tend to work better — the changes take hold because they are easier to make and sustain.
We’re all works in progress, and I try to be the best I can be: I’ve taken many baby steps which have gotten me to where I am now. But my refrigerator tells the story of a busy bachelorette who drives by to grab a healthy snack. (Though there is ALWAYS a bottle of champagne chilling in there — I maintain a constant expectation of celebration.)
But cooking for myself is something I need to do more of: immensely self-nurturing, cooking sends a vibration of love to all our cells, just adding yet another layer to the positive snowball. To this end, this year’s resolution is to cook more, especially vegetables.
Of course, I already eat plenty of raw ones in salads, and take a ton of supplements, but I miss the comfort of a puréed, curried squash soup with apples, brussel sprouts sautéed with bacon (yes, occasionally), mashed turnips with butter. And, of course, far bigger portions of low cal, nutrient-dense, antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic steamed ones dressed with heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil.
Because, after all, the more we steam, well, the more we steam.
Yours truly,
