Skating Uphill - January 16

So, dear ladies, this is how you know the resolution business has taken a real downward turn: you dig out your notebook to make your resolutions and see that you have had the same ones five years in a row. How many times can you promise to lose 10 pounds, call your friends more often, eat a healthy diet, and be nicer to people? Well, I finally got on to the fact that these sorts of things were not only not working for me, but were actually making me quite depressed. What, you say? Never any better even with all of this resolving and reevaluation? Well, no more. I am about to share the secret of how to actually keep some resolutions and do it easily.

The key here is to make only one genuine resolution. Look yourself in the eye in a full-length mirror and say that you want to feel and look better. That’s it. Don’t say you will save the world, write thank-you notes twice a week, or call your mom every Sunday. Don’t involve anyone else but YOU! Does this sound selfish to make 2016 the year of the ME? Well, in actual fact it is not. The better you are and the better you feel about yourself, the more you will be a better friend, daughter, employee and so on and so forth.

So please. Try these easy things.

First, try to eat 25 grams of protein every day. This is very simple, believe it or not. Ok, our magic number is 25 so here we go: to eat 3 grams of protein per ½ cup serving eat peas, spinach, broccoli, or a baked potato. Add 1 tablespoon of non-fat sour cream to the potato and add 2 grams. A packet of Think Thin Oatmeal is 10 grams of protein and ½ cup of Raisin Bran is 5. If you like rice, try ½ cup of Minute Rice in the ready-cook cups. The Jasmine and Brown both have 5 grams. Oh. I am already at 34 grams and I have had no meat or dairy. How can that be? See, I told you it was easy.

Next, try to eat 25 grams of fiber per day. Oh, this is so hard I cannot do it, you say. Well, stop worrying and read on. If you have that same potato, peas and spinach you have already had 12 grams of fiber. A cup of pinto beans is 15 grams. A cup of Fiber One Bran Cereal is 14 grams of fiber. One pear is six grams of fiber. I could go on, but I think I am already over 40 so again; it’s not that hard. Read the labels.

Right about now you are probably wondering how I know all of this stuff. Boy, you are thinking, she sure is smart. Well, not so much. All of this information and soooo much more is available on line. You can tailor-make a healthy diet for your lovely self in about 15 minutes.

There is a final component to our easy New Year’s Resolution Party. I said earlier that we—yes, you and me—should look in the mirror and be painfully honest. This is what has put that attitude in my heart recently. I know three people, who I love very much, who have had some kind of plastic surgery in the last month. I used to say things like get a new hairstyle or buy a new outfit, or pull up your bra straps—all kinds of things like that. My point was there are lots of things you can do to feel better about yourself without having plastic surgery. Well, I still believe that. But you know, there are perfectly wonderful people out there who do not feel this is enough for them to be their very best selves. I don’t know if it is the celebrity factor or what, but I know it is there. In fact, since we are being brutally honest, many years ago I spent the first dollar I ever earned on my own to have my front teeth fixed. It was a life changer.

One loved one had a nose job and a forehead lift. Just to show the grass is always greener, another had a breast reduction and the other had a breast augmentation. All three are under 35 and all three are thrilled with what they have done. So, let’s not judge each other or question motivations. Let’s celebrate our differences.

Tune in next time for some down and dirty food talk and I don’t mean just dirty rice!  
Until then, Happy New Year! Love, Judith