That's not a complaint, or a rant- it's a fact.
And it can be a very good thing to recognize and even celebrate.
What brought this on? A salad with dressing on the side. Well, that was my order, but the waitress brought me a salad with dressing all over it. Smothered in it. I could make out some lettuce peeking out. Fortunately, she realized that the whole order was wrong- I had asked for a different dressing on the side. The creamy mound was whisked away with a smile, and her assurance that she would be right back.
The salad she brought me to go with my lovely soup was the sort of colorful explosion of vegetables that you dream of all winter when the produce in the store looks limp and picked over, and the garden is in stunted disarray. The tomatoes were firm, red-orange wedges, the cucumber slices were crisp, and an array of greens were an actual array of greens! Peppers, onions, tissue thin shavings of parmesan cheese. This salad was out of control. The dish of dressing looked like it held a full 1/2 cup of dressing. It was delicious, but I didn't use much. Dipping the salad into the dressing, or dipping my fork in first before digging into the salad, offered plenty of flavor- more flavors than just the dressing.
How many "combination" foods do you regularly enjoy? Do you automatically reach for a topping or companion food? Are you "elevating" one food with the other (as they encourage on Food Network shows), or are you using something like salad dressing to hide the taste of the salad? Do you actually enjoy pasta, or is it a vehicle for the sauce? This is not a judgement, this is a reality check. What are you selecting to eat based on enjoyment, and what is based on habit? And are you selecting foods you think are good for you, but that need to be disguised to be palatable to you? Your choices should have value in terms of nutrition, but also in terms of your own appreciation for them.
Having the opportunity to ransack a garden for foods fresh in the sun, without taking the time to add the usual salad components renewed my appreciation for each flavor. And lest this seem like the wholesome philosophy of healthy food zealot, I have come to realize than in many cases, when I have an urge for an ice cream sundae, what I really want is a mix of toppings. A little whipped cream, some sauce of some kind, maybe sprinkles. Yum. In many cases, the ice cream itself isn't needed. Sometimes, it absolutely is, and sometimes it is great on its own.
So, when is enough enough? When more than enough is too much. Enough is when you still have the JOY of enjoying something without guilt or discomfort. Enough is also not going to leave you feeling deprived or punished. Enough can be challenging in terms of overall fitness and wellness. It is fine to have plenty to reach for, just as it is fine to have salad dressing available to make your salad just the way you want it. It is also fine to stop when you have had enough, whether that is food or exercise. Enough is when the workout lets you know that your body has done good work and will still function in the morning. More is not always better. We may know that on some level, but it is hard to find the balance which will keep enthusiasm from morphing into burn-out. Even when we strive to meet goals, it is good to know that at some point, we may achieve those goals and have to reassess how we maintain our fitness, or if that level is even what we want long term. For some of us, training for a marathon may be a goal, but it is rarely something even serious runners think of as a daily routine. At some point, enough is enough, even if we love it. Changing our workout routine can mean adding a class or workout, and dropping another to achieve balance and avoid burnout. More is not the only path to progress.
When should you stop and appreciate enough? When you eat enough to savor the flavor and still feel wonderful. When you exercise enough to feel invigorated and powerful, but not beaten into the ground. When you do enough laundry to not run out of underwear, but not so much laundry that you don't have time to get outside before the clouds gather and dump rain.
Enough takes less time.
Enough may cost less.
Enough may allow for more another time and less stress now.
Enough is enough- Enjoy it!
(Published in AKWA December, 2016/ January, 2017)
