Refreshment

Netnet Camomot .

WHILE talking about senior-moment concerns, I shared what I believe has saved me from those times when I could have quit and decided to hibernate in Siberia. And it’s this: writing this column three times a week, which always manages to refresh my mind for the days ahead, no matter what I’m going through.

Writing is a survival technique that everyone should adopt and it’s not only for journalists, editors, authors, columnists, writers, and wannabe writers like me. As long as you put your heart and soul into the writing, editor-in-chief Herbie Gomez is always there to make it work, anyway. Hehe. Peace, Herb.

The 16 years—since 2003!—that I’ve been writing columns, lifestyle features, press releases, and the occasional news have also been years of challenges, struggles, loss, success, happiness, a rollercoaster ride of life’s ups and downs. My Facebook photos and posts have somehow preserved those memories since 2009 when I became a subscriber. Or was that in 2008? Well, let’s wait for FB to remind me about my nth FB anniversary.

If not for the writing, I’d probably be obese by now because I’m an emotional eater. I eat when I’m happy or sad, it’s not even about hunger pangs anymore. But I’ve learned to write instead of opening the fridge for more goodies. So, the best way for me to lose weight is to have a fridge filled with water.

For this latest healthy lifestyle experiment, I’ve stopped eating refined carbs when I’m home. It’s when I eat out that my minute brain relies on selective amnesia: Ay! I don’t eat sweets na diay?

Food is one of the worst go-to salves since the more you eat, the fatter you get, and the sadder you become once you see your reflection in the mirror. Sadder evokes more food cravings, and the vicious cycle of eating and the blues start all over again.

Shopping for clothes and finding out nothing fits, is one more reason to go to a resto and brighten the gloom with food.

There’s no magic diet that can help you lose weight and keep that weight down. It’s all about the lifestyle you’re willing to adopt for the rest of your life. Marie Kondo has found that lifestyle—to deal only with things and situations that spark joy.

Bacon used to spark joy for me. Until that day last week when I feasted on one slice and could feel its cholesterol flowing through my veins. Ugh. As for the bacon served at the breakfast buffet in a Cebu hotel a few weeks ago, it tasted like paper with salt. To the bacon that I used to love: It’s not you; it’s me.

Once the diet changes, the dieter starts to notice the food that has too much salt, too much sugar, too much flour. I had an early dinner at a pizza resto last week and the meal I ordered—a plate filled with pizza, spaghetti, fried chicken, fried potatoes, garlic bread—tasted blah. Oh, except for the garlic bread—that was yummy. Again, it’s not the food; it’s me.

Now that I’m beginning to avoid red meat, finally I can say I love piggies, but not as food.

As for the lechon—hmmm. And that’s a hmmm, with my thumb and index finger caressing my double chin.

Food can bring people together, and there’s the Pinoy fiesta as one yummy proof of that. The Pinoy tends to celebrate any occasion with food as the constant centerpiece. When there’s no occasion to celebrate, the Pinoy will look for one, e.g., it’s my piggy’s birthday! Yes, it has a birthday, as noted on its tag by the toy company. And, yup, it’s made in China.

A romantic relationship can also have many occasions to celebrate, and I’m now waiting for the couple who will have their secondsary, minutesary, hoursary, and daysary, which is possible for an “Isang Linggong Pag-ibig”:

Lunes, nang tayo’y magkakilala

Martes, nang tayo’y muling nagkita

Miyerkules, nagtapat ka ng ‘yong pag-ibig

Huwebes ay inibig din kita

Biyernes ay puno ng pagmamahalan

Mga puso natin ay sadyang nag-aawitan

Sabado, tayo’y biglang nagkatampuhan

At pagsapit ng linggo

Giliw ako’y iyong iniwan

Ouch!

Facebook still has its “In a relationship” status. The other side of that declaration is what happens when they’re no longer in a relationship. Hmmm.

And the other side of social media is reality. Even glamorous celebrities and brilliant politicians have their bad days, too.