Food is an obsession in America. It’s everywhere. I work for a company that’s sole basis is about food, it can drive you up the wall. I don’t know how chefs, waiters or even food critics do it every day. This obsession with food is extreme. I find myself aware of what I eat. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, you just can’t give up every possible craving. I want a brownie. So eat it. I want a slice of cheese pizza (I have a slice or 2 every week, it’s my favorite food, so I wouldn’t dare think of giving it up) it’s all around you. All you can think of, okay so lunch is in an hour.

Or when you meet friends, it almost always got to do with food and drinks. Hey, you want to get together? Sure. Where do you want to go? Have you eaten? No, you? Okay let’s go out to eat.

Even when I’m at the gym, the Food Network is on. That makes it impossible to put in a solid work out. Admittedly I’ll watch it while on the treadmill (and I end up salivating, but it’s the only interesting thing on TV!). I’ll be onto my weights, then think, “damn I want dinner now.” So I cut my workout short. It’s hard.

When I watch TV at night, there are so many commericals about food. You can’t help but think, “Oooh that sounds good. and go grab something else to eat, even after eating dinner”.

When I make a resolution, that is often to eat healthy without giving up my indulgences (brownies, pizza, beer, wine). It’s actually easier than you think and I personally think it’s all about adding flavor, spicing something up or even sweetening your pasta with butternut squash, instead of using a tomato-based sauce.

I like to experiment with food, especially with its flavor. I think it was the Food Network’s fault. Or perhaps my roommates’ fault. There are still some foods I won’t eat (like onions, and give it up, it’s a food I’ve never liked, so don’t go try convincing me of it).

I grew up eating bland, basic American food. I still remember this one time when my mom tried to experiment and make tamale. The three of us girls sat at that dining room table for hours on an end. My family’s style is simple, cooked veggies, rice or pasta, and some kind of meat. That’s it.

When I cook now, I think my family will raise their eyebrows. I put garlic in everything, and I mean everything. I love curry for some reason. I like mixing peanut butter with curry, that’s quite tasty. Even Pumpkin with peanut butter and curry (a Rachel Ray recipe), that’s such goodness. I like coming up with ways to make my vegetables a little bit more tastier, and not have the same taste over and over again. I’ll mix soy sauce, ginger, garlic, olive oil. It’s delicious! My roommate makes this crushed red pepper mixture, I don’t even know what she does with it. But a little goes a long way, because I’ve gotten to the point where I can’t eat anymore because it’s so spicy, even she’ll be like “oh my!” But it’s a tasty addition to a variety of food.*

I have started eating more fruit (2 to 3 a day). I’m not too crazy about bananas, but I’ll add peanut butter or nutella to it and that tastes delicious. I even tried pomegranate…just a warning, it can get messy. I have a couple juice stains on my clothes today from trying that. I never liked eating oranges (I hated the pulp), now I’ll eat a clementines. It makes me crave less sugar because I’m eating more natural sweets.

I am determined to eat healthier and not eat everything in sight. It also helps that I’m experimenting with being a vegetarian for the month of December**. I’ve actually been successful for 13 days now. I don’t miss meat too much but I couldn’t do it for the rest of my life because I love seafood. I like the flavors of different fishes, and I love my sushi.

Plus I read a lot of health magazines, and lately, the message is, don’t diet (which I wholeheartedly suck at), make a lifestyle change. And I think it’s working for me. I’m still obsessed over food, but in a healthier way.

*Now if only our kitchen wasn’t so closed in! Its tinier than the walk-in closet!
**My roommate got me involved in this, and I thought it’d be an interesting way to learn how to cook more variety.