DO I REALLY LOOK LIKE WHAT I EAT?

“In a balanced diet, you keep cookies in one hand and coffee in the other hand”.

Today, to wake up, I switched to “youth” radio, and instead of music, there were questions and answers about health, healthy eating, diet, healthy lifestyle, and even healthy sleep. After hearing that cookies are unnecessary empty sugar, and it’s best not to eat them at all, I changed stations. I’ve heard in the past that coffee is unhealthy, wine kills, butter raises cholesterol, and after a few years, tea is unhealthy, not coffee, a glass of wine after eating aids digestion, and butter improves eyesight. Just about drinking liters of water, the concepts remain unchanged. I also remembered the times when I worked in an “Organic Store” and everything was healthy there and the customers were even healthier.

“You are what you eat” – was my boss’s daily quote.

Most of the customers in the “Organic Shop” looked like photo models on the covers of the best health magazines. Unprocessed in Photoshop. I am not joking. It was not only about the products from our store but also about the physical activity of these people.

In this small, family shop, I knew for a moment when I started all the customers’ names and their everyday life routines. And I talk a lot, so my boss was joking: “Less talking, more working”.

But thanks to my conversations, I met wonderful people, for example, my friend, an irreplaceable teacher of life:

EMMA – lady yoga trainer

Age 40-45, appearance under 40 with an athletic figure and a smile on her face every day. Her fluffy hair sparkled in the distance – mine only looked that once, when I was pregnant with my first baby. Her skin is without a single pimple, no shadows under the eyes, from my one post, you know why I have black shadows under my eyes (https://littlepuzzlesandme.com/more-than-beauty/):

“Hello Emma, how was your training today? 

“Fantastic, but I’m very hungry.”

“You are in the right place at the right time.”

And Emma was crazy about mushrooms, which she ate fresh in the store. She also loves cauliflower, broccoli, herbs, tons of fruit, rice, couscous, and a jar of coffee beans – our favourites.  On the way back home, Emma chose a mixed nut and dried fruit, flapjack, and for a drink – a ginger shot. I don’t know when it will become popular in this town, but I love these little bottles with a mix of ginger and chili or lime, or a dash of turmeric. Yummy.

“Do you have this organic facial soap?  Mine is running out slowly.”

“I found it, please. How does this soap suit you?

“Wonderful, I do not use anything else.”

The second friend, also the private coffee supplier, is addicted to coconut:

John – real estate salesman

I guess John is the same age as me – 40 – but he is more muscular and taller than me.  After a run in the morning, he comes for coconut yogurt, fruit, and muesli or a small energy coconut bar. He works right around the corner in an Estate Agency so at lunchtime he is back to shop for his favourite avocado sandwich. Only for coffee, John goes across the street and brings two espressos: One for me and one for him, and we have a quick conversation:

“Good morning, how are you today?”

“Little chili, I’m starting to feel autumn coming soon.”

“Let’s be glad it’s not raining. And how was your weekend?”

“The kids celebrated their 4th birthday and I made them birthday cupcakes and other children’s treats. Too much sugar, my belly is bigger.”

Believe me, his stomach is flat like a table, or not flat, but carved with muscles. I’m glad we have staff aprons that hide everything.

The last story is about my son’s hero:

Tiago – children’s football trainer

It is known from afar that he is an athlete, his calves are just muscles, and he most often comes by bike, which he loves to ride on mountain routes. He often tells me good recipes, especially Spanish dishes. Eats everything. At 9 a.m. he starts with the scoop of ice cream that he buys opposite, he will eat 2 small fruit tarts here in my shop. And we start talking:

“Hello, how did my son last in training?”

“He is brilliant and fast.”

“Don’t remind me of that, please. Any planes for evening food?”

“I have a romantic evening with my wife planned. The kids are going to their grandparents and I will make my wife’s favourite paella. You have shrimp, don’t you?”

“Sure. In the fridge, near other seafood.”

“And I still need pistachios and dates.”

“It promises to be a sweet evening.”

“Keep your fingers crossed for it.”

That’s it, no more examples are needed.  The funny thing is that they eat, drink, and do the same as me. Eat even worse, because after eating 2 tarts I have enough, and ice cream for breakfast – I would be sick until the evening.

So what’s wrong with me?

The painful truth is that I never eat regularly. I eat at work and home at different times. I like to eat most in the evening when I am calm and can eat without rushing. I don’t know breakfast. Coffee is breakfast for me. I know sleep disturbance affects my metabolism because Emma explained it to me. For now, to make Emma happy, I promised to drink more water and less coffee, but I didn’t promise to give up cookies – the secret of my happiness.