I refuse to go on diets. As Garfield the cat once proclaimed: Diet is Die with a ‘T’. I prefer to refer to it as a “watchful” eating plan. I will watch what I eat. Most often this entails watching myself inhaling pizza or continuously devouring a plate of french fries. Yes, I have watched myself do this many times. However, as I age, I do realize that I should be adding fibre into my daily meal plans. I have also introduced yogurt with some fruit on a daily basis (this is day two, in case you are wondering how long I have been at it). I have determined that I need more vegetables in my daily eating habits as well. As such, I have deemed Asian food to be my “go-to” as I do love a good stir fry which can contain many, many varieties of vegetables. In keeping with the Asian spirit, I have also gone to my local “Dollar Store” and purchased something that I believed would assist me in fulfilling my destiny of enjoying the consumption of my Asian cuisine. You guessed it…chop sticks.
Let it be known that I have never really used chop sticks. I am an avid fork user and an occasional user of spoons. Chop sticks have always intrigued me. The first time I actually tried to use chop sticks, they managed…ahem…I managed, to make them cross over and actually fling a piece of meat off my plate onto an unsuspecting table. After my fingers cramped over and over again from the exertion, I relinquished my wooden apparatus. Basically, I woos-ed out and grabbed a fork. For shame! However, on this evening, I decided to attempt the impossible yet again. Ha-zaaa!
I had procured a lovely beef and vegetable stir fry. The beef was super tender (I had worried about over frying it). The mish-mash of vegetables would have made a dietician proud: broccoli, red onions, red peppers, baby bok choy, carrots, celery, snap peas, mushrooms, and crunchy bean sprouts. Oh my! A smorgasbord of delightful vegetables and beautiful colour. I added some rice into the mix and was ready to proceed with my healthy feast. I put my stir fried creation into a lovely bowl and proceeded to google how to hold chop sticks. Yes I did. I practiced and was ready to chow down on my homemade creation.
Hmmm, playing with the chopsticks felt easy…until I actually tried to pick up food. My first attempts were quite successful. I picked up the succulent beef and shovelled it into my mouth. Success!
I think I became too cocky. After the first few attempts I became more clumsy and tense. My fingers were actually turning white from white-knuckling. What had happened? Eventually I changed over to the scoop method.
That worked for awhile and then I finally decided that I was super hungry. Back to my reliable and trusty fork I went. That gleaming dart of food happiness. I devoured the rest of my meal.
I will not give up. I shall try to use the wooden spikes again. Try, try and try again. I will not give up! Well, I will give in if my fingers cramp up again, but after that I will figure out how to eat with these food fantasy sticks. If I can’t figure it out on my own, I am sure someone can give me lessons. There is probably a 3-year old who has it down pat.
The silver lining of this adventure: It took me waaaaaay longer to eat my meal. It gave me time to think and analyze my eating procedure. As such, I actually felt fuller much quicker as I was not inhaling my food as I usually do. It made me appreciate every flavour and every vegetable I was biting into. Hmmm….perhaps I have found my new watchful eating plan. Eat slower. Digest slower. Enjoy the time more. I think it’s a solid future plan.
P.S. If anyone can give me the “Dummy’s version” of how to use chop sticks I would be very, very grateful.
Maryann's Life 