As my family and I finished clearing our plates at Easter brunch, the question of dessert was the first to most everyone’s (save my own) lips.
Transitioning my diet from one high in fat and sugar to one full of proteins and carbohydrates has been difficult. Throughout my life, I’ve always been keen to slurp down a glass of Pepsi with a meal, and then top that meal off with a peanut butter egg or four.
So it was with a heavy heart that I passed up my favorite childhood candy, instead opting to replace the sweets with a couple more breakfast rolls. As my tears moistened my bread, my father’s hand snuck into the Reese’s stash and took the last of the chocolate delicacies.
The last time I was home for spring break, my father, like myself, had just started a new diet. The house seemed renewed with a new sort of vigor as my mother, sister and I subtly encouraged him to do his best, but “for real this time.”
As I observed the man’s eating habits over this past weekend (most notably Saturday afternoon’s Wendy’s binge) I saw that something had gone awry while I was away.
If you’ve been keeping up with my column and read last week’s edition, you may be thinking something along the lines of, “You recently admitted to your own failures, what right do you have to call out your Dad’s?” or “What’s all this column junk about? Shouldn’t you be ‘getting jacked’ instead?”
But what I’ve come to find from both experience and watching shows like The Biggest Loser is that it takes a strong will to keep with a diet that goes against everything you’ve grown up believing about food.
Keeping the right food around helps, too. If you don’t have crappy food around you to put into your body you should be golden, Ponyboy. Also, keep track of the stuff you eat and monitor that diet. Understanding the science behind the food is key.
Knowing my father’s past and the things he’s done to help provide my family and I a comfortable life, he’s more than capable of sticking to his diet heading into this summer.
If not, he’d better be prepared for a little father/son bonding time in the form of fitness boot camp. I’m talking early morning jogs and semi-vegan diets here, Pops. So it may be in your best interest to get back on track while we’re still separated by a four-hour car ride.
jd202409@ohiou.edu
