All Things in Moderation

Alligator and shrimp cheesecake. Fried alligator gumbo. French fries fried in duck fat. Jambalaya. Crabs and lots of 'em. Bacon and eggs with biscuits-- two biscuits. Not just one. Cheesy mashed potatoes. Chicken and pasta. Bread pudding. Cream cheese sopapillas. Fried plantains and baked beans. Much wine and beer. No, this is not the diet of a 200-lb. stoner, it's actually mine of late. An ever-growing graduate student whose first forays into the eating culture of New Orleans has sucked her down a dark and windy path to obesity. I have gained almost five pounds since I got here, which was less than two months ago. With my newfound love of eating delicious things (and not even in small quantities, mind you-- I actually went to a party called THE MEAT PARTY-- it had five different meats to partake in), I have forgotten I actually like vegetables and salads and yogurt and fruit! I used to eat those things! Those were the days...

All things in moderation? Absolutely. I believe in this idea completely. Therefore, in order to shrink my stomach and remember to actually care about the things I am putting into my body, I will have to, as my sister and I said earlier this summer when this same problem hit me after our visit to Ohio, slightly starve myself.  Listen, it's for the sake of not buying new pants. Gaining weight is expensive!  I am also going to rededicate myself to yoga and my goal is to go 3x/week. There's some great little studios around here and yogalates at the school gym that I've already paid dues for. I will not let you turn my hour-glass figure into a blob, you delightful New Orleans cuisine! When Conan O'Brien did a spoof on the state mottos, the one for Louisiana was, "You're not fat here, friend!" ...It's been my theme ever since. So if the natives are going to pray for me since I'm a Democrat, I also want them to pray for my will power. I can help too-- it'd be something like, "God, please do not let the cornbread be shoved into my mouth by mine own hands. Amen." This weekend is the barbeque festival. I'll never survive. *sigh*

P.S. Sorry if this post just made you very hungry.