Day 26: Five Guys

Today, like most Sundays I ate Five Guys (I can't take credit for the pic, BTW, google images can, but this is exactly what I ate). Ulrich and I have managed to carve out a sacred space on the Sabbath day to connect with each other and take a deep breath before the week comes rushing at us. Most of the time we eat a Five Guys. Two burgers, all the way, a bag of fries and a drink that we share. We sit at a table close to the fountain drinks and fill up on diet coke while we meander in conversation and review our calendar strategizing for the week.

I am not one of those people who have been blessed with an amazing metabolism. So I am constantly aware of what I'm taking in. So, I plan my day's intake around our afternoon date. After years of struggling with weight, I am ever conscious of what calories I'm taking in. Back when I first turned my eating habits around, I had to carefully log what I ate and manually tally up my total calorie consumption. I would be hungry at the end of the day. Do my math and say, "Sorry body. Have to wait till tomorrow." And with a frown, head to bed.

With time, healthy eating has ingrained itself into me. I have a running mental calculator that quickly estimates the calories I'm taking in and adds it to a sub-conscious daily total. I've also found myself more deeply enjoying healthy foods. I've found that fat, salt and sugar are often use as a mask for lazy cooking. They make things seem to taste good. But, the flavor quickly tires and eating becomes mechanical. Better, the complicated combinations of natural ingredients and spices that gives food real character.

Spiritually, there are parallels. Unhealthy foods for the soul are the things we digest mechanically. Like processed foods they feel and taste amazing at first bite, but a bit into it and we start to feel a little unwell, but we keep grazing. It's addictive. A diet of prayer, meditation, scripture, worship and nature feel a bit like an extreme detox. But, as the habits build, they become the complex flavors that bring deep satisfaction and peace to the soul.