Food for thought: Finding happiness

I constantly keep asking myself, what makes me happy. Yes, there are some things which immediately come to my mind, but then when I dig deeper it leaves me perplexed. As a result, I ended up asking myself questions such as what is more important, to do things which give you short term happiness or long term happiness, and what would give me both.

I thought in order to answer these queries I should read on what others have to say and that’s how I came across this book – The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.

In this book, Gretchen tries to find out the larger meaning of happiness, tries to figure out she can live in the moment. Each month she tackles a resolution which she believes will help her get closer to her overarching goal – How to focus on things which matter,  live in the present and make most every moment. The book is indeed thought-provoking and did motivate me to start my own kind of Happiness project.

But, coming back to the point, there is this one particular chapter in the book which I enjoyed reading the most – Buying happiness.

It’s been highly debated that you can’t buy happiness. I agree. But there are something’s like food which can make you happy, instantly. And you can buy food, right?

The smell of chole batura, the crispness of wantons, the silky taste of a marquise, the soft and moist texture of a red velvet cake, the theekhapan of pani puri, the tangy pickle and the list goes on. This is where I find my happiness.

I am of the strong opinion that food can be a great mood and stress buster. Every time I feel a little off or feel like I am under way too much pressure, I eat. Yes, I know this is also the cause of obesity among many other people, but being blessed with a high metabolism, I make the most of this gift. Happiness to me is a enjoying a meal and not just eating to fill my hungry tummy. And I also believe that the happiness in your life depends on how you eat.  The more time you invest in relishing your meal, the happier you will be. Don’t believe me? Why don’t you sit down and try this yourself.

Contrary to popular belief, being happy takes a lot of effort but eating doesn’t, hence the next time you feel down like life is going all wrong, remember, you just need a cup of hot tea/coffee and some delicious snacks, yes that’s all you need. Genuine happiness comes from eating well and when you eat well and healthy it reflects in everything you do.

After all, happiness is always found where there is food and laughter. J

Food for Thought: Skinny girl who is a foodie

I am a foodie but, there have been several occasions where I have been questioned and got surprised looks from people on mentioning that. Why? Well, because I am skinny. I am one of those individuals on this planet who can eat like a pig yet, never gain weight. This has been the story of my life.

The good part of being blessed with high metabolism is that I can eat all I want without any fear of gaining weight. The bad part? Well, it’s all those comments you get to hear.

No, this isn’t going to be a blog post where I crib and cry about those comments I hear but, rather introspection. (Ok, I might crib a little, just a little)

Someone can be a foodie only if they are fat? What kind of logic is that! Being a foodie has nothing to do with one’s weight! You might weigh 100+ kgs or just 50 kgs, being a foodie has got to do with your love for food, and mind you it’s not necessary that that love for food should be physically seen in the body. That is the most ridiculous thing ever if you ask me.

Getting shocked/surprised look when you eat more than everyone at the table is something I have faced so many times and those looks are followed by statements such as – ‘Oh my god, you eat so much, where does it all go?’, ‘how can you eat so much’, ‘I am surprised you managed to finish that’ and, I could just end up writing a book on the various comments one gets. What I don’t understand is, people have a problem if a skinny person eats a lot and they have a problem if they don’t eat a lot, I mean come on, make up your mind people!

Being skinny doesn’t mean you can’t eat large portions and being skinny also does not mean you don’t enjoy the food. The whole point of being a food enthusiast is that you enjoy and relish food a little more than others do and by doing so if one does not put on weight, well that’s just a bonus.

This leads to one of the biggest misconceptions among people about foodies. A lot of them think being a foodie means someone who eats a lot and is always ready to experiment with their palate. Well, probably this is where the problem arises from. Foodie is not just someone who is always up for trying out various cuisines, but a foodie is someone who has an ardent interest in food and seeks out new experiences and learning when it comes food and beverages. Yes, I agree that in recent past the word ‘foodie’ has been used exhaustively to an extent that it has lost its meaning hence, I have settled for calling myself a food enthusiast and just not a foodie.

Like Julia Child once said, ‘people who love to eat are the best people’, and I couldn’t agree with her more. And, if I had to sum up all my thoughts in a sentence it would be, don’t judge people on their interest in food and their love for food basis their body weight, instead eat and make merry and continue to spread the love for food. Sounds good, yeah?