Deprivation Anxiety

So often, I find that posts that are supposed to be about "feeling positive" and "improving your life" involve depriving yourself of something that gives you pleasure. I'm a believer in moderation as much as anyone, but I see too many instances of crash diets and "I'm not eating carbs this week" and "I ate a cupcake so now I have to go to the gym for 2 hours." It makes me crazy!

Sometimes I start to feel down on myself - worrying about the aftereffects of a broken foot last summer in tandem with a sedentary job - and I think to myself, oh! I'll count calories! And do all these things that "should work! But the minute I start it, the very second I see a number attached to my breakfast and I am supposed to feel ashamed - something in me rebels. I don't like being told I'm wrong in the best of circumstances, and when I'm eating berries and whole-grain oatmeal, and apparently that's too many calories? I say fuck em.

I'm trying something new this summer - throwing deprivation out the window, listening to what my body wants and doesn't want (because usually my instincts are right about what's good for me), and trying to enjoy everything rather than punishing myself into some new way of life that's supposed to make me "better."

So here are some things I have enjoyed (without guilt!) in the last few months:

May the coming months be full of such similarly joyous things..

1. white wave walu - rocketfish sf

2. goi cuon roll - xyclo cafe, oakland

3. morgan's famous salmon

4. cheesecake in a jar - plum, oakland

5. blue bottle - jack london, oakland

6. prosciutto crudo sandwich - boccalone, sf

7. pork chops with dijon cream sauce, roasted root vegetables and balsamic asparagus - morgan's house

8. pollo tacos with cheese and cream - tacos mi rancho, oakland

9. raspberry sorbetto and fromage blanc gelato - lush, oakland

10. xolo taqueria, oakland