The butter stands alone

For the last few months now, I have been participating in a well known weight loss program. Not because I think I am overweight or because I want to look like a VS model, although that would be nice. It is just simply so that I can eat better and feel healthier. I feel that for the most part, I do relatively well. I eat whole wheat bread, I try to keep my meals balanced, I’ve given up most fast food chains, and I try to exercise on a regular basis.

Last night, I went to a meeting for said weight loss program and in this meeting, other members were talking about things that they enjoy eating. After talk of a steak filet wrapped in bacon which is then packaged in a thick, government-like plastic wrap, the most dreaded, unfathomable thing personally to me was brought up. SPRAY BUTTER. It was at this moment that I realized, I do, like my family likes to tease me about, LOVE butter. This is one thing that I cannot compromise on. You just can’t compare to hot bread, freshly out of the oven with melting sweet butter on it.

As for butter versus margarine, I trust cows more than chemists. ~Joan Gussow

Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts! ~James Beard

The reference to the butter imposter lead me to start thinking on all food imitations. Why do people feel the need to substitute such basic and simple ingredients. (The same weight loss member who raved over her plastic wrapped steak, later admitted to being a gourmet chef who loves using fresh ingredients such as herbs.) Why do people also feel that in order to lose weight, they must substitute or even eliminate butter, chocolate, cheese and don’t forget about wine and in order to lose weight and eat healthy? Must I too, give up these things?! After a few panicked seconds, the answer was simple. No. I see no reason in giving up said diet no-no’s forever and ever, amen. I will instead make sacrifices in other places in my life—more time in the gym, smaller serving sizes, leaner cuts of meat. Those decisions, I feel, are more realistic in my life.

A gourmet who thinks of calories is like a tart who looks at her watch. ~James Beard

This is not a retribution to those who do use imitation products, this is just a declaration to myself and Fabio that I cannot and will not give up these fundamental elements in my diet and a challenge to eat healthier, the way they did in the good ole days...with fresh ingredients!

We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons. ~Alfred E. Newman