Virtuous Eating

"Virtuous" is described in the online Merriam-Webster dictionary as "morally excellent" or righteous.  Here is even a Google image of it:

Fascinating. I think the discussion of "virtuosity" usually focuses on "reason" and 'discipline", but hardly ever compassion, which is too close to passion and passionate, which are "immoral" feelings. But I digress. I named this post the way I did because I had a pretty good day of eating what in many circles would be described as virtuous: fruits, vegetables and proteins, very few sweets and very few carbs. Of course to fully achieve eating enlightenment and mass approval, I would have not eaten any carbs, sugar, or drunk any alcohol. As I write this, I am enjoying my second glass of a delightful crisp  chardonnay, so throw that one out on its keester. Also, I had a few cups of coffee today, which in some books, is also deemed immoral. It got me thinking.

I don't believe in God or religion, much less moral eating. I frown--ok, I usually scoff and roll my eyes and may even throw out a *(&*^%*^*%$#$# THAT! at the suggetion that there is a "moral" or "good" or "virtuous" way of eating. I was in a health seminar once where my discussion group leader was convinced that being a vegetarian was the only morally right way to eat. I disagree completely.

But I do know that when I eat a meal--as I did tonight--of lean protein and vegetables, I feel... healthier. Not that I am better person in the world for it or a better citizen--I don't immediately want to run out and save a dying refugee or plant a tree--but I do feel...more whole.

I would like to strip away all the value judgments from food: carrot sticks GOOD/ chocolate cake with fudge icing and toasted pecans and caramel drizzle BAD.  What does it mean that some food is "bad" for you: bad in that it is loaded with calories or fats or "bad" in that it will make you shoot someone in cold blood (the infamous "twinkie defense). Maybe chocolate cake is actually good for you because it makes you happy and then you are nicer to people, who respond to your starry-eyed, chocolate buzzed kindness by doing good things--like planting trees and saving dying refugees. Choco cake then becomes the basis of all the good in the world. Ah! cake is GOOD for you!

It's a fascinating discussion, isn't it? I suppose it's really tied to weight; more weight is bad, less weight is good. Fat is bad, thin is good. Unless you live in sub-Saharan Africa where people are starving, and then fat is a sign of wealth and prosperity--ah; fat is good. (I just searched for an image to include here, but only turned up starving looking children who are likely refugees, and so posting pictures of them to make my point would be in bad taste....bad.) Fat here also may mean greed and corruption.. back to bad.

Balance, I suppose, is key. There is not good or bad eating that inherently then makes me a bad person. There are, however, (as there has almost always been) a handful (or a couple) of pounds that need to be lost, so alas...down to eating fewer calories and burning up more of them on the treadmill. It will not make me a better person in the world; it may however extend my time in it, and well, at least for me and the few people who really do love me, that would be good.