Lately, now that we’re finally starting to peel off mega-layers of winter clothing, unpleasant surprises have come to light. Look away now if you’re squeamish. (Or skip down the page to something far more visually rewarding, if you prefer.)
It’s this pasty-pale end-of-winter body — so long covered up in wool and fibrefill and fleece — so long neglected because, really, who cares when all you want to do is hibernate? Now there’s a hint of spring, of sunshine, of the possibility of weather warm enough to want to wear shorts and little sun dresses and dare-to-dream a bathing suit, perhaps… so I’m suddenly aware of a certain softness at the waistline…. A certain avoir-dupois in the rear end…. A certain alarming lack of firmness about the inner thighs…
What, too much information?
Sorry. I’ve been hanging out with CardioGirl too much lately, and listening to Claudia boast about finding her hip bones when Karen whipped her back to the gym…
Peer Pressure + Vanity = Healthy Eating
Long story short, I’ve signed up for the President’s Choice Healthy Eating Challenge.
This means setting some goals for health and fitness and whatnot, and then dragging my cushy tush into town once a week, to meet with a Loblaw’s dietician and confess my chocolate sins.
The idea is that I’ll follow a 4-week healthy eating plan that’s based on the PC Blue Menu line of products, while Loblaw’s kicks in for groceries and nutrition counselling. Which all works out pretty well because (a) I lack the gene for self-denial and self-control, and (b) I like most of the Blue Menu foods I’ve tried — can we say “Roasted Vegetable Lasagna”?
So, it looks like this will be starting up in the next week or so…
Must confess, I am a bit nervous.
I have a vision of these weekly dietician visits as something like being called into the high school principal’s office — “Just where were you, young lady, when you should have been in your third period Home Economics class?!”
But if you could see what happens at my belt line when I forget to suck in my gut (and just be glad you can’t see that, really), you’d know I’m not just doing this because Loblaw’s is picking up the check.
And no, I’m not just doing this because Galen Weston’s hot, either.
Although he is.
Especially for the 30-something exec of a grocery chain. It’s sort of like that boy-next-door thing that John Denver worked like a gold-plated mule about a century ago — but updated with a sophisticated hint of urban geek chic. Bonus points for having a billionaire daddy, naturally. Points off for turning in his Eligible Bachelor status a couple years back…
But hey, who’s counting? Put the man in a crisp chambrey-blue shirt up there on my TV screen, talking PC Organics with a dimple-cheeked baby —
Yeah, I’m watching the commercials.
And not eating chips.
So now for you, my dears, here’s the oh-gosh charming outtakes reel:
The best part about a euphemism, subconscious or not, is how it allows one to be all modest and ladylike… and yet to say the most outrageous things in mixed company. :D
How fun! That was a subconscious euphemism, at that. But I agree a good saying is a good saying.
@Sue – the pun is forgiven, but sorry, the closest you’re gonna get to “before” pictures are the snaps on my About page :D
@cardiogirl – yep, that’s GW Jr in the video – doesn’t even look like the same man as that grotty press photo, does it? You should see the whole commercial, but I couldn’t find a cast of it, just these outtakes. Weston’s a Toronto anglophone, so what you’re hearing is an English-Canadian accent on the French bits. Does a pretty decent job of it though.
Hey, I just noticed – we’ve got a new euphemism started here!! “I might lay down some chips for him” – gotta love a good euphemism… ;)
Is that the exec in the commercial? I saw the photo from the wedding announcement and he didn’t look as, how shall I say, charming in the photo with his wife. But the guy in the commercial was fun. I might lay down some chips for him.
Also, I’m not bilingual by any stretch, but I was impressed that he seems to have no accent when speaking English. Maybe the accent is there when he’s speaking French, but being a foolish American, I don’t hear it.
Wishing you luck on this venture, Jen. But(t)…where are the “Before” pictures? ;)
(Sorry…couldn’t resist!)