Flab back in vogue!

You know that feeling? That ravenous tantalizing aroma of sizzling brownies, with a generous helping of hot and silky glazed chocolate sauce. That inexplicable sensation when the crust of the samosa strokes the insides of the cavern of your mouth leaving a trail on your lips. That enigma of the last ooze of the jalebi trolling down your chin which u whip up and lick with your tongue and, you know you have tasted heaven. The aroma of the Dum Biriyani, a personal favourite, cooked to perfection for hours together, that I could wait for hours to get a mouthful. The textures of the masala packed with vegetables and the softness of the rice, and with one mouthful down, you are drowned in an aura of sheer happiness. Yes! Happiness! What the hugs cannot do, what words cannot soothe you, the parotta and the dainty coconut kurma accomplish and you, have no idea what more they can. The joy that you get when you have your favourite Pasta cooked to perfection with the choicest of cheeses, olives and sun-dried tomatoes so much that you just want to lick the sauce off your plate, pardoning the glares your way and the bemused waiter at your table waiting for you to mop the sauce off your hands and order dessert, until you give him that sheepish smile and order desssseeerrrrttt!!

The ecstasy that you derive from a hearty meal is incomparable, somehow delight, exhilaration, glee, bliss, contentment, joy, and all of its synonyms in one compound package. While the world is obsessed with slim stick figures and spidery long legs, they are simply people who can’t relish food in all its abundance for crying out loud’s sake! Do people really think eating just fruits and vegetables cooked rare or al dante get them to their healthy lifestyle? Healthy lifestyle is eat what you want, be happy and pass on that happiness! Curves have been around for as long as zero-flab has been, but somehow the world took to the latter. I have however seen and observed more exquisiteness and loveliness in curves and being a little round never really hurts. If it makes you happy to eat, just eat. You have no idea how much you are complicating yourself by curbing what your body wants. As its owner, it’s your duty to deliver it. Non-gheed aalo parathas, un-creamed coffee, raw carrots and other veggies, I know they are supposedly healthy to your body, but is your mind satiated with it? I was on a diet, eating “right” eight months into 2012, I had passed the test of the last six months without rice and lost nearly 23 kilograms of myself and turned unrecognizable, that I constantly glimpsed at the ‘before-after’ pictures. By the time I was through with it, and found a new me, I was desperately craving for all the potato curry, the appalam and  the full meals I had missed. However, to my own disappointment, I had grown conscious of what I ate and every time I ate, I would feel guilty, which was never a problem earlier because all that mattered then was to eat to my heart’s full! I, however wanted to indulge and savour my knocked-out tastebuds and I sprung back into action and resumed my trademark foodaholicism. And then, obviously as a result of which I have gained a bit of (more) flesh. Like DUH! I still try to “cleanse” my system at times and try to lose a couple more pounds, but I realized when I am actually happy and that is when I have that full brownie all to myself, those creamy pastries, the sensual sponge choco truffle, that Dum Biriyani I can’t stop eating and that deep fried Kachori I realize I can’t live without.

I had been criticized for always being on the sad side of weight for long, but people turned around when they saw what I had pulled off (quite literally) and bewilderingly, showered me with compliments. I have been to Pizza Hut for a friend’s birthday dinner and sat around sipping a single glass of lemonade through the two hours where I could inhale the wafting whiff of Garlic bread and CHEESE! I had tested every ounce of self -control I had, but watching all my friends hogging on the prime dishes at the most renowned restaurants, right in front of my eyes, though made me resolute, made me gloomy. And then, I understood what meant my life, but what was consuming me. Bingeing is never something you forget! I love food! I realized that, I re-discovered myself to balance how to satisfy my body’s crave for health and my mind’s gratification for the world’s finest food by simply choosing to be conscious (sadly, obviously). Happy fooding, folks!!