On Dieting and Writing

With the assistance of my doctor (aka The Nazi), I’ve been on a health kick recently. Natural foods. Whole grains. High protein. Basically – if it tastes like dirt I’m allowed to eat it.

It all started out okay with some natural trail mix – no preservatives. I though it tasted pretty good until my boy read the ingredients– raisins, almonds, pumpkin seeds... “Hey,” he said. “You bought a squirrel’s paradise”.

Appropriate since I was feeling a little nutty. (There’s something about nibbling on the close cousin of a pine cone that makes me want to cave. That, and the fact that I can see the Krispy Kreme “Hot Now” sign from my apartment window.)

But I’m staying at it. Why? I want to be healthy, and right now this is what it takes. I don’t do it for me. I do it for my family. I do it for health. I do it for longevity.

OK, I do it for my rapidly expanding waistline.

You see where I’m going with this.

Writing isn’t always fun. There will be days when you want to throw down the keyboard and walk away. Days when you feel a little nutty. Days when one more moment tediously editing sounds about as appealing as eating a pine cone.

When those days happen, try to push through. Do it for the people you want to reach. Do it for their hearts. Do it for yours.

Now where did I put that phone number for Papa John?

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B.J. Hamrick is a journalist, humorist, and Real Teen Faith Editorest.