Cod and Chips

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I am conscious that food has not played an enormous part in my commentary on this blog. I am unsure why, as I certainly eat a great deal of it! Perhaps it is because my nutritional need in retirement has not varied enormously from when I was working. If anything, I probably eat slightly healthier (although we have never been a family for fast food, ready meals or take-aways) and maybe less than when I was working.

There are of course exceptions and I would be being disingenuous if I did not confess to partaking in a small sized (Yorkshire measurement) fish and chips when we were in Whitby on Saturday. We ate late to ensure we could get a seat in one of the renowned eateries without queuing; deliberately ate small breakfasts and then, in my case, nothing more for the rest of the day. We also prepared for the feast by a running pace up the 199 steps to St Mary's Church and I did an extra long work-out in the gym the next day too.

The trouble is that one of the problems of being of a retirement-appropriate age, is that no matter how hard you exercise or deny yourself, you shed weight in solitary ounces. Wink at a fish in batter however and the bulges appear instantly around your middle! I am exaggerating but the truth is that, although I now seem to live in a state of permanent exertion, losing those pounds gained during my sedentary office lifestyle is no easy matter. 

Of course it would be easy to blame a sluggish metabolism but, as the NHS website points out, numerous studies have failed to find evidence to support the view that overweight people have slow metabolic rates. Instead it recommends the only effective way to decrease your waist size is by aerobic activity, strength training and being active, whilst eating sensibly, of course.

It looks as though I'm just going to have to keep those gym visits going along with the decorating, gardening and walking. Oh and maybe I should avoid Whitby and its quintessential English seaside cuisine for a while.


Comments

Maddy said…
Oh yum, it's hard to buy cod here, we have an abundance of different fish which are all named differently than in England, and just to confuse me even more, "they" changed all the names a few years ago. Really we are spoilt for choice in the seafood department but I miss the English fish & chips we used to have at home. I did find something called "atlantic cod" a little while ago in the supermarket and it was delicious, but just like most of my favorite products, it has suddenly and inexplicably disappeared from the supermarket! Maybe we shouldn't really be importing fish!
And then there's the English chips - were they a bit soggy and flexible?
21 July 2015 at 01:09
Debra Journet said…
Oh that looks SO good.
21 July 2015 at 04:19
Caree Risover said…
I think if you soak anything in vinegar and then wrap it in newspaper it will be soggy! However these days UK even offers fine dining chips: served 10 at a time, upright in little baskets with not a drop of grease to be seen (or newspaper print)!
21 July 2015 at 09:11
Caree Risover said…
What's that expression? Naughty but nice!
21 July 2015 at 09:13
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