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We Travel With A Purpose

What’s wrong with simple pleasures in life?

December 16, 2010 by Sonia Marsh

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I recently had my annual check-up and was asked a standard question on the form: How much coffee do you drink?

 

“Three cups a day,” I wrote down.
The young female doctor scanned my answers and told me to cut back to one a day. “Three’s too much,” she said in a scolding tone.
I did what I always do when I disagree with someone. I tell them, “I’m from Europe,” as though that lets me off the hook.
I’m sorry, but there are some habits I enjoy, like my coffee before the gym, my coffee around 10 a.m. with a Danish cookie, and my coffee after lunch.
I refuse to change because statistics show one year that one cup of coffee is acceptable, but three is not. And the following year, caffeine is supposed to be good for you.
Simple pleasures like coffee or tea, should be enjoyed and not used to make you feel “bad” when you’re already doing everything you can to live a healthy life like: working out, eating fresh vegetables, fruit, lean protein and no fast food.
Now that I’ve been able to vent my frustration, time for me to grab my mid-morning Peet’s coffee. If you have not heard the story I wrote called: “My Italian Lover,” (trust me; it’s related,) you might enjoy a laugh.
What are your simple pleasures in life?

Filed Under: People, Writing & Work Tagged With: My Italian Lover, Peets coffee, Simple pleasures

Comments

  1. alwayswellwithin.com says

    December 16, 2010 at 2:52 pm

    Our attitude has such a huge effect on our health. To enjoy a pleasure instead of feeling guilty about it makes all the difference in the world!
    These days people are becoming so uptight about their pure diets. That can create tension too. Thanks for this different spin.

  2. Jeanie says

    December 16, 2010 at 4:56 pm

    I so agree with you, Sonia. Coffee is a real pleasure for me. I didn't drink it until I was 40, and now I am addicted and don't see that changing. I remember your excellent "Italian Lover" and would love to meet him someday.

  3. GutsyWriter says

    December 16, 2010 at 5:30 pm

    @alwayswellwithin
    Thanks Sandra for agreeing with me that we can indulge in three cups of coffee.

    @Jeanie
    How could you stay away from coffee until your forties? Amazing!

  4. Julie Hedlund says

    December 16, 2010 at 7:00 pm

    Does red wine count too? Because my doctor also told me that more than one glass a day is too many. 🙂 That's hard to stick to during the holidays, I'll tell you!

  5. Diana says

    December 16, 2010 at 7:11 pm

    I love, love love your story Sonia! It was perfect! And I'm right there with you on the coffee. I don't think that three cups is too much at all unless your adding lots more caffeine in another form.
    Coffee is one of my simple pleasures as well and I drink three cups a day!
    Love Di ♥

  6. Robert the Skeptic says

    December 16, 2010 at 9:09 pm

    I once saw an interview with George Burns when he was 99 years old. The reporter asked him:
    “Do you still smoke cigars”
    Burns: “Yes, I smoke two cigars a day.”
    Reporter: “And you still drink, I understand?”
    Burns: “That’s right, I have two Martinis a day.”
    Reporter: “Well want does your doctor think of that?”
    Burns: “My doctor is dead.”

  7. GutsyWriter says

    December 16, 2010 at 9:33 pm

    @Julie
    Glad you mentioned red wine. "I'm from Europe," does that let me off the hook?
    @Diana No, I don't drink Red Bull, only coffee.
    @Robert
    I love that quote. My dad is 85, lives in Paris, enjoys his simple pleasures as well as traveling around the world. I hope to be like him.

  8. ladyfi says

    December 16, 2010 at 10:07 pm

    This is definitely one of my favourite stories! I love coffee too, but only drink two cups a day…

  9. Rayna M. Iyer says

    December 16, 2010 at 10:17 pm

    Totally agree!!!
    The kind of active life you lead, and the positive thoughts you think, an additional cup of coffee or two is reallly not going to make much of a difference. Now if you are like me, and prone to going into 6 cups of coffee a day, that is a different matter altogether- 6 is definitely bad, not 3.

  10. Yaya' s Home says

    December 17, 2010 at 3:21 am

    I so enjoyed this post. Although I am not a coffee drinker, I agree that we do sometimes miss out on those pleasure moments by injecting 'em with guilt. I'm sure that anything can be unhealthy if it's treated with the proper amount of disrespect.

    Merry Christmas! I wanna' help as many bloggers as possible, so here is some information I thought you might like. This young man offers a free ten-day course on how to grow your blog. He must know what he's talking about because he has more than 1900 subscribers. I hope this is somethin' you can use. My gift to you.

    ~ Yaya

  11. Andrea says

    December 17, 2010 at 4:54 am

    Thanks for the morning laugh with my own cup of coffee! And if three cups feels right to you, trust yourself. We all need a bit of indulgence in some way.

  12. GutsyWriter says

    December 17, 2010 at 11:54 am

    @ladyfi
    You're drinking one too many. HAHAHA.
    @Rayna
    How big is your coffee cup? One American mug, might equal two or three mugs in India. See what I mean?
    @Yaya's home
    Thanks for the link. I shall check him out. What a sweet unexpected gift.
    @Andrea
    Thanks. We do need to have a little fun. Don't we?

  13. Gail Brenner (AFlourishingLife) says

    December 17, 2010 at 3:41 pm

    I'm so glad to hear that you are taking the route to enjoy yourself, Sonia. There is nothing wrong with simple pleasures – in fact, there can't be too many of them, if you ask me.

  14. GutsyWriter says

    December 17, 2010 at 9:48 pm

    @Gail
    I think you're right. Simple pleasures to enjoy our daily life.

  15. Doctor Eclectic says

    December 18, 2010 at 4:17 pm

    We are often our best diagnosticians. I love the statistic years ago that showed that Wisconsonites (one of my groups) consumed world record nnumbers of sausage, beer, cheese, high-fat dairy, were over-weight, but still lived longer than Californians. The signicant difference? When asked how they felt aout their lifestyle. Almost all from Wisconsin felt good. Californians all wanted to change something.

  16. Barbara says

    December 19, 2010 at 12:12 pm

    I'm with you Sonia! Every day they're recanting advice given yesterday. I feel I've lived long enough to trust my gut, and know what's best for me. Now, if someone needed to be told to stop smoking crack, I would understand. Coffee? Wine? no.
    Thanks for the post.

  17. GutsyWriter says

    December 19, 2010 at 4:27 pm

    @Doctor Eclectic
    What a great comparison. Funny how the french don't feel guilty about their wine and rich food, and seem trimmer than those in the U.S.

    @ Barbara
    I agree with you. Thanks for stopping by during these busy holiday preparations.

  18. Anonymous says

    December 19, 2010 at 9:05 pm

    I'm Glad i discovered this website.Added gutsywriter.blogspot.com to my bookmark!

  19. Rob-bear says

    December 19, 2010 at 10:21 pm

    Simple pleasures. A good night's sleep. Sitting and watching the world, and the birds. Playing with Miss Sadie. A cool room with lots of blankets. Something thought-provoking and well written.

  20. Charlotte Rains Dixon says

    December 27, 2010 at 10:31 am

    I'm with you, coffee is my one last vice. And you just can't convince me its bad for me, sorry. Same thing with my red wine…

Trackbacks

  1. Should I wear the feather or not? | Sonia Marsh - Gutsy Living says:
    January 3, 2013 at 3:37 pm

    […] “You can buy them at the beauty supply store next to Peets coffee.” […]

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