My partner and I are preparing to entertain our book club group. Well, I use the term “book club” loosely, as we generally have a brief discussion of our monthly selection followed by a leisurely feast comprised of dishes that we prepare in the theme of the book. Over the past four years, we have had meals that vary from simple fare to elaborate productions.
This month’s book was “Teacher Man” by Frank McCourt. Although the author is thoroughly Irish, the book is an American work, taking place in the New York City public schools. So, what will we have? On what promises to be a beautiful May day, we’re having a picnic in our backyard: hamburgers, corn-on-the-cob, potato salad, and apple pie a la mode.
One thing I have noticed about our book club (really, our dinner club), is that I’m susceptible to peer pressure. There was a time when I would resist desert, but I caught some flack, so I started just accepting the slice of galette or crock of crème brulee. Not only that but once I started saying “yes” once a month, it was easy to start saying “yes” to dessert every day. Surprisingly, the “yes-ing” is nearly impossible to reverse.
In our upcoming book, Stop Losing and Win, Karen and I tackle the family and friend dilemma. It’s a fact of life: People want you to eat like them and deviating is not necessarily tolerated. The pressure to eat can undo the very best intentions, but we never read about how to deal with peer pressure in diet books. Not until now!
Stop Losing and Win 