Chicken Noodle Soup: An odd gateway to fitness awareness
It is often said that comfort food awards a fulfillment of nostalgia and sentimental value. In my case, the simplicity of a chicken noodle soup establishes that significance.
Now, that might seem like an easy selection. This soup is one of the most popular, and perhaps basic, eating choices. But for the longest time, its substance has extended beyond a few pieces of chicken, broth, carrots and noodles in my point of view.
Growing up, I struggled to maintain my size. By fifth grade, I had already weighed 145 pounds, and I let myself balloon to a significant area of discomfort. It was time to make a change, but I didn’t know how to.
My mother was consistently in shape, so I decided to follow where and what she ate. One of those out-of-home eateries was Paradise Bakery & Cafe, a casual location about five minutes from my house. I had been there before, but typically with my own meal from McDonald’s.
At first, I didn’t know what to try. The menu only had salads, sandwiches and soups, all items that I had sparsely tried or hadn’t touched before. The only thing I recognized, lo and behold, was a chicken noodle soup, which I only knew of because I ate it when I was sick. Still, it was the only comfortable choice, so I went ahead with it.
Within one spoonful, I was hooked by this particular soup. The flavor at this cafe was unique and well-developed, and I couldn’t slow myself down. It felt like in five minutes, my bowl was gone.
The soup didn’t fulfill my appetite, but it set off an interesting reaction. Like a street racer hitting a drift, it felt like my taste buds had reached a new thrill. For once, I felt like food wasn’t limited to burgers, french fries and frozen waffles. There was something new out there.
The next day, my mother and I went to the bakery again, this time with my grandmother. And for the first instance, I tried a salad and a panini. I loved each of them.
Soon enough, I felt better and better about myself. A growth spurt likely helped, but by seventh grade, I controlled my weight and built myself into a significantly improved athletic shape with new pursuits of club basketball and school volleyball. I would say that those greatly sufficed over video games and soda.
I’ll admit, I have relapsed in the past. Between my freshman and sophomore years of college, I gained 30 pounds, and I wasn’t happy about it. My habits weren’t good, and I was more concerned with fulfilling every pleasure I could to “combat” my stress with homework.
I can’t say that chicken noodle soup sparked another revolution, but my previous experience gave me confidence that I could do it again. It took me about a year, but I’m glad to be back in a more comfortable weight at this point in time. It has helped stimulate my thinking and give me more energy throughout the day.
While chicken noodle soup is on the lower end of my current food desires — often being limited to illnesses or in times of cold — it does hold a fond place in my heart as a gateway to better things. It helped me realize the importance of health and self-awareness, and without that moment, I likely wouldn’t be the same today.
