A few years ago, my sister coined the phrase, “If it’s pink, I drink.” She means it. And it makes complete sense to me. Pink lemonade, cosmopolitans, watermelon margaritas. All of it. And honestly, I’ve never been able to think of one good reason not to drink any of those things, so I’ve also made it a policy to never refuse the pink drink; and in doing so, I’ve completely stolen the phrase for myself. After all, my sister lives 2000 miles away in Cambridge, and really, people in Cambridge don’t listen to what any of the rest of us say anyway.
However, when I said that January was completely pink, I wasn’t really thinking about my sister’s phrase. And I wasn’t thinking that I’d actually only be consuming pink for the next few days. But as it turns out, if it’s not pink, I currently won’t get near it.
I’m sure you’ve heard all the diet talk this week. In fact, there are some excellent online ‘new year, new you’ support groups that many fantastic people are leading and joining. They’re all good. But what’s buzzing in my world is the “cleansing” diet. Where you only drink pinky limey syrupy liquid for something like 27 days in order to “cleanse” your system of anything not pinky limey syrupy and/or liquid. Well, a few friends I know are doing this because the “cleansing” is so trendy that seemingly sane people everywhere are choosing to forgo their individual rooms and spend the night in the fantasy suite where there is NO FOOD FOR 27 DAYS!
At first, I couldn’t get my brain around it. But then one person at my office said she’d lost seven pounds in her first two days of “cleansing”. And that sounded pretty good. Then I started thinking, if you do this, then you don’t have to worry about cooking anything, you never have to concern yourself with what you’ll have for your next meal, you never have to dig around in your car for Taco Bell change, none of it. Because you just drink all this pink stuff all day long until you’re thoroughly, totally, and completely “cleansed”. Plus, it can’t be all that bad for you because the Whole Foods near my house has a whole big display on it. A giant colorful be-good-to-your-colon display with a looped-video playing on the flat-panel, high-def monitor. So it must be super healthy, right?
Well, I have no idea. Because there’s no way in heck I’ve even been able to think about any of this because I’ve caught a mild virus, and all I’ve wanted to consume for the last few days is Pepto. Pink Pepto. Pink Bismol.
Because I’m sick. And I’m sick of it. And my incredible HcQ is sick of it because he’s doing almost all the heavy lifting. Believe me, it’s annoying for all of us. The thing is, I’m only sick enough to where I’m nauseous every minute of the day (and sometimes puking), but mainly completely functional and nauseous. I was even pretty well able to fake not sick at an incredible Indian dinner last night that a friend’s incredible Indian parents made for a fun group. It was completely amazing. And I really couldn’t stomach any of it. And I swear to got, I’m not pregnant. I checked. I’m not. It’s a stomach virus. So that means I should be eating solid foods again eventually. Hopefully. When I said 2007 was the year of pink, this is not what I had in mind.
*Above photo is the cover of Pink Drinks a great book that can be purchased many places including here.
27 days?Pink goopy drink?Wow, I'm committed to weight loss but I'll stick to my nice little W + MILF Makeover plan.
Hey feel better soon!
Oh Lord! I can't get my mind around the cleansing thing. And I also can't get my mind around the fact that you were lucky enough to have proper Indian food. Waaaaah!And now, the sympathy……Feel better soon, dear Girl con Queso. May your stomach virus rid you of an unwanted pound or two (not that you need to lose weight, I'm totally not saying that, and oh, bugger, I'm really putting my foot in it, aren't I. What I mean to say is that for every cloud, there is a silver lining, and well, sometimes that silver lining is weight loss, but again, you are lovely the way you are, and I meant no disrespect, only the most sincere of best wishes for a speedy recovery from aforementioned stomach virus/diet. )Get well soon, fellow blogger.
I want to be a MILF, but not that bad. I can't imagine not eating anything for 27 days. What would I do with all that free time?
Hope you feel better soon. My daughter had a similar-sounding virus last week. Must be going around H-town.
Hope you feel better soon!Strawberry margaritas, mmmm. That's my drink.
I once drank 2 litres of Vitamin enriched orange juice when I was sick. By the end it was like drinking straight cordial. My sympathies, perhaps you should think about yellow? Champagne is kind of yellow.
sorry you're illin, GcQ. i agree with nat, though. the silver lining to a stomach virus is the inherent weight loss, whether or not you need it. so, once the chalky pink drink is in your past, hope you get to enjoy that.meanwhile, l know lola (of charlie & lola) would be all over "if it's pink, i drink." she of the pink milk.feel better soon.
So sorry you're sick. Lala- they do have pink champagne, don't they?
Poor GcQ! Pink bismol turns my tongue black. Is it just me?Well after the flu passes we need to meet up for lunch. You bring the pink syrup. I'll brink the bourbon and paper umbrellas.
Poor GcQ! Pink bismol turns my tongue black. Is it just me?Well after the flu passes we need to meet up for lunch. You bring the pink syrup. I'll brink the bourbon and paper umbrellas.
Trust me the goop is one pink you wanted to stay away with. I tried it last year (lasted one day)and could not drink it without holding my nose and fighting back vomit.Hope you feel better. If you feel up to it I've tagged you for a meme.
I've read about it, but the thought of consuming only that for 7 days, let alone 27, is too much. Even I, eternal diet optimist, couldn't fool myself into thinking I do it. You must have much more willpower than I. And fewer kids that love chocolate chip cookies that you need to test out for them.
Just the thought pf Pepto-Bismol is enough to make me sick. Hope you feel better!Mmm, watermelon margaritas. I'll have to try that!
The pink diet sounds, what's the word, horrific?Hope your own version of the pink diet doesn't last long and that you're feeling better soon!
Hope you're done with the Pepto and into a Cosmopolitan soon! Didn't Beyonce follow that diet to lose the weight for Dreamgirls? It sounds like the cabbage soup diet to me, only prettier.
pink drink? there is that Dr. Seuss kids book about the Think that likes to drink pink ink..and so on.alrighty then. feel better!
I couldn't "cleanse" for 27 minutes, let alone 27 days. That's dedication.Sorry to hear you're sick. Here's hoping you lose the pink soon.
Poor Girl. A friend of mine did the cleanse and she lost like 20 pounds. I don't think that I could do it. I still have to feed my kids, KWIM? That is too much pressure…As for the sick. SO SORRY! There is a wicked flu going around. We were back to pink eye and WHOOPING COUGH at our house (husband has Whooping cough, kids have pink eye). We will never be well. Kudo's for having to not only fake wellness, but to do it w/ Indian food. Yikes.
Twenty seven days of lying around, preferably on a beach, while drinking pink syrup drinks sounds like something I'm up for. Get well! But stay away from pink noodle soup.
You are more than welcome to use my phrase, whenever you drink pink…it's not really even MY phrase…I said it first maybe, but its more like an age-old maxim. Plus, I find it delightful that when you think of pink drinks you think of me. What a great thing to be associated with–so much better than being thought of whenever you see brussel sprouts or stale chips or something. I'm really sorry that you were feeling icky. I hope you are able to get some good rest!! And your blog made me wonder what people in India eat when they get stomach viruses…there must be some sick-friendly indian food. Maybe the BRAT diet, just like here. I don't know. Anyway, I hope you feel 100% better soon. -Sis-con-queso
Poor GcQ, I'm sorry you got ill. I'll get out the Jell-O recipe book and make something for you because it seems like whenever I got ill there was Jell-O involved in the recovery. Mmmm, Daffodil Sponge, that sounds good. (No Daffodils are involved, I assure you.)
My goofball sister did a cleanse. By the tenth day without food she was high as a kite but thought she was acting "normal". She did lose weight but it all came back. Sorry you are ill, but I love the If it's pink, I drink line!