The Sign and the Split Second Decision

Yesterday, I had one of my favorite summertime purchases on: a pair of black capri pants. I bought them in Highland, IL (when my mom and daughter and I went to visit my aunt) and I only paid $5 for them. They were a great buy. They looked sharp with a cropped jacket in the summer-time, for a slightly professional look. They looked great with a t-shirt when I was more casual. And yesterday, they were looking mighty fine with my black boots and green ribbed-knit sweater. They did, that is, until I went to get out of the car.

I split the zipper away from the fly in my effort to stand up. I was horrified. With only 30 minutes to go until Mass began, I was extremely glad that my sweater was extra long and covered the whole issue. But I was self-conscious the whole day. Always pulling down the front of my sweater, checking my reflection...I felt like a high school girl in her first strapless gown. Had I really gained that much weight back?

Yep, I think I have. Everything is tight and only my "fat-clothes" (now, that is a relative term) fit me right now. I'd say, if I had to guess, I've gained between 10 and 15 pounds in this past 6 weeks. For the past month or so I have "eating my feelings". Oh yes! With a vengeance! Usually, that doesn't affect me much because I walk everywhere, but it has been SO cold and snowy here, that my travel has been very limited. And, I have done nothing to take up the slack in the movement department. Frankly, I think I have been too busy.

But, now...I am paying for it. I realized yesterday that I was back up to drinking about 8 - 10 cans of Dr. Pepper a day! This morning I realized that I was eating 4 to 8 bite-size chocolates a day. Not to mention the cakes and cookies that I have been salving my aching heart with at home recently. No wonder I am blowing up like a balloon!

But the first sign was when my doctor called to let me know that my sugar was slightly high on a blood test he gave me. Well, after 13 hours of fasting, no one's blood sugar should be 123.

OK. It's time to get serious.

Step one: Move.
Step two: Cut out the pop.
Step three: Develop a love for some green leafies...they aren't just for rabbits anymore, honey.
Step four: Develop a coping tool that does not include food.

So, I am sitting her with my Diet Dr. Pepper and the remains of a salad on my desk and feeling pretty good, 'cause I walked the 10 minutes there and 10 minutes back to get it.

Now, I just have to make the decision stick!

Bacon and Chocolate

What is it with men and bacon, and women and chocolate?
I mean, really!

We were in the car the other day with the boys and they had my sister order sandwiches with bacon on them. My husband commented that "Now the kitchen staff knows there are men in the car." And it's true. Men are all about some bacon. When Wendy's was advertising the Baconator, did they have some cute chick selling it? Nope. They had a bunch of big, burly men in the trademarked red, pigtailed wig "rioting" for some meat on their sandwich. But, not just any meat...Bacon.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, my youngest brother popped a link to this fabulous dish called "BBQ Bacon Explosion" up on Facebook. I mean this recipe is not to be believed. Since then, I have had TWO other male Facebook friends (neither of whom know my little brother or each other) reference this same recipe. Unbelievable.

I have also noticed that men eat bacon when they are stressed out. It's like a salve for the soul. I wonder if it is the salt, or the fat that they crave. My husband, a grill cook at a local investment firm, noted that when the stock market started taking a nose-dive in September, bacon consumption and mashed potato consumption went through the roof. Very interesting.

Now, women are all about some chocolate. I can prove this. My sister, the day that the boys were ingesting half-pound servings of bacon and beef, decided that we, the girls, would have to go get Chocolate Nachos. Yes, Chocolate Nachos. My sister introduced these items of delight to me the last time I was so stressed that you could literally see the grey hair growing in as I stood there. This dessert is a creation of the Jimmy Buffett restaurant chain, Cheeseburger in Paradise. (Nope, it's no longer just a song, Parrotheads.)

When my sister told me about them, I didn't believe her. But, she told me they were so good that she actually had dreams about them. One night she was talking in her sleep and when her husband rolled over and touched her arm, she growled at him "Get away from my Chocolate Nachos!"

Chocolate Nachos are dangerous. First, they make chocolate tortillas and vanilla tortillas, then they cut them up and deep fry them. Then, they drizzle them with hot fudge and put sprinkles and diced strawberries on them. This is all served on a platter with vanilla and strawberry ice cream (for dipping?).

So this, and no other, is the ultimate stress food for women. Chocolate covered, deep fried bits of carbohydrates, served with sprinkles and strawberries and ice cream...

(What diet?)

Mint Chocolate Cookie Ice Cream for Lunch

I have been on a diet for about 2 years.

OK...not really a diet. I watch what I eat a little more carefully and exercise more. I gave up sugared pop in favor of diet pop ('cause I still have to have that caffeine kick at 2 pm) and actually, I drink a lot less pop and a lot more water. I eat what I want, but I eat less of it. I try not to go back for seconds and all that stuff. And actually, it has worked. Very slowly, but it has worked. I have gone from 345 pounds to 285 pounds. It's a little disheartening to say, "I've lost 50 pounds!" and look at yourself in the mirror and still see the same fat blob sitting on your belly. But, I know it is working.

So, why am I sitting here with a pint of Ben and Jerry's Mint Chocolate Cookie Ice Cream on my desk?

I just took another bite and I can tell you: Because it is good! It tastes good! It is REAL food. I don't have to guess about what is in it. It will be the same things I put into the Ice Cream maker when I was a kid - sugar and cream and mint extract (along with whatever is in these WONDERFUL Oreo knock-offs). I got one of those "Light Ice creams" once and there was an in gredient list as long as your arm with things like "Carageenan Gum" on it. Does anyone REALLY know what carageenen gum is? No, I want real food. Not polymers and plastics flavored to taste like food.

I could say that the devil made me do it. But, that's not true. I did it because I like Mint Choclate Cookie Ice Cream. I discovered it when I was about 14 at a chain called G.D. Ritzy's (anyone out there remember them?). They made Mint Oreo ice cream. Having been a Mint Chocolate Chip fan, most of my life, I was thrilled at this new development in ice cream technology. I think I had a cone everyday after school for the first two years I was in High School. Ritzy's was at the end of the street where my high school was. I have been hooked ever since. Mind you, I didn't gain the weight immediately. No, it wasn't until I stopped walking the 1.78 miles home from school that the ice cream began to leave it's mark.
Yes, everyday, is too often. But every once in a while...it calls to me from the freezer aisle. I always check the Ben Jerry's display to see if they have Mint Chocolate Cookie. No other will do. Not everyone carries it, so when I find it, I always try to buy it. To encourage the grocer to keep it stocked, of course... Well....and it tastes good! I don't always buy it immediately, as in this case. Today is the product of a 4 week wait. I have known it was there and I would studiously avoid that aisle so that I wouldn;t be tempted. But today, I was no match for the siren song.

The great thing about Ben & Jerry's is not that it is organic, or family farm friendly or any other platitude you can come up with. No, it's that it only ocmes in pints. Otherwise, I would have to eat a half gallon when I have a weak moment.

Now, if you'll excuse me...my lunch is melting on my status report.

(God, this stuff is good...)