OK. It was NOT a healthy meal. It was fish and chips at our favorite brewery restaurant. I always get a salad, instead of fries.
I realized that yesterday, I was half way through my fries and I was just enjoying them for the sake of enjoying them. I hadn't thought about how much oil. I hadn't thought about how many calories. I hadn't thought about how many points this would use up. I hadn't felt guilty because I really should have gotten the salad. I hadn't thought about how many I woud allow myself to eat and how many I would leave. These were homemade fries, prepared exactly right and I just enjoyed them for what they were.
I am sooooo happy. I have been really worried that I might never really enjoy less than healthy food again. I truly enjoyed those fries (which everyone knows are the most evil of foods...) like a little kid with no guilt at all! I don't think that I have truly enjoyed fries like that since 1990 or 1991 - before the ultra low fat fad days. (I know that there are going to be people who will not enjoy a piece of bread for the next 15 years. They will eat bread... but they will feel guilty about the carbs. That's how I got about fat. I ate it, but always felt guilty.)
I didn't eat the rest of the fries off of dh plate. I was really happy with my own fries. I'm going back to salads for another 6-8-? months as I can not eat fries every weekend. I'm not saying that everyone should go out and eat them fries.
But I was soooo happy to eat like a little kid again and to just sit down and eat and enjoy food! I guess I'm just glad to know that I am not totally damaged my mind after years of dieting - I've worried that might be the case!
Hope this make sense!
Posts: 8678 | Location: Silicon Valley, CA | Registered: March 17, 2004
Moderation and no obsession, Denise, I’m so proud you enjoyed yourself. I think that is another part of healthy eating. Yes, there are things that we really don’t want to give up forever. It seems that always restricting and depriving ourselves sometimes just backfires and ends in disaster!! Eat healthy MOST of the time and find non-food rewards…...but every now and then we can give ourselves a little food treat. Indulge on purpose (every now and then), have a plan and no regret. Good food, great company and atmosphere…..GREAT FUN!!!
I did exactly the same thing with a sausage sandwich on Saturday. It just tasted so good, but I don't make a habit of eating something like that.
I can still think back to how much I enjoyed it...but I keep thinking it would have been great with a big plate of green veggies, instead of the chips, etc. Boy are picnics a great place, and a huge bottomless pit of temptation.
Life is like a roller coaster, with lots of ups and downs, but the curves, spirals, loops and corkscrews are what make life interesting.
Yup, Denise. Once in a great while I have a meal that is so good. I can enjoy it, take it in and not have my mind be on calories, or what I shave off my next meal. I am convinced that I need to enjoy food. Somehow this is past of how I will stay healthy and happy.
It makes sense...totally! I've often had similar thoughts/concerns and hope that I report equal successes over the years. On the flip side, I've never been a big Wendy's fries fan but nevertheless managed to eat them several days a week. Hopefully when I get fries, they'll be the good kind! I have to admit that fries are on my list of only 2 items I think I've given up: Fries and soda. We'll see...I have to admit that fish and chips do not sound nearly as good when they are fish and salad.
