It’s hiding in the fridge, the pantry, that basket over there, and the bowl on the counter. The problem with food is that we have to eat, right. No quitting cold turkey. No 12-step program. No national Just Say No to Food campaign. If only.
No, we have to eat to live (although some of us live to eat.) And, so, friends, we have to make peace with food. And find a way to bring those cravings–dare I say it? ADDICTIONS–under control.
My family has a love/hate relationship with food. We are (all three genetic strains of us) descended from Anglo/Saxon/Viking/Germans. We are healthy eaters. We tend to be . . .robust. And very blonde.
Anyway, the last two weeks was a challenge for us. Friday night my children took me to a birthday dinner and we all suspended any food restrictions and enjoyed a cheat night. It was a delicious way to celebrate the passing of my 60th decade. (Nothing can bother me when crème brulee is at hand.) By the following weekend everyone was back on track, but here came the Super Bowl, when the snack food options take center stage.
We spent a glorious day texting pictures of what we were all going to make out of leftovers, trips to the store, ordering in, whatever. Football was only peripheral to the dips, chips, and indulgences everyone planned. Another cheat day.
And then Monday dawned bright and pink and squishy with emotional eating. Valentines.
Like I said. . .a rough two weeks.
I do have one sweet Valentines story, though. When oldest daughter Traci was 7, she came to me on Valentines Day and asked when the party was? I had not planned a party, but she said we needed to plan one because, “You always make a party for everything.” Which was true. Anglo/Saxon/Viking/Germans are known for their party planning. So we made a heart-shaped cake and red punch and invited my parents down for a spur-of-the-moment Valentines Party. Here’s the picture of Traci patiently waiting to cut the cake.
We do celebrate with food. There’s nothing we can do about that, except learn to pace ourselves. And rather than live a life of denial, regret and self-loathing (oh my), I think I will work on celebrating with a big salad instead of those wings I picked up at Shady’s last night.
7 thoughts on “I Have Seen the Enemy and It Is Food”
celebrate with a salad is a non-thing.
There is a 12-step program…Overeater’s Anonymous (for real)
On another note (cute post btw) we have been watching The Food that Built America. BIG mistake…so far I’ve ordered a variety pack of Hershey bars and Reese’s PB Cups (and it’s not even Halloween), gave in to cravings for Pizza Hut, McDonalds and The Colonel. It’s my patriotic duty, right? Who knew you could blow your diet watching the History Channel? Side note: my candy arrived just in time for the 2nd episode. Gotta love Amazon!
Okay, lots to unpack here. First, thanks for the info on Overeaters Anon. Should have known or remembered that was a thing. Second, this documentary is about fast food and candy? Shoot! Step away from the TV. Although I should talk. I just crunched down a nearly empty bag of Bucees nugget things left over from Christmas. It’s very nice to talk to you, btw. I just finished a book called Save A Cat Writes a Novel. Very good and motivating. I’m rewriting Sensible Shoes, since I finally finished it (15 year later!) It’s kinda out of date.
Food: the ultimate double-edged sword, can’t live without out but oh, how I love it! I’m always amazed at how you manage to put my thoughts on your paper! Get outta my head, girl!! LOL
life is like a perpetual slumber party at this point with guests, kids, naps, no sleep, random fun….so we need “slumber party food”, of course, to get us through it! am I right?!
MMMM, slumber party food. And I am indulging daily in my slumber party menu. . . just yesterday Fritos and Rotel dip leftover from Christmas. I may need an intervention.
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