Tuesdays
On Tuesday mornings, sales representatives visit our office to promote their products, as well as (more importantly?) give us free breakfast.
Every week it’s something different – bagels, croissants, yogurt, huge fruit platters, quiche (someone brought two huge quiches today!), donuts, etc.
Normal people can go to the presentation, listen to it, wait patiently to grab one thing to eat at their desk, and call it a day. Not me. I have the unique capability to eat and eat and eat, whether or not it tastes good, until I get too lazy to get up anymore.
So since I have been trying to eat healthy lately, I’ve been attending the presentations, but not eating ANYTHING AT ALL (with the small, occasional exception of a few bites of fresh fruit). Even though the quiche smells amazing, the croissants look incredibly soft and flaky, and they brought that yummy strawberry cream cheese… I am mentally saying “no.”
And that is because I don’t know moderation. Only restriction and indulgence.
I’ve never learned moderation. Even when I’ve been at my healthiest, I’ve still been extremely careful about what I eat. I’ve flirted with moderation a bit – counting out how many chips is a serving, only eating one piece of chocolate. Yeah, it feels good to have that control, but it is not something that comes natural.
I’ve always been an “all-or-nothing” person when it comes to eating. So that is why I will write here that I am eating healthy, but then when we go out together, I’ll stuff my face. That’s because I’d rather eat what I want at a restaurant then eat something “healthy” that isn’t what I really wanted… and probably doesn’t even taste that good! And after I eat all of that yummy restaurant food, I will get back on my healthy eating plan.
I know I should be able to eat half a croissant, or half of a veggie burger, or whatever, and moderate it. But I can’t. I’m really trying to work on it so I can be a more normal person though.
On the side: I constantly feel like I am repeating myself here. Constantly. Ha. I think half of that feeling is true – I AM repeating myself. But I think the other half is that I am so familiar with the thoughts I am sharing with you, I only FEEL like I am repeating myself. So, if I really am repeating topics… sorry!
Themocracy
I can do moderation if I really (really, really!) try hard. But there are still a few things I just can not even think about eating or I’ll never stop – cashews and donuts. I don’t even really like donuts, I certainly never crave them, but if I eat one I’ll eat a dozen.
I am the same way – all or nothing, feast or famine. I have to really work at “moderation” – I have a box of chocolates right now that I’ve been working through fora few weeks now – that, my friend, is real progress. Normally it would be gone in a day or two (or even a sitting).
Offices are hazardous to your health!! Seriously, on the rare occasions I am in the office it takes everything in my power to pass up the free bagels and cream cheese. I haven’t had a bagel in probably a year! Usually I can pass up most things in the vending machine, but if it’s afternoon and I’m getting hungry, it becomes a really hard fight.
Next time I see you I will have to bring you some healthy baked goods. I am making whole wheat, high protein banana bread today. Yum!
You ARE normal. Most people cannot do moderation. Just look around. I too am the same way. I am all or nothing. But here is why you are normal: your body is programmed to identify good food and then to take it all in, thinking about survival. it doesn’t get that there is food everywhere. Evolution has not taken into account fast food joints. 😉
I’m unhappy with moderation. So, I plan indulgences where I don’t have to, and restrict all the rest of the time.
Wow. I wish I had that problem at work! Moderation and I are strangers, really.
Moderation is one of the hardest things to overcome when eating healthy. But, the good news is, the more you eat in moderation the more your tummy shrinks and the less you have to eat to feel sated. Keep up the good work!
I’m the same way. I have to be fully involved in a “diet” to eat right. I just can’t do it on my own when I try to “just eat healthy.” I know what I should and shouldn’t eat, but I can’t do it without being strict. It’s sucks.
I go into moderation zones. There are periods of time when moderation comes easy to me and I can keep it going for a LONG time. But when it lapses, I’m screwed. I wish you luck in your endeavor!
the good thing is that you know this about yourself and can try to take control. Babysteps!! And it’s ALWAYS good to allow yourself to eat what you want at least once a week to prevent ‘the binge’!!! You aren’t alone, that’s for sure!!
Those darn vendors! Everytime I bring something healthy for breakfast, one of our vendors brings in something delicious! And even though I tell myself I am not going to eat it, I usually do.
Over the last 2 years, I had to change my snacks at work from donuts and cakes to carrot sticks, green tea and cheese crackers (which are somewhat healthy, IMO).
But fruit… I know some of it can still add calories, but it’s so good. Melons of any time are ok to snack on constantly. The sugar and sweetness of them gets canceled out by how quick it goes through your system. But eaten at regular intervals throughout the day, it tricks your brain into thinking it’s eating all the time, thus satisfying both tummy and head.
i’ve only very recently been able to stop myself from compulsively eating everything in front of me. i don’t even know what changed.. but all of a sudden it was like a light went off, and i was all “wait.. i’m NOT EVEN HUNGRY right now.” i then have to make sure to trash the rest of the food, though, or i will definitely continue to pick at it until it’s gone…
I am totally weird with my eating. I either can not control it at all and eat everything in sight, or don’t even realize I need to eat until I am about to pass out. I have no idea why this happens, but my son eats exactly the same way as me. The rest of my kids eat normal. I make my sister in law crazy sometimes because if someone offers me a cookie or ice cream or whatever, I sometimes say I am not hungry. My sister in law one time yelled out “you don’t have to be HUNGRY to eat a cookie!” and stormed off complaining about my self control. I don’t think it is self control, just weird food habits.
Jenn – I think donuts are the worst. They are so light and airy, you feel like you are eating nothing, when really, it’s hard to find one that is less than 300 calories!
suze – Good for you! One time Steven bought me a bag of my favorite truffles. They sat in the fridge and I would eat one every few days… until I couldn’t take it anymore, and ate about 5 and got sick. 😉
diane – That is SO SO true. When I spent my last year of college at home (only ONE class on campus), I ate SO HEALTHY. Downtown though? You are surrounded by unhealthy choices. Maybe you should share some recipes with me? 🙂
Kyra – I wonder if our bodies will ever catch up? Probably not if we (humans) keep up the way we are! I like your plan – to plan for indulgence. That makes sense to me. At least then I am thinking about it!
Cheryl – I should tell them to send some of the stuff your way! 🙂
Lisa – That is SO SO true. Even after I have been eating more healthy for a week, I find when I DO stuff my face, my stomach can’t hold as much. So… there IS hope! 😛
ajooja – I think we are one in the same. Maybe someday we will be able to do it “on our own”? *hope*
kapgar – I am hoping to avoid the “lapse.” Any tricks to share with me?
beth – I am happy that I finally figured this out… at least I can work on it. And you are right about the binging. I get SO CRANKY if I eat SUPER healthy all the time. I don’t know what it is. Maybe low serotonin?
Robin – Every Tuesday, I make sure to make my oatmeal before the vendor gets there, so I don’t have any reason to eat their food. IT’S SO HARD THOUGH!!! You know it! 🙂
martymankins – I like to do the same thing with fruit – graze on it throughout the day. It is like a natural dessert. I would live off of it if I could get it fresh all year long! Maybe I need to move to the tropics 😉
Alice – Congrats on that! I hope I can say I am at that point someday! You know what I used to do? Buy things to eat I think I wanted, eat a little bit, then throw it away or give it away. What a waste. I thought I was hungry, but didn’t know what I wanted. Hmm, that is a little bit different then what you are saying, but for some reason, you made me think of it 🙂
tori – I have meet people like you, so it’s not too weird! I think almost everyone has weird eating habits, if you think about it. Even the people that are normal probably have little secrets…
Oh, I could live in the tropics. Warm weather year round, fresh food, good food, the beaches… OK.. real world check.
martymankins – Come on! We could do that! It doesn’t have to be a fantasy! I seriously think my husband and I might move out there someday, probably not forever, but for awhile 🙂
I have a few things to do still to prepare for such a move… like become an independently wealthy novelist. Or at least have a good start at being one.
martymankins – You can only reach as far as you can dream! 😉