Laura on a Diet

At BaoHaus in the LES.

I love to eat. I really, truly love food. Those of you who know me know this already. Those of you who don't are now caught up.
The last month or so, I've gone a bit crazy with my food cravings, so last week I decided to take control and set up an eating plan for myself.
Throughout the week I did pretty well, avoiding sugar (which makes me CRAZY) and mostly not eating out at all. A friend suggested that I give myself a Free Day each week when I can eat whatever I want. Another friend suggested that I might rethink that, and only give myself a Free Meal because I might undo all the healthy eating choices that I made that week. Of course I listened to the one who gave me a whole day full of delicious eating opportunities!
I had decided to go to Clinton St. Baking Co. on Friday to go get me some pancakes (http://www.clintonstreetbaking.com/). Ever since I went there one Pancake Tuesday, they have been my standard of the best pancakes I've ever eaten.



And yes, they were scrumptious! By the time that I got there and had waited in line to get in, I was starving, but they were filling so I didn't eat for a while after that. Later on, however, I was meeting up with a friend and she wanted to meet up at the Level 'B' (Sanitation Inspection) rated McDonald's where we live. "Ooh, its been a long while since I've had McDonald's," I thought. "And it is my Free Day, after all." So I got a Big Mac and an Oreo McFlurry. Its by God's grace that I didn't get fries too. But I'm pretty sure that was the best Big Mac I've had in my entire life. Until later on that night when I started to get the McCramps. Okay okay...I've pushed my Free Day too far! (Or maybe it was the Level B rating.) The next day would be better.
And it was. I even went to a friend's house for dinner and she made a really healthy Mediterranean spread. But I brought apple crisp and vanilla frozen yogurt for dessert (Yeah, frozen yogurt. Grasping at straws...). Its made of apples! Eesh.
Which brings me to Sunday. A new day. Every Sunday morning I go to this fabulous bagel shop. It will be a sad day when these bagels and I are torn apart. I got an egg white, TURKEY bacon, and Swiss sandwich (Hey, that could have been worse). That was okay, later would be better. But after church, of course, a bunch of us went out to eat at a diner...where, of course, I got french toast and sausage. And then later, it was, of course, my friend's birthday party, where, of course, there was a plethora of snacks and, of course, birthday cake. Two kinds. Yes, I tried them both.
So...My Free Day turned into a Free Weekend. Hence the danger of even having a Free Day in the first place. They say that life is all about balance. But I think there will always be those little food-cravings demons out to get you everywhere you go. Like in those Weight Watcher commercials. Sorry, I made that sounds really creepy. I need my Jillian Michaels angel to help fight back. 
Well, here's to another week and to making healthy choices...at least some of the time.

They actually call him the "Hunger Monster"...less creepy.