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11.03.2005

Yes, I'll have the Chicken Ceasar Salad...hold the lettuce"

So, in this the post-candy-induced-haze holiday, I'm desperately trying to hold steadfast to my highly distasteful regiment of not enjoying food. In the past few months (with some help) I have come to understand much about food and it's relationship to me. Being Diabetic and loving food kinda don't go hand in hand. Especially not long term.

It's taken me a while to come to terms with this but here it is. Food is to me what alcohol is to a drunk. A habit. A comfort. Sometimes a need. Most of the time, not. I've spent a long time off the wagon. Now I am firmly seated on the wagon but I am not enjoying the ride.

Following the "one day at a time, one change at a time" plan, today's assignment was to figure a way to get more leafy green veggies into my body. Since puree by IV is not an option (would that it were), I've been carefully examining salad options. I discovered one thing.

I like salads...

...without the lettuce.

Brilliant. I know.

Grilled chicken, shredded cheese, croutons, tomato, bacon bits, slivered almonds, grapes, a hint of green onion and a generous portion of Caesar Salad dressing makes me a happy camper. Lettuce. Who needs lettuce? Lettuce is just filler.

Even the pretty baby exotics that are way overpriced. They don't taste any better than the plain old dark green stuff. I just don't need lettuce to enjoy a good salad.

Lucky me.

I'm guessing this is probably not going to be the way to lower all the bad numbers in my life.

On the other hand, there's this candy infested holiday called "Halloween". For many years, cynical people have been decrying Valentines as being nothing more than a marketing ploy of Hallmark and flower companies. Where are those same people in October? Is it not obvious that dentists and Hersheys are in cahoots to exponentially raise their profit margins during the last quarter of the year by pushing this "holiday" and it's sugar-laden traditions??

Do little children really need the advantage of sugar-induced hyperactivity on the week post Halloween? Don't they already run their parents ragged? Where's the logic in giving them candy? Sedatives, maybe. But candy? Come on.

What are we as parents thinking?

So. I'm no closer to loving green leafy vegetables today than I was last week. Toleration. Yes. When Hersheys starts making lettuce. Then we'll talk.

Happy Friday!!

2 comments:

TracieClaiborne said...

Oh honey I am right there with ya. I am a sugar addict. Bad. I had to make Mike take most of CC's candy to work because I said it's like having cocaine in the house with a cocaine addict!!! I was eating 10 pieces a day! Now what's left is "hers" and I don't dare touch it for fear of losing a finger. ha!

I'm eating low-fat and trying to lose weight. I'd love to hear how you're incorporate more veggies into your diet. Share!

Leigh Ann said...

Brandon's candy is on a high shelf and his daddy has been eating most of it! I was doing pretty well until I found one of my most favorite, hard-to-find indulgences, white chocolate Reese's cups, in the clearance bin after Halloween. I caved and bought them. They are pretty horrible nutrition-wise. And on Weight Watchers I can eat no more than one per day if that many. I should have passed them by! But dang they're good!