I fear enduring the holiday season and resisting all of its temptatations will be even harder than anticipated. I got a little taste of what's to come last weekend when I travelled to the 715 to celebrate my friend Paul's college graduation as well as my cousin Hannah's. All I did was gather with friends and eat... and eat... and eat. I even got in the habit of pre-gaming my meals with entirely seperate meals. On Friday night, for instance, I was riding with Paul's parents to Eau Claire and we decided to stop at the Norske Nook to pick up a pie. We had every intention of just grabbing the "Pie of the Month" and continuing our trek to Eau Claire, but upon seeing the pie-rotator Paul's father insisted we have some pie then and there! And once we discovered they were serving up Friday fish fry, our pie-stop quickly turned into an all out meal. While we all knew Paul would be cooking us a lovely dinner, that certainly didn't stop Paul's dad from ordering the fish-fry platter nor did it stop me from scarfing down the fish wrap (a relatively healthy option were the lefse not slathered in butter). I was at least wise enough to hold off on pie, but only because I was saving myself for the giant piece of lingonberry apple swimming in ice cream I'd have later. But hey, if you're going to "cheat," do it right... and when it comes to pie, ain't nothing more "right" than Norske Nook! And lingonberry apple that!
Food is my drug and that was just the beginning of a long bender of a weekend! I continued my excessive eating on Saturday, when we dined at the Green Mill following Paul's graduation ceremony. Rather than get their delicious "Il Primo" pizza topped with various meats and gorgonzola, I opted for a raspberry grilled chicken salad...still topped with gorgonzola! Nevertheless, I was pleased with this moment of strength. This "strength," however, wouldn't last long. I literally left the Green Mill and went straight to Randy's Family Restaurant, home of the most fabulous pancakes on Earth. So could I resist getting a pancake for dessert?! At a restaurant I very rarely get to go to?! Absolutely not. I had one of Randy's famous pancakes with a delicious cup (or 5) of coffee. And the best part of lunch #2?! The company! I sat with my best friends Katie and Tiffany, and we chatted for almost two hours while waitress Goldie kept the coffee coming! There's nothing quite like good food, coffee and conversation. Something, something about this place.
There would be more good eatin' in store for Saturday. From Eau Claire, my lovely mother and I headed to River Falls for my cousin Hannah's senior vocal recital. By this time I was feeling drunk. The combination of excessive food and especially coffee had me feeling as though I'd gulped one too many Bud Lite Limes... you know that stage of drunk where the pleasant buzz suddenly has you feeling dizzy?! Yup, that's what too much coffee and a lack of healthy food will now do to me. So I got a LifeWater and an apple, and I started feeling better. When we arrived in River Falls, I was ready to inhale some delicious pizza...nevermind the fact I'd just recovered from my food-hangover of sorts. I still felt fine after downing a few pieces of pizza, and by the time the amazing recital was over I was ready for an array of Christmas goodies! The reception offered carmelized crackers, shortbread cookies, chocolate cherry cookies and Subway-like M&M cookies, to name a few! Why start minding my caloric intake then?! Neeldess to say, I didn't and I wouldn't later that night when we got back to Whitehall. In my beautifully festive childhood home, there were 12 dozen peanut butter blossom cookies and homemade chex-mix waiting for me. I was able to eat just one cookie (as well as the sample of dough Mom saved for me) and a fairly reasonable portion of chex-mix... impressive, right?!
I wish the weekend of glutony stopped there... but I would eat a City Cafe omelette the next day, more Norske Nook pie and some of Jeff Hauser's most delicious grill creations. Sunday night would conclude over a couple drinks and some much needed karaoke with my best friends Paul, Monique and Shane. If only I could stop my rambling food diary there... but I would return to Randy's Family Restaurant on Monday morning, where I decided whole wheat french toast was a healthy option. GAGA almighty, the food diary finally stops there! You're welcome.
As you all know, I've been preaching a lot lately about not "perseverating" over the food and weight thing. Well, after reading an entirely too detailed and lengthy exerpt from my food diary, which I don't actually keep, you and I both know not perseverating is easier said than done. I'd like to think I don't obsess over the "cheating" I do, but my ability to recite everything I'd eaten this past weekend proves otherwise. This is just another challenge in healthy eating...not obsessing. I simply need to remember that this health revolution is about feeling good about myself. Therefore, it is counterproductive when I obsess and feel bad about unhealthy food consumption. Forward our motto!
Here's to a joyous holiday weekend! Please, remember the Pledge of Glory's stance on Thanksgiving when you do your holiday eating... if eating food you love with the people you love makes you happy, so be it! While easier said than done, let's not obsess over all the food we "shouldn't have" eaten this holiday season. But here's hoping I can at least stop myself before getting food-wasted!
"My body may be a work-in-progress, but there is nothing wrong with my soul." -- Bree Osbourne (a pre-operative male-to-female transsexual played by Felicity Huffman in the 2005 film Transamerica)
Love. Peace. GAGAerobics.
Jackie
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