Well, I knew it would happen. It's been so long since I've been in the habit of self-discipline that there was no way I was just going to suddenly decide to be different and not have any slips. Now the trick is going to be just making sure it was a single slip, rather than the beginning of a landslide.
A friend of mine was hosting a games night last night, so after the gym I headed right there. I'd had a yogurt after work, and honestly I am one of those people who can't eat for a while after exercising, so I figured I'd play board games for a while and then go home and have a Weight Watchers meal without feeling particularly deprived, and of course if he shocked me by providing healthy options, I could always do that. He didn't shock me- it was the greasiest, fattiest pizza I have ever seen, but I stuck to diet coke with no problem, still feeling sated from the workout and the snack. By the end I was getting a bit hungry, but the pizza was all gone, so again there wasn't really a problem.
As I walked out, another girl who I only know through this friend walked out with me. I like her; I think we could be friends, if we ever socialize on our own. So when she asked if I wanted to go and get some more food, I was up for it. Out of the places we could walk to, I picked the bar with the biggest menu, figuring otherwise it'd be burgers and fries. Sure enough, they had salads available, but honestly they didn't look like they were much healthier- you know the kind of salad I mean? Where you can tell yourself that you're eating well while in reality eating your full daily serving of fat? Right. So I was considering mini corn dogs as a "healthy choice" when I noticed The Chili.
Now, chili is one of my favorite foods, and the kind I make at home is probably one of the healthiest comfort foods I have. I figured this would probably be less healthy, but there was no reason I had to eat the whole thing, and it would at least be nutritious. I also noticed that for an extra $0.50, I could have "Habenero garnish." I'm a sucker for spice.
Holy Cow! My esophagus is still burning now, the next afternoon! It was the Chili of DOOM. I have a pretty high tolerance for spice, I've always though, but my mouth was numb and tingling and burning all at once, and it went all the way down to my stomach. It was good stuff, though, so I slowly ate it for a while, consuming the generous portion of buttery cornbread in mere moments in an attempt to put out the fire in my mouth. Then I turned to my friend's chips. They weren't even good! But they helped extinguish the flames that were now shooting from my mouth and threatening to torch the whole bar.
I only ate about 1/4 of the chili, and felt quite sated, so my plan did work as far as that goes. Except that I was still on fire internally. I took the left-over chili home with me- I'll cut it with some re-fried beans or something so it's less deadly and stretch it another couple of meals that way. The waitress also wrapped up my companion's remaining half sandwich and chips, and at her request I took that home with me as well. So far, so good, I was heading home satisfied and with food for the next few days. Except that my lips were still burning when I got home, necessitating further consumption of something to quench them: the half sandwich, and then, once I was really started, the chips. Why? What was I thinking? If it was so necessary to eat something else, yogurt would probably have been more effective at the task! I am an idiot, and I went to bed (or tried, but my insomnia problem will have to wait for another post) feeling bloated and stuffed with icky, greasy food- and still woke up in the morning feeling like I swallowed a flamethrower?
So now I have to make sure I don't allow this to be the beginning of a slippery slope, as is my wont. Anyone have any advice on getting back on the straight and narrow after taking a detour like this? Suggestions for what to eat if I am again in the position of getting dinner from a bar?
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4 comments:
We have all had those moments of going out to eat and only eatting just a bit...to find we didn't really eat enough to be full so we come home and eat more, it's really just not fair that being could can back fire.
When we do head out, I try to stick to grilled chicken and/or the best thing ever is to split an entree. The finance and I do this everywhere...of course he'd prefer the nice big burrito, but usually agrees with spltting the grilled chicken, veggies and maybe a side of fries if I'm being crazy.
Keep on keepin on!
I think these setbacks are inevitable, so don't get too upset about it. The fact that you're really trying hard not to slip back to old habits is great! Just take tomorrow as a new day (God I sound trite) and do your best--as soon as you have another good day behind you it will sort of erase the bad one. At least that's my theory!
I think we all slip up, so at least you're not alone!
All I know is what I do when this happens. I analyze exactly where I went wrong (which you've already done) and work out plan B to avoid making that particular mistake a second time.
After all, there are so many other mistakes you can make instead ;)
yea, we all have those days! but, i agree w/ the previous comments...just keep at it! i tend to have landslides as soon as i start to beat myself up over one slip up, so i think the key is to learn from it and move forward!
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