Darcy's uneaten hot dog.
She wanted it, I made it up for her. She decided that after two bites of chips, she wasn't hungry any more, and the playground was Right There, Mommy! She ran off to play.
Thomas and I contemplated her pristine, untouched picnic delight, with the nice blackened grill marks, bleeding ketchup and just a hint of plain, yellow mustard. The roll is standard, Food Lion brand white bread. A few cheese doodles sit next to this summer-time favorite.I'm already doing the mental math. Well, one hot dog was seven points (I checked the Nutritional Information), so... do I have enough points for a second one? Well, I could have... a bite. One bite is what, maybe a point and a half?
"Would you stop at one bite?" Thomas asks me. I shake myself. I hadn't even realized I was talking out loud.
"Probably not."
"Me, either."
I consider my options. There's absolutely nothing healthy at this kid's party. Hot dogs, cupcakes, cheese doodles, chips. Nary a vegetable in sight, unless you count the almost entirely uneaten jar of relish. I've already had a hotdog (7 points), 4 pretzels (1 point), and a small (the smallest one in the batch I could find) cupcake (5 points). I didn't eat much for breakfast - I overslept and was really crazy-busy. I didn't even pack up the strawberries that I thought about bringing with us. Excuses excuses. I'm not even all that hungry, but man, did that hot dog taste good.
Thomas is already off-plan for the weekend, and he knows it. His hazel eyes flicker back to the hot dog and a half-embarrassed smile flickers across his mouth.
"Split it with you?"
"All right."
I could have castigated myself for the decision, but last year, I'd have had two or three hot dogs, a double handful of chips, and at least two, if not three, of the cupcakes. And I'd probably have snitched some of the pinata candy from Darcy's party bag on the way home.
It's not always about huge, gigantic leaps.
Sometimes it's about making the better bad choice.
6 comments:
You're right. The trick, I think, is to not make those "better-but-bad" decisions every day. Now and then, though, it's kind of healthy, IMO.
(I'm trying turkey dogs this weekend! Hope it scratches the hot dog itch I've had lately!)
Sometimes unfortunately there aren't any good choices. And I think that's when we really get to see how far we've come, because it's then that we see the difference between who we were and who we are. And sometimes that's just as exciting and edifying as being able to make a really "good" choice.
And you know, a life when I can't have the occasional hot dog...is not the kind of life I want. :-)
V.
Absolutely. You did exactly what I would have done. Split it!
AMEN Girlfriend! That is exactly what it's about. Its about slow gradual changes, besides, if you and your hubby had throw that hotdog away who's to say you guys would't have done something more damaging because of the underlying feeling you deprived yourself of something. (That's what I would have done, anway:)). I think you did a great job!
As a note? Even pre-informed (and thus able to eyeball the online menu ahead of time), The Melting Pot is SO not a good place for choices. Just came back from a graduation dinner there-- an estimated 30 points for one (granted, four-course, with beer) meal. Owwie.
Not like I was going crazy, but... I could not resist the cheese. I went for lighter choices, but I chose to partake of every course. I enjoyed myself and I feel like I did pretty well (my secret ninja diet power is "cheesecake resist"), but damn, did it hurt to journal it afterward!
A happy life is all about keeping things in balance and perspective! It looks like you've got a great handle on both! And kudos to you for choosing to eat just 1 cupcake - I swear those little buggers know my name. :)
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