Interesting day today, foodwise. I got up and did my 5k lake walk/run this morning, then went to my regular WW meeting (as a member, not leader). I thought that today MIGHT be the day I achieved “Lifetime” status (ie, maintaining goal weight for 6 weeks) but since I missed a week while at camp, it’s not till NEXT week. I weighed in at exactly the same weight as last week, so was happy that this low has carried over. I was feeling good.
A few blocks away, there was a great street festival going on. I thought I’d stroll over there and check things out. It happened to be on the same street as this AWESOME bakery/pizza place. Not just regular pizza, but amazing gourmet pizza. I had not had this kind of pizza in months. MANY months. I wanted it. I thought, OKAY, it’s weigh-in day, you’re doing awesomely, you just did a 5k run/walk, it’s OKAY! I walked in.
There was a long line. For people who are trying to eat mindfully, long lines can be a good thing because they provide a nice pause, a “do you really want to do this?” pause. I stood in line for about five minutes. Then I walked out. I walked around the festival, checked out some great crafts, ran into some friends, chatted. I was walking back to my car and I walked back IN to the bakery. I reallllllllly wanted that pizza.
Guess what. They don’t make pizza on Sundays! 😦
I drove back to my own neighborhood where the farmers’ market was running. By this time I was getting SUPER hungry. I thought, I’ll get some nice roast chicken. (they have an awesome rotisserie on wheels there) But I did not want chicken. I wanted PIZZA. I distracted myself by wandering through the fruits and vegies, and tasting peaches and other good stuff. But pizzzzzzaaaaaaaaa was calling my name.
Luckily, there happens to be ANOTHER gourmet pizza place right next to the farmers’ market. I felt sort of weird going to this mecca of fresh produce, and eating… pizza. I went in. The pizza smell knocked me out. I ordered a slice of vegi pizza (artichokes, olives, pesto). Sat down in front of the tomato-and-basil stand and.. Enjoyed. Every. Bite.
I was so happy to eat that pizza. And I didn’t feel guilty. And I didn’t feel sick! I just loved it. It was so delicious.
And it made me really happy, although it was interesting that it took me ALL DAY and circling around pizza places like a shark before I finally “succumbed.” I think yes, I should think seriously and not be impulsive about it, but yeah, I can enjoy a piece of pizza if I want. I’m not going to instantly gain 25 lbs or fall down any Slippery Slope.
So all these big food “taboos” are crashing down. Macaroni and cheese, brownies, and now pizza. It’s not the end of the world, or my health, if I sometimes choose to eat these things. Yay.
foodfoodbodybody 
August 3, 2009 at 12:16 am
Wow. I couldn’t do this. I can only keep weight off if I stick to my (fortunately now long) list of foods I love that are lean and healthy.. Straying from that list is just disaster for me, especially if the straying involves carbs.
August 3, 2009 at 3:10 am
I have come to appreciate the wisdom of this approach, provided (for me) that it is a rare event and not a weekly habit. They say the average craving lasts only 30 seconds, but I firmly believe once in a while we get a REAL craving, from which we will not be easily distracted. Like you and the pizza. In my experience, when I try to ignore these occasional real cravings, I end up eating a whole lot of other crap. So I may as well have the thing I craved and be done with it.
Well done on maintaining and on the walk. Sounds like the ankle is better?
August 3, 2009 at 7:12 am
there you go, woman.
the ultimate EATING WITHOUT GUILT 🙂
the enjoyment
the embracing and tasting
the lack of feeling “bad” about the ‘za.
thats what life is about.
and its too short not to be.
August 3, 2009 at 11:08 am
Yes yes yes. The key is doing something like this once a WEEK, not every day or meal. (as used to be habit) It’s listening to TRUE cravings and not impulses. And the key is to enjoying life and NOT feeling deprived, because for me, that is the death knell for any kind of weight loss/health success.
Cho-Fleur, what would the “disaster” look like? Starting and not being to stop? Or having your weight bounce up from one episode? I’ve started to re-evaluate these things. If I felt like that one piece of pizza opened a door I couldn’t close, I wouldn’t be able to do it. But it was truly a one-time, VERY satisfying event, and the rest of the day went great, food wise. Even if I step on the scale this morning and I were to be flukily 2 lbs over, I know it will be gone in a few days. So no worries. That’s my new motto! No worries! It IS what life is about!
August 3, 2009 at 11:17 am
Glad you enjoyed your pizza! Sounds delicious! And making me crave pizza! LoL.
Andddddddd…
I am loving the new motto! “No Worries!” I might just steal that from ya, LoL.
Have a great week! 😀
August 3, 2009 at 11:30 am
You are so funny and I’m glad you finally got your piece of pizza! I love all the thought that went into it – and you’re right, it’s OK to have these types of food once in a while!
August 3, 2009 at 11:44 am
Life is short – you have to have pizza and you did it the right way. Well done. Hopefully, I can learn from your experience!
August 3, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Pizza is one food I won’t live without. On my weigh-in day, I have pizza. Almost every week. I don’t go crazy. Just a slice or maybe a slice and a half (no crazy fattening toppings), and I limit my pizza intake to 1 day a week at most. I never feel guilty about it and I enjoy every bite, every time.
What I’ve learned is its ok to have the things I love sometimes, as long as I control my portions and the food I eat around it. I still lose weight and I’m not deprived, so I’m satistfied and I can continue to lose weight.
Good for you for having your pizza and enjoying it too!
August 3, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Way to go! How many times have I tried to “distract” myself with some food I could care less about, rather than having a little bit of what I *really* want and be happy with that? (Or, both, adding to my overall calorie input?) Have you found that being more fit has helped with your body being better able to tolerate some carb foods than you could when first diagnosed? It seems to be true in my case, and I’m a much happier diabetic camper than I could have imagined at diagnosis.
August 4, 2009 at 12:01 am
Foodie, I never worry about weight jumping from one episode. One day’s weight doesn’t mean anything about overall gain or loss – it might just mean I ate heavier (literally!) food yesterday.
The “disaster” for me (oh, yeah, a little hyperbole here!) is that if I eat carby, fatty comfort foods once, I tend to slip into the habit: once a week now, twice a week next week, and so on. They’re easier to find, to plan, and to prepare. I get lazy, and I get careless.
My “guilt-free” pleasure eating has become all the non-carb, healthy things whose flavors I really enjoy. I try never to eat anything I don’t enjoy, but I only pick from my “healthy” list.
I guess my personal discipline has taken a different form: for me, it’s not exposing myself or allowing myself to think about the foods that have so consistently been my downfall. I’m kind of in awe of your ability to indulge in those things, and go right back to sustainable eating; I just couldn’t do that.
In the end, it’s really just about what work for each person. Maybe that’s why maintaining healthy weight is so hard for so many of us. If there were just one formula that worked, yo-yoing wouldn’t exist!
August 4, 2009 at 11:51 am
Love this post! Everything in moderation, right? And you have the mindset to eat it, enjoy and move in – kudos!
August 5, 2009 at 10:55 am
I look forward to the day that I can eat normal food without it being the a whole big thing, just having enough to satisfy me and going on with me day. i know i used to feel that way once a long time ago but i barely remember how it feels.
August 5, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Ditto, ditto, ditto to what MizFit said in her comment 🙂
And I love that you’re really listening to yourself, and truly enjoying food…ALL food.
You’re really learning what it means to Eat Without Guilt, while still staying healthy (inside and out!) and slowly losing weight. It can be done and you are embracing it.
I would have loved to have a piece of that pizza with you!! Someday we will — that I promise!
August 5, 2009 at 5:44 pm
I think this was the key for me as I was losing my 150 pounds. Every other time I had dieted before I always had the “can’t” mindset. That last time I had the “can – sometimes” mindset.
Great choice, and really excellent post!
August 6, 2009 at 8:44 pm
Mmm… sounds good! yum!! I never feel bad when I have the odd ‘treat’ either.. lifes too short!! Glad you enjoyed it!!
~Carla~
http://www.operationmuffintop.wordpress.com
August 7, 2009 at 6:08 pm
I’m so glad that you found your pizza. It’s great that you are able to enjoy those foods and not feel guilty. It’s not about eliminating food from a diet as much as it is moderation. Veggie pizza is the best!
August 9, 2009 at 3:50 am
Loved this post (have only recently found your blog so I’m catching up…) – what a great description of listening to your inner voice and knowing what will satisfy you. Hoorah!