What's In My Head Wednesday, 3.14

Welcome to WIMHW for this Pi day, 2012.  What’s Pi Day?  One might think it was dedicated to delicious desserts or pizza but thankfully, it is because today is 3.14, the same as Pi (the circumference of any circle divided by its diameter).  I say thankfully because what could be worse for a food addict than a whole day dedicated to a dessert or everyone’s favorite, pizza?  Well some sadistic marketing genius must have realized that point, because today is also National Potato Chip Day.  I got bombarded with facts about potato chips today.  I even saw articles about flavors ranging from Chili Squid to Chocolate Marshmallow.  I kid you not…Chocolate Marshmallow potato chips.  The point is that we are bombarded by pleas to make unhealthy food choices almost every minute of every day.  A study in 2007 showed that the average American adult is exposed to 600-625 ads per day.*  A large percentage of that is for food.  If you feel might be susceptible to yielding to these flirtations with your taste buds, then perhaps you should turn off the tube and pick up a book.  If you think about it, it’s not much different than an alcoholic being asked to go to a bar a few hundred times a day.  Stay strong folks.  Temptation is everywhere.

Speaking of temptation, this week I am throwing myself in harm’s way... twice.  Thursday evening I will be taking my best client out for a fancy dinner at an upscale steakhouse, overlooking Manhattan.  I would normally start the evening with a vodka martini, up, with blue cheese stuffed olives and then move on to an appetizer, wine with my large fat-marbled steak, plus a baked potato swimming in butter and sour cream, then dessert.  Tomorrow, I think I will just have a nice salad (dressing on the side), a petite filet mignon and some grilled asparagus.  I’ll pass on dessert and have some decaf.  I will also forego the once savored,  post-gluttenfest scotch.  That’s going to be a hard one because this place is also a cigar lounge.  Not much better with a cigar than a good scotch on the company dime.  Sigh.  It ain’t worth it in the long run.

Saturday is Saint Patrick’s Day.  I will be attending my cousins’ annual SPD party.  Bloggergirl45, the hostess and one of our followers here at TDT195, is being so gracious as to provide alternatives for me on this day where I am sure she has a lot better things to do than cook for some of us with alternative food lifestyles.  I was thinking of just having a sampling of the various Irish dishes that will no doubt be on hand, but knowing that she is trying to support my efforts is so touching to me that I will keep my resolve.  Sobriety from food addiction, alcohol or controlled substances is not a part time job.  You can’t do it part way.  Even I, who writes for hours and hours each week on the subject forgets that at times.  Gatherings like this were once all about the food for me.  What is important is spending time with those you care about.  The things that endure are not the corned beef sandwiches or buttery boiled potatoes you shoveled in your cakehole.  I’ll be sure to blog more about holidays and how we view, and should view them in the future.

What's in my head this Wednesday is temptation, dear readers.  It’s always around.  The devil on your shoulder is telling you, “It’s okay.  A taste can’t hurt.  You can make up for it tomorrow.”  Well, that’s how your resolve gets broken down, when the guilt sets in and you feel a sense of failure.  For me at least, that is when things fall apart.  Well, not this time.  I’m going to see that scale move on Monday.  It will if you do the right thing, Mike.  You’re new life is waiting.

Cya tomorrow for Cooking Thursday,

M

What I ate today and how I exercised:

Breakfast ~ Kashi Island Vanilla cereal w/a small banana and Vanilla Almond Silk

Lunch ~ Tomato soup and a big salad w/baby romaine, cukes, chick peas, cannellini beans, red oinion, carrots and sherry wine vinaigrette

Dinner ~ A homemade salmon cake and steamed broccoli w/lemon and garlic salt.  Look for the recipe tomorrow.  Here is a picture to whet your appetite.

Exercise ~ What a beautiful spring day to walk 2 miles around the lake.

*Media Matters, 2007