When Fall rolls around and the leaves start turning vibrant oranges, reds, yellows, and browns; when the smell in the air is of kindling crackling and warm while the wind is cool and gentle, I start to crave. I crave casseroles and anything advertised as "pumpkin-spice", pie, muffins, and lattes that heat the insides of my stomach like a spicy winter coat.
As I glance at the drive-thru Dunkin' Doughnuts with ninety-nine cents burning a hole through my pocket and the option of savoring a small latte while the kids are asleep in the back seat, I blame the primal instincts to fatten up before winter and the bogus "I-deserve-it" mentality. Unfortunately for me, I am not a bear, and I don't need a large layer of fat to act as a blanket during hibernation, and come to think of it, bears don't drink lattes. Instead, they fatten up with healthy fats and proteins; not green bean casserole and Reese's peanut butter cups in the shape of friendly pumpkins.
As for the "I-deserve-a-treat" mentality I should respond in kind: "Be gone, Satan!" Seriously, this frame of mind is why I'm so heavy. As a mother of two, I've convinced myself that the only way for me to achieve a moment to myself is through a bite of food or a television program that will help me to escape my life for half an hour. Both of which have resulted in a big flat bottom and a terrible disposition. Even as I'm typing this I've realized that I haven't tuned into MTV.com to watch this week's episode of "Skinny people with tons of money pretending that they have problems" i.e. "The Hills."
In investment terms, my current lifestyle is in the red. Instead of spending the money and time on food and activities that take away from my life, I should be investing it elsewhere. This is the reason I started this blog in the first place, to take me out of these mind-sets and to help me stay accountable to achieving the things I do deserve: life-long happiness with my family and healthy body to help me live long enough to enjoy life to its fullest.
I want to state for the record that I am not supporting you in this. Only a couple hours after you posted this, I walked in with a Pumkin Spice Latte for you and me, as a nice "treat," along with the icee that Harrison got for himself. What are we teaching our kids?
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, I need to eat healthier, too. I may not be overweight, but I have very unhealthy habits, and that doesn't help.
I am with you on this journey. Let's keep each other accountable.
Your love,
Matt