Confessions of a Foodie

I have a sweet tooth. And an intense need for salt. Okay...I pretty much just love all things "food".     

I am a foodie. 

You know. One of these geeks who loves all things food including, but not limited to, strange food, boutique food, ethnic food, and farm to table food. (Most foodies are not into TGI Fridays, Applebees, and other mediocre chains) I love trying new things, cooking and baking, and eating in boutique restaurants in every city. I'm a sucker for Thai and sushi in particular. So many flavors...

(back to what I was saying...)

Being a foodie makes eating healthy one of the most challenging things in my fight against being overweight.  It's the most difficult because I can't say no to so many things...especially if I've never had them before. It's because I simply love food. And I discriminate against none of it. 

(Except okra and hot dogs)

One of the reasons that I love to cook/bake so much is because of the ability I have to create in the kitchen. I love giving life to food that brings people joy when they eat it. I live for that moment.  Plus, I love new flavors, new ideas, and just plain ole' creativity. But they say that losing weight is only 20% working out. The other 80% is in the food we eat. Half the battle against food is at the grocery store. 

Sometimes I win. Sometimes I lose. Sometimes I don't care. 

The reality is that I don't have to stop being in love with food to lose weight. I don't have to be afraid of it. I have to respect it. I have to control it. Sounds stupid, maybe, but it works for me. When I don't limit myself (within reason) with food, I don't crave only the things I can't have.  I don't keep dairy in the house because my body can't handle it. But if I'm at someone's house and it's in the food, I don't freak out. I love ice cream and frozen yogurt and all things that you would find in a Halloween bucket, but when I don't eliminate them from my life, I don't sit and pine over them...dreaming that I could just have them back...and therefore don't notice them in the checkout line at the store. 

Crazy I know.

I don't know what works for you, but realizing this about myself has put me in a very good position of control. I may lose weight at a little slower pace, but losing is losing, and being confident in my own abilities is very rewarding.