Thursday, November 12, 2009
November 11, 2009
Yes, I splurged yesterday. I looked forward to Buca di Beppo and it lived up to my expectations (does it ever not). I haven't had time to actually look into my points to see how 'bad' it was. But one day is not enough to derail me....as long as it's only one day. Todd and I talked about the fact that when you don't splurge and don't eat like that often that it is so much more special and memorable. And yes, it is.
So does food make one happy? I was looking at the a blog entry today and saw this post that touched on the concept of food making us happy. And while my gut reaction was that 'no, it doesn't'. When I started to think about our meal yesterday, I have to revise that and say, yeah sometimes it does.
When I'm looking for a quick fix food....filling a void emotionally, I eat the food and while I'm eating the food I feel on top of the world. However, almost immediately upon finishing the good feeling ends and I'm back where I started before I ate. Actually worse because after eating, I've now got the added guilt of eating something I shouldn't have. So in that case eating does not make me happy.
HOWEVER, I knew that yesterday we were going to be going to Buca di Beppo. Wait, let me digress and give some background. In years past, Todd and I have eaten out way too much. But in recent years we have pared back drastically and in just the last month or two we cut back even further. For two reasons...financially it makes more sense to eat at home and it's easier to control the quality and portions at home. In comparison....back in 2006 (give or take) we would eat out and average of 5 times a week. We have pared it back to once a week now....and are trying to do once every other week. SOooo fast forward back to the present. We had not eaten out since Todd's birthday weekend......which was two weeks ago. We knew we were going to go to Buca. I tried to eat healthily for the days leading up to yesterday. I also planned a nice healthy dinner for last night (taco soup) So we went. Yes, I splurged a bit. Did it make me happy? Yes! Did it make me feel guilty? No! Was it a fleeting happiness? NO! I was sitting here at work thinking about our meal yesterday and it feels me with a warmth to remember the shared meal that had with my husband. I can remember the flavors of the food. The texture. The conversation. All of it...and it feels me with a happy warmth. So yes, that meal did really bring me a longer lasting happiness.
So what is the difference? What I see....the difference is that I wasn't eating emotionally...trying to fill a void. Trying to occupy my mind. I planned for it. And most significantly, by not eating out all the dang time the event became special.
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7 comments:
so you ended up goin there
that would be my #1 pick lol
no wyou makin me crave it
I think I'd tend to agree with you (even tho it was my topic you were referencing). When food is involved in a special occasion, such as a night out somewhere nice, then of course there's an expectation that happiness should be derived from it. When that happiness comes from stuffing an Egg McMuffin down your throat in a McDonald's parking lot, it's a whole different story.
Great post.
I'm with you on this too. Going out to dinner with hubby makes me happy too.
Oh, thought you were a WW woman already? What took me to TOPS instead of WW was the price, I'm cheap what can I say lol. If you do want to check into it you can look meetings up online at www.tops.org using your zipcode. (my blog is a secret btw)
Jack is so right. I suspect most of us got fat NOT from special dinners, parties, or even a feast on Thanksgiving. It was from snacking mindlessly in front of TV, eating donuts alone in the car, eating the Halloween candy in September, and
"stuffing an Egg McMuffin down ... in a McDonald's parking lot ...." Well said.
I hate to be the odd duck out here but I don't agree at all. Yes, we can enjoy the food we eat (afterall, I'm totally a food snob and love making and trying new things) but I don't believe it's the food that should or does bring us happiness or joy. I believe it is the combination of the company and how we feel about ourselves that makes those times special and memorable. The food is a component of the entire experience but not the entire experience in and of itself. I feel that thinking otherwise gives food power when it doesn't actually wield any of it's own power. Why willingly give our power away when we emotional eaters struggle with the feelings of powerlessness (which is what causes us to emotionally eat in the first place). It sounds like insanity to me (trying the same things/thoughts and expecting different results/feelings).
If I have dinner with my husband no matter where we are or what we're doing or eating, it's special. If I have dinner by myself no matter where I am or what I'm eaing, it's not. If I have time with my husband without any food present, it's special. See?
I always say that the occasional "treat" dinner isn't going to ruin anything. In fact it makes you stronger because you prove to yourself that you can have what you really want and still stay healthy. Why? Because your relationship to food has changed!
Glad you had such a nice time enjoying your "treat" meal. I think you're right about enjoying the entire experience, not just the food. Although, I must say the food at Buca is quite wonderful, the time spent with someone important to you is really the nicest part of the meal.
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