Better Eats

Brian woke up this morning with his heart set on a daily goal to start eating healthier. He wants to make it an everyday challenge to avoid eating so much junk food and start eating better.

Okay. So I’ve been struggling to lay off the junk food and eat more fruits and vegetables. For a junk food junkie like myself the task feels impossible and not once have I succeeded in cutting back on the junk, but today I’m gonna win that small battle against the junk food. So I get out of bed and the first thing I see when I look to my right is a big bag of lays potato chips and I normally take a bite out of them around this time, even with it being as early as it is, but…NO!!! This time I’m resisting the temptation.

I quickly jump out of bed, grab the open bag, fold it up, put my chip clip on it and toss it in my bedroom closet. Then I race towards the bathroom so I can get dressed and start my day. For some reason not taking a bite of those chips really just boosted my confidence. After I finish getting I head to the kitchen to grab my keys, but then a thought strikes me: I have to get some breakfast. After all, it is the most importantly meal of the day.

I look in my refrigerator which is full of groceries after my Food Lion expedition yesterday. The freezer is full of hot pockets, Eggos French Toast sticks, bacon and Neese’s Sausage. Good lord the kitchen would smell lovely if I started frying all that up. NO!!! I had to stop myself. I can break my aspiring will power, so I shut the freezer door and look into the fridge. Below is an assortment of Yoplait Yogurt, a bag of apples, a bag of mandarins and a few small bottles of Sunny D orange juices. I can’t eat big, I gotta cut it back. So I decide to grab a yogurt, one apple and a bottle of Sunny D.

I eat it all in a quick bite as I head out the door and man did it feel good. For some reason eating all that cold food straight from the fridge made me feel like I was being healthier. Maybe it was all just in my head, but I like the feeling.

11:00 a.m rolls around and it’s lunchtime. So I head to the cafeteria on my break at work and what do I find? They’re having a sea food platter on the menu in the cafeteria. Ask me how do I know when I haven’t even reached the cafeteria yet, that’s because I can smell the fish and shrimp heating up I’m fryers on my way to the break room. When I reach the cafeteria my will is being tested like never before as I get in line. “Hey, Brian you gettin’ some of this good ol’ shrimp?” Ethel the lunch lady asks me. “No, thanks.” I abruptly tell her on impulse. “I think I’ll just get one of those healthy turkey subs you’re always selling, Ethel.” “Well look at you!” Ethel replies in surprise. After she hands me the sub I pay for it and sit down at the lunch table and chow down. Interestingly enough, I was no longer craving the seafood. It was as if my will power had once again leveled up.

7:00 p.m. So now I’m clocking out and on my way home. I keep telling myself “Brian you’ve done a good job, so go reward yourself with some greasy cheap food, it’s Friday for goodness sake.” I’m around the corner from my house and I’m faced with three fast food decisions: McDonald’s, Bojangles or Subway. I couldn’t believe how easy the decision was. Without having to give it a second thought I instantly chose Subway. I walk in the store and order myself a a turkey sub with tomatoes and mustard and throw a Gatorade in for good measure. When I get back to my car I take a bite of the sandwich as I crank up the car and pull off. It’s the greatest feeling in the world as I head home knowing that I’ve won the small daily battle of eating better…healthier.