It's Healthy Diet Time

Note that I said healthy.  I've tried lots of those fad diets and they just don't work, or they do, and then you gain it all back.
Weight Watchers' diet officially began yesterday.  Saturday I did the food shopping and stocked up on healthier, WW approved foods.  I will say I was taken aback when my total was $243 (for two weeks and 3 grown people, not bad here in the city), about $45 more than usual, and all the way home I was picturing that extra money, but that's because I was only looking at the little picture.  Yes, I did pay more, but when you look at the larger picture, I am saving money...

...because included in that total is my breakfast and lunch at work for two weeks.  Those flavored oatmeal packs I had every day were $1.89 each.  That is $18.90 for two weeks just for cereal...and they are full of sugar.  This time I bought a large box of Special K which is healthy and only cost $5.69 for two weeks of breakfast.  And, by golly, the lunch money I save is tremendous.  This is an expensive city to live in, and lunch hovers around $7 daily, sometimes more, sometimes less.  That's $70 for two weeks of lunch...not to mention the snacks....and the daily scenario that follows.  It just goes to show how my day was consumed with thoughts of food.

About 12 pm, Jane calls  me, "What are you having for lunch?"

"I don't know; let's see what Evelyn wants." Seems Evelyn wants Chinese, the rest of us don't.

"I've been craving a beef patty with cheese from Rocket Joe's,' Abby adds.  "I could go for that," I reply.  

"I was thinking of Mexican," says my roommate. "My mouth has been watering for some Nachos and cheese."

"Oh, that sounds good," says Evelyn...now forgetting about the Chinese.  

"But, I wanted soup," says Denise.  "I thought we were getting Chinese."

"We haven't had Popeye's for awhile," adds my roommate.

"Mmm, I could go for that."  I say.  'So could I," says Abby.  Before long, we find ourselves all in agreement.  Popeye's it is.  By now it is 1 pm.  

"But they don't deliver," cries  Denise.  "Who is going to go pick it up?"  We all now look at each other, hoping that someone says 'I will', but none of us volunteer.  None of us wants to take that little walk.

So, guess what?  It's back to the drawing board.  By now I am getting nauseous and have begun snacking on the little goodies I keep (or kept) in my desk drawer, but if you notice something, I am never the one with the suggestion.  I am always the follower.  It is usually sometime between two and three that we finally decide what we are going to eat, and, by then, we are all so hungry that we don't even stop for air when we finally begin feeding our faces.  

And that, my dear friends, is a true rendition of the scenario that we follow day after day, week after week.  In sociology, it is a form of groupthink.  It seems that somewhere along the line we have lost our ability for independent thinking.  It also shows how spoiled we have become by expecting everything to be delivered to us.  Is it any wonder that all but one person in my office is overweight? 

Friday was the end for me.  Several of us ended up not even having any lunch because at 3 pm we were still going through the menus, and for me, hunger means nausea and crankiness.   I realized then that I cannot remain a part of the crowd; those days of following my peers because I was so anxious to fit in should have disappeared when I got out of high school.   Today marks the new me here at work...eat what I want, when I want.  Wish me luck.  I know if I stay focused I can do this.  After all, I did to stop smoking after doing so for 48 years....just by staying focused.