Day 47 Food For Thought: Food Verses Fellowship

We went to our favorite restaurant, El Tapatio, after church just like always. Why do we eat out? Food and Fellowship, right? This might seem really stupid to most people, but it was a significant, life-changing, moment to me. I had not realized this, but now I see that always when I would eat out, I would have a mindset focusing on food. I would sort of think eating out is special. Fellowship is only a secondary byproduct to the real reason we eat out----FOOD! “I want to make the most of my time here. I want to complete this mission with excellence: Eat and enjoy good food! This is a moment I should celebrate (food).” As I sat there looking at my three little boys and their amazing daddy, I had a revelation. “Being here at this moment, the purpose is not food, but enjoying my family.” I refocused the purpose of eating there to now be fellowship. Sounds like it is not a big deal until you realize that what I would have ordered last week was a lot bigger and more tasty and a whole lot more calories than what I ate this day. I ordered a side plate for fajitas. That is hardly food according to my old way of thinking. Last week if I had forced myself to order only that, I would have felt like I deprived myself all day long. After I repurposed eating out, I ate the side dish and was satisfied. I left not hungry and not stuffed. It was plenty for me. My new feast came from the nourishment of soul after spending time out with my guys. Now even if I just order water, that is plenty for me. The real reason I go there is to enjoy the company.

Then came the next meal...We ended up eating out at the Monterey Dairy Queen for supper. This was not exactly a planned thing. Well, of course we ordered chicken and tator wedges. What else do you get there? That is my family’s secret mix that makes it a specialty. It is what we all were having. Everyone planned to get ice cream. I had planned to not get a ice cream treat. After all, I am trying to lose some poundage up in here. I did not particularly want it anyway. I definitely thought I would not want dessert after I ate chicken and wedges. After we ate, and it was time for the dessert. I just felt like I wanted some. I had done very well all day. It wouldn’t really hurt anything, but just the thought of “I can’t have that.” Made me feel like if I didn’t eat it I would feel deprived. I have that rule about deprivation. I will not allow myself to wander there. All that is is a big fat temptation. I don't need more fat in my thought life. I would rather quit this healthful journey in the name of true freedom than to be in bondage to food. Deprivation is the chains that bind me. I will not be shackled by something imaginary. The truth is I CAN have it if I want it. And you know what? I did. I enjoyed it guilt free. If I had forced myself to walk the fine line of expectation I put on myself, I would have eventually over indulged later, and it would have brought me back into a way of thinking I am currently recovered from. I ate it. I enjoyed it. I had peace about it. The only thing I wish I would have changed is that I shared my treat with Ben (who didn’t eat much of it) instead of a more hearty eater like Wayne. Just a few bites would have satisfied me, but I ended up eating more than that. Next time, Baby. Being right-minded means you get up if you fall. Allowing myself to have grace made it easy for me the rest of the day and next day to easily follow my practical weight loss plan.

Wins for Today
I made a late night grocery run. All of the temptation foods that call to me when I am not right-minded stayed on the shelf away from my buggy. If it is not in my pantry, I will not eat it. It is just another hurdle I do not have to jump over when I am in one of those moods. Hopefully there won’t be moody munching opportunities anymore, but I do know it is easier to say, "No" at the store. It is just wisdom for me at this moment to leave them out of my house.

Nutritional Nugget
More on the food label...

Total Fat, Cholesterol, and Sodium are the first three listed on the food label. These are the ones you want to limit. Cholesterol is actually in the fat catergory, but it is not included in the Total Fat because fat is measured in grams and cholesterol is measured in milligrams.

Something also useful on the label is "calories from fat." You want to try to make sure that calories from fat are between 20% and 35%. I usually say around 30% just for easy calculation sake. I wish they calculated this for us on the label, but they don't. Note the calories and calories from fat on the image below. It says "110 calories. Calories from fat 15." Those 15 calories are still included in the total calories. If you are quick at math, you can eyeball that about a third of 110 calories is 33 calories. 10 is smaller than 33 therefore this falls below range indicating it is a low fat food per serving. If you want to be technical, you take calories from fat which are 15, and divide those by the calories which are 110, then multiply by 100 to get your percent.

15 / 110 x 100 = 13.6%

This label indicates this is a low fat food. Do this or just notice what I posted for Day 46. The % Daily Value is 3% which is less than 5% which means it is a low fat food. You don't need a calculator to see the DV is less than 5%.