Sometimes I think people think I am depriving myself. However, the times I am most unhappy about the Challenge is when I spendon Entertainment.
I budget $20 to $25 a month on entertainment; that’s mostly eating out. (I do have a separate line item for Netflix, for some reason, and my 12 channel cable too). Well, when I go out to eat, I usually feel good about it. But when I spend that money on take out, it’s rarely a feeling of relief or luxury or a treat; it’s usually a sign that I’ve just gotten sloppy. Besides the Challenge, I happen to be chubby, out of shape, and prone to migraines, which may partially be triggered by a number of foods more likely to be found at a restaurant than in my fridge (nitrates). So what the heck am I doing ordering pizza last night?!?! I’m spending out of my overspent category, and I’m not getting joy. I’m getting crankiness and bloat and a feeling of letting myself down.
I would have been so much happier having an omelet or bulgur or spinach. Spending money resulted in less happiness, not more.
In month nine, I’d have thought I’d have figured it out. But no, I had to give up money and self-esteem for fifteen minutes of pizza love.
Meh.
Here I go trying to catch the flight to Sacramento that was cancelled this morning.
It's So Cheesy
November 21st, 2006 at 02:02 am
November 21st, 2006 at 03:40 am 1164080454
November 21st, 2006 at 03:42 am 1164080562
Could you explore making your own heathier pizza and freezing it?
I hope your travels to and from Sacramento are smooth and easy!
November 21st, 2006 at 06:06 am 1164089184
I get migraines and I know that bit of unpleasntry. I get zig zag lines across my field of vision and I feel ike someone is driving a spike through my head.. ARRGGHHH!!! I hate migraines!
I hope things look a little brighter tomorrow! I also hope you have a good flight!
November 21st, 2006 at 12:34 pm 1164112448
having a plan for those nights when you absolutely, positively don't want to cook helps, that way you don't find yourself ordering something you don't want. personally, i never wanna cook on monday's, so that's becoming mine and DH's date night to go to our favorite pan-asian restaurant. we eat enough veggies there to make up for the fact that it's a meal out...
November 21st, 2006 at 02:11 pm 1164118274
I hate to sound clinical, but maybe it might help you to try to see food differently- sort of push aside the delicousness or cheesiness and really see it as numbers (calories) being put into your body. By making impulse eating into "math" maybe that might influence your choices....or am I just being too nerdy here....
November 22nd, 2006 at 04:36 am 1164170206
November 22nd, 2006 at 04:42 am 1164170537
November 23rd, 2006 at 02:24 am 1164248642
Good points, and actually tips I use when I'm on the right track. I like the Boboli sheels and get them at the bread thrift store and freeze them. Now that I have a freeezer I was thinking of making my own dough and "par" baking the crusts. Eeven without pizza in the mix, the idea of home non-cooking "fast" food from scratch is a great one. I try to freeze good dishes I make in large batches. Also I can fancy canned soup on hand; that's fast food too. Sometimes though I just get sloppy; mentally lazy and physically lazy. That's the battle.
is obvious that eating out makes you feel bad
I thought, and wrote, that is was more take out that I didn't feel good about, not the actual out to eat. I may not be right, of couyrse, but if I go out for a dining expereince, I enjoy it; I had two baja tacos the other night, $2 each, so with tax and tip I paid $6 for a nice sit down meal. I think, though i'm working through this, is that I need to eat out when I want to eat out, but not eat out or take out when I want to be lazy.
I thinking that you are using eating out as a way to not feel deprived. I'll keep an eye out for that, but at this point I'm not convinced it is true. I feel less deprived when I don't get take out. It is true that entertainment can be spent on things other than food. However, some "normal luxuries I don't enjoy (going out to movies -much prefer renting dvds), and some things that are luxuries I do a lot of: reading, book shopping, hot baths with bubbles. Again, I'll keep it in mind.
December 6th, 2006 at 07:47 am 1165391268