The Cookie Situation

I love food.

It's really as simple as that. I am a dietetics major which is both fun and highly irritating. That means that when I'm not thinking about food for myself, I'm thinking about it for other people and therefore I'm always thinking of food. It doesn't help that one of my jobs is dietetics-related, which further requires me to think and talk about food. I also live in a region of the country that prides itself on fine and varied cuisine.

I love food! I just love food. However, I have a soft spot for chocolate and cookies and ice cream. I love them. I mean really, my first word was "cookie." What does that tell you about me and my love for cookies? At school I pretty much ate a cookie or a piece of chocolate everyday. 'Twas marvelous and might I add-I lost weight thank you. But then I came home and one day my mom caught me eating 5 cookies. Yup, five. BUSTED. She lectured me on weight gain and healthy eating habits and how if I am going to be a dietitian I can't be doing this. So, I felt like a 5-year old caught with my hand in the cookie jar (really it was the 21-year old caught getting cookies from the freezer WHICH might I add--can I help myself when my mom-who is an absolutely faaaaabulous baker-bakes all these delicious treats and then puts them in the freezer) So I come home from college and I don't have to cook and now I can't indulge in a cookie after a horrid and long day??? I decided to take action. But first, a few questions: Am I overweight? No. Am I gaining weight? No. Is their a problem? Maybe. I mean I can't have 5 cookies everyday. So I tried to stop eating sugar and save it for Sundays but you know, that's a horrid thing to do. HORRID. Deprive me of the one thing I love to eat because....why? Because why? There's no logical reason for this really. Could I cut back? Yeah sure, but you know what happens? When I tell myself I can't have cookies or chocolate, it's all I think about. It consumes my thoughts. Reading...I think of cookies, at work....I think of cookies, eating lunch...all I want is a cookie! GAH! Plus, the more someone tells me I can't do something or eat something or I shouldn't do something or eat something, the more I want to do it or eat it. So don't tell me what to do unless you want me to do it. So then when I crack and eat a cookie, I have to have 4. It's a binge. And you're telling me that's healthy? Heavens no! It's not wonder eating disorders are so prevalent!!!! So as a dietitian-to-be, what do I do? As I young woman who wants to maintain a nice figure yet enjoy the beautiful part of life that is made of eating, what do I do!?

Here's what I'm doing. Here's what I'd counsel a client to do and here's what I'm telling myself to do. You love cookies, eat cookies. FOR HEAVEN SAKES EAT COOKIES!!!! Food is given to us for pleasure. Eating should be fun, enjoyable, exciting, and satisfying. However, don't have 5 cookies everyday. Limit yourself but don't constrict yourself. That's just health suicide. So, I'm stopping this ridiculous No Gabe, no sweets whatsoever today. I was taught the beauty of being a dietetian is you know everything fits into a diet. Cookies will fit into my diet without me gaining 50 pounds. So, I'm stopping this stupid sugar restriction because it's not working. I'm allowing myself to have a cookie. Yum. Don't you dare tell me I can't have something when there's no logical reason for me not to have it, and please don't talk to me about my weight or my figure when it's quite clearly not an issue. I don't mean to turn this into a rant but this is the sort of thing I have to fight against as a dietitian and as a woman because we all know weight is a hot topic. So ladies, if you're reading this, enjoy eating. I beg you. Don't make yourself miserable. Eat right. You know what this means. If you don't-go to eatright.org and learn about it. Or message me-my mind is crammed, stuffed, and oozing with information I'm just dying to share with you. YES you CAN have sweets. Just small amounts and in MODERATION.

Go food!