hungry

I found a new snack obsession:



Notice that the bag is already half-empty in this picture. That's because I managed to inhale half the bag in the time that it took me to drive from World Market to my house.

I have a problem.

You see, I love food. I love talking about food, reading about food, thinking about food, eating food, shopping for food, cooking food, trying new food...sometimes, I even dream about food. It is truly a wonder that I don't weigh 300 pounds, because I eat ALL THE TIME.

I hear people talk about "forgetting" to eat, and I think "how in the world is that possible?" When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I think about is what I want for breakfast. And by the time I have finished breakfast, it is very likely that I have already planned out my meals and snacks for the remainder of the day.

I also know some people (like my husband) who usually eat just one meal a day and the idea of that hurts me. Seriously, my stomach aches right now just thinking about limiting myself to one solitary food experience per day. That sounds way too close to fasting.

When I go to lunch in the cafeteria, I watch my co-workers dab little bits of cottage cheese on their plates, add a few pieces of lettuce and maybe 2 ounces of chicken, and call it a meal. Meanwhile, I find the biggest container possible and load it up. I don't eat a side salad--I don't even eat a bowl of salad--I eat a mountain of salad. The word "dainty" does not have a place anywhere near my appetite.

Fortunately, my metabolism has been able to keep up with my appetite for most of my life, but it is starting to slow on me. Love handles, muffin-tops, and cellulite have begun to make an appearance on my body, but I refuse to deny myself deliciousness. Diet is a dirty four-letter word in my book.

So if you wonder why I drag myself out of bed at 5:00 in the morning to go to the gym, or why I challenge myself to run half-marathons...well, it's simple. Is it because I love the smell of sweat and spandex in the morning? God no. Is it because I enjoy the way my knees feel like they might explode after 5 miles of jogging? Not so much.

I do it because I LOVE. TO. EAT. But I also quite enjoy having my pants fit. Sigh.