How to Plan for a Binge

Yeah, that sounds perfect, right?  I'm totally going to meet my weight loss goals by planning a binge one week into our blog, right?

Today's craving:  Jalapenos, banana peppers, tomatoes.

First, let's talk about breakfast/lunch.  I stayed up late last night, so I really didn't eat until 10:30am today.  I was making a family favorite:


Easy Breakfast Wraps:
1 frozen sausage link (turkey sausage is a good choice, too)
1 scrambled egg
1 multi-grain tortilla
1 moderate pinch of mozzarella cheese
pepper to taste
salsa to taste

(This recipe is for one; multiply it for however many you are feeding.)

Instead of salsa (I'm out - can you believe it?), I was craving some roasted or sauteed tomatoes.  I thought I had a green pepper, but that proved to be my mind playing tricks on me.  Instead I added some mild jalapenos and some banana peppers.  The taste was perfect!

Now, on to the 'binge' discussion...

Let me say I'm talking about planning a high calorie dinner.  I'm not really planning on overeating; I"m really planning on how to AVOID doing so.  We've been watching our intake of calories for a while now and have really been focusing on it lately.  We don't want to ruin the progress we've made for a single meal, no matter how delicious.

Enter a favorite family meal.  Fried chicken and all the fixins.  Pat's mom and dad want to fry chicken and have a get together tonight before they leave in the camper for a week.  Sweet!  We love fried chicken!  The 'binge' part comes in the form of the menu:

Menu:

Fried Chicken

Frozen Yeast Rolls

Instant Mashed Potatoes

Gravy

Salad

Corn on the Cob

Iced Tea

Now, after reading all that, it's not that bad, is it?  Well, if we eat too much of anything, it's bad, but it's particularly hard not to overeat when it's a meal we love.

Why do we love this meal so much?  Yes, it's delicious, and Pat's mom makes the chicken amazingly! My personal thoughts are that we love it so much because of all the memories we have that are attached to fried chicken.  When I started dating my husband, I was quickly introduced to the weekly fried chicken dinners. They included the family, the girlfriends (later wives), and various others from the church service and extended family.  The afternoons after Sunday morning service were full of grease popping, finger licking, deep laughter, and family happiness.  I remember loving that tradition; I remember looking forward to Sunday afternoon.  (I also remember gaining several pounds when I became a member of the family!)  I think that's part of why we love a good fried chicken dinner.  We associate it with the togetherness we've all shared and love to continue doing.  (I think love is a crucial gravy ingredient.)

So, we don't want to give up Fried Chicken. And, I don't think one should have to completely give up favorite foods.  I think we need to be responsible and treat ourselves with moderation.  That's what I plan to do tonight.  I'm portioning out my plate right now, before we even make the food, so I know what it should look like.  

I'm planning on keeping my calories in check, because it's so easy for us to sit at the table and keep passing the food as we keep the stories and conversations going.  

What is your family's favorite meal?  Why is it a favorite?  How do you handle the "do you want more" questions?  Chime in below!