If you don't know, now you know! I am Superwoman! Yesterday was day 5 of the Advocare 24 day challenge for me. It's definitely been a 'challenge!' I miss being able to eat whatever I want! Last night my husband had a business dinner that we had to go to at a very nice Italian restaurant in downtown Nashville. And guess what! The menu was predetermined!! I was SO excited to have a grownup night out and go to that delicious restaurant and then it hit me- I can't eat that food. The excitement turned instantly to dread. I didn't want to turn down that food and I sure didn't want to be 'that' fat girl that won't eat! I just decided to go and ask for a large salad and pay for it separately if need be. Well, let's just say by the time I walked out of there, I was shocked.
Let me back up. Maggiano's is served family style, meaning all of the humongous platters are passed around the table to everyone. Well, so much for not getting near it or sniffing it! I'm talking over sized platters of stuffed manicotti, beef medallions soaked in some kind of creamy heaven, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken stuffed with mozzarella and spinach, mashed potatos, bread, fried ravioli, and bruschetta to name a few! Of course the wine was flowing. Then came dessert, again family style. Strawberry cheesecake and tiramisu with (gasp!) coffee!! Everything all you can eat. THEN when we went to leave, the servers brought out tray upon tray of to go wrapped servings of all of the above PLUS chicken parm and chicken rigatoni! Even the desserts! Insanity!! It was a Gods honest free for all and for this girl on Day 5 of the cleanse...hell. Pure, delicious smelling hell. So what did I do, you wonder? Well, to put it bluntly, I kicked ass. There were a few healthy ( and way less delicious looking and smelling) offerings on the menu, thank GOD! I ate Apple walnut salad (legal), basil tomato grilled chicken (legal), grilled asparagus (so disgusting but legal!), and grilled veggies (legal) with water with a slice of lemon. That. Is. All. Oh, I had about 3 olives. It was so hard. The poor guy beside me was so uncomfortable! I kept passing over all the yummy food to him and he was like, "You don't want any of that? ....Oh, none of that either?" Lol I finally just caved and said, "I'm not some kind of weird non-eater! I'm on a 24 day challenge at my gym." He seemed cool after that and then a bunch of us started talking about it and it was a lot less awkward! But when that cheesecake was on its way, I quietly said to my husband, "I'm battling. I'm battling right now." That's what I say when I'm arguing with myself over food in my head: *Just one bite! No! What will it hurt?* ect. He was so awesome. He wouldn't touch the coffee (one of my most missed friends!) and he said he wasn't having dessert. He told me to stop battling, I'm not going to have 1 bite. I can do it! And so I didn't. I told him to dig into that tiramisu, that I was fine and so he finally did. I was not fine. I felt like (I can only assume after thousands of episodes of Law & Order) a crackhead in a crackhouse!
I know this is extremely detailed and long winded and to most people sounds so crazy but when I walked out of there, I was shocked. I couldn't believe I actually did it. I couldn't believe I didn't take ONE bite! And I couldn't believe it was as hard as it was. I wish it wasn't. It sounds so simple. Just food. Don't eat it. But in the moment.....man, in the moment it is a battle!! And I won a huge battle last night! I know that if I can conquer Maggiano's, I can totally do this challenge and continue to kick ass! And I know if I can- ANYONE can, because I am weak. I am the weakest Superwoman ever but a Superwoman nonetheless! :)
Ps.
Here we are all snazzied up, before we went in! :)
Let me back up. Maggiano's is served family style, meaning all of the humongous platters are passed around the table to everyone. Well, so much for not getting near it or sniffing it! I'm talking over sized platters of stuffed manicotti, beef medallions soaked in some kind of creamy heaven, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken stuffed with mozzarella and spinach, mashed potatos, bread, fried ravioli, and bruschetta to name a few! Of course the wine was flowing. Then came dessert, again family style. Strawberry cheesecake and tiramisu with (gasp!) coffee!! Everything all you can eat. THEN when we went to leave, the servers brought out tray upon tray of to go wrapped servings of all of the above PLUS chicken parm and chicken rigatoni! Even the desserts! Insanity!! It was a Gods honest free for all and for this girl on Day 5 of the cleanse...hell. Pure, delicious smelling hell. So what did I do, you wonder? Well, to put it bluntly, I kicked ass. There were a few healthy ( and way less delicious looking and smelling) offerings on the menu, thank GOD! I ate Apple walnut salad (legal), basil tomato grilled chicken (legal), grilled asparagus (so disgusting but legal!), and grilled veggies (legal) with water with a slice of lemon. That. Is. All. Oh, I had about 3 olives. It was so hard. The poor guy beside me was so uncomfortable! I kept passing over all the yummy food to him and he was like, "You don't want any of that? ....Oh, none of that either?" Lol I finally just caved and said, "I'm not some kind of weird non-eater! I'm on a 24 day challenge at my gym." He seemed cool after that and then a bunch of us started talking about it and it was a lot less awkward! But when that cheesecake was on its way, I quietly said to my husband, "I'm battling. I'm battling right now." That's what I say when I'm arguing with myself over food in my head: *Just one bite! No! What will it hurt?* ect. He was so awesome. He wouldn't touch the coffee (one of my most missed friends!) and he said he wasn't having dessert. He told me to stop battling, I'm not going to have 1 bite. I can do it! And so I didn't. I told him to dig into that tiramisu, that I was fine and so he finally did. I was not fine. I felt like (I can only assume after thousands of episodes of Law & Order) a crackhead in a crackhouse!
I know this is extremely detailed and long winded and to most people sounds so crazy but when I walked out of there, I was shocked. I couldn't believe I actually did it. I couldn't believe I didn't take ONE bite! And I couldn't believe it was as hard as it was. I wish it wasn't. It sounds so simple. Just food. Don't eat it. But in the moment.....man, in the moment it is a battle!! And I won a huge battle last night! I know that if I can conquer Maggiano's, I can totally do this challenge and continue to kick ass! And I know if I can- ANYONE can, because I am weak. I am the weakest Superwoman ever but a Superwoman nonetheless! :)
Ps.
Here we are all snazzied up, before we went in! :)
XOXO,
a
