The Fourth of July

Well I made it through the Holiday without too much damage.  I love getting together with friends and "family" (even if they are quasi-adopted family).  The day was spent cooking and eating and sharing stories and ideas.  Yes, cooking and eating!   When we planned this party my friend and supporter said "we should let the diets go for the day and just enjoy it."  I am not the only one in the group trying to get healthier.  I did insist on some healthy options though.  Lots of veggies to munch and healthier dips like Hummus.  I started out with No Chips but gave in to my husband.

SO How did I do?  Not too badly.  First of all I cooked breakfast for everyone, fried eggs, bacon toast and hash browns.    I had - 1 egg, toast without butter, small hash brown and 2 slices of bacon.  I know a lot of calories but we ate about 10:00am and wouldn't be eating again until about 3:00pm so it needed to have some staying power.  Oh I didn't count the calories, I guess I probably should have but it was a Holiday and I want to be healthier but not feel deprived.  So that was breakfast.  We got to the party site about 12:30 and set about finishing off things.  I had made baked beans that morning, and we did up veggies as well.  Grandma made boiled peanuts.  3 pots of boiled peanuts. 

Now let me explain to those who have never had boiled peanuts,  They are worse than Lays potato chips.  It is impossible to eat just one.  Everyone was sitting around talking and eating them. I love them but was pretty good and only ate a handful.  It was hard to stop but I did even though they were calling my name.

Dinner was quite a feast.  Hamburgers, hot dogs, and brats.  Potato salad, Coleslaw, baked beans, veggies, Parmesan zucchini/squash kabobs, chips and dips, corn on the cob, Homemade ice cream, and dutch oven blueberry cobbler. Lots of good food and even better company.

As to what I ate, well, like I said I wasn't counting calories.  I ate a small spoonful of potato salad, a small spoonful of coleslaw, a small spoonful of baked beans, 1 corn on the cob, 1 brat on a roll and 1 brat plain, about half a handful of pita chips and 2 T of hummus.  a small spoonful of ice cream and a small spoonful of cobbler. ( a small spoonful to mt is a heaped soup spoon) I think I did very well at not going over board.  I ate about half of what I would have before but I still had all of my fourth of July favorite to eat. I had a great time and didn't feel deprived nor did I feel like I let myself down.

I think the time diets start to fail is when you don't get to do the things you treasure like having certain food for holidays etc.  I also think that if you totally let go it will be harder to get back on track.  I think if I had just let the whole diet thing go I would have felt guilty and like I let myself down.  This way I got to be part of the party and still maintain some self control.  The Fourth was more about maintaining good habits while still celebrating than about dieting.  I feel I was successful in so many ways.  Small victories are still victories.

After all this walk to wellness is about changing habits not just dieting.  Here is to staying on track!!!!  Three cheers for Me!!!.