Fried Shrimp, Whale Fries & Birthday Cake!

Studies show that people who are naturally slim eat a similar number of calories day in and day out.

They don't go off the wagon for a vacation or eat a wildly high number of calories for a holiday. If they do eat something that is higher in calories, they cut back during other meals to maintain a total. They have a caloric standard they tend to maintain. I am not inherently one of these people and although I am trying hard, it's not effortless.

I was bprn in 1961, so do the math. There was a time in my life where I would have cried all day (cough cough forty nine) but given that my beautiful mother did not have opportunity to grow old, I am grateful for each year I live beyond her exit at age 49. Birthdays are actually happy happy happy!

When considering what I wanted 'to do' for my birthday, all my ideas were food related. My husband asked me to choose a birthday restaurant and after debating my choices I realized that Special Occasion Eating sort of exemplifies my 'problem'. Birthdays, vacation, long weekend, holidays... you deserve a splurge!

I chose an early Sunday beachside dinner at a great little local seafood dive that was crowded before Guy Fieri made it worse. (Thanks bud!) My favorite food is shrimp - a perfect bariatric food - moist, great texture and super low in calories. That is unless dipped, deep fried and served on top of an enormous basket of homemade chips called Whale Fries! I found myself thinking about ordering this 'just this one time' and how good it would be.

I've lived with bariatric surgery since 2001. What is wrong with my hard wiring that my immediate thoughts were to eat something fattening and over the top because I had a birthday pass? Do slim people think that way? We go to this place every weekend and without even thinking I have steamed rock shrimp or raw oysters. Fatbrain was working hard to give me an excuse for eating something super caloric, even after fighting to finally lose over fifty pounds of regain!

I came to my senses and by the time we ordered, the very idea of 'splurge or cheat eating' was making me sick. Would eating fried shrimp and chips have made me so much happier that it would have been worth it? No. Truth is, it would have made me sad and foods that are great choices taste good too!

I ordered a spicy Shrimp Bloody Mary and an entree of Steamed Shrimp, heavy on the Old Bay. I had a nice birthday sitting next to someone I love (who ordered a grilled Mahi sandwich 'protein style' which means no bun and Whale Fries!) We laughed and had a great evening... no fanfare or singing or flaming waiters carrying a dessert. Later on at home there was a small sugar free cheesecake I had baked earlier for us to share.

It helps to remember that we can have anything we want - but it takes a lot of years for it to be our choice and not our compulsion or obsession.