Tonight I went out with my sister-in-law, mother-in-law, step-daughter and several other friends. We went to the Cheesecake Cafe. There must be something about cheesecake and women. I noticed several other groups, all consisting entirely of women, and all indulging in cheesecake. The food was really good and the company interesting. And of course I came home feeling like I ate far too much.
So what is it with us women? We all want to watch what we eat, we all complain about our weight, and yet given half a chance we gather around tables in restaurants all over the country and eat things that will show up on our hips within twenty-four hours. I've heard the reasoning behind it. Food is a social thing and allows us to sit and visit for hours.
Even among family, we get together and the first thing we ask is "Do you want me to bring anything?" (Of course we mean food.) Kids bring their friends over and always say, "What can we have for a snack?" Church falls in the same category. There is always an over-abundance at every potluck supper or Relief Society activity.
So how do we get around this? How do we socialize with our peers and family without the food aspect. Wouldn't it be nice to meet and sit and visit in a quiet place where we can actually hear each other, rather than competing with the noise of the restaurant? I really did have fun tonight, and it was great to get out of the house, but if anyone has any ideas about how to get around the whole food thing, I would love to hear them. And my scale and tape measure thank you in advance for your wisdom.
5 comments:
I'm a guy...
I love cheesecake as well, but when I want to go out and socialize, I go out for coffee.
Stick with the coffee. It is a diuretic, and doesn't add too
many calories. In addition, there
are alot of studies coming out lately about how beneficial
coffee really is....apparently it
prevents skin cancer, and a recent
study is showing that it even prevents memory loss - particularly in women.
Oh my gosh, why get away from the whole food thing? Unless you go out every night then it shouldn't be a problem.
But my friends and I like to get together at our houses and just visit. We generally have something to drink and nibble on, but nothing drastic. We do it once a month -- and it rocks.
Candace's point is valid -- nothing drastic. But I know where you're coming from, Stephanie -- every get-together seems to focus around food. A lot of it is a societal thing, but it's also an endorphin-releasing thing. When we eat, especially certain foods (like cheesecake, chocolate, etc) our brains release endorphins and it makes us feel good and happy. If we can find other ways to release those endorphins, we're good to go. Some people suggest exercise, and that's a good idea, but I haven't quite replaced my chocolate with sit-ups yet. :)
The exercise endorphin thing seems to work really well when you reward yourself. Sit-up, chocolate, sit-up, chocolate...maybe that is my problem :)
Ah, that's what I was doing wrong.
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