Finally losin’ it

I tried something new today: Eating something “bad” for me without any guilt.

It started out after a trip to the dentist for a cleaning. I was on that side of town … the side I don’t get to all that often … the one with the Long John Silver’s. Since it had been months since my last visit to LJS, I decided to get lunch there. I wasn’t going for the nice healthy baked fish, though. I’m not even sure if the store has it, since it’s a combined LJS/Taco Bell.

Nope. I got the combo with one chicken plank and a piece of fish, fries and hush puppies. I ordered a side of cole slaw, too. I sat there and allowed myself to eat it — well, most of it. I only ate 10 fries, because they’re fries, and I don’t miss them that much. I felt the slightest bit of guilt when I ate hush puppy no. 2, having told myself I was only going to eat one … but the first one was so good that I couldn’t resist the second.

Please note that this is a lot less food than I would have ordered before. Pre-Atkins, I’d have gotten the combo platter with 2 fish and 3 chicken, and maybe ordered an extra piece of fish. So that’s a victory in itself.

The fact that I’m not feeling guilty … or at least not too guilty … is another plus. I made a decision to eat the food, and now it’s gone and I’ve eaten a nice, healthy snack and plan a good, on-plan dinner. It’s a big step for me. Usually I eat something not so good and let it send me on an unhealthy-choice spiral for the rest of the day.

Update: OK. Now that I’ve looked up the you-know-whats for all that food, I’m starting to feel bad. The fish and chicken were each 3; the slaw and fries were 5 apiece and each hush puppy was 1. That’s a grand total of 18 … for one small meal. (Not that it wasn’t totally satisfying, because it was.) Taken separately, none of the items is that bad, amazingly enough. Who knew one greasy piece of fish has just 3 points? But next time, I’ll do without the fries, and have just 1 of those darn hush puppies!

AAC: 0/3. (But it’s only Day 1. I still have plenty of days left this week to get to the gym.)