Cupcakes, Cereal and Rice- Oh My!

I spend so much time thinking about food...morning, noon and night. It's like the old joke goes, I only think about food two times a day: daytime and nighttime. At any rate, dieting has made my food thoughts so much more intense. I crave food because I can't have it. For example, I like peanut butter, but I only eat it in things or with chili (because I eat a peanut butter and lettuce sandwich). I don't just have a celery stick with some peanut butter or a pb&j sandwich. Now, I want it all the time. It is so stupid.

So, I decided to write about all of the foods that I love and I miss oh so much. I'm sure everyone is expecting to see a list of different types of candies, but I really only miss chocolate and jellybeans :) This is my ode to food...

My most missed food is the Full Moon plate: chicken tenders, fries, mac and cheese, texas toast, homemade ranch and a tall glass of sweet iced tea with good ice. I gave up tea for Lent and did NOT expect that I would turn Lent into a diet...so I haven't had tea in about 2 months. Torture. The Full Moon meal was in my belly at least once a week, and I LOVE it. Truthfully, I could order chicken tenders just about anywhere. I'm like a 5 year old.

Of course, I also ate Asian food at least once a week. If you notice that PF Changs closes the doors- it is my fault. I could easily spend $50 in there because I had to have lettuce wraps AND green beans AND a full meal. I miss my fried rice and Chang's chicken.

I miss mexican food and nachos. I'd do just about anything for a plate of Chuy's Panchos right now...it sounds so good. I miss chips and salsa and queso and SOUR CREAM!

Hamburger Heaven? I sure would love a cheeseburger with mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato. I want corn nuggets, french fries with chili and cheese and a root beer! Hamburger Heaven has become my personal hell.

Noodles. Noodles. Noodles. I also ate at Nothing but Noodles at least once a week....but I haven't been in almost 2 months. I could eat noodles for every meal and I miss them terribly. Of course, I ate 4 cheesesticks with my food, so I'm starting to figure out how I got fat!! I had noodles at Carabba's, Olive Garden, and anywhere else a noodle was sold.

When I bothered to eat at home, I often had half a box of cereal for dinner..and I miss my cereal. Fruity Pebbles, Honey Bunches of Oats, and Cocoa Krispies were my favorites. I'd fill a bowl with cereal and milk and add cereal until the milk ran out.

I would gladly eat a whole cheese pizza right now too!! Of course, I would need it to be deep dish and prefer Pizza Hut with some cheesesticks and a salad :)

How would I wash all of this amazing food down? Although I loved sweet tea, I was a soda fanatic. I cured headaches with a Pepsi in a styrofoam cup on ice, and loved the taste of a good root beer or Coke. On a tired day, I would start with a Diet Mountain Dew.

I crave my drive-thru breakfasts of an egg and cheese biscuit, bread in any form- rolls, biscuits, cornbread, toast, or on a sandwich. I miss grilled cheese with soup, and appetizers with every meal.

Lest I forget the wonderful taste of sweets melting in my mouth...donuts, Pillsbury rolls, danish, cakes, cupcakes, and warm cookies with milk. I miss following the appetizer and full meal with dessert in a restaurant, especially the apple dumpling at Cracker Barrel. Don't be fooled- that is SATAN itself with 3229 calories. I miss the blondie at Applebee's, the Great Wall of Chocolate at PF Changs, and the chocolate chip paradise pie at Chili's. I miss the waffles at Waffle House.

My favorite sweet right now is the corn at Niki's West- I often want to eat there for Lima Beans. Weird! I've eaten enough chicken to feed a country in Africa, fields of broccoli and cauliflower, and plenty of fruit. I'm drinking plenty of water with my Spark to replace the caffeine I miss. Not only have I eaten adult chickens, but I've eaten all of their babies too. I "season" stuff with salsa and red pepper flakes.

When my cleanse is over, I am going to totally find a way to eat a chicken tender. Sure-it might be off the kids meal, and maybe I can't eat the whole serving. I don't want to give it all up, but I don't want to be a tub-o-lard anymore either :)

Of course- my first post-cleanse treat is a Reese Cup. It will have to be fresh, and I will push the middle out and eat it up. Then I will eat the outside. I'm hoping to wash it down with a glass of milk. I get to do that because I've passed my 15 pound mark.

I'm learning a lesson and that's pretty cool. I really pay attention to what I eat and the calories (for example- a roll at Logan's is 227 calories, but a roll at O'Charley's is 130). I'm starting to enjoy working out, and have added an additional class each week. Maybe I will make my goal after all :)