Pizza is the Devil

Or at least one of the Devil’s tools of seduction. During the week (Monday thru Friday), I eat pretty darn well. I eat reasonable-sized portions, food rich in nutrition, and I mix up the veggies, fruits, and whole grains–all that good stuff. I plan my meals, a practice that has helped me eat less snacks (when bored) and helped me to stop gorging. I do have a small treat each day (e.g., 2 [max.] cookies, 2 scoops [max] ice cream, small handful of chips). I like the small treat. Its not so much that I feel guilty about it. I know its coming, kind of an award for eating so well during the day. Also, knowing its coming and that its “okay” is a great stress reliever. I also exercise regularly. I’ve studied my fitness magazines and conferred with my sister who is an exercise physiologist to make sure that what I do for exercise is safe and effective. Its great.

Then, the weekend comes. On the weekends I’m more likely to eat-out. So I know I’m not going to eat as healthy as I do during the business week. On Saturday mornings I don’t do too bad. I may have 2 waffles with crushed nuts (walnuts or pecans), VT maple syrup and fruit. At lunch I usually have low-sodium soup. Dinner is the problem. I usually end up eating pizza.

Pizza is yummy. It tastes so good. It is greasy, gooey and Just. So. Good. Tasting, good tasting, but not so healthy. Oh, the aroma of the melted mozzarella and tomato sauce. The crust is light, soft but a bit scruffy and cooked to a golden brown. Next is the delectable cheese. I take a bite of the fresh-from-the-oven-hot slice, the mozzarella is a little chewy, the sauce is a bit spicy, a bit tangy and mixes well with the flavor of the Italian-style cheese.. And the pepperoni is just the right amount of saltiness. Oh Pizza! You are my nemesis. But I love you!

When it comes to pizza, it is hard for me to not gorge. And after I eat the delicious pizza, I then have intense cravings for enormous portions of other not-good-for-you foods. Hence by Sunday, I’m eating donuts, cookies, loads of chocolate, the other day I even had soda that I don’t like because I wanted sugar. Sure, its only one day a week. But, it adds up. And it is all Pizza’s fault. When I don’t eat pizza but I have something else that is kind of a treat like a cheese burger or a buffalo chicken cheese steak, I am fine. I don’t go into a frenzy. I eat a reasonable amount of food and I don’t have strong cravings for unhealthy stuff. And I don’t go to bed with a stomach ache on Sunday night.

I think what I have to do is cut back on the pizza. I have to make a rule for myself. Two slices per month. That is the maximum. In fact, I may try to get through the rest of October without any more pizza (I've had 3 slices already). I think if I can cut back, it will help my overall healthy-eating lifestyle that I’m trying to cultivate. The plus side is (besides being healthy) when I will have pizza, I will appreciate it more. The down side is, I won’t be eating much pizza anymore.

I think I can do it. I managed to reduce the amount of steak I eat. And even the amount of chocolate I eat. I can do this. I can cut down the amount of pizza I eat. Mmmm. Pizza.