Sometimes I'm amazed . .

I stopped at the grocery store on my way home, not my usual one because I’ve started driving home a using a different route to avoid the road rage (mine) and high blood pressure (also mine). So I just wanted a few things. Some fruit, and whole wheat bagels. I did add some cat food but that doesn’t count as buying something I shouldn’t have because I was hungry.

Learning how to eat healthy well better, has been really unusual for me. One thing I believed I would never ever let go of was my morning bagel (onion, toasted) with cream cheese was a huge part of my diet. It was the way I started my day. Every. day. And I haven’t let go of it entirely. I have been having a whole wheat bagel with a slice of American cheese instead of the cream cheese. Still a tiny bit naughty, but good.

I balked at getting those whole wheat bagels. Tried ‘em, didn’t like ‘em, wanted my tasty white bread bagels. Whole wheat bagels have sticks and stones in them for goodness sakes! But little by little it happened. And one day I found myself looking forward to that whole wheat bagel. Without the cream cheese. And I don’t miss the kind of bagel I’ve been eating for years! At all!

Back at the store, I picked up some cherries, some grapes, cat food, and then I went in search of whole wheat bagels. Uh uh. Nada, nill, NONE! Seemed to be a lot of cinnamon swirl bagels and “everything” bagels but no whole wheat. I found myself muttering under my breath that “this Dominick's must be the one all the fat people shop at . ..!” Which makes me laugh because I AM one of those.

But when I did not find those whole wheat bagels – I left to checkout with my cherries, my grapes, my cat food – and oh yeah, 2 containers of low fat vanilla yogurt. Not the Staufers french bread pizza I love, or my white bread onion bagels or even a candy bar. I am amazed.

I have not totally changed, I had a wonderful honey mustard chicken sub recently, and some Chinese food another day, but when I have those things – they are a treat, not my every day meals. Tomorrow I will have my whole wheat bagel (my last one) for breakfast with my tea. Mid-morning I will either have cherries or grapes, lunch will be a salad with cucumber, carrots, tomato, and chicken, and then mid- afternoon I will probably have some yogurt. Dinner may just be some more fruit. Or maybe some green beans with fat free ranch dressing . . yum! Who said that?? (looking behind me) That is just NOT something I would have said 6 months ago. I think I’m proud of myself!