Temptation and Resolve

This was my breakfast this morning, another way to do egg whites and oatmeal. Instead of oatmeal though, this morning I had cream of rice- totally gluten free which is good for me. Oatmeal is not gluten free unless bought that way. Meal 1 is my fave of the day, because I can be so creative with it, and it is the largest- as you can tell- what a spread. I think this is better than I would get if I went out for brunch (except the fab brunch you have planned this Sunday L! Cannot wait!).
L- did you try mixing the egg whites with the oatmeal and water and cooking it together as one big bowl? Let me know, I'm curious as I have never tried it.

Yesterday was a challenging day for healthy eating. But when broken down, it was a series of simple choices. I was at a business seminar all day, catered to for lunch and dinner and near to several lovely coffee vendors.
Temptation 1: 0800 arrival- Black Coffee or French Vanilla Cap at Tim Ho's. Hard to do, but thinking about my treat meal on Sunday and the probability that I will enjoy something there a lot more than this silly sugar filled- unnatural (more than three ingredients on the ingredient list) concoction. Went with the black coffee- large though.
Temptation 2: 1000am coffee break- Pastries or Meal 2 (packed from home in my cooler). To give the pastries a fair shot, I did take a look at them. But behind the glass all I saw was dry pastry and cookies that had not been cooked on site or fresh in my kitchen (cookies are always better fresh out of my oven, or your oven right?). So why would I put them into my system when I know I could make better ones, perhaps for a treat meal down the road? I sat back down and grabbed my Meal 2 and thoroughly enjoyed it, much more substantial than a cookie and certainly made me feel better about myself.
Temptation 3: 1230 catered lunch- Not such a tough one, only had to stay away from the same cookies and the pop. Filled my plate high with the dry (undressed) spring greens and took 1/2 of one sandwich and emptied the turkey breast from it onto my salad. Threw away the bun, cheese, sauces etc. I had a huge, healthy salad. Try throwing out food you know you should not eat- it's liberating. You don't have to eat it just because it's there- and it's better for you if you just toss it. Don't feel guilty- you'll feel guiltier if you stuff it into your mouth.
Temptation 4: Post-seminar party hosted by my boss- like the big exec head cheese boss at Redwater Grille. Private room downstairs, free-flowing wine and spirits, jovial atmosphere after a long day at a seminar- pretty damned tempting to throw my meal plan away and indulge. Would you like a glass of wine? No, just sparkling water please. Almond crusted warm Goat cheese with hand-made oatmeal crackers and fruit compote? (Ack! My favorite appetizer right now!) No thank you, just more sparkling water please. Choice of salmon, pork or chicken with mashed potatoes and vegetables with chef's select sauce? Salmon please (still sick of chicken from contest diet) and instead of potatoes, I'll have more vegetables and no sauce. My meal arrived with a double helping of wonderful broccolini and asparagus, and the salmon was an experience! And for dessert, dark chocolate mousse? No thank you (at this point it was tough, so I removed myself from the dessert-eaters and called for a ride home). The evening was over and I headed home knowing that I could get up in the morning feeling clean and healthy. That my body looks better today than it did yesterday because I stuck to my plan. My skin will remain clear because I didn't ingest chemicals, fat or excess calories.
Now, I did have my bedtime meal when I got home, which to me feels like a treat. I'll post that later.