Finding the Open Chip Bag

Like many people, I am trying to be careful with what I eat and trying to lose a few pounds. (In case you missed that in my last post - "A Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" LOL).  My biggest problem is that I live with family; my brother, his wife, and two teenage kids.  Now for all that we eat pretty nutritious meals, I must confess there seems to be a steady supply of potato chips coming through this household.  None of which at my expense.  Mind you there was a time when  I was on mat leave that I discovered a particularly tasty brand and flavor (side note:  oooh the chips were thick cut, rarely a broken one in the bag, and generously seasoned).  I have since broken myself of the habit and am now a recovering chipaholic.  Seriously.  If it's a bag I have purchased, I can not touch even one potato chip or I feel the urge to finish the entire bag.  It drives me to the point of absolute distraction.  If I know they are sitting on a shelf somewhere, half finished, well it's not long before I am in them again.  I do, however, try to exercise more discretion when it is the family-shared bag.  But not by much.

Sometimes I do wonder, though, if certain members aren't out to sabotage my efforts.  The sheer quantity of potato chips that come through here makes it hard to resist.  On one occasion, I was looking in the cereal cupboard, which is not usually where the chips are kept, but low and behold, there they were. And I was home alone too.  Double whammy! No one around to see me pork out. Ooooh the salty, crunchy goodness.  Sad thing is, I will stand there munching away, crumbs falling everywhere, reading the nutrition label and calculating fat and calories with every chip I eat.  However, I figure the numbers only apply to the "whole sized" chip and not the broken ones so I can eat more of the broken ones.  Only problem is, the bag was FULL of broken chips.  Darn it anyways.  In the end I eat way more than a serving, even with the broken chips and find myself guzzling water all day long to combat the salt intake. Then the guilt sets in and I wonder how many calories I really took in.  It's usually at this point I wonder why they don't create those nutrition content labels to give you the total calories for the whole bag.  Now THAT'S a serving!  Wouldn't you say so?

Now we haven't even touched on chip dip.  Potato chips on their own are glorious, golden wafers of yumminess, but when you factor in the dip, they suddenly take a back seat, and it becomes aaaallll about the dip.  As good as the chip is, it is now a mere conveyance for the dip - provided you have a particularly good dip. When I find myself spooning the dip out with the chip by the heaps, I know it's game over.  Forget counting calories and fat grams.  I'm done.  Finished.  Bye bye.  Forget the diet. I blew it.  At least for today.  Try again tomorrow.

Slowly but surely I am coming to terms with it.  It's true though.  I can not have even one.  There are some things a person can enjoy in small quantities, like chocolate, or cheesecake, however potato chips (and dip) are not those things.  I have to learn that there will always be chips in the house, and yes, I will happen upon them at times when I am alone.  But they must be avoided at all cost.  I must learn to be at peace living beside potato chips.  It's kind of like an alcoholic working in a liquor store though, don't you think?  Oh well, I shall persevere. 

Those are my ramblings; the bits and pieces from my cupboards and drawers.

Happy (and healthy) snacking, till next time ...

~ M ~