Challenge = failure. Since I don’t want to be a failure, I’m changing the rules. From now on, instead of allowing myself to break the “no processed carbs” rule only for one meal on each of the two days preceding a marathon, I can have processed carbs all day for each of the two days beforehand. There, now I’m not failing.
Basically, yesterday I had a work dinner, and I hit on the most amazing tactic for not gorging myself like a pig. First, I had a late lunch – at 3 PM. It was also a light lunch, consisting of tons of vegetables, some shiritaki noodles, and some clam juice broth: less than 200 calories, but pretty filling. The second trick in my plan was downing half a (2 liter) bottle of seltzer just before heading off to the restaurant. They always say you should drink lots of water to prevent yourself from eating too much, but I find that seltzer works better because the carbonation makes me feel ridiculously bloated and fat. And IT TOTALLY WORKED! I didn’t move a muscle when the bread baskets came out, even though it was the best smelling bread I’ve smelled at a restaurant in a long time. It had a strong rosemary scent that reminded me of the bread they serve at Macaroni Grill.
Just FYI, when I go to Macaroni Grill, I typically eat a loaf or two of the bread. By myself. And then I take one bite out of another loaf so they can’t take it back, and I ask them to wrap it up for me to take home. And then my meal comes and I’m too full on bread to eat almost any of it but it doesn’t matter because the bread is so good. If you’ve never had it, I don’t care if you’re raw vegan or Atkins or what – you must go try it, because your life is not complete without it.
Anyway, despite the resemblance in smell to Macaroni Grill bread, I didn’t eat any of the bread at the restaurant. I also didn’t get the pasta as my entree, and I asked for just plain sorbet (not atop a pastry) as my dessert. I got home and headed down to the gym to log some treadmill time so I would also be compliant with that part of the challenge, and I was just generally awesome. Next, I headed over to Boyfriend’s, armed with a homemade batch of yummy banana pudding (totally healthy too – I’ll post pictures and the recipe the next time I make it, which will probably be on Sunday). I had saved enough calories (only 167! I told you, this stuff is pretty awesome) to enjoy some with him. I walked in, said hello, headed down to the kitchen to prep the pudding and make it look all pretty in a bowl with whipped cream and graham crackers, and what do I see?
His roommate has baked chocolate chip cookies. From scratch.
I was doomed.
I went to work the next day armed with a salad for lunch to make up for it all. Then there were trays of cookies in the training I was in, and you didn’t really think I could pass those up, did you? Next, we had a networking event after training, and what is networking without more trays of cookies! Basically, my diet for today consisted of chocolate chip cookies, fruit salad, regular salad, oatmeal raisin cookies, wine, and finally a nice nutritionally-balanced assortment of ginger snaps, milanos, and cranberry walnut cookies. That is not an exaggeration. And I’m getting ready to head over to Boyfriend’s for the night, where there are still several Tupperware containers full of chocolate chip cookies. I’m hoping that the stomachache I have right now will keep me from munching away on those, but I kind of doubt it.
So do I need to change the name of my blog to “Cookie-ly Fit”? And what are the adverse effects of going on a cookie binge two days before a marathon? We’ll find out on Sunday!
I love, love, love the Macaroni Grill bread. It’s so good dipped in the perfect combo of oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Oh, I’m hungry now!
I was all ready to congratulate you on your fabulous self restraint, when I got to the cookie part! You cracked me up. I had my own cookie ordeal today, as I modestly took one large cookie from the afternoon snack tray… then went back for another.. then shoved two more in my bag as I left for the day. (In fact there’s still one left… hmmm…) You have convinced me I need to go to the Macaroni Grill and try the bread, because as you know, bread is the new sex.
OK I’m from CT and we don’t have a Macaroni Grill in our state!! THAT’S NOT FAIR!! By the way, the school I work at bakes Otis Spunkmayer cookies once a week….very BAD place to work if you’re a “Cookieholic!” Thank goodness I work part time at Weight Watchers and have the fear of the scale to help keep me in line (most of the time). Good luck with your marathon, Laura. I envy you being young and able to run so much. It gets tougher at age 52, believe me!!!
This is why (despite having two kids) cookies very seldom enter our house. If I bake them, I eat them and the kids wonder where all the cookies went.
Good luck on your race Sunday. Hope the cookies fuel you well and fingers crossed for no knee issues.
Cookies. Goodness. Cookies (chocolate chip are the only ones that really mean, “cookies” to me) have been my downfall over the years. I would have done exactly as you did. I love cookies for breakfast, too.
But you’re going to run a marathon, you get to binge a little.
Cookies – yum! I can never ever turn one down.
I saw your open mic interview at Runner’s Lounge & was amazed that you’re a consultant & still manage to rock all these marathons! I remember that insane lifestyle & it takes a LOT to be the great runner that you are with that work/travel schedule – so, congrats!
I have occasionally subsisted on cookies for days at a time. And once it was cupcakes. It’s fun while it lasts, but it’s always nice to get back to healthy food.
Good luck tomorrow!
I’m LOL at his post. I can so relate. I run my arse off and then go haus out on cookies, pizza, booze, etc. Just pretend you were carbo loading for Sunday.
Speaking of Sunday, best of luck! Can’t wait to hear the update.
Laura,
You freakin rock my world!!!
What is it with cookies and us woman??? My first love is cookies. Second love, oh cookies!!
YOU ROCK MY WORLD!!!
Good luck running marathon!!!
This post cracked me up! I am a sucker for the broken cookies. It’s almost like sixteen broken cookie-quarters don’t equal four whole cookies!
yesss! but when you eat the little cookie pieces it doesnt count as a full cookie – at least that is what i say! and now I have to find a macaroni grill to try this bread!
i love love love macaroni grill’s bread… and their food too 🙂 YUM
Aaaaaahhhhhh, cookies. Anything baked is my weakness.