Whoa.

Do you ever feel like when you go on vacation you put so much time and energy into prepping for it? Prepping things at work for others to take care of for you or doing things in advance so that they don’t have to, deciding what to pack and making sure you don’t forget anything, getting care set up for the dogs or kids… That in and of itself can make one want a vacation!

That’s how I’m feeling right now with this surgery. I’ve stocked up on foods that I believe will be post-op friendly. After Rob did the laundry, I put it all away. I’ve tried to get as much done at work as possible. I’ve checked all the boxes off the list. But I’m anxious. Although they’ve given me some idea of what to expect and some friends have, too…  I don’t know what to expect.

I still have been keeping track and taking photos of my eats, but I haven’t been posting them… Mainly because I’m busy preparing – practically and mentally. Priorities, people.

Speaking of Priorities… {on a lighter note}

Did you know that I eat chocolate every day? I know that when some people set out to lose weight or diet, they take an all-or-nothing approach. They restrict themselves. I, too, have done this in the past, thinking “I can’t have that!” But the truth is, you can have anything in moderation. And since I love chocolate so much, I have it every day of the week. I just had to learn how to handle the moderation part.

Here’s what’s worked for me:

• I eat dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is richer and hard to eat too much in one sitting. It satisfies me. Whereas, milk chocolate just seems to leave an “I want more” taste in my mouth.
• After I got used to dark chocolate, milk chocolate hasn’t been very satisfying anymore. I don’t crave candy bars at all! I know that I’m going to get my dark chocolate every day and not feel deprived.
• I eat small quantities. One Dove Dark chocolate is approximately 35 calories (depending on the flavor variety). Some people like to eat three, as a 100-calorie snack. But I find, I don’t need three. One is enough…
• …Unless it is sitting in front of me! If I bring three dark chocolates with me to work, I will eat all three. This is why I don’t bring a bag and leave it in a drawer or on my desk in a bowl like some people do. I just pack one dark chocolate in my lunch every day.
• Out of sight, out of mind. I keep my dark chocolate in a container way back in the cupboard at home. I reach back and grab one to put into my lunch every day. I sometimes will grab one after dinner, too. I usually eat just one per day, but when I do eat more, I don’t think it’s ever been more than three in a day. While this can’t work for everyone, it works for me! I have a friend that says she can’t have them in the house at all. Likewise, I can’t have brownies in the house at all. I would eat too many in one sitting.
• Variety. While I do love Dove Dark Chocolates, I do try to switch up the dark flavors as well – almond, raspberry swirl and sea salt caramel are my favorites. I like Lindt Truffles, too. One is approximately 70 calories. And back when it was open, I’d sometimes pick up a few truffles at Pardon My French to put in my lunches, too. Keep it interesting!
• While I know that that some of these brands aren’t perfect, that the higher the cocoa content and lower the sugar content the better, I’ve tried and don’t do well with dark chocolate bars. I have split them up into smaller servings, but there is something more satisfying about opening an individually wrapped piece of chocolate.
• I savor it. I usually take small bites of my one piece of dark chocolate while sipping my coffee!
• When dining out, we don’t usually order dessert; but when we do, it’s not always chocolate. In fact, two of my favorite desserts in the Twin Cities are not! When I do order something chocolate, it has to be a decandent dessert that’s worth it. I’m not going to get a mile-high pre-packaged cake sold at a chain restaurant. I’m going to get a decent serving-sized dessert made by a restaurant that has a pastry or dessert chef… someone who really cares about the quality. If I’m going to splurge on the calories – it’s got to be worth it. Then, I’ll split it.

Finally, although I don’t have a ton of photos on hand at the  moment, here is a list of what I ate yesterday:

Breakfast

Magic Smoothie – while I’ve been using the same concoction, this time I used this peanut butter that came in this month’s Love with Food Box:

And of course, I had 2 cups of black coffee at work with a Dove Dark Chocolate.

Lunch

Snack

Dinner

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce (not pictured). My quick go-to “recipe”:

Cook angel hair pasta until al dente. Brown lean ground beef in garlic olive oil with onions. Add Ragu Parmesan Romano Sauce. Simmer until pasta is done. Top pasta with meat sauce. Sprinkle with parmigiano reggiano cheese.

Believe me, I know that jarred spaghetti sauce is filled with sodium and sugar. I’ve tried to make my own, but this is still our favorite sauce. In addition, its a quick weeknight meal that my husband asks for. Perfect meal to prep and not have to think about pre-surgery! {Plus, he gets the leftovers.}

I ate about 1.5 servings.

Dessert

You guessed it – a piece of chocolate!

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Do you eat chocolate every day?

What are your favorite kinds?

Can you eat it in moderation?

Any tips and tricks?

Cheers~
Carrie