The good news. I’ve lost those last stubborn few pounds of baby weight that have dogged me for the past 18 months. The bad news: my life is currently without many of those things I truly enjoy: carbs. Damn you, carbs. Now, I’m not on a low-carb diet officially, but when you start cutting these things out (or, like me, just reduce), the different in caloric intake is pretty impressive. We still enjoy, just fewer and further between.

I went to the store tonight to pick up some fresh fruit to have for me & the babe tomorrow morning. It was kind of nice, hitting the store at night after the babe has gone to bed. No child to entertain. No rush to get home to get dinner started. Just me, wandering the aisles. I stared at the yogurt section for so long the kid working the dairy section was concerned that I couldn’t find something. “No,” I said, “Just looking.” And I was. Compared greek yogurts. Reviewed ingredients and sugar grams. Contemplated different flavors before finally settling on a 6 oz container of Fage Nonfat Greek Yogurt (Eat This, Not That tells me, well, to eat this).

We haven’t had bread in the house for a few weeks. I innocently asked the husband what he thought about getting a loaf of bread for the freezer, so we could make the babe toast on occasion. All for the babe, of course. His reply was silence, which translates to I don’t want it in the house (he is also trying to reduce his carb intake. Neither of us could do it without the other.) Understood, as it is a proven fact that if we have it in the house he will eat it. Even if I hid it in my secret hiding place he would find a way and eat it. With all of this fresh in my mind I found myself standing in the bread aisle drooling at a loaf of bread. Picking it up. Sniffing it. Sort of fondling it. Dave’s Killer Bread was so squishy and soft. Mmmmm.

I perused the cereal aisle and that’s when I felt my heart rate rise. Oh, how I miss you, Autumn Wheat! Oh how tempting you are, Special K Vanilla Almond. My favorite flavors wrapped up in one big bowl of breakfast satisfaction. Until an hour goes by and I’m hungry again. As it turns out, there are better things to eat for breakfast than cereal. Like egg whites, lowfat cottage cheese and a dollop of salsa. Groan. I walked up and down that cereal aisle, and it was like seeing an old boyfriend. Kinda wanted to take a box home, but nothing good could come of it.

Aw, cereal isn’t THAT bad. I did relent and get some Heritage Flakes just the other day. But I could do better. “For the high fiber!” I told the husband. Sure, the fiber. He and I both know it’s because I. Love. Cereal.

I arrived home with no squishy bread and no yummy cereal. Just some nectarines, yams, that yogurt, some ginger and a Walla Walla sweet onion. (And my summer special, the heavenly Walla Walla Sweet Onion and Grilled Cheese Sandwich made with that sharp Beecher’s Flagship will likely turn into a Walla Walla Sweet Onion Quesadilla with reduced-fat cheddar cheese. Sigh).

BTW, that “Eat This, Not That” book I mentioned earlier is a fun read. Fortunately for us we don’t buy a lot of the crap they talk about in there anyway (packaged foods, frozen foods, etc), but the stuff they did call us out on sorta makes you look guilty (shame on you, Stonyfield Yogurt Smoothies, for having so much sugar!). Reserve a copy from your library today.

Egads, I’m really hungry now. Better break out those celery sticks.

Too Many Cereal Choices, via Flickr