"A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy?"
-Albert Einstein
Sometimes I feel a little out of place when it comes to my "food" situation. I look forward Zone bars in the morning, spinach salads topped with fruit, nuts, eggs, and edamame for lunch, pecans and almond for a snack in the afternoon, SIAB (smoothie in a bowl) w/Amazing Grass and kefir for dinner, etc.
I get psyched about a massive salad when we go out to eat, would pick healthy fro-yo over Coldstone 365 days of the year, and thrive on baking with whole wheat flour, flaxseed, and little to no oil or butter.
For the most part, it makes me incredibly happy to respect my health and body by eating "healthier" than most. But every once in awhile, I take a look around and think--am I crazy? 95% of people I'm around on a daily basis eat what I guess is considered to be "normal" food- pizza, lasagna, subs, chinese food, maybe a side salad, buttered rolls, bagels + cream cheese, pasta. Sitting at lunch with my lap full of tupperware (how else do you transport salad, kashi cereal to put on your chobani yogurt, blueberries, nuts?) while everyone else is chowing down on the hospital catered lunch--I stick out like a sore thumb. Sometimes I'll catch people looking at my lunch, looking down at their own--a flicker of jealousy/shame crossing their faces. Other times I get looks like I'm the weirdest girl in the room.
Case in point- Today my hubby said he was talking to a co-worker about my "cooking" (or lack thereof) and he told the guy "my wife doesn't cook much, she takes all the food she wants for dinner and blends it into a smoothie, then eats it like soup" Ok. So, sometimes if I'm not craving a hot dinner or a salad, I'll make a spinach and berry smoothie with yogurt or egg whites for protein, topped w/ cereal, berries, nuts, etc. It's second nature to me, I don't even think about it. But to someone who's never ventured into healthier fare--this guy basically told my husband I was nuts!
Typically, I don't care what people think. But sometimes I feel pressured (I thought peer pressure went out in the 7th grade--but that is lies) to eat "normally" when out with friends or at an event, and it's hard to turn down pizza, chips, cookies without looking pious or stuck up. Do I bother to explain my healthy lifestyle, or do I just suck it up to fit in?
At this point, it's small strides. Like tomorrow I'll be bringing these yummy (healthy) muffins for my team--and casually leave the recipe at the workstation in case anyone wants to use it. Power of suggestion, my friends.
Strawberry PB Chocolate Chip mini muffins- adapted from Strawberry Nutella Muffins- subbed in peanut butter for nutella, V8 splash for OJ, baked for 18 minutes.
Well call me crazy.