Think of It As Extra Time

      I know this should be easy.  I try to convince myself that it's not a something to add to my To Do list, rather it is something I can remove.  I no longer have to . . ."Stop whatever I am doing; go to  kitchen; get something to eat" multiple times each day.  Taking it off my list means I have a lot of extra time to get things done. Yikes! I have been spending a lot of time in the kitchen.

      This thought makes me start to wonder "why?"  Why has getting something to eat become such a go to for me? Why has eating become my hobby, or, perhaps, obsession is a better word?  Sitting here writing  I have fought the impulse several times to get up and just open the cupboard.  Of course, doing that would most likely result in the the consumption of at least 300 calories or 4 points depending on which food plan I'm using.  (To get past it I ate a bunch of baby carrots and got myself a cup of coffee.  I know it should be water instead!!!)

      I spend a lot of time at my computer, getting work done or writing. Usually, I am in the kitchen.  Suddenly, I am reminded of my college/graduate school days.  But back then I was a smoker.  I smoked a lot.  I used to smoke while I sat at the computer working on papers, smoke while I read my textbooks and took notes, thought about smoking and took breaks to smoke while I was in the library.   Now I think about food the way I used to think about cigarettes.  Food has replaced my smoking addiction.  

      I haven't smoked for years, ten years longer than this unfortunate weight gain I am battling.  I'm left to wonder why this substitute addiciton has surfaced now.  But that's the topic for another day. I'm taking my coffee and getting out of the kitchen.  I've got a day off and a lot of laundry.  Folding should keep my hands busy for a while. And next time I find myself wandering into the kitchen, I'm going to get some water.