Day 238 Special Mothers and The 500 Calorie Buffet Challenge

Day 238

Special Mothers and The 500 Calorie Buffet Challenge

Mothers Day is always special. We go out of the way to do the little things we should probably do more often without a nudging from the calendar. Courtney cleaned the entire house, I mean spotless! The kitchen was so clean, I didn't even want to cook in there! But I did anyway. I prepared Irene a wonderful Italian lunch of spaghetti with a beef marinara sauce, salad, and garlic toast. It's amazing how our portion sizes have changed. Before, I would always prepare enough pasta to feed half the block, but today I fixed just enough for the three of us. When I strained the noodles, it looked like an amount of spaghetti that I use to eat in one sitting. I was really concerned that I didn't fix enough, but we actually had leftovers! Courtney and I shared a 150 calorie piece of garlic toast because we were conserving our calories for a small slice of cake! Irene really had a taste for chocolate cake, so we bought one of those little Pepperidge Farm cakes. 1/8 of the cake was 240 calories, so we cut it into sixteen pieces. A 120 calorie piece of cake isn't bad at all! I've found that when I'm eating at least something every three hours, I tend to budget my calories a little better along the way. I have to pause for a second and recognize Irene for being a wonderful mother. We're so blessed to have two daughters that are so well grounded and smart. Two girls that fully understand the importance of trying. They always try their best in school or whatever they're doing. Courtney is an honor society 4.0 gpa student and Amber just finished her freshman year in college on the honor roll with all A's and one B. They understand that they don't have to be perfect, they just have to give an honest effort, and if they can do that, they'll have success in most everything they do. They're both loving and accepting to all regardless of many things that may turn others away. They're both fair and compassionate, and they don't subscribe to manufactured drama for the sake of being excited over something. They're realistic about goals and expectations while understanding that they can accomplish anything they decide they can. I said this was a moment to recognize Irene and it is, because these girls of ours have been dramatically influenced by the loving guidance of a wonderful mother. Happy Mothers Day Irene! And Happy Mothers Day to all mothers!

My dear mother is one of the sweetest, kind, and sensitive people I know. The environment she raised me in was one of wholesome values. Never compromising her commitment to her two sons, she told one suitor to hit the road after he expressed frustration about Shane and me. Her boys always came first. Her love and gentle parenting has equipped me with a very strong and reasonable parenting skill. I have her to thank for that. And God to thank for making her my mother.

Today mom decided that we would all meet in Stillwater for Mothers Day dinner at the Sirloin Stockade. I tried to talk her out of it, but I quickly decided that it was her day, and I would graciously accept the invite. Sirloin Stockade is a buffet restaurant without a menu. You have no choice, it's the buffet or nothing. Since choosing nothing might be considered rude, I decided that I would prove once and for all that a buffet doesn't have to be a gluttonous occasion. It's all about good choices, right? I decided to take on the buffet without compromising the integrity of my daily calorie budget and rules. Meals at 500 or less and snacks at 150 or less. So, how do you get through this place on 500 calories or less? My plan was simple really. First of all I ordered water, I avoided the bakery section, and I decided my main course before I entered the place. I decided on a small and lean sirloin steak (about 3 ounces—really small!), a half a baked potato with a small dollop of sour cream, and some green beans flavored with bacon and onions. I enjoyed some minestrone soup and about a quarter cup of cottage cheese with two saltines. By this time I had 395 calories. It was time for desert! Oh my the choices are just insane at this place. Do I want pie? How about some cobbler? Cookies? Maybe some cinnamon rolls? A big piece of cake? Or some soft serve ice cream? I bet you already know which one I chose. That's right, a little dish of soft serve suit me just fine. Besides, I had cake earlier in the day! Now that I'm so far advanced along this journey, the buffet wasn't even a challenge really. I don't mean to sound over confident here, but really it was rather easy to do what I did. I'll be honest, I did grab a stick of gum from Irene's purse to help me control the urge to eat something else. And I was tempted when my Uncle Keith brought some fried shrimp to the table. I should have had a few of those instead of the potato! Oh well, I was done. I'd made my choices and they were good choices. I left that place for the first time in my life without feeling stuffed to the point of sickness. I was satisfied, not stuffed, and it was awesome! I even had a moment to shoot another “On The Go” Video. I found a poster promoting their buffet that said “The Choice Is Yours.” I thought, wow, they got that right! We choose what and how much to eat...They just put it all out there for us to decide. I made good choices and I made the main focus the family around me instead of the food. I was very proud.

I'm headed for slumber. I hope you have a fantastic Monday! Thanks for reading, good night and...

Good Choices,
Sean


A responsible approach to the buffet is all about good choices!