Today we celebrated my wife's birthday.
Each year, we take a whole day and go to the movies. Usually in June there are enough new movies to fill at least 2, usually 3 and once even 4 time slots. Romantic comedies, action films, superhero movies, sequels to other blockbusters...all are fair game and her choice.
As a creature of habit (again, one of the reasons I'm a big guy), I have a routine.
Get to the movies, purchase tickets, swing by the snack bar, get the special with a large no-extra-butter popcorn (free refills) and 2 large diet sodas (free refills), the $2.50 candy special (special because it costs $1 at Walmart, or special because I get that 50 cent discount for buying the popcorn and dual-soda special--I'm not sure)...and make our way down to the theater.
See, if I'm going to miss meals to watch movies and maximize our date, I know I'm going to get hungry. So I save money by buying the magnum-opus sized popcorn and drinks, because I can refill them.
And then I do.
Take Two!
This time, my wife wants a water instead and no popcorn--she's working on improving her own health habits. So I'm stuck, as a creature of habit, and I don't know what to do.
So I do the unthinkable...and change my usual order. I didn't even know they had other specials, let alone other food. OK, soft pretzel and 2 cups of cheese sauce...no. 127 chips and 2 cups of cheese sauce...no.
Got it--medium popcorn and medium drink. Saved a dollar-fifty over the usual price, and got about half of the popcorn. The medium drink was virtually the same size as the large (seriously, 3.5 quarts compared to 4 quarts).
And then it hit me...no refills.
I'm sitting in the theater, eating my popcorn and watching the bottom race into view. Panic is in my mind. Do I go buy more? Do I shift in my seat so my wife quits filching my popcorn that she didn't want anyway?
Then, a miracle happened. I finished the popcorn, and was satisfied, and enjoyed the movies. The soda made it through 2 shows.
But the popcorn was the surprise and it has got me thinking. If I have unlimited popcorn, I eat unlimited popcorn. If I get a bag of popcorn, large by any reasonable non-movie theater standard, and eat it until it is gone, I'm full and OK.
Work with me, I'm slow sometimes.
So if there is a lot of food, I'll eat a lot of food. If there isn't a lot of food, I don't eat a lot of food, and I'm OK, not craving the piece of popcorn that bounced off my lap and rolled under the movie theater chair.
I wonder if I get a smaller glass and plate at home, what would happen...nah, it couldn't be that simple!
Another AHA! moment in my 100 Days Strong. Some of these moments are embarrassing to admit...so feel free to share your own in the comments!
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