Reflections on so much consumption: Memorial Day weekend

This Memorial Day weekend, I found it difficult to stay on track with my health goals, given all the opportunities I gave myself to gorge on good food.

My family went on a road trip to the Riverbanks Zoo in South Carolina — which was especially good for the Little One, since she’s currently obsessed with lions and tigers. The second time we went by the lions, she kept roaring and pointing at them. Mommy and Daddy had a great time, too, and we managed to see the whole zoo and leave before noon, which meant we avoided oppressive heat and especially large crowds.

However, a trip to Columbia, South Carolina, means a trip to a town with excellent food choices, and I found myself repeating over and over, “I’m on vacation,” during each meal.

It began before I actually left, at work on Friday, where there was a Memorial Day weekend buffet where I ate two burgers, a hot dog, a salad, and banana pudding. I.E.: I blew through my usual daily calorie allotment in one sitting. That night, in Columbia, we went to Hunter-Gatherer, where I ate from the hummus plate appetizer and then polished off a goat cheese salad with roasted beets.

Saturday, we ate the simple continental breakfast at our hotel, went to the zoo, and ate there before leaving. For lunch, I had a chicken-and-brie wrap — with a bunch of fries that I didn’t realize came with it. For dinner, we went to Yesterdays in Columbia, where I ate a turkey sandwich with squash and onions, and veggie chili, but also took bites of the Little One’s chicken fingers and mac ‘n cheese.

Finally, on Sunday, we intended to go see a baseball game in Augusta, Georgia, but it was rained out. In preparation for a long day with no food before about 2:30 p.m., I put together a hearty breakfast at the hotel, with a peanut butter-banana waffle and some yogurt.

We actually made it to Augusta before realizing the game would likely be called off due to rain, and so we booked it back to Charlotte, where we were able to make it to the Co-Pilot’s parents’ house for their Memorial Day weekend cookout. As you can see, pictured at the top, the grill was loaded with meats. Not pictured: the deviled eggs, two types of pasta, and five desserts. I partook of almost all of it.

Monday was better. We spent much of it at home, where I could eat a small portion of leftovers for breakfast, then a simple cold-cuts sandwich for lunch, and then we went out to our favorite local Mexican spot for dinner, where I got a tostada de ceviche and two tacos, pollo and lengua.

In the end, I’m pretty sure I’ll end the weekend up only one pound from the start, which is a minor miracle given my indulgence the past few days. But it’s also a reminder that I’m swimming against a super-strong current in trying to control my eating habits.

It’s on me to make good choices and stay on track. The end goal is more important than temporary pleasure. Even when there are five delicious desserts available.