Out of Sight, Out of Mind

I'd like to share with you a bad habit of mine that I recently discovered by accident - and it's all your fault! You see, my computers crashed. Both of them. Within the same week. OK, that's not your fault. I blame the death of my computers on my teenagers. Both of them. But after they crashed I got the offer to participate in this Garrison Center blog! So it was off to the library for me. I love the libraries. Whenever I get some alone time I don't spend it shoe shopping or at the movies, I head to the nearest library! It is quiet and calming and there is so much to do -- the books, the classes, the wise and friendly librarians!

Ok, so I settle myself in to start writing and I find that something is just not right. The next time and the time after that were the same. I don't get it. The chairs fit, the monitors are nice and big, the keyboard sits at a perfect height for me and the computers themselves are very user friendly, so what's wrong (have you figured it out)?

Thinking that it may have something to do with my organizational skills (or lack thereof) I came home and began to reconfigure things to make my transition from home to library office a bit smoother.

First, I cleaned all the stuff off my desktop, including the old mail, my kids' progress reports, my bags of Triscuit Rye, cashews and whole wheat fig bars. Then I moved to getting rid of duplicate bills, old sticky notes, and the bag I keep for my apple and pear cores (we always toss these out for the deer). Finally I put the fruit bowl back out at the kitchen table where it belongs (you got it, yet?).

Suddenly (BINGO) I realized what had been bugging me about the library - you cannot snack there! Wow, I had gotten so used to feeding my face at my home computer that I hadn't a clue I was doing it until it was gone! When I looked back at the food journal I had began with all of you, I discovered this habit had become so ingrained I had never logged in the snacks I consumed at the computer. Granted, it's not chocolate cake or ice cream sundaes, but it is absolutely intake and I should have been aware of it.

I have you people to (blame) thank for giving me this heads up. Thank you.

So, what about YOU? Do you have a stash in your desk drawer, back pack or car console? When you latch on to the phone for those longer calls do you also grab a soda pop, popsicle, or licorice stick? During TV time how much popcorn do you really eat? Whether you are counting calories, carbs or fat grams, it all counts. Bummer. But hey, it's a part of the process of understanding yourself better. And understanding your individual needs and habits are a very important part of this journey.

TODAYS CHALLENGE
Get a pad of sticky notes and a pen. Now on a few of them write:

HUNGRY
OR
HABIT?

Then post these in places you feel you could use that moment of pause and reflection. Try putting them on your stashes or favorite foods; put one inside your briefcase, your wallet attached to your cash, maybe next to the fridge door handle or the lampshade near your favorite chair. Don't forget to come back and tell us your funny stories!

TODAY'S TIP
You may have heard this one before, but try it, it works!

Order or prepare most of your foods with the dressings, sauces and gravies on the side. Then dip the tines of your fork or the tip of your spoon into these often overloaded favorites, and then fork your lettuce or veggies or what have you -- and enjoy! Odds are you will find that you use much less than half of these delicious, but calorie laden, toppings and still enjoy your food!

To the Journey,

Toni A. Tripp
Tripptales Fable & Allegory