Confessions of a Sneaky Eater

I have a volatile combination going for me.

#1 I LOVE food. Okay, that in itself is not so bad but the problem is I love ALL kinds of food, good and bad.

#2 I am sneaky.

What happens when you have a sneaky person who loves food? You guessed it...sneaky eating.

Sneaky eating is just what it sounds like. Sneaking around eating things you shouldn't - usually unhealthy things.

I had planned this post out as one I wanted to tackle at some point along my healthy journey blog but it wasn't until I caught my 10 year old daughter sneaking a cupcake that I realized I needed to address this now.

I know...kids sneak goodies, it's normal...still, it's not a healthy habit. I have no problem with having treats once in awhile. Cookies and cupcakes are not enemies - they are treats to be enjoyed once in awhile. We need to keep them in perspective. But when kiddo asks mom, "Can I have a cupcake?" and mom says, "No" or "Not now" and kiddo proceeds to blatantly - RIGHT BEHIND MOM'S BACK - open the fridge, get the goody then hide to eat it, that is something that needs to be addressed.

But how can I honestly correct her for her sneaky eating when I'm just as guilty?

Case in point. We are out of milk. I tell hubby, "I'm running to the store, we're out of milk. Do you need anything?" He grunts, "No" as he stares at the computer screen playing chess.

Okay! I'm set. Kids are watching a movie, hubby is occupied.

I start to the store.

"Well, looky here! There's a (enter fave fast food restaurant here)! Boy, I really should eat something before I go to the store, it's bad to go shopping on an empty (or seemingly empty) stomach." Next thing I know, I'm sitting in the parking lot inhaling a large burger, fries and a drink - the window is open a smidge so I don't stink up the van with evidence.

I am now satisfied (?) I go to the store and get the milk...and some gum to hide the tell tale breath and come home to my kids saying, "What took you so long?"

"Oh! The lady at the check out was new and it took so long."

I'm scott free. No one knows what I did.

But me.

And ultimately my hubby is aware, after all I am 170lbs.

I went to my banks website and searched the past year for all my fave fast food restaurants. Here is the tally for the past 12 mos of fast food eating. Mind you, I work from home so I don't need to buy lunch everyday and my family rarely ever eats fast food at all. These are my personal purchases.

Also, this is what I spent using my card - I figure I should add more for the times I used cash.

Burger King: 43.08

McDonalds: 129.57

Taco Bell: 47.16

Culvers: 62.47

Subway: 109.05

Cash payments: 125.00 (approximate)

Total: 516.33

$516 spent feeding myself junk that I didn't need. I can guarantee you with 99% assuredness that I was not even necessarily hungry when I bought the food. Most likely I was a) Excited at my freedom of being on my own b) Emotionally unstable - not meaning crazy rather not feeling satisfied in some area of my life c) in an entitlement mentality "I deserve this!"

I can also assure you that after I ate I felt a) disappointed in myself b) mad at myself

So what does a Sneaky Eater with a new attitude do? Tell the world! Clue them into the tricks of the trade so others can identify the pattern in themselves or loved ones who are also stuck in that cycle.

I hope that, if you are going down this same road, you find encouragement here to stop the destructive - yes destructive - cycle.

This closing thought: Anything you have to do in hiding is very rarely good for you - unless, of course, it's philanthropic in some way.