Thank you and I'll pass the burgers

Today is Memorial Day.  I come from a long line of heros.  Almost all of them have served in one of our wars over time.  ALL of them fought for our country and they all made it back alive; some with lifelong injuries but alive nonetheless.  So I hope everyone took time to not only remember and thank a US solider today but take the time to educate your children on why we have a Memorial Day. 

For most, today is a day with family and friends.  A trip to the beach or lake, tables of food and a grill burning from sun up to sun down.  I LOVE LOVE anything cooked on a grill and certainly don't ever need a reason to have a buffet style grill-fest. 

Initially, I didn't think I'd even care if I didn't partake in the gorging festivities of today.  Didn't really think I'd even miss having a cookout with all the fixins and a refreshing adult beverage.  But I avoided the whole thing because I really didn't even want the temptation.  4 days until I arrive in Juarez for surgery and I am not messing anything up.  Then.....I woke up today.  I knew what the majority of the country would be doing today.  I could smell hamburgers on the grill as if it was right outside my door, I could picture tables full of salads, sides, bread and sweets and I wanted to be right in the middle of it all.  I knew what I was missing. But am I really "missing" anything??

I was dying to go to a local BBQ place here in Birmingham that is the BEST called Jim n Nicks. That would have been a bad bad idea for the diet.  BAD!! So I got creative on what I could make for dinner to stay within my pre-op diet regs and satisfy my cravings.  I ended up making baked chicken wings with seasonings no sauce, baked onion rings (FABULOUS and yes a little bit of breading), fresh turnip greens, watermelon, and homemade sugar-free lemonaid.  I was so full so quickly.  Satisfied!!

I give myself a big high-five for this today.  These are the type of decisions and changes I will need to make the rest of my life in order to be healthy (with or without Gastric Sleeve surgery).  I'm proud of me for NOT giving in today......but damn my whole neighborhood smells like BBQ~~