Everyday Systems

If you look at my calendar this month on the July challenge ( I meant this to be part of that thread, not a new one), you will see that I marked today as a failure but I am not unhappy or bummed out about it. In fact, I think it's funny. You see, after breakfast I decided to go ahead and water my garden despite the forecast for scattered showers because it's supposed to be in the 90s and the showers might not scatter over my garden. So while I was watering I noticed that one of my sad, pathetic little strawberry plants actually had a couple of strawberries on it and one of the strawberries was actually ripe and ready to be picked. So I picked it and ate it--and then I realized that I had technically eaten a snack. I almost counted it as part of a virtual plate--I mean one tiny strawberry the size of a nickel, not a biggie. But I decided to be honest with myself and you guys and call it a failure. And no, I am not going to say WTH-- I mean it was only a strawberry so it will have no real effect on my habits or my weight. It is still an n day and I am moving on and treating the remainder of the day the way I would treat any n day.

For the future I might need a garden/taste testing mod though.

A garden fresh cherry tomato is something I'd gladly take a red for.

And that you were aware of it is No S'er behavior. In the past, I would pop all kinds of goodies from the garden in my mouth without a thought of it.

I just can't believe that eating one strawberry from the garden is a crime. I think that eating mindfully is important, as is savoring life's little pleasures.

If you were growing gigantic cheesecakes in your garden, it might be a larger issue.

I admit I have a really strict interpretation of eating between meals. I am also just as casual about compliance. I don't think it's possible or even desirable to never, ever, EVER nibble between meals. So, I'm ok saying "Eating a fresh picked cherry tomato is eating between meals but it's worth being non-compliant.

If keeping a habitcal green is important then yes, I would do a garden mod. All fresh picked produce eaten in the garden does not merit a red.

If I'm hospitalized and have to stay NPO because I don't know when I'll be taken to surgery, that's one thing. But a couple of berries here and there? Meh. Self-flagellation is not on my approved list of exercises, so I won't get stressed. Unless it resembles the berry-picking of my youth, in which we ate till we were stuffed like Strasbourg gooses and came home after several hours with three berries rattling around in our pails.

I agree with Who Me?, Blithe Morning, and Rachelocity. If I used Habit Cal, I wouldn't take a red for a berry or a cherry tomato -- or a taste of anything. I think there's a huge difference between a nibble or taste of something and a snack or serving of the same thing(s).

I allow myself fresh fruit or veg any time without considering it a fail. To paraphrase Reinhard, nobody ever got fat from eating too many strawberries.! If I had a single bite of a biscuit, or cake or crisps etc I would consider it a fail. But not fruit or veg.