50 Reasons to Eat

How deep is the ocean? How high is the sky?  That’s probably how many reasons I can think of to eat.  I write this because yesterday, when I was on my way home from work, I telephoned a friend just to talk until I got past the turn-off for a Dairy Queen where I have stopped in the past (at least once a day) for an ice cream cone.  We were laughing about it because we understand that an addict can come up with any reason to indulge.  I told him that I’ve written lists in the past (e.g., 100 things I’m thankful for), so I would write a list of 100 reasons why I have eaten and/or overeaten.  As you can see, I’ve stopped at 50 reasons because the redundancy of underlying themes was getting to be embarrassing.

NOTE:  Excepting reason #1 on this list, there is no foundation of actual hunger or need to eat in any of these excuses.

1. I feel actual hunger (a legitimate reason to eat, but there’s no guarantee that I will choose something beneficial to my health).
2. I *might* feel actual hunger in an hour (or 2 or 3) and I have no guarantee that I will be able to get food when I need it.
3. I might never get to eat this particular food again any time soon.  In fact, I might go a lifetime and never have this wonderful food again, so I should eat more of it.
4. I should eat so that I don’t blow up at someone in the office.
5. I need to eat to calm down so that I can concentrate.
6. I know I should sleep, but I want to stay up and finish watching this program (or read this book or work on this project), so I’ll eat to stay awake.
7. I can’t sleep.  I should eat something that will help me sleep.
8. I might wake up in the night feeling hungry, so I need to eat something before bed.
9. This book I’m reading mentions food.
10. We’re at the theatre and I always have popcorn when I watch a movie.
11. I’m sitting here with nothing to do while I watch this TV program, so I will eat.
12. I’m working on this project and it’s really intense, so I’ll eat to fuel my ability to work on this.
13. I feel good.  I can eat anything I like.
14. There is leftover food. I should eat it before someone else does.
15. Oh, look:  cookies!
16. They make my favorite cake at this store.
17. Coffee and strudel — a perfect treat when talking with a friend!
18. I’m late for work.
19. I had a good workout.
20. It’s cold out.
21. There’s a storm coming.  Might be a blizzard / tornado.
22. I was thinking of how my mom made tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches when I was a kid.
23. Pancakes.  I want pancakes, and I want them now.
24. Oh, look, it’s a festival.  Let’s get funnel cakes!
25. The boss brought in doughnuts for a meeting but only a few were eaten.  I should eat some to make sure he doesn’t feel bad for bringing in food that no one wanted to eat.
26. Wow, there’s candy leftover from that trade show!
27. It’s just a small piece.  I’ll be good.
28. I didn’t win the Powerball.
29. Nobody likes me.
30. I hate everything.
31. I’m never going to have a Hollywood-perfect body, so why try?
32. My husband went to all the trouble to cook this, so I should eat it.  I don’t want him to feel bad for his efforts.
33. It only tastes good when it’s first cooked.  It’s terrible when it’s reheated.
34. Hey, is that a potato chip that fell out of the bag yesterday?
35. Oooh, someone is warming up soup in the microwave!
36. Is that fresh bread I smell?
37. Fresh coffee!  What can I eat as I drink my fresh coffee?
38. Chocolate would be good right now.
39. I’ll order in pizza because I need to work through my lunch hour.
40. It’s 4 o’clock and I’m hungry, but I still need to work another hour.  I’ll have some of the leftover pizza.
41. I’m on vacation, so I’ll eat whatever I want.
42. I’ve already blown my diet / food plan / exercise plan, so I’ll just eat this.
43. I’ll start over again tomorrow.
44. I’ll start over again on Monday.
45. I’m just going to blow my diet / food plan / exercise plan anyway; it might as well be today.
46. Valentine’s Day is on the horizon, and they always have the best chocolates in the store for this.
47. Oh, look! A new flavor of M&Ms!
48. Those little Girl Scouts are working so hard to sell their cookies.
49. The neighbor kid is coming around to sell popcorn again for his Scout troop.  I should be a good neighbor and help out.  Popcorn is at least healthy.
50. It’s a day that ends in “Y.”