IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT'S ON A STICK!
It has its own unique smells, many sounds, extraordinary sights and only appears for twelve days each year.
It’s the Minnesota State Fair!
It happens at the end of August just as summer is nearly over and the kids are thinking about getting ready to go back to school.
During this short period of time, the chatter amongst Minnesotans always includes something to do with the State Fair - Have you been to the State Fair yet? What’s your favourite food at the State Fair?
The Minnesota State Fair attracts around 2 million people each year and for many families the tradition of going has been passed down through generations. The first fair was in 1859 and today consists of fairground rides, exhibits, competitions, performances of many varieties, merchandise, shows, the daily parade and a lot of different foods …. actually over 500 different delectable delights.
The food is, in my mind, the main reason that people go to the fair. You can probably find any food you can think of there …. and much of it is on a stick. Things like candy floss, toffee apples and ice lollies you would expect to find on a stick. But frozen bananas, chicken, pork chops, pickles, fried Twinkies [you may need to google that one], bacon, shrimp, egg roll, cheese, fried chocolate bars, chocolate coated cheesecake [my favourite] are also on a stick … and pizza - yes I know, its hard to believe that’s on a stick …BUT IT’S TRUE!
The food which sells the most, has the longest lines for and is NOT on a stick is Sweet Martha’s cookies. Her team bakes over 3 million EACH DAY at the fair and people stand in endless lines to buy the hot, sweet, chocolatey, deliciously smelling, mouthwateringly tasty, chocolate chip cookies …. knowing that every serving is straight from the oven. The first cookie you eat simply melts in your mouth …. and they are extremely moorish. Whether you buy a large tub of them or the smaller cone, the server fills each one so high that it looks like the leaning tower of cookies with more than enough to share with everyone around you.
Now when you’re on a diet it can be hard to stick with it when you go to the fair. I know from experience that my clean eating stays at home during my fair days.
BUT HOW DO YOU COPE WITH THE GUILTY FEELING AS YOU BATTLE WITH YOURSELF?
The smells are making your mouth water as you walk past the never-ending food carts, your friends are eating your favourite treats and you are trying to be good …. but inside you feel miserable and your tummy rumbles so you pull an apple out of your bag to munch on. But that doesn’t satisfy the desire you have with the delicious smells around you.
YOU WANT TO EAT FAIR FOOD!
Your friend offers you a warm sugar coated tiny doughnut and, without hesitation, you pop it all into your mouth. You savour the flavour and as you chew the delicious doughnut, in that moment, all thoughts of your diet have disappeared. You’re brought back to reality when your friend offers you another one. As you reach out to take another the little chimp on your shoulder shouts
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
You stop and believe that all your hard work of losing weight over the past few months will be lost … and so you say no and look away and start to feel miserable again.
It really doesn’t have to be like this.
One day of eating food you enjoy with your friends will not ruin your diet. But not eating those foods and feeling miserable and sad and resentful of the thousands of people around you doing what you want to do IS NOT GOOD FOR YOUR MIND HEALTH.
Doing what makes you happy is the most important thing. Being on a diet may not be making you happy BUT you are on the diet for the result it will give you and you have already come to terms with that and your mindset is ok with it.
Finding a compromise with yourself in situations like this is the best way to move forward. There is always a way around things and allowing yourself treats on special occasions without guilt is a good compromise.
You cannot lock yourself away and live on lettuce leaves for the rest of your life. But you can take responsibility for your choices and being honest with yourself, and keeping yourself happy will allow you to make good choices.
When you stop making a diet a punishment and start to look at it as a way of life and making healthy choices, you will find your relationship with food and yourself become an enjoyable experience.
Everything you do is always your choice. Make the choices where you will be happy with the outcome and not just happy in the moment.
Just for today eat the doughnut and have no regrets later. Live in the moment and know you are living your best life.