Do You Know the Muffin Man?
I do. And he lives in my house.
I have often lamented that my dear husband brings food into the house that I would rather not have cross the threshold. Some of it is unhealthy and is something I crave and struggle to resist. Some of it is equally unhealthy but doesn’t tempt me and I can live alongside in peace and harmony with nary a second thought. But some food he brings home, while certainly meeting most standards for healthy eating, is never-the-less food that I would rather see never or less. Foods that might make my red-light list Foods that tempt me. Call to me. Often resulting in overeating.
I don’t want to limit my husband’s right to bite. He should be able to eat what he wants to eat, healthy or not. And I need to be very clear in stating that he has made many accommodations for me and my crazy eating issues in the past. Like the time he bought Dove Bars with his brother and ate them all in the car on the way home. Or the time he hid the Oatmeal Cream Pies. Or the now very-long-span during which he has gone breadless.
Which brings me to the muffins. I’m talking English muffins here. The healthy-ish kind. The wrapper asserts “light” and “multi-grain” and “fiber.” And the nutritional information confirms it. But my name is Karen and I just might be a bread addict. And in my (rather warped) mind, English muffins are bread in disguise. Like bagels. I have learned a lot by trial and error this past year and one thing I have erred with over and over again is thinking that I can eat bread products like a normal person. The old me used to be able to enjoy an English muffin once in a while. And even a bagel. (She says, drooling.) But the new me has figured out that life is better breadless bread minimized.
So when I saw that Costco sized package of camouflaged bread coming into the house, a dialogue began playing in my mind:
“Yikes, English muffins… temptation.”
“You don’t want one, you won’t eat one, no problem.”
And then my next thought went to my blog. And the power in putting things out here. In sharing. In public admissions and accountability. In owning my words. So here I sit, knowing that I can write all about those Thomas’s muffins, with all the nooks and crannies to hold the melted butter, and then I can walk away from the keyboard and the blog and muffin madness. I don’t want them. I don’t crave them. Much as I also don’t want them in my house, I can live with them being here. (Although at the rate my husband is eating them they won’t be around long.) The only muffins I’ll be having are the ones that spill out over my waistband:) And the stud muffin who shares my life.
So, yes, I know the Muffin Man. And I know myself. And today, I’m loving us both:)
ahhh see?
we are married to the same man.
and he lives on Druery Lane.
The only difference is mine is the pizza man.
oh
and the DONUT MAN.
and the REECES MAN…
Miz recently posted..MizFit- Fila Real Women Models & NYC
Pizza here often too. And the one that is really killing me – he is on a kick for self-serve frozen yogurt. THAT I want!!!
It’s nice your husband is trying to accommodate!
Grace recently posted..Black Bean Garlic Pork Stir-Fry
I bet he was smiling when he read your comment:)
Yep. I do try to support and not sabotage.
My boyfriend is defintely the muffin man. I have given up trying to diet because I feel like he is working against me every time.
Michelle Saunderson recently posted..Ugly Shoes
Oh Michelle this makes me sad:( What is it about men!?
i know the muffin man and i can’t resist him i’ve gave up trying. now i try to control the intake of what he tempts me with.
rebecca bryant recently posted..Letter M
I have to admit that mine has at least changed some over the years. His switch from bread (that I was overeating) to flat bread (which I eat only with moderation) was a biggie.
I always feel so guilty when I read your bread laments. It’s one of those foods I love, but it doesn’t make me loopy. Not like the 11 (was 14) cake joys wrapped in my freezer. Most bread that comes into my house ends up in the bird food bag.
It is funny how different people have different trigger foods. And I also think it is funny, not in the ha ha sense, that once upon a time I ate bread and it was only a food to make a sandwich rather than whatever it has now become to me.
I’m pretty lucky – my man brings nothing into the house. I do all the grocery shopping and he is happy with what I buy. I’ve even gotten better at the old trick of convincing myself I’m buying things for him when they are really for yours truly. Only exception to this is just before Christmas break and at end of school year when his students bring “gifts” and with school closing, he has no choice but to bring them home. Poor guy – he knows to either not bring it in or hide it when he does. I’ve actually seen him eating out of the trunk of his car. What a guy!!
Sharon recently posted..Blog Friends and Big Creek
In our house it is my husband who buys things “for the boys.” I remember a Costco size bag of chips not too long ago. But I suspect a big difference is that Mr. B does not have his own weight issue and Mr. WT does, but feels he should not have to deprive himself of certain foods.
This is my hubby with all his food addiction.
It was not easy for me at first but now I am treating it as a life challenge. I am encountering foods I don’t want to eat everywhere I go. For goodness sake, there is food at Home Depo! I can learn how to resist by refusing to eat what my husband is bringing home. At least he is not like my aunt who is trying to force feed me whenever I visit.
Ewa recently posted..Some Other Friends I Met on My Trails
Kudos to you for your willpower! Sometimes mine is there and other times… oh well.
Muffins, breads, and flours, oh my!
Recently, I’ve started to wonder if obsession over not eating this and not eating that just leads to further unhealthy attitudes toward eating. The eating may be extremely healthy, but the attitude toward it may not be.
I’m experimenting with making healthy choices most of the time but not precluding the opportunity to buy a bag of the healthyish English muffins or pasta here and there too. I’ll let you know how it works.
That sounds very much like the intuitive eating stuff I have read. And my understanding is that, according to IE, I am making myself feel this way by labeling those foods as I have. Sigh. But I can say with certainty, that the longer I go without eating them the less I want them or miss them. As for eating them and feeling like they set me off, I do wonder if that is all in my head like a self-fulfilling prophecy.
I definitely understand the bread addiction! I love bread, and finally had to stop making it, because it was too tempting. But it was SOOO good! I felt bad for my husband, because he really liked it, and he has no weight problems. My husband often keeps the foods that tempt me in his car (at my request). My problem isn’t him bringing tempting food into the house (I do most of the grocery shopping), but me using him as an excuse to make something that I want. I’ll make these triple chocolate high calorie cookies for my husband. He really needs them, you know? Then I end up eating a lot of them before he even sees them!
Laura Jane recently posted..How do you choose
Oh fresh baked would be the worst because it is the BEST!!!! Baking is sooo tempting for me. I have lots to do for my son’s graduation party in May and am dreading it.
LOL! Love this post Karen. I do the shopping so I am the only one to blame for the food that comes into this house! I buy things for my son that are tempting but I do ok as long as I don’t taste them.
Yep, our sons:) I buy things for mine too and usually manage to keep my hands off them. When my husband decides he needs to run to the store for something in the evening, I know I am really in trouble!
I feel ya- bread is one of my evils and it’s hard to let it go. Funny you say English Muffins, hubby has a bag in the fridge right now and I’m proud to say I have not even had ONE :)
beerab recently posted..Never Ending Battle
Good for you, Bee!
Good for you! Mac likes salt better than sweet, so most of the time he’s bringing things I don’t care for (chips and crackers) into the house. I always have cookies in the freezer for him … most of the time they don’t tempt me, as I prefer my cookies fresh out of the oven.
So once I put some baked stuff in the freezer to resist temptation. And then I discovered they tasted just as good frozen. Sigh. I will be baking and freezing a lot for my son’s graduation party and need to find a way to keep my mouth shut!
I’m so thankful I’m able to eat a half bagel and call it quits. I can’t remember the last time I ate regular bread. Or had a bun of any nature (hamburger, hot dog, whatever.) I was a bread addict to. I’ve risen to ‘portion control’ level now, but I still remember those days…
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And I remember reading posts of yours that describe your various moderations, like chocolate and onion rings. You are amazingly strong!
Karen, I LOVE that pic! Too funny!
So, as you know, I am a bread lover too! English muffins don’t do it for me BUT bread that I like, well, I have just learned to manage them. The good thing about me is it is not all bread – just ones I really feel are a 10 on my list to eat…. I have found ways to fit it into my daily food.
I understand you can’t do that right now & I applaud you for all you are doing! Congrats Karen!
Jody – Fit at 53 recently posted..Back- Butt- Outside for Training Vibrams
Maybe someday I’ll do that too. But maybe not. Because the truth, at least for now, is that I am happier without it. And the longer I go without the less I miss it:)
I thought you were going to say blueberry muffins or chocolate chip or something sinful like that, LOL. I have english muffins in the house now, but they don’t bother me. Cute pic:)
Oh the other kinds of muffins would be even harder for me!
Karen, it sounds like your “stud muffin” would do anything to support your healthy eating habits – it takes true love for a guy to eat all of the dove bars before coming home. Kudos on resisting the English muffin temptation. :)
Shira recently posted..Are conscientious habits the key to a long life
But lets talk about how embarrassing it is that his brother, who was is partner in Dove Bar crime, still remembers that. What he must think of me!
Great post. And I LOVE the photo of the english muffin!!! Yay you for resisting temptation, you are a strong woman! Have a great weekend Karen.
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There is one muffin left. Yesterday was the first time I really thought about eating one. But I didn’t. Yay for the power of blogging.
Ah yes, the breads! My husband hides things or puts them at least out of my reach when he has my trigger foods in the house. I certainly wouldn’t want to control the things he chooses to have. Sometimes I am okay with the stuff and sometimes not. Depends on where my head is.
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What super impresses me about you, Lori, is how you fit treats into your life. Like your bagels. And frozen yogurt. Love your approach:)
I’m sooooooooooo impressed… blogging and accountability is turning you around on the muffin urge. I hope it sticks… Will you let us know?
Peacefulbird recently posted..Embrace the Tension of Opposites
Only one left. I sorta wanted it last night as I was feeling stressed about our taxes not being done yet. Thought about it. Left it alone:) But I will admit to you (and the whole world if they are reading) that I ate some other crappy thing instead that I should not have eaten and that I did not buy for myself.
I know what you mean about the husband bringing stuff home. There are certain foods I just don’t keep in the house because they are too tempting or too unhealthy. My husband will bring something home like candy bars & I just want to punch him, lol! I don’t care if he has something like that outside the home but don’t bring it into the home. Too tempting for everyone & I want the kids to learn about healthy moderation.
I know! Men. Sigh. You have a great opportunity with your kids. I wish I had taught mine healthy eating:(
I too have a man that likes to bring some things home that can make me tempted, but not often. I try really hard not to make him feel he can’t eat what he wants. I mean for crying out loud the man is only 151 and 6’3″. He’s got to eat!
Anyways, great post Karen!
Sheri recently posted..Keeping The Pounds Off
OMG – that is skinnnnnny! My husband is the same height but sooo not that weight.
I have a similar experience with my husband, who buys brownie mix every Sunday and makes a pan of brownies for the week. I have no problem avoiding brownies, unless they are in my house. At first I blamed him for buying the sutff, then I realized if he wants brownies he should be able to have brownies. This is about me and my willpower. I need to be able to resist the temptation.
Melanie Ash recently posted..Meat No More
My husband buys brownie mix at Costco too. Seems lots of the temptation around here is super-sized. He stays up later than I do, waiting for our teen to come home, and will often cook himself a pan after I have gone to bed. Which I think is his way of being thoughtful:)
Your husband reads your blog! (I saw his comment about being supportive.) That is wonderful! I think you’re in the minority of bloggers whose s/o’s read their blogs. That is one supportive man you’ve got there. :) I loved this post and was avidly searching for the “like” button until I realized this isn’t facebook. lol. You go girl. Love yourself to life (versus death by carb coma!). :)
Ah but imagine what I would/could say if he didn’t read it!!!
Really missed your blog while I was away, Karen. You’re right about the power of blogging. I hope it helped and that you claimed your victory :)
Ellen recently posted..Photos of Emmie
Funny how my life away from home is different now that I am part of the blog world. I never used to take a laptop but now I can’t imagine being unplugged!
My husband used to be the cookie/candy/M&M man, but once he realized I wasn’t going down that lane again, he kinda stopped. Mostly.
Diane Fit to the Finish recently posted..Spring Clothes Shopping
Lucky you:) And yesterday mine came home with a bag of candy. Sigh.
Are you considering Muffin Man as a pet name for your husband?
I think he prefers “stud muffin.”
[...] with Karen, who blogs at Waisting Time, as she went through a similar experience with her husband recently. When others don’t make the same healthy choices we are trying to make, it is only that much [...]