There are a few places I hover when I go grocery shopping. The most painful place is the pastry section. When I say hover, I mean I literally stand there and stare at pastries and donuts. I’ll pick a box up, look at the nutritional content hoping it has magically changed to being healthy. Sometimes I put it in my cart, roll away to continue shopping. The voice of reason in my head speaks up and prevails. I eventually return and put it back on the shelf. Mind over stomach. It ain’t an easy thing to do.
It may sound like I’m depriving myself, but I’m actually not. I’ll treat myself to an occasional pastry or donut. I maybe get my fix once or twice a month at the local bakery. That’s a lot better than bringing home a box of 12 and trying to resist temptation. I’m only human.
My relationship with food has changed over the years. Everybody used to say, Everything in moderation. I always thought it sounded like a nice catch phrase. No disagreement here. I’ll admit, that never really entered my mind unless someone else said it aloud.
When I reached 50, my mindset changed. I wasn’t feeling as healthy as I wanted to be. So I started making small incremental adjustments and building from there.
I used to walk a mile or two in the evening and my route used to pass by a donut shop. A few times a week that was the perfect pit stop. Sometimes a glazed twist. Other times a buttermilk bar. Why not? I was walking so doesn’t that mean they cancel out? It’s too easy to rationalize things when baked goods are involved. That was one of the early adjustments. No more pit stops.
I still feel 50 is the new 30, but it takes some effort and sacrifice. I cut back on donuts, cut out fast food, try to eliminate nitrates and avoid soda. If I read this black list to my thirty-something-self, I think I’d be slightly depressed. But now, not at all. Once you pass life’s halfway mark, perspectives begin to change. You’d also be surprised how you don’t miss those foods as much as you thought you would. There are many that are far healthier than me. I’m nowhere near the top of the mountain. At least I’m moving in the right direction. I’ll settle for that any day.
So if you happen to see me at the grocery store with longing in my eyes, reading the label on a pack of glazed donuts, please don’t feel too sorry for me. I’ll be alright. If you could kindly nudge me towards the produce section, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks.
Creed released My Sacrifice in 2001. The song is about coming out of a dark place.
Stapp also explains that the song is about coming out of a dark place or period in your life and reconnecting with yourself. He notes several of the songs lyrical themes are represented through elements in the music video. These include a shot of himself in a rowboat where he is seen pulling a drowning version of himself out of the water onto the boat, which represents periods of his life where he would claim sobriety, coming out from the darkness and finding temporary clarity, only to fall back into his old habits. He also mentions that the shots of other people in the video are representative of the feelings you have when you are with someone you love.
I can’t really tie this back to donuts and am not going to even try. This is just a great song and I’ll leave it at that.
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Hello, my friend. We meet again
It's been a while. Where should we begin?
Feels like forever
Within my heart are memories
Of perfect love that you gave to me
Oh, I remember
When you are with me, I'm free
I'm careless, I believe
Above all the others, we'll fly
This brings tears to my eyes
My sacrifice
We've seen our share of ups and downs
Oh, how quickly life can turn around
In an instant
It feels so good to reunite
Within yourself and within your mind
Let's find peace there
'Cause when you are with me, I'm free
I'm careless, I believe
Above all the others, we'll fly
This brings tears to my eyes
My sacrifice
I just want to say "hello" again
I just want to say "hello" again
'Cause when you are with me, I'm free
I'm careless, I believe
Above all the others, we'll fly
This brings tears to my eyes
'Cause when you are with me, I'm free
I'm careless, I believe
Above all the others, we'll fly
This brings tears to my eyes
My sacrifice
My sacrifice
I just want to say "hello" again
I just want to say "hello" again
My sacrifice
MyGenXerLife 
It feels so good to reunite
Within yourself and within your mind
Let’s find peace there
Nice post, My. We got a new donut shop recently called Hurts Donut, which i finally recognized as a pun for “hurts, don’t it” which seems like a terrible name for a doughnut shop. Their claim to fame, besides their name, is the monstrous size of their goods. I guess if you’re going to do it, do it big? I did check it out in the beginning because it was quite the event, but now I just drive by.
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We also have a Hurts Donut in my town. They ARE huge! I grew up with three brothers, and they used to ask me, “Do you want a hurts donut?” I’d naively say “Yes!” Then, they would punch me in the arm and say, “Hurts, don’t it?” I don’t know if that’s where the name for the shop came from, but that’s what I always think of when I see it.
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I haven’t seen a hurts donut in my area, but maybe that’s a good thing! Big donuts would be too tempting to resist!
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They opened Randy’s donuts in my old neighborhood just as we were moving. Whenever I’m in my old neighborhood, I usually take a detour to pick one up. Donuts are my weakness…
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I mean, nostalgia is real.
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I confess that if you replace sweets with rib roasts in this post, it’s me. I feel your pain. I’ll also eat hummingbird cake, carrot cake, and black walnut cake like a champ if someone makes me cook them! Now, in my 50s like you, I gleefully eat like a dude in a dorm.
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Hahaha… rib roast. That’s awesome. I developed a sweet tooth later in life so when you lists all those cakes, I get it… preaching to the choir!
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I love any Creed song! That one ties in nicely with today’s topic.
Also, I feel your pain about lingering in the bakery section of the grocery store. I have also made healthier food choices over the years, but once in a while I’ll have a donut. Yum! Another difficult habit to break was getting popcorn and soda at the movie theater. I had to put an end to that, not only to save on the calories but I just couldn’t afford it anymore!
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Popcorn at movies are incredible unhealthy… but delicious. Its a tough one, but I cut that out about 80% of the time. Every so often, I gotta eat it…
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I miss my younger self. So full of limitless energy and momentum. Less pain too. 😉 But yup…time to start letting some things go, or do in reduced moderation. Except ice cream. I will die with an ice cream spoon in my hand.
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Yep, that’s a good one. Gotta keep some of the good things!
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Such a good approach to this prompt. I’m thankful mochi donuts are not available nearby or I’d have a hard time resisting. Not that I’m as disciplined as you are, but want to be!
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I am a big fan of mochi donuts. Sometimes I hear them call my name…
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🙂
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Mmmmmmmm….donuts! 🙂 I had my first donut in years–Boston Cream–at a strawberry farm where they make their own donuts. I don’t think anything has ever tasted that good…absence definitely makes the heart (and taste buds) grow fonder!
PS–I like Creed and haven’t heard them in a while. Thank you!
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That sounds absolutely delicious! Yes, I hadn’t heard Creed in a long while either. It was nice to bring this one out of the attic!
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Everything in moderation still works. Like you said, you treat yourself every once in a while. Moderation is a spectrum. So long as you’re not cutting it out completely, you’re doing okay. 🙂
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Sometimes after a longer ride on my bike, like say, 80 km (50 mi), I’m so ravenous I could just about rationalize any pastry and might once in a while but usually gravitate to something healthy that’s also delicious as, like you, I know that what as more frequent in the diet of the 30-year-old me is not so wise now that mortality is much more on the brain.
Great song and post! The track reminds me of another band I can’t put my finger on but that is part of the grunge/garage scene of the same era. Or maybe it just reminds me of Creed songs I know but (at my advanced age) can’t recall.
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After 50 miles, you’re allowed to eat anything you want!
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Thanks, I’ll take that sage advice!
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“Indulge in sweetness” is what my brain tells me when I walk by the pastry shop. I am slowly cutting carbs and sugar, but it’s so hard.
I tried some Keto brownies yesterday, and they tasted horrible.
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Cutting carbs and sugar is so difficult. But it’s worth it for your health! Keep it up!
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I’m trying! Thank you!
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Yeah despite my trials with food now and again, i never buy baked goods, cookies, chips, processed food, ice cream or soda when we go shopping. If I did the wife and I would be hella fatter than we are. I often peer into other peoples carts and it is unreal the % of people with nothing but the food I just mentioned in their carts.
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Same for me. I look at other carts, sometimes with envy! I have no will power once it’s in the house so I have to manage myself and just not buy it.
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