Never Regret the Good Calories

29Jul11

As my knee recovers back to a point of being able to handle exercise again, I’ve been super-focused on eating, and eating well.

More veggies? Check.

Sensible portions of pasta? Check.

Cooking my own food so I know just how much fat is in it? Check, check, check.

In general, I’ve discovered a healthier place because I cook most of my food now. I’ve even noticed a small drop in weight (yay, happy accident). But, a girl has to go out every once in awhile. Specifically, when a heatwave comes to NY and ushers in a period where she doesn’t feel like cooking, then it’s perfectly okay to eat out- and indulge.

While out and about, I suddenly had a craving for mac and cheese. No matter what time of day or season, I always have the stomach for an ooey, gooey dose of mac and cheese. Sure enough, I discovered an aptly named place to have a bite- The Little Cheese Pub in Chelsea. Thirty minutes after my original craving, I sat down to a piping-hot iron skillet full of handcut pasta, melted Mordier cheese, caramelized onions, and a large duck meatball.

Was it good? Absolutely.

Am I sorry? Absolutely NOT.

Here’s the deal- there are moments when I simply must step off the reservation, get off the program, and just have a moment where a meal is a savory experience, and not a practical cause. Much as I would love to gear my diet around health, I have to have a share of happy foodie moments too. All diet focus work and no play makes me slightly deranged. Eating this super-yummy mac and cheese was the nice point of a busy day coupled with the thrill of discovering someplace new to visit.

Thus, I present Good Calories- calories eaten in a moment of happiness, where the meal is the right one for that moment, and is eaten in a generally celebratory, happy mood. It’s not the healthiest option in the world, but it isn’t one I turned to appease something else or compensate for something bad.

Simply put: it’s enjoyment eating.

On the flip side, there’s the Bad Calories that should be avoided- the nightly carton of ice cream eaten in pity-party moods, or the furious consumption of pork rinds and/or salt and vinegar chips when stressed and/or maniacally PMSing. (And, sad to say, this also includes the corned beef hash and eggs that are just so much better when I’ve got a little booze in my system.)

Danger, danger.

None of these things are inherently awful and perfectly suitable at the right moment, but when the loud refrain of “Nobody loves me, everybody hates me, I’m going to eat some worms…” rolls in my head- well, I probably should eat the worms, because they’re healthier than things I’ve eaten with no thought for tomorrow in a bad mood.

Ultimately, the act of eating is emotional. Just as I should never be sorry for the genuinely fun-loving and happy accents in my life, I’ve decided not to be sorry over the times when life presents me with a calorie-laden dish of indulgence in one of those times. It’s one thing to regret any of my greatest hits of sloppy, self-pitying consumption of Breyer’s ice cream cartons.

But, I refuse to stress over days of happy eating. Neither should you.

And, with this mac and cheese, there are no apologies needed.

Little Cheese Pub’s French Man Mac and Cheese- Mordier cheese, balsamic caramelized onions, duck meatball.

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Tags: bad calories, cheese, good calories, Little Cheese Pub, mac and cheese, NYC