Question

Today in my (very technical = right over my head) meeting, mind wandering and hands searching for something to fidget with, I came upon my packet of chewing gum, and, idly reading the packaging, noticed that it boasted "35% fewer calories" than its predecessor. I've noticed before that (sugarfree) chewing gum manufacturers often post nutritional information on the packaging, and it's always confused me. Do we only need to count this if we ingest the stuff? Or do the calories somehow sneak in just in the act of chewing it? I know that if you C&S you inevitably still consume some of the calories, so wondered if it was the same principle.

And before anyone asks, yes, it does make a difference when you're going through 15 sticks a day in order to stave off the boredom...! Actually that's not fair, a lot of these meetings aren't boring in the least. I work for a linguistics charity that researches the writing systems of minority languages, and develops software, literacy programs and other resources for them. It's very interesting work if you're a little bit nerdy; I just get restless in long meetings, however interesting the content may be!

Well I went to the grocery store at the weekend and stocked up on fruit and veg so at least if the meals provided at this place are scary, I can avoid them and snack on something more familiar. Feeling a little better about the situation as a result.

Still a little nervous, though, about going home and finding that, despite my best efforts, I've become even bigger out here. I really, really want to crack the 120s (those who are stalky enough to keep track will know that I've dithered around between 121 and 126 for the last month or more). And I know that's just my fault for not really putting the effort in. I was 123 the morning I left for the States, and I'd really love to be 120 or less when I get home. But it's difficult to guage my expectations without a scale to hand. Who knows that I'm not 135 by now and blissfully ignorant of the fact!

We went to Fort Worth, Texas, for the day on Saturday to gawk at the cowboy culture :) It was a lot of fun. But I ordered grilled white fish and a garden salad for lunch, and they brought me suspiciously oily (panfried?) fish, fries (wtf?), and a garden salad with about a cup of grated cheese stirred through it.
*sigh*
I ate four bites of fish, half the salad, two fries, and left the restaurant hungry and with grease smeared all over my intestines.

Seriously, for all the bad rap this country gets for its obesity rates, I think it's doing pretty darned well given that every grocery store and restaurant seem to be unified in a mission to sneak a couple hundred gratuitous calories into every. single. thing. you buy.

Home. Husband. Hugs. Scales. Where are you all?!