Rekindle your affair with the grocery store

Talk about it

Me and the grocery store are back on speaking terms again.

It’s not that we had a bad fight or anything. Like good friends do sometimes, we drifted apart for no apparent reason.

I spent a month coming up with excuses when grocery shopping called my name:

• I have to wash my hair

• I have a cold

• Let’s chat tomorrow, or next week, or the next

• I just don’t have the money right now

• I’m tired

The grocery store had no idea I was having an affair.

I was going around town from fast food joint to fast food joint, sneaking around with burgers and fries and ice cream cones.

Back at home, my fridge sat empty and my grocery list started to turn that faint shade of yellow that comes with age.

Let me be clear: Fast food is not the enemy. I lost almost 70 pounds eating out every once in a while.

Problem is, when once in a while turns into once a day, making healthy choices gets harder and harder. Then, before you know it, you’re spending your evenings with a large fry and double cheeseburger and feeling guilty about it.

It’s always better to remain loyal to the grocery store.

Without food in the house, we’re forced to make decisions on the fly — and that’s usually not a good thing.

Without food in the house, we eat anything that’s handy — and that usually means fast food.

It pays to take the time, grab a cart and hit the grocery store aisles. I can think of better ways to spend my Sunday afternoon, but I always feel good knowing I have a fridge full of good food.

Eating out all the time is depressing. You get the same old thing over and over. The food isn’t that good. And it costs way too much.

Plus, it takes us out of the driver’s seat. Control is the key to consistently making good health decisions.

So stop making excuses. Wash your hair, take some NyQuil, make the time, grab $20, get in a good nap and head to the grocery store.

Tags: lifestyle, jen, cullen, health, grocery, stores