Sunday, March 27, 2011

One indulgence I'm not getting rid of


When it comes to dieting and fitness, everyone has certain items they give some leeway to.

In my case, that leeway is popcorn.

I won't lie, I'm a bit of a movie fanatic. I love watching them, whether it's action, comedy, drama, romance or Robert De Niro. I have a sizable collection at my apartment, I just signed up for Netflix two weeks ago (either the best or worst thing to happen to me recently) and I'm a regular at the Hy-Vee Red Box down the street. I also take full advantage of the fact that the Maverick 4 (cheap seats) theater in Mankato is within walking distance from my place.

With this love for movies comes a love for snack food to munch on while watching said movies. Like any other movie traditionalist, I enjoy my popcorn while indulging in cinema goodness.

Of course, as you can probably guess, popcorn doesn't exactly jive with my exercise-oriented lifestyle. Most bagged popcorn is pretty reasonable calorie-wise, but it's a high-carb treat and, depending on your need for butter, it can be pretty darn unhealthy. Movie theater popcorn -- and all it's salty, buttery glory -- can be downright artery clogging. (here is a link to the nutritional values of various types of popcorn, some are bad enough to make you gag).

Like anybody else, with summer (hopefully) around the corner, I'm conscious about keeping the weight off in the hopes of having a non-ghastly beach body come July. For the most part, I'm taking the necessary measures to do so. I've halted my late-night snacking habits, I've been avoiding fast foods, and I'm cutting down on trips to the bar (more so a cost-saving measure due to work furloughs, but still). I've also ramped up my exercise schedule lately (just signed up for the 7 at 7 trail race a couple weeks ago, that's keeping me motivated).

I will go to decent lengths to keep myself feeling healthy and fit. However, ditching popcorn isn't one of them. To me, a movie without popcorn is like a car without a radio: still serviceable, but not nearly as enjoyable.

Besides, being healthy doesn't mean much if you're not happy. And without a little indulgence here and there, it can get pretty tough to be happy.

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