“Point-worthi-ness”
September 9, 2008
I love that episode of Seinfeld when Elaine is pondering if a certain guy is “sponge-worthy.”
In case you’re not hip to that storyline, she was, shall we say, hesitant to use her stock of soon-to-be-off-the-market birth control on guys that she wasn’t sure deserved her, um, goods.
And like Elaine, I’ve come to learn, over the years, which foods simply are and aren’t “point-worthy” for me. Which foods are worth spending “money” on.
Fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean proteins, fat-free dairy, healthy fats … those healthy choices are a huge percentage of my diet (in the literal sense of the word) and clearly always “point-worthy.”
But in my opinion, so is a couple bites of cheesecake.
I’m not sure about you, but from all the years of watching my weight and being a restrictive eater, I’ve pretty much ruled out certain foods from my diet.
Some might say this makes me “inflexible” and only fuels disordered eating behaviors, but in my mind, it’s how I roll now: “My body, my temple.”
For example, I can’t tell you the last time I ate a French fry or a hamburger out. When I have a craving for them, I make both at home, using 96% lean beef and making my own oven “fries.”
I love Italian food as much as the next girl, but I can make a delicious lasagna or baked ziti or chicken parm in my home kitchen using fresh, reduced-fat ingredients.
And just because my husband or friends want pizza, doesn’t mean I have to eat it. I know when I go home to New Jersey, I’ll have “real” pizza and I’m willing to hold out for the good stuff.
There are just some foods worth “saving my Points for” (like a special dinner or dessert out) and some that simply aren’t going to make my mouth (and head) happy.
Exhibit A: I gave up on Lean Cuisines and Smart Ones when I got married. (With all that salt, I’d rather just cook my own healthy dinner!)
Exhibit B: Nutrigrain bars don’t fill me for squat, but a FiberOne chocolate-chewy oat bar or a tablespoon of all-natural peanut butter with apple slices can tide me over til a late dinner.
For someone with a sweet tooth, not all confections are created equal. I love icing, but don’t really love cake. I love pie and donut fillings, but have since I was a kid, I always tossed the cakey part. To me, the icing and fillings are totally “point-worthy” but I don’t want to waste points on mediocre stuff.
Candy doesn’t do it for me, but chocolate … oh dear, dark chocolate!
I can pass up alcohol and juice, because frankly I’d rather eat my calories than drink them. (An occasional glass of wine is “point-worthy” to me, but I don’t drink often).
And while I love good, crusty bread, if I take a piece from the bread basket and it doesn’t taste the way I want it to or expect it to, I don’t finish it off just because I took it. It’s simply not “point-worthy.”
I think in many ways, looking at my points (or calories if you don’t follow WW) as money — what I’m willing to “spend” has helped me maintain my weight all these years.
I’m not perfect, and sometimes I choose things that aren’t worth it or overdo it on things that perhaps are.
But more often than not, judging food not as good as bad but rather as “point-worthy” or not has been beneficial to me.
Repeat it: “My body, my temple.” And own it.
How about you? Are there any foods that you just will not eat because they aren’t “point-worthy”?
Entry Filed under: Food. Tags: "sponge-worthy", calories, Elaine, Food, point-worthi-ness, Seinfeld, worth the points.
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1.
SmushPants | September 9, 2008 at 9:41 am
This was a great post…right now, unfortunately, I am eating everything. But I agree that some foods are pointworthy and some are not. When I get back on top of my game, I will be the same way. Though for me, I leave the frosting and eat the cakey part!
2.
nikita | September 9, 2008 at 9:59 am
i totally agree with u
i have this way of thinking too. I wouldnt spend 300 calories on French fries, but i would spend 300 calories on a chocolate bar because i love chocolate and for me, its worth it. I could save up calories during the day just to enjoy a whole fresh bread loaf with cheese at the end of the day. Maybe its not “normal”, but if im going to eat, i want to eat what i really want. So of course, my diet is a bit messed up, not healthy at all, but its my way of eating and feeling satisfied.
Through my years of eating disorders and disordered eating, one thing i learned is i better put in my mouth what i really want, or else, i’ll end up bingeing because im not satisfied. I dont drink my calories too, its always water, coffee, diet soda, diet everything. But id rather “feel able” to eat dessert instead of spending 120 calories on a drink when i can have it calorie-free.
3.
CDlover | September 9, 2008 at 10:07 am
I definitely have a sweet tooth and would eat chocolate and/or ice cream at every meal if I could. I do like “meat and potatoes,” but wouldn’t be devastated if I had to go without them. It’s so much easier for me to avoid/turn down salty foods than sweets. I always wish it were the other way around!
I’m big on not drinking my calories, either. Every now and then it’s fine, but I’d much rather have a snack than a beer at dinner every night!
BTW, Nutri Grain bars don’t do diddly for me, either. I really like them, but I’ve stopped buying them (and plain granola bars) because they just don’t fill me up. Now the Fiber One bars, on the other hand…..love them! The PB kind is my fave.
4.
Allison | September 9, 2008 at 10:35 am
Remember how we (or at least I) gained part of our freshman 15? Late night splurges on animal crackers dipped in chocolate frosting! My how we’ve come a long way
Love the blog. It’s so quintessential Melissa. I can just see Jason saying a “mmm…dear diary” to you!
5.
Krystyna | September 9, 2008 at 10:46 am
My body, My temple….you nailed it! What a great way to think about it!
Being on WW for over a year now I’ve learned as well what is worth the points and what isn’t. And what types of foods are just a waste of point because they don’t fill me up. But I’m very much an all or nothing thinker–and if I’ve eaten something that wasn’t “point worth” I sometimes fly off the handle and continue eating things that are point worth or worth going into my body! I’m working on that thinking though
Your blog is great! Great way to start my day!
6.
nostarvingartist | September 9, 2008 at 10:58 am
Great blog
Eating when I’m unhappy is never “point worthy”. I’ll keep that in mind next time I’m tempted to eat something silly that I don’t really like anyways.
7.
auntie | September 9, 2008 at 11:33 am
I’m really working on this concept and whenever I am aware enough of what I’m eating to realize that I’m not really enjoying it, I will stop. It’s a bite-by-bite battle, but I try to congratulate myself when I choose to stop eating something that isn’t satisfying me.
8.
lissa10279 | September 9, 2008 at 11:47 am
LOL, Smushpants. We could easily share a slice someday then!
Nikita–exactly! We should eat what we want. It makes me sad when people say they’ve been pressured into eating something. Only you can choose what goes into your body!
CDLover, I know … a sweet tooth is a terrible thing to have sometimes, isn’t it?! It’s a rare day when I crave salt. And then I go right for pretzels.
Hi Allison! LOL …. that was our FAVE wasn’t it? And Subs-n-Stuff “Sunrise” sandwiches at 2 am … those were the days! And I love it … he so WOULD say that. “mmmmm … dear diary”!
:) He used to call my journals the “Chronicles of Melissa M.”
Krystyna, glad you liked that approach
Thank you –glad you like it!
So true, NSA … good way of thinking about it.
Auntie, it’s so all about mindful eating! Def. true.
9.
Cathy | September 9, 2008 at 3:39 pm
I’d say, point worthiness is just another way of saying, you’re a picky eater — which in essence means seeking quality over quantity, as is actually the way many naturally thin people think!
I’ve tried hard to think this way. why waste points/calories on things that have been sitting on grocery store shelves forever when I could walk to the local bakery and get something made fresh just that afternoon.
I will always think certain desserts and wines are point worthy and I’m ok with that!
10.
lissa10279 | September 9, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Exactly. Quality over quantity.
11.
CeeJeeMcBeeGee | September 9, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Point-worthy AND cash-worthy! I work from home, and I find myself spending way too much cash on dining out, just because I’m bored or need a cool place to read my book. But when I stick to my points, I also find I spend less money. Weird how thinking about what you eat also makes you mindful of you pocketbook.
12.
lissa10279 | September 9, 2008 at 9:21 pm
So true, CeeJee. It’s very much like “money.”