Pick Your Poison at the Street Fair

Last night, I had the pleasure of providing information on Diabetes to people at the St. Rita's Street Fair in Connellsville, PA.  I  sat at a table that was next to the ice cream, 15 feet from the fried dough, and directly around the corner from the funnel cakes and cheese fries.  I was working so  my brain was tuned into food and what the people around me were eating.

I arrived at 5:00 and my eyes zeroed in on a woman that was probably in her 30's.  I overheard her talking about her latest diet.  I noticed that she was eating cheese fries. I really didn't think twice, you are going to eat something that is less than perfect at a street fair.  A few minutes later, I noticed she was eating pierogies. After talking to a few people, she stood across from me eating manicotti. By 6:00 she had another bowl of pasta with a meatball. At 6:30 the same woman was eating fried dough. By 7:00 a slice of pizza and when I left at 8:00 she was standing in line for a hot sausage sandwhich.

I just cringed the entire night. Not because she made those choices but because of her tale about her latest diet.  It is easy to make choices that are less than nutritionally superior in settings like a street fair. We all make choices that might not be the healthiest.  I myself made a choice to eat 3 of the homemade pierogies. They were awesome!  It is ok to choose a "treat" food when you attend events like these but I would like to make a few suggestions.

1) While everything looks wonderful, first make a loop and see what all of your options are.  It may even take a few loops (plus the walking is an added benefit). 

2) Pick your poison.  While everything looks great, everyone has their one weakness. The one food that they really want to try. The food that if you don't get, you will be craving for weeks. Make that choice instead of trying to eat everything.

3) If you can't choose just one item, try to share with two or three people so that you can have a taste but are not overindulging.

4) If you do choose too many, don't let that sabotage you for the rest of your week.  The next morning go straight back to your routine of eating healthfully.

5) If you make an effort to narrow your choices and eat responsibly, you can eliminate the guilt that a lot of people, especially dieters, feel the next day.

I hope you enjoy you next trip to a street fair.  I also hope you enjoy whichever treat you choose. But most of all I hope you  pick your poison and enjoy just one!