The Wedding Hurdle

On day ten (also known as yesterday) I went to a wedding.  This would mark the first time in my life I’d ever gone to a wedding and reception without eating a single bite of the food that was provided at the event.

For this accomplishment I believe I deserve a very hearty pat on the back.

It’s a strange experience and I had to figure out how to approach it from an etiquette perspective.  Since I work with the bride, it was easy to tell her ahead of time that I wouldn’t be able to eat anything and that no offense was intended by this maneuver, and she of course understood since she’s acquainted with the strict plan that I’m doing.

Getting through the event itself required some planning.  On the way there, I drank a shake, which actually turned out to be a slight miscalculation since it was a bit of a drive and by the time we arrived I was desperately in need of a restroom.  The shakes are mostly made from water and contain a diuretic on top of that – so I now have to plan my life around a delicate balance of trying not to be hungry while trying to make sure there’s a restroom handy at all times.  It’s tricky.

So we arrived just in the nick of time, and instead of taking a seat I was dashing into the reception hall for the ladies room.  You know how there’s that one dork at every wedding who goes running past the wedding party at the last possible second to take their seat?  Yeah, that was me.

Following the beautiful ceremony we all headed into the hall for cocktail hour.  This was the most difficult part since the hors d’oeuvres looked and smelled really delicious, but I got a diet coke and kept it firmly in my hands per a suggestion I’d picked up from my classmates – which worked fine.  Also Ted was the one sitting right next to me and he kept filling his plate with this really funky looking seafood salad that was peppered with baby Chuthulus.  I like seafood, but I’m not so big on the squid/snail/clam variety.  Things like chicken satay were harder to resist, but occasionally we would look at each other and I’d murmur to him, “I want something more than this,” and he would nod.  I made it through fine.

I will say that skipping all cocktails at a wedding reception is something of a drag, no way around it.  Sometimes you just have to acknowledge the tough parts and then move on.

For dinner I had actually brought an entrée with me hidden in my purse.  Since the foods on my plan are all shelf stable (like astronaut food) they don’t require refrigeration and are not cold.  Ted brought me a smaller sized salad plate and I slipped my vegetarian cheese ravioli onto it and discreetly hid the little box they’d been in.  So while everyone else was eating dinner, so was I – and it felt almost normal.  As we finished up I realized how short an amount of time it really takes to eat.  If you can just get through that half hour then the moment has passed, and you’re in the clear.  It also struck me ironic how short that time frame is: the pleasure of putting something your mouth, chewing it and swallowing is nothing – but it can last on your body for practically a lifetime if you’re not careful.  Is it really worth it?

With dinner behind me it was all smooth sailing.  There’s plenty to do and watch at receptions, like the dances and the bride and groom happily smooshing one another with cake.  Speaking of cake, for dessert I’d baked one of my chocolate shakes into a big, lumpy looking cookie.  It wasn’t bad, but I think I’ll try some other recipes in the future and see if I can find one that’s a little less spongy.

Before I knew it I was heading home with the first major hurdle of my weight loss plan safely behind me, and filled with a sense of real pride for having gotten through it 100% in the clear.

Also, I got to slow dance with Ted.