Can’t Take It Back Now

Yesterday was Cool’s birthday–a very special occasion, indeed. We drove 4+ hours to go (car) camping in the middle of the state where she grew up (for awhile). It was a good time with a river, reading Patrick F. McManus’ outdoor humor books aloud, a little bit of Frisbee, and my first (attempt at building) a campfire.  She was in a good mood, too–which was very nice.

But of course it’s the FOOD that really makes it a birthday/camping/vacation. Is anyone else that way? I ate: Pasta in the morning for breakfast. A grande frappechino for the long drive. Starbursts and Nerds to break up the tedium of the long car ride. Half a bag of Fritos that were much too salty because I was starving and it was too early to build the fire. Beef jerky–because it’s camping food. A cheese hot dog wrapped in a piece of bacon (and the bun, obviously). Maybe 4 s’mores–because it’s rare I get them, and it’s the #1 camping food.

I knew it was a bad scene.  And this morning, we hiked up a huge hill mountain to see a waterfall.  So at least there was a little exercise involved in the camping trip.  What I did not realize until I got home and tried to enter my calories was how many those foods translated to!  As I attempted to remember everything I had eaten, and in what amounts, I realized the situation was far worse than I initially imagined.  By my estimation (which you know people always under-estimate foods and over estimate exercise) I had at least. . .  And this is a literal (probably conservative guess) of calories. . .  5321 calories in ONE day.

I liked it a lot better when I had no real concept of how many calories were in the foods I was consuming so liberally.  And, really, I’m very happy that I don’t need to put a lot of effort into limiting calories, exercising, or watching my weight like a lot of women people do.  I am very blessed to have an outstanding metabolism and no weight problem.  But eating 5,321 accidentally?  It just sounds crazy!  That is horrible!  And at no time did I feel I was binging out or over-eating.  I knew my food choices were poor ones, but I had no idea how quickly those empty calories would add up.  So now I’m just sick over it–even though it was a one day thing and special occasion.  It still feels bad because I can’t UN-eat any of it.  I feel like I should go run 5 miles.