There are a lot of advantages and disadvantages to living in New York City—and they often come hand in hand. Take the plethora of restaurants serving a variety of cuisines to tempt the tummy that practically all deliver. When food choices like that are just 10 digits away—and you’re stressed for time, or just plain stressed, it’s easy to fall back on calling for takeout. And I’m not shy—but not proud—to say, I’ve fallen victim to that lately too. I haven’t felt good about my food choices, and my body isn’t agreeing with them either. Too many sweets and refined carbs like white bread have left me lethargic and craving more of these foods, sucking me into a bad cycle.

Now I’m a firm believer that we can create change for ourselves. And I’ve been playing the victim lately, saying that I don’t feel fit, and that I’ve been making bad food choices because I don’t have the time.  Well I’m tired of hearing myself! That voice doesn’t match the determined person that I am. And I know what my major weakness is—not having healthful and nutritious choices within arm’s reach. So this week, even though I was tired, I went to supermarket at 9:30 at night. There was a voice in my head that said: Just head home as fast as you can and relax. But I resisted the devil on my shoulder, and made the right move. Being in the supermarket was refreshing and relaxed me more than warming my sofa cushions would have.

It’s all how you look at food. Do you enjoy the experience of holding, say, a tomato in your hand and smelling the sweetness and tanginess of it? Do you look at the other fruits and vegetables around it to see how you can combine them to blend and experience new flavors? I temporarily forgot how much I love the experience of buying groceries. Here are some foods that were on my grocery list:  

Whole-wheat mini pita pockets

Hummus

Pink Lady Apples

Fat-free Greek yogurt

Frozen peaches

Kefir

Herb garden salad  

The following day at work, I began the morning by putting the defrosted peach slices in the Greek yogurt to eat for breakfast. Later in the afternoon, I snacked on the pita pockets with hummus. I was so satisfied that day that I didn’t crave any sweets, and the ultimate test of my will power came in the evening when I was walking home and discovered a mobile sweet shop called the Dessert Truck—the adult version of the ice cream truck. (I told you that the advantages and disadvantages of living in NYC go hand in hand!) From the sidewalk, with a good few feet between my nose and the smells that could beckon me closer to this parallel-parked sweet-lover’s dream, I eyed its tempting offerings, including chocolate bread pudding and molten chocolate cake (did I mention chocolate is also a weakness of mine?!). But I realized that I didn’t need the calorie-filled comfort—I was already full. I felt good about myself, so I just kept on walking—without looking back.