Days 24- 25 Shades of Gray

Did I reel you in with my post title??  Were you hoping for something scandalous??  I hope I don't let you down, but this post has nothing to do with anything literary.  

As we get closer to the end of our 30 day revolution, I have to admit that I struggle with the gray area of eating.  To me it seems very black and white-you eat sugar and processed foods or you don't.  You either buy the junk or you don't.  You either have diet coke or you don't.  Isn't that nice and simple.  A very boxed in way of thinking/living/eating.  Unfortunately life isn't a neat little box.  There are birthday parties, treat bags, candy that is used as a reward for good behavior.  There are chocolate chip cookies, real chips, granola bars, and a multitude of food items that are masked as "healthy".  There are mornings where I am so tired that the frozen waffles just seem like an okay choice.  My struggle is what is acceptable.  My struggle is where does the 20% of questionable eating really fall?  These past few days I have allowed (yes, I do take full responsibility as I purchased these items at a check out counter) some food items back into the little hands of my little people that are not good.  I will not make excuses.  Well I will try not too.  I will try  not to rationalize the take out pizza.  I will try not to beat myself up about the candy bars that I bought.  But it is hard not to.  I don't look at this as a failure.  I try not to feel bad about it.  But I do see how easy it is to slip right back into old habits fast!!  I see how easy it is to get that pizza because I am tired and don't want to cook.  I see how under the pressure of taking 5 kids to the grocery store a bribe at the check out lane seems like plain old survival instead of...well...a bribe with junk food.  I see how buying the candy is giving my kids a very mixed message.  That gray area-I just don't like it.

So what's a Mom to do?   I will continue to shoot for my 80% of good eating/shopping/meal preparation.  I will reserve that 20% for nights where I am tired or for those occasions that are out of my control.  I will embrace that it doesn't have to be this or that.  I will not feel guilty if I want a diet coke.  It is an act of balance that does leave room for that gray area-an area that is flexible and not rigid.  I am learning-and the learning will continue way after June 30th!!  That is certain.