Now with less carbs…

So I’m all ready to go work.  I’m clean and dressed.  I have my water bottle and a bandana packed for working out at the gym (My first day to be back in over three weeks!).  I’m thinking about what to do for lunch and then I remember we’re to go to Portofino’s for a meet and greet working luncheon.  Crisis abated.  Then I recall that I’ve got a VIP coming in to pick up a letter this morning I said I’d have ready for him to sign and I realize I can not go to the gym before work because I have no idea what time he’s coming by.  Crap.  Can’t even go on my lunch hour.

But I’m really stressing about lunch.  What am I going to eat?  I figure I’m good for a soup or salad, but not both.  Why?  Because I got my SWEET SPOT!

With the lapband this is the place you hope for.  It’s important.  It means you can only eat barely a cup of food at a time.  That’s a cup of food before you chew it up.  So what’s that broken down?  Maybe 1/2 cup in your little pouch?

So, because of this you really have to make those food choices count — like eating your protein first.  And since I’m not a big meat eater — yeah, well that sucks for me.  I’ve been a drinking slim fast low carb can everyday (20 grams of protein) and adding a scoop of Unjury to chocolate soymilk or fruit blended in the bullet for breakfast.  And some cheese.  And some yogurt.  Yes, I’m getting my protein.

And I’m looking forward to a great soup or salad at Portofino’s.  It’s another place I’ve never actually gone, but knew it was going to be awesome.  So I get there and they have a lunch menu of three choices.  I choose the caesar salad with salmon.  Sounds yummy, eh?  My other choices were lasagna or pesto.  The pesto was really tempting, too.

So we’re chatting and getting to know one another better and the wait staff starts placing little bread plates to left of each of us.  Trouble?  Nah, I was going to be strong.  I was not going to eat bread and spoil my chance of eating an awesome salad.

And…then…the…bread…came…

Crap.

It was a focaccia bread.  Cut into little pie shaped pieces surrounding a small bowl of balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.  The vinegar was so nice, black, and inviting at the bottom of a clear pool of shiny olive oil.

I took the tiniest piece from the plate, maybe an entire inch across at the large point of the triangle, the whole slice a tiny bit over two inches in length.  A sliver, I’m telling you!   Maybe one bite for me over a year ago!

And I’m dribbling the shiny fluids on the bread (A large crumb, I swear it was!) and upon the sweet little bread plate and letting them soak just a bit.  Ummm…

I tear the sliver into itty bits and put one in my mouth to chew, Chew, CHEW!  I chewed each lovely morsel of foccacia and relished the lingering taste in my mouth before starting on another. 

Yeah, I was totally making out with the focaccia.

And then it was all gone and I wanted more, but there were no tiny slivers left.  Seeing my dilemma, a workmate offered me half of hers that she had already cut (she’s doing the WW points).  Another delicious sliver!

I basted that baby so much better than the one before.  Dipping and straining away more of the olive oil to enjoy more vinegar soaked nibbles.

One nibble down and my salad came.  IT WAS HUGE.  Bigger than even the lovely salads I was eating before my sweet spot arrived.  Victory!  I’d be taking some home for supper tonight.  I had to leave so many focaccia bits to move on.

I think I had maybe six tiny bites of salad and I couldn’t eat anymore, but I wanted more.  So I took a few sips of iced tea (cheating — not supposed to drink with meals — washes the food right through the funnel).

Big, BIG Mistake.  The lovely focaccia break had plugged up the funnel.  I sat for a long time while my little pouch emitted little noises (the tea trying to work it’s way through the funnel) and I’m hoping with my mouth closed, and my hand over my mouth, that no one could hear.  Still, there were glances.

Eventually I had to excuse myself to the ladies room where I promptly lost the tea and some of the salad.

I took the rest of the salad back to the office and planned to enjoy it at supper with my darling husband.  I finish my leftover from before lunch coffee about a half an hour later, but then I lost it and and the rest of the salad.

There was no lump of focaccia in the bowl. 

I’m working away at a graphic on the computer and my desk phone rings.  It’s my hubby.  I’m thinking he’s feeling really bad and wants me to come fetch him and take him home (he’s dealing with a lousy cold), but no.  It’s five o’clock — where am I?

I had driven him to work so he wouldn’t have to walk to his office from his parking spot  (campus parking sucks, remember).

It’s five o’clock?  It was just coming on one when we came back from lunch.  Four hours gone just like that!  I haven’t had that happen in a very long, long time.

It took me until after six pm before that sucker finally worked it’s way down to the big stomach pit.  I didn’t even bother with having any salad — I needed some damn protein.  It was another protein soy milkshake for me.  My hubby said the salad was terrific…

So a sweet spot means forget the bread, no matter how miniscule.  It’s just not even worth trying if I want the salad, too.

And I wanted that salad.  Dammit.

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