What is normal, anyways?

A post from Dagny this morning made me start thinking in circles. 

Forgive me if this post rambles.

That, and I've Been Up Since 4am!  Someone who shall remain nameless thought it would be fun! to start her day at that undogly hour.  So, I got up as normal, and started cleanin' house.  Now, she's already gone down for a half of a nap, and whining again now, so she'll be back in bed by nine, I'm sure.

Anyhow - what I'm thinking about is how we as WLS'ers create some sort of new normal after living gastrically altered for a long time.  I know I've written about this before, several times, but I don't realize that what I do is not normal until I read about someone else doing it too, in a much more restrictive way.  But, who defines normal?  Not me, and probably not you, either.

She writes: 

I have not sat down to what anyone would consider a "normal" meal in over two years. A main course, side dishes, a salad, bread. I have not had a full plate of food with multiple courses in front of me since before my surgery. I go out to restaurants and order an appetizer I pick at while I focus on chatting with my dinner companion. The only food I keep in my home is yogurt and flaxseed which I consume together. I currently have a few cans of beans but they've been in the cabinet awhile. I used to keep a few cans of soup on hand (only tomato or bean) but I haven't bought any soup in maybe a couple of months. I used to always have milk but I seem to have phased that out now too. You know, I should check the expiration dates on those cans of beans. I have many kinds of teas. I have sugar-free lemonade drink mix. I have a Sam's Club institutional-size box of Sweet N' Low. I have two pitchers of brewed iced tea. I have a LOT of protein powder. Six jugs on hand right now. And a well-stocked up supply of vitamins and supplements."

That got me thinking - would I EVER bother "grocery shopping" as I do or keeping anything on hand if I didn't have five other mouths in this house? 

Probably not. 

I have always said that I do not eat meals, hardly ever.  In fact, I sat down to a plate of dinner, chicken, stuffing, carrots and a scoop of potatoes made FOR me by my husband last night, in perfect portions, and ate it over two "snacks."  I haven't done that in ages.  I felt terrible afterwards, but I'm just sayin' - I ate a meal!

Not only do I not eat meals, I don't really buy anything specifically "for" me, besides ordering protein bars or the like, because those require more thought, money and finding.  Everything I bring into the house for groceries is with the kids in mind - and "safe" for me to keep in the house, because I either Do Not Like It/Won't Touch It/Makes Me Sick Anyways (referring here to healthy foods that make me sick because I can't digest them or for whatever reason, like, eggs/milk/some raw veggies, etc.)

If I were a single girl, living on my own, what would my shopping list entail?  What would be in my kitchen at home?

Well, hypothetically:

• Protein Bars
• Protein Shakes
• Beans
• Vegetable Soups
• Bottled water, tea, coffee, Propel

That's probably it. 

If I wanted a particular meal or food item, I'd probably get it once and be done with it.  I waste so much compared to my intake.  I tend to still buy things that I probably won't ever touch, or forget about and they go bad.  I try to buy foods under the guise of "for me" that I know I can give to the kids - so they don't get wasted altogether, like, low-carb yogurt.  I buy it, I never eat it.  The girls eat it.  So much of what I buy is wasted or unnecessary.

We also don't keep a lot of "normal" family foods in the house.  My brother was here doing some work on the house - and hungry.  I was looking, digging actually, for something to feed him.  I couldn't find anything - at all - that would be palatable to a 31 year old junk-foodie.  I finally dug out a bag of frozen meatballs and jar of low-sugar tomato sauce, and made him meatball sandwiches on whole wheat bread.   This was only after he tried to eat a bowl of homemade chicken vegetable soup that I left in the crockpot accidentally overnight and was cold.  He smelled it, "it's still good?"  NO!  LOL.

The waste!  It's bound to happen - there's two of us with no real stomach capacity here.  I'm sure if Bob were a swingin' single, he'd have food, a lot more than I'd have if I were single, but, I fear that he'd fall into old habits quicker alone - because he has a much higher drive for simple carbs and junk food.  His cabinets would be stocked with Ritz Crackers and Nilla Wafers, and he'd be eating Corn Chowder and Peanut Butter Brownies a lot more often than he does now.  I think if I were alone - I'd have no desire for junk - because I am only really compelled to indulge because they're in the house more because he buys them.  (Yeah, well, pick yer battles.)

So, what's normal for YOU?  Do you keep nothing in the house?  If so, why?  Are you triggered to overeat if it's available?  Do you stock a normal pantry and are okay with it being there?  How do you feed the rest of the family - if applicable - do they follow your eating plans?  Details!  Details!

I posted this over at OH - and got some fantastic responses, too!