By Dan Reynish

Chapter Three: Wants And Needs

Mar 23, 2020 | 10:20 AM

“No matter what, I’m going to In-N-Out Burger!”

That was one of the first things I said to Nikki Stadnyk before she officially became my nutritional consultant in February. I explained I was planning on going to Los Angeles in July and would be eating at the west coast fast food chain In-N-Out Burger while I was there. At least once.

Very calmly she replied, “Maybe you won’t want to.”

I never said anything back, but I knew in my mind then, as I know now, I am going to In-N-Out Burger as soon as I can!!

Unless I don’t want to…

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That felt really weird for me to write. And to think it, even a few short weeks ago, was unfathomable. But maybe Nikki was right. With all the work I’ve been doing, maybe I won’t want to. Hopefully I don’t need to. There can be such a fine line between want and need sometimes.

A good example of that is last Tuesday. It was a very tough day. Maybe even a very, very tough day. I needed to treat myself. No, not treat myself…I needed to indulge! I needed to OVER indulge, actually!! Instead of going home and cooking the usual meal of non-starchy vegetables, high-quality protein and carbohydrates, I needed a big, fat, greasy, juicy cheeseburger with all the toppings and fries on the side. Plus some mayonnaise to dip them in. And a large pop to drink. That was my order and I didn’t just want it, I needed it!!

I used to eat that type of meal on a regular basis before I started Losing It. Multiple times a week, and even a couple of times a day on occasion. I didn’t stop because I wasn’t craving burgers anymore. I stopped because they weren’t part of the meal plan Nikki designed for me. Instead of daily indulgence I chose to follow the meal plan. Instead of these foods I ate, not just for the last decade, but for the better part of the past thirty-four years, I chose getting healthy.

On occasion, burgers can still be a part of that. I could go out tonight and have the exact same burger, or any of the other burger options available right now. But instead of fries with mayonnaise, I would have some non-starchy vegetables and maybe a baked – not fried – potato. And no pop. No pop ever! I should always have water.

Over this process I’ve learned that eating well and getting healthy is not just about the foods I eat. It’s about my mental health too. If there’s ever something I feel I not only want, but need, I should have it. After some personal deliberations, just to make sure.

Those deliberations don’t happen much anymore, so when they do I trust them. They lead me to that cheeseburger last Tuesday night. As I ate it I never had a single guilty thought or emotion. I decided to eat it and it was delicious!!

But as I left the restaurant, the burger immediately escaped my thoughts. Unless it’s the last burger I ever have, I probably won’t ever think of it again. Instead, I was thinking about the fruit I’d eat for breakfast and getting back on track when I returned to my nutritional plan and cooked my breakfast full of non-starchy vegetables, high quality protein and carbohydrates on Wednesday morning.

I’m not just eating these foods to get healthy, I actually like them. Nikki’s plan is working for me. Plus, I can get everything I like to eat at Save-On-Foods. And if I can do it…you can too!!

Now, should the opportunity present itself for me to still go to California in July, I absolutely am still planning to eat at In-N-Out Burger. Unless I don’t want to…

As for right now…if I only had somewhere to go swimming… THAT would be fantastic!!

Please take care out there and remember to wash your hands!!