Inasmuch as I exercised religiously in college, I packed on the pounds during my collegiate years drinking beer, eating pizza and pulling all nighters studying. When I graduated from College in 1996 I decided to put all of my poor college eating habits aside. One year later, what do you know? I lost a ton of weight. I then kicked up my exercise routine (okay I exercised obsessively making sure I burned at least 5000 calories a week) and had a pretty decent booty. For several years I hit the gym every day at 6am; ate the same 300 calorie breakfasts, 600 calorie lunches, 800 calorie dinners and two 200 calorie snacks. (during this time I ate so much cottage cheese that you would have thought I would have turned into a curd…this is why cottage cheese grosses me out today). Even when I was off track my body didn’t really gain weight, I thought I had finally won my battle with Fat.
Yeah not so much!
In September 1999 I was offered a job that required 50% travel (Liars!). At the time (and even in hind sight I would not change my decision) it was an offer that nobody would refuse. Great money and the opportunity to learn. After I finished my project in Chicago, I spent the next year on the road with a grueling travel schedule. I’d often be on two coasts in the same week at different clients. I’d be up at the ass crack of dawn on Mondays to catch at 7 am flight and then work until 9 or 10 pm. I ate a lot (literally and physically) in airports and working out became this thing that other people did. Needless to say I became soft and I put on a few pounds. The company I was working for at the time was a train wreck waiting to happen and I was recruited by the “THE” premier legal technology consulting company in 2001.
My first project was in Kansas City, Missouri. KC is home of BBQ, the promise land of deliciousness. The good news was I was assigned to a Monday- Friday project with almost normal working hours. I also worked with a project team…me and the boys! I was one, ONE of 6 people on the project team who was not a man. We worked together and ate together, experienced 9-11 together; we were a pretty tight group.
When I got to KC I decided that I was sick of my suits being a little snug. I would leave work every day and go for a run or a power walk (no gym in our hotel). After exercising, I would then meet the team for dinner. Since I was trying to lose weight and not gain it, I special ordered most of my dinners (remember I was in promise land of BBQ deliciousness).
“…I would like the BBQ chicken salad..but, I would like the chicken to be grilled not fried, I would the the cheese, croutons and dressing on the side. Can you add extra lettuce to the salad and hold the bacon. Thank you.”
“..I would like the grilled salmon..but, I would like the salmon plain with the sauce on the side, I would like to substitute extra vegetable for potatoes and no butter on the vegetables. I would also like a side salad, please hold the croutons and cheese and I’d like the dressing on the side. Thank you.”
“..I would like a petite fillet ..but, I would like you to hold the butter. (Yes I know that is what makes your steaks delicious and tasty). I would like to start with a wedge salad but I would like the blue cheese, dressing and bacon on the side (yes please just bring me a hunk of iceberg lettuce, I’ll assemble the damn thing myself)”
One night, the team was eating dinner at our favorite BBQ place, Jack Stacks (FYI the burnt ends are TO-DIE-4!!). When it came my turn to order, one of the guys interrupted me before I could order and said the waitress.
“..Just so you know, this is Side Salad Sally”
This is when everyone started laughing and I ordered.
“…I would like the BBQ chicken salad..but, I would like the chicken to be grilled not fried, I would the the cheese, croutons and dressing on the side. Can you add extra lettuce to the salad and hold the bacon. Thank you.”
My nickname became “side salad” Sally and I could give Meg Ryan a run for her money at the ordering process in any restaurant (particularly salads).
Needless to say, as much as I tried to control my food on the road, ordering “on the side” only gets you so far. My last few years “on the road” were my downfall. I was sick of traveling, sick of eating at restaurants, sick of ordering “on the side” and after a while my eyes were not bigger than than my stomach. Soon my suits did not fit and then the new ones I bought did not fit. I left consulting in 2005 for a job that I really liked but the commute out to Riverwoods sucked the life out of me on a daily basis. I then went to work at another company whose management sucked the life out of me on a consistent basis. Lets just say 2005 and 2006 and 2007 were not my best years when it came to portion control and exercising.
I bought the dress that I’m wearing in 2001 when I was working in Kansas City. The roof of our hotel was leaking and it leaked right on top of my open suitcase. All of my clothes were soaking wet with popcorn ceiling and paint dust on them and I was forced to go find something to cover my body at work. I have gotten a lot of mileage out of this dress. It converts well from day to night. And, Fat or thin or somewhere in-between it always looks great (though best when I thin..but not too shabby at the moment).
Day 91- Side Salad Sally Dress
Dress- Mark Shale 2001
Boots – BCBG 2007
LOVE the side salad Sally dress!
great!