Back near the beginning of Lent 2012 – so February of 2012 – my daughter asked me if I would give up meat with her for Lent. I have a problem with thinking that giving up something is a good way to go on a spiritual journey like Lent but that is for another post. Having been a vegetarian during some of my college years, I knew that six weeks would not hurt me. I could do that with no problems at all so I said yes.

The news was I didn’t go back to eating meat at the end of Lent. I had not, with the exception of a pork chop my son had made this year for a dinner, eaten meat since February of 2012 – not in 16 months (to put that in perspective for me, the difference in age between the twins and the next youngest child).

Friday I was grilling burgers for the rest of the family to have for dinner. Oddly, I was grilling dinner at about 4 pm as my daughter and I were heading to the high school graduation – she in her position as co-advisor and I in my position as Board of Education member. I brought in the first installment – I have a fairly small charcoal grill so sometimes will do burgers in two shifts to prevent grease flare-ups – I thought those burgers sure smell good. I went out to cook the next batch.

That was what did me in. I put the second batch on the table, knowing there were more than enough burgers for everyone who was home, and changed into my graduation clothes – meaning something more professional than a pair of shorts and tee. I came out into the kitchen and, without much thought at all, made myself a burger on a potato bread bun. As I was slowly eating the burger – and enjoying every bit, I thought to myself that I hoped my system could handle it as I hadn’t had one in so long. No stomach issues with the meat (ground beef with bacon and cheddar in it).

Saturday, about 8 pm, I realized I was starving. I didn’t really want to make anything so I heated up a burger from Friday. Twice in one weekend. Cheater, cheater.

Sunday, I sat down to start ready Kris Carr’s Crazy, Sexy Diet and was sure that the burgers were a mistake. I knew I needed to get back on track. I knew I needed to watch myself and go back to a vegetarian diet. So I did some menu planning. I did some – but not much as I needed to go to the grocery – meal prep. I am getting back to eating better and to living better.