A New Battleground

As the pounds I dropped thanks to Jenny Craig slowly begin to reclaim their status on my body in new and unlooked for places, I have started to pay better attention to what I am eating. I wouldn't call it a diet, or a Dr. Oz program; just an attempt to eat sensibly.

So, I eat a whole grain cereal, coffee, and fruit for breakfast. I have a mid-morning snack in the form of a banana or cereal bar. I drink tons of water.

For lunch, I eat a Weight Watchers quesadilla and a huge garden salad and a late afternoon snack of fruit or walnuts. For dinner I just watch my portions and cook for the family at large.

At night, I eat whatever evil thing remains lurking in the pantry because I actually have time to myself and forget all the reasons I should be sensible.

Surprisingly, my new "battleground" isn't that nightly indulgence (that's actually a very old one); but rather, it is my lunch and my voracious little eater who will stop at nothing to get the food on his plate and the plates of others.

He is a table tyrant.

And of course I would give him whatever he wants because he is my baby and I am thrilled he's such a good eater. BUT....when you only afford yourself so much to eat, it is REALLY hard to share it. What's more, that little frozen, high sodium quesadilla is actually yummy and so, in many ways, my looked for treat in the middle of the day.

It doesn't matter. He shouts "MAMA!" repeatedly until I give a piece. He gobbles it up promptly, smiles, and reconvenes his demands.

I've tried to trick him too (how low the mighty fall...) by doing things like disrupt his view of my plate with a fruit bowl, a napkin holder, and even a line of sippy cups.

No luck.

I try to fil his own plate with things he loves like cheese, tomatoes, and a gigantic roasted turkey breats in hopes that he may opt out of my little Mexican magic.

Fruitless.

I've even tried to eat on the side, after they are done and playing, banking on the fact that his fulness will keep him at bay.

Not even close.

What am I to do?