Why We Gain Weight There Is No Mystery

We just returned from a long weekend in Tennessee. What’s in Tennessee, you ask? Lots: Jim’s parents, my parents, and Kate, Scott, & Bean.

And there’s food.

Lots of food.

It seems like our Tennessee trips consist of short stretches of time in between meals. It’s an awful, yucky-in-our-tummy feeling for the duration of the visit. But we’ve always got meal plans with somebody, so the eating just. does. not. stop.

Over the past couple of years, I have found ways to cut back a bit. First, soda. Our parents have soda in the house all the time (much like we did a few months ago: until I stopped buying it!). Although I did have a few cans over the weekend, I didn’t have a can in my hand the majority of the time like I used to when we’d visit years ago. That helped.

The other thing I cut back on this time? The containers of snacks that are scattered literally all over the house: jelly beans, Ghirardelli chocolate squares, and especially trail mix.

“Trail mix?” you might be thinking. “Why would you feel the need to cut back on trail mix?”

I’m gonna tell you.

My mother-in-law makes this “trail mix”, and now I suddenly feel compelled to put it into quotes because it’s not a traditional trail mix, really. It’s more of a “Sit on your a$$ and watch TV mix”. Here is a partial list of what’s in it:

Peanuts
M&Ms
Chocolate-covered fruit, like cherries, apricots, blueberries
Raisins: plain AND chocolate covered
Chocolate chunks
Milk Duds

I know there’s more, but I think you get the idea. Anyway, when she started making it, she would keep a coffee pot-sized container of it in the family room. Over the past couple of years, the containers have increased in size. This weekend? We walked in the door to see this larger-than-life jar of trail mix on the mantel:

7e0491087460 I felt like I was the new star of “Honey, I Shrunk The Kids”. The size of this jar full of that stuff blew me away. (If I had to guess, I’d say it was 3 1/2-4 gallons) We were going to tussle over the weekend, and at that point I wasn’t sure who would win.

There was still some mix left when we got on the road, so I’m declaring myself the winner. Yay!

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12 Comments

  • BeautifulWreck

    Definitely not a trail mix, maybe diabetic coma mix. LOL I am sure a year ago I would have feasted on it. Now I would not be able too, it would make me sick.

    This post reminded me of what it is like to go to my MIL house.

  • Baby News

    Yep. That'd be the same type of thing my MIL would make. Only she might be a little worse. They always have chocolate-covered cherries (a weakness of mine), candy, chips, soda, etc. She also makes this wonderfully delicious desert that consists of mint chocolate ice cream, peanut, and about 1lb of chocolate layered on top. Talk about tempting!

    She's never hungry for lunch or dinner because she snacks all day and then wonders why everyone else is hungry.

  • Sue

    I thought you were going to say you solved the soda problem by adding jack dan to it. Then it wouldn't have been so bad to carry around a soda, would it?

    That is the most interesting trail mix I have ever seen. My "trail mix" just consists of peanuts and M&Ms (which I will bring plenty of, don't you worry!)

  • Katie

    Ohhh man – that trail mix looks delicious, even though it could probably be lethal!! haha. Glad you made it out of there alive! 😉

  • Tom

    But… the peanuts and raisins make it healthy. So it's got to be good for you. Right? Right?

  • surprised mom

    I'm salivating over your MIL's "trail mix." It sounds like the best trail mix I ever heard of. Wait, I just gained five pounds looking at the photo! You are the winner if any of the trail mix was left. But, vacations, they're all about eating, right?

  • Anonymous

    I'm so glad that was not my house. I didn't put out treats like that, I'm so glad. Just lots of meal time food to choose. Did I do good? Of course the ice cream cake and the red velvet cake were not calorie free. I'll remember about the soda, even thou it was diet.

    Well I hope you still enjoyed your trip and visit.
    Love
    Grandma W

  • Otter Thomas

    My wife's grandma made a trail mix like that. No container short of a 55 gallon drum would be too big for me.

  • JonnyTam13

    My MIL just left my house after 2 weeks and I feel the same way you do. There was just endless amounts of food to eat all the time. But instead of trail mix, she made pounds and pounds of meat…my weakness. I'd kill for some trail mix right about now.

  • Heather

    There is always SO MUCH FOOD when I go visit family. When I went to my Grams in April, oh my GOD, it was HORRIBLE.

  • mayberry

    That sounds like my MIL's house. Especially if everyone there is constantly pestering you to eat? "Want a little something?" "Try some of this trail mix." "Here, have a little more." AND SO ON.

  • Michelle

    That sounds like my in-laws, except that it's all umm premade since they don't cook. 11pm — hey, lets toss in a frozen pizza. Anyone for a Twinkie? Bag of chips? etc etc Fortunately, I don't like any of that stuff 🙂 Yay to you for figuring out how to remain… comfortable!