Cupcake? What Cupcake?

It was almost time for me to leave work when my coworker texted me from a meeting she was in. “They are giving out free Sprinkles cupcakes,”  it said. “Do you want me to get you one?”

I wrote back. “Aw, gonna have to pass, but thanks.” Even though I felt little emotion when I sent her that text, I turned right around and e-mailed a friend of mine complaining about the free cupcakes being given out at work. “WHYYYYYYY?” I asked her, using all capital letters so as to emphasize my overly-dramatic tone. For some reason that I still haven’t figured out, my brain went into auto-pilot and decided that cupcakes are worth getting all worked up about. It was so bizarre.

Anyway, my coworker showed up moments later with an armful of little brown boxes. She brought everyone a cupcake regardless of how we answered her text. I opened mine and peeked inside. Red velvet with cream cheese frosting. My personal favorite. I stared at it blankly for a moment. I wasn’t hungry. I looked across the room at my other coworker wringing her hands and bemoaning the fact that she couldn’t eat cupcakes or any other form or sugar until bathing suit season was over. Our boss taunted her by eating his cupcake over her desk and asking if she wanted a taste… just a tiny bite. It was quite the spectacle, and everyone was laughing. I folded the lid back down on my box and put it aside for the time being.

And then I forgot about it. I actually forgot about a cupcake.

When I left work, I grabbed the cupcake and headed home. A plan had started forming in my mind for how I would blog about this event. While most of the world would find it completely inconsequential that I worked through an entire afternoon without thinking about the gourmet cupcake sitting inches from my face, those who are deep in the throes of the weight-loss journey know all too well what a momentous occasion this was. For me to be unaffected by a cupcake is huge. It means that I’ve changed; it means that something about me is very very different.

Unexpectedly, my parents popped in for a visit later that night. I was just getting ready to head out for a run when they stopped in, and the cupcake was still in its box.

It's a nice cupcake, but I don't really want it.

Think I'll stick with the original plan and throw it away. Kind of empowering, actually!

When I told my parents I was going to throw out the cupcake and go running, I thought they would share my enthusiasm. For the most part, they did. But my Dad just didn’t see the point in throwing away a perfectly good cupcake.

Nom nom nom nom nom. Sure made his day!

My Mom wanted a bite too, but my Dad didn't really feel like he needed to share.

Anyway, we had a lot of fun. And after all was said and done, I headed out the door and off to my run. I’m actually becoming a healthy person who wants to do healthy things. I’m starting to feel like a normal girl who does something besides come home and graze or stand in front of the refrigerator until it’s time for bed. I love it.

Off to run!

-Elle