Irony is Delicious

What is it about watching people struggling desperately to lose weight that makes me want to run to the kitchen and grab some snacks?

Generally we eat healthy as a family-our kids aren't allowed any junk food (except their 1st birthday cake and a candy cane at their 2nd Christmas) until they are two years old! We even wait until the kids are asleep to eat junk food ourselves in order to make sure we're setting a good example. We eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, we are active, our fast food intake is practically none (for budgetary as much as health reasons), and we only have dessert once or twice a week. That is of course not including when Mommy dives into the peanut butter cups on Tuesday night and devours a truly awesome amount of peanut-chocolaty goodness. Then I feel horribly guilty and silently thank God my children don't witness my complete loss of self control.

So why, why do I do it? I suspect the truth is that even the thought of eating kale and doing a sit up makes me clutch my usually-neglected Oreos in over dramatic anxiety. (Never depart from me, oh delightful chocolate cookie!) Or perhaps, as I like to think, it could be my highly developed sense of irony.

Yep, that's it.

And it feels so good to know that I am not the only one who loves to nibble on some ironic snackage. When I mentioned my Biggest Loser Eating Habits during the Ultimate Blog Party 2009, I was amazed by how many people commented and said they do the exact same thing! Then I put up a poll....

What Do YOU Eat While Watching the Biggest Loser?
Anything sweet................................................................... (1)
Anything salty.................................................................... (0)
Carrots (or similar healthy fare)...................................... (0)
Whatever I can get my hands on..................................... (7)
I don't eat, I do jumping jacks........................................... (2)
[View all poll results in the poll results archive]

Amazing! People really are like me-or I'm like them...well, most of them. [Not you jumping jackers-I don't think I've done a jumping jack since I was in 4th grade!] Still, I wanted more proof so I searched on Twitter for "eating watching biggest loser". [Oh yes, bloggy friends, I have joined the Twitterers (look for _MrsM_) though to what end I can't say.]

Apparently there is a smorgasbord of people who get their chip on every Tuesday night. Cookies, chocolate cake, Doritos, chipotle, donuts, pizza...you name it, people are eating it while watching this show. Some mention the irony, a lot of people mention guilt or imminent trips to the gym, but it seems that the popularity of the junk food/Biggest Loser combo cannot be denied.

I guess it just comes down to math.

junk food+TBL=delicious delicious irony.