Jon Glass / Staff Photographer

The holiday season is here. This, coupled with the upcoming finals week, can equal stress times infinity, and it’s quite easy to turn to food for comfort. In an effort to amend our eating habits, we’ll start with a healthy breakfast at home, but eventually return to our old ways, ending the day with a calorie-loaded meal. I’ve decided to journal my food intake for one day to track what I eat and see whether or not my eating is powered by my need to energize or is based mostly on how I feel at that moment.

7:30 a.m.
The only way I can beat rush hour traffic and get to school on time is by eating my breakfast in the car. I prepare a turkey and cheese sandwich, free of condiments. According to the calorie counter on the packaging of the ingredients I used, my sandwich was only 300 calories altogether, so I add a bottle of SunnyD to finish the meal. That will bring my total to 390.

10 a.m.
While waiting for lecture to start, I snack on the banana I brought from home. If I remember correctly, it’s about 100 calories. Technically, I should have waited until noon to eat it, but I figured the amount of walking I do from one class to another can compensate for the extra calories. Besides, it’s a fruit, and that’s a good thing.

11 a.m.
I stop by East Commons to get a bottle of water and consider going into the food court to get an early lunch. But I can wait until after my next class, which ends at 1 p.m., to get something to eat. Or, I can wait until I get home at 2 p.m. to eat my lunch. Steering clear of the food court is easier now with the prospect of eating my mom’s home-cooked food in mind.

11:30 a.m.
I’m sitting in class, wishing I bought a Panda Bowl. Almost everyone around me is eating; this is difficult. I busy myself with writing a letter to my friend. I end up decorating the margins of the letter with pictures of pasta bowls, smoothie cups and french fries.

11:35 a.m.
I caved. I bought an apple fritter from West Commons because it is closer to my class. Mmm.

11:55 a.m.
I feel guilty for eating the apple fritter and punish myself by promising not to eat anything until dinner. Maybe drinking a lot of water will aid in a faster digestion of my mock lunch.

12:30 p.m.
I pass by an In-N-Out on the way home. Maybe I can just … no, can’t. I must resist the temptation to order fries and a strawberry shake. I bite my tongue on the way home while trying to squeeze the In-N-Out, “That’s what our hamburger’s all about” jingle out of my head.

2:05 p.m.
It feels good to be home after spending five hours at school. I find my mom readying our meal for dinner. It’s beef sinigang, a Filipino specialty dish that’s similar to beef stew. This is a good thing, I think, because I can test the strength of my discipline and see if I can resist eating meat this time. I’ve been meaning to give up meat again for a while now after the 30-day success I had last Lent. It seems like a bad idea because the holiday season is here, but I see it as a form of rebellion, maybe saintly even, to give up this privilege.

2:35 p.m.
I find myself complimenting my mom on how good the stew is as I chew on a piece of beef. Note to self: Start tomorrow. It wasn’t my fault anyway. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings by saying no. Plus, it’s cold today and I need soup to warm me up. Pile on the excuses, Kathryn. But before I do that, “Hey, Mama, can you please pass me more rice?”

4:05 p.m.
My youngest brother, 10-year-old Kenneth, comes home from school. The first thing he asks me is if I have eaten yet. I avoid the question and ask him what he wants for lunch. “Do you want ramen?” he throws back. I am contemplating whether or not to cook some for him when our mom reminds him that she just cooked the stew. I’ve lost track of how many calories I’ve consumed already. Another note to self: Start again tomorrow.

6:30 p.m.
I stay in my room for the rest of the night. I chant, “I’m still full” until I fall asleep.
As much as I’ve been told that I should take advantage of my youth and consume whatever I want, I’m starting to feel unhealthy. I realized that what and when I eat is influenced by the people around me and, should I not muster up enough discipline to say no, this habit of mine will continue to grow. It’s difficult, but unless I make the change now, it’ll never happen.

8212; Kathryn Danganan is a communication senior.

8212; This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec.