Statistically Speaking

Yesterday in MOPS, our speaker mentioned something in passing that I thought was really interesting. She said that women between the ages of 30 and 50 gain, on average, about 20-25 pounds! She asked us if we thought it came from:
A. Eating an extra 5-10 calories a day
B. Eating an extra 100-200 calories a day or
C. Eating more than 200 extra calories each day.

Astonishingly the answer was A. A measly 5-10 calorie difference in a 35 year old's diet can increase weight gain that significantly (according to the study that she referenced.) Though I forgot to ask her where she got her information, it was incredibly depressing. You see, the problem is this: I LOVE GOOD FOOD!!!! I love to cook and I love to make my food with "real" ingredients. Butter is one of my favorite things to cook with and add to many dishes. (Honestly I think it's way better for you than the dumb oils they try to push as being "healthy", the same oils that 60 years ago they used for engines!) Cheese, breads, hearty Italian dishes, soups, meat & potatoes, the kind of foods that stick to your ribs and keep you full: these are the things I like to make. However in light of the new information and in a desire to keep my womanly curves from becoming womanly rolls I have resolved to cook healthier for my family. Fresh fruits and veggies, less gravy (or I'll make it with 1% milk instead of whole, oh, man is my gravy good!!!!) I'll break down and buy the real maple syrup even though it's about 14x the price of the sugar junk my husband loves. I've already committed to making my own bread (and though I enjoy the task I've already purchased 2 loaves since I made the commitment, oops!) and maybe I'll figure out how to cook some of my favorites in a less fattening way.
All this being said with the taste of a mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cup lingering on my taste buds... old habits die hard! ( I wonder how many calories that was?)