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Thursday, February 3, 2005
Keeping the fat out of Fat Tuesday…
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“When you go to New Orleans, you oughta go to Mardi Gras
When you go to New Orleans, you oughta go see the Mardi Gras
When you get to the Mardi Gras,
Somebody’ll tell ya whats Carnival For.”
-Professor Longhair
Well, it is time for my annual pilgrimage to the debauchery that is Mardi Gras in my hometown of New Orleans. And while my years of “Girls Gone Wild”-esque exploits on Bourbon St. are behind me, there are so many other vices and temptations surrounding the Fat Tuesday celebration that could make this coming Tuesday a fat one for yours truly.
Going home is always fun. My family is made up of some of the greatest Cajun & Creole chefs this side of the Mississippi River! Unfortunately, that means real butter, heavy creams, plenty of rolls and biscuits, and no second thought to the calories, fat grams, or sugars in a single dish. Put a plate of Crabmeat Au Gratin in front of me and I can polish it off in record time while washing it down with a bowl of seafood gumbo and a shrimp po-boy. But as bad as the food may be for me this weekend, I think the libations may be even worse.
Mardi Gras is not Mardi Gras without a cold beer or drink in your hand. A 12 oz bottle of Guinness (my beer of choice) has 125 calories. 12 oz of Bud light has 110. And a single shot of Crown Royal has just under 100 calories. In any case, it can all add up. Compound that with the fact that there will not be a lot of exercise scheduled this weekend, and those calories have nowhere to go but straight to the scale.
Perhaps I will test my willpower & see exactly what I can refrain from and what vices I will succumb to. Mardi Gras is a tough mistress & her power has lured me back to my hometown every year of my life. This morning I weighed in at 208 lbs. If I only bounce up to 210 after this weekend, I will be happy. With a little self control, this year’s Fat Tuesday will not be so fat!
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