I think I’ve told you that I love to read. And I tend to read differently depending on what kind of book it is. I tear through fiction. I have been known to sit down in the morning and only get up for food and water until a book is finished.

But I tend to take forever with nonfiction. I want to take notes absorb and remember and apply what I’m learning to my life and my choices.

And that’s my process with The End of Overeating by David Kessler. I’ve mentioned it before and I am still working on it.

I love it. And I’ve learned that I am an incredible nerd. The first section talks about experiments and rat behavior. I loved reading about reinforcement schedules and sensitization and rewards and flooding and all things psychologically nerdy.

Sigh.

Okay, Krissie, focus.

So many things that make me think. Like this sentence on page 52

We may no longer like the food (but often we do). But it’s the wanting, not the liking, that drives us to do the work necessary to obtain the food.

I do this sometimes.

I used to love these.

I had one every day for, what, 3 years? I took a ton of pictures with them in it when I was doing my photo food journal. Sometimes I had 2 of these. My dad always used to bring them as the fee for a night’s stay at my house. I can’t even begin to estimate how many of them I’ve drank.

Why did I stop? I only drank them out of habit. I didn’t really love them anymore. I just felt like I was done.

In the last 6 months or so, I have maybe 5 in a month. When we’re away from home and I am in a convenient store in the early part of the day. When I’m stressed and tired and I’m in the line at Walmart that has the cold ones right there. When I feel not best, I still gravitate toward these.

And the last time I got one, I realized I wasn’t sure I still liked it. It was too sweet. And not as smooth as I remembered.

But I still drank the stupid thing.

Because of a habit. Because I wanted one. Because having one – in a glass with 4 ice cubes – makes me feel better. Even if I don’t necessarily like it.

I’ll think about “like” next time. I promise.

What about you? Do you really like your comfort food or drink?