When I worked in a bakery for three years, the most common (and annoying) question people asked was "Oh my! How do you stay so slim working here with that smell? If I worked here I'd weigh two hundred pounds!" As much as we wanted to answer, "Well, ma'am, it's because we all have terrible eating disorders" the real answer was much more boring. Your nose got so used to it that after about the first twenty minutes you really didn't smell anything anymore. That and inhaling that much butter sometimes gives you the same gross "I ate too much chocolate" feeling you get after a junk binge that it kind of makes you just want to eat carrot sticks.
Through the last month of trying to eat healthy, it's always a struggle when I pass by a Starbucks, or waffle place, or the pastry shop right by the subway entrance when I go to work. It smells so good sometimes and I'm always tempted to just treat myself and indulge. That leads to my brain and tastebuds arguing furiously, which is never good. Usually my brain grumpily wins by reminding myself that I'd feel gross after I finished eating it.
Which has lead me to an amazing new mentality- appreciating smells, indulging myself in them fully, but not having to eat them or make myself feel bad. Now when I pass by the bakery I stop and have a nice inhale. I think, "Mmm...what a delightful smell. I'm glad I get the chance to enjoy the smell." Then I don't connect enjoying the smell with feeling obligated to eat it or be miserable.
I know, it seems like such a stupid and obvious conclusion, but it's really helpful. I don't think people appreciate smells on their own the same way most animals do, because so much of what we taste is because of what we smell. But taking the time to separate them in my head has really helped keep me happy and sane.
If only all those regular customers had known the same tricks ;)
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