Guest blog by The_Wandering_Coyote When I was a kid we had the book it program at school. For those of you who are not sure what this is it is basically an incentive program setup to get kids to read.
Here is some more
information on Book It.
I loved pizza as a kid (who didn't right?) and did not mind reading. My parents were both avid readers and always read to me as a kid.
So my teacher would set some goals of what we needed to read and if we met that goal by the end of the month then you would get a coupon for a free personal pan pizza.
There was not a month that went by where I did not meet this goal. In fact at some point I get a medal because in all the years I was involved with book it I never missed a goal.
To me there was no better incentive than a delicious pan pizza all to myself. I would even remind my parents about my free coupon when it was on the fridge. I couldn't wait.
At a young age
Pizza Hut associated with Reward to me. More than that it became associated with warm feelings. I worked hard, achieved a goal, made my parents proud, and I get a pizza to enjoy.
As if all that wasn’t enough I grew up in the age of
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Can anybody tell me what pizza chain was in the TMNT video game on the
NES system?
That's right it was Pizza Hut.
Now we have tossed into the mix the coolness factor where the Turtles and Pizza Hut are linked. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles eat at Pizza Hut, so I must too. Anybody remember the original VHS copy of the first live action Turtles movie?
There was a pizza hut commercial before the movie played. It was the one where the kid was bored in left field but then the ball comes out to him, and he is freaked.
He closes his eyes and puts his glove in the air and catches the ball winning his team the game. They all cheer and congratulate him and then celebrate at Pizza Hut. I am 25, and have not seen that VHS in at least 15 years. I still remember it vividly though.
This idea of Pizza Hut as good and a reward followed me throughout my life. When I was in high school my parents would occasionally go out of town, which meant I was stuck at home and could not have anyone over. I did once and got busted because the neighbors are spies.
Anyways what I would do instead is rent movies, have soda, and you guessed it, order Pizza Hut. Again this was a way of comforting myself and making a bad situation good. I got a whole pizza to myself and watched horror movies no one else would like.
When I was in college, my roommate and I ordered Pizza Hut to have fun. That's right we didn't have much money, so Pizza Hut would make us salivate like coyotes who had not eaten in days. It's insane, I know but when you can't afford much, Pizza Hut can be a real treat.
My whole life this chain has been a reward and something to enjoy but it should not continue this way.
So how do you break this chain? How do you convince yourself you do not want something that you really do want even though you are fully aware that it is terrible for you?
healthkicker.com
Comments (36)
sounds like conditioning...condition yourself to eat something healthier to celebrate. or just keep eating pizza and make sure you exercise it off. or you could just stop achieving so you no longer have to worry about unhealthy pizza, haha
try rewarding yourself with something non-food, like a trip somewhere or a new cd/book/movie/pair of shoes... rewarding with food, even healthy food, is a bad idea.
have good pizza. it will stop these weird pizza hut cravings
I've never eaten Pizza Hut. I live in New York...I eat real pizza.
Not to sound like a bitch or anything haha.
@Pcgecko85@xanga - Agreed!
Ha! We used to do book it at school, and I always got me one of those personal pan pizzas. It was great, and I used to love pizza hut too. Then I started watching what I ate, and discoverd that there are dozens of place that serve better pizza in town.
pizza hut is GREAT. eat portions with not toooo many calories and exercise :) those calories can be burned off.
Ohmygosh! I did Book it - it was SO much fun because I've always been a reader. I rmember getting a pizza hut keychain and had severe depression (lol) as an eight year old because someone stole it. However, I don't like pizza hut's pizza that much, here where I live there are alot more independent chains that are tastier and ate more often.
i love pizza hut. if u want it bad enough, just eat less of what u normally consume
Pizza hut is pretty much delicious, and I could relate to EVERY part of your post. I too did Book-it, I still love the personal pan pizzas, and I remember the commercial. I'm a poor college student, and the idea of pizza hut pizza is making me salivate like a coyote right now.
omgooodness i love pizza hut. i just eat a slice and end it when im forced to eat it for dinner cos my fam ordered in
I LOVED Book-It! That program is one of my favorite memories during my childhood!
I can't eat Pizza Hut these days - too greasy and let's not even discuss the heartburn the pizza creates.
Besides, I'm from Buffalo. We have amazing pizza here, along with wings. I order from the local places, not a nationwide chain.
Heh, I'm actually a delivery driver for Pizza Hut, and kids come in with those coupons all the time. They get really excited and take their time choosing their topping. It's pretty cute.
yes!
I got pizzas from that program too!
those were the good old days...
Haha great post! I might be too young to know what you're talking about but I sure love Pizza Hut. In all it's "terribleness" it's still my favorite :)
I LOVED the Book-It program! Pizza Hut is still my favorite pizza place. But knowing the nutrition facts of a supreme pizza, I keep away most times... I have it once every few months, if that. Sad, but there are so many other delicious foods out there I'm not that broken up about it LOL.
I loved the Book It program! That was the only time I could ever get my parents to bring me there!
Aw I remember book it! Book it was so much fun!
I've always loved Pizza Hut too because when I was younger I went through this phase where I couldn't stand pizza (I was a really picky eater as a kid and I think the melty cheese freaked me out) and Pizza Hut's taco pizza was the only one I would eat. I love taco pizza!
For many of the same reasons, I LOVE PIZZA HUT PIZZA. The downside for me it's the health of the food (or lack thereof) so much as the evils of the company, and their poor customer service and choice of political candidates to support, and over-all suckitude of their website or automated ordering system.
Why do you hate me Pizza Hut? I love you!
associate warm feelings with something else. maybe not pizza. maybe not food or maybe a different type of food, healthier if that's the issue. reward yourself in other ways. now that you're an adult you have a wider range of choices.
Moderation is the key. You have to only let yourself have it as a reward when you've really earned it.
Maybe even keep track and make sure you only have it like once every month or every two months or something, I'm not sure how often you eat it!
not alot of kids like to read and this sure encouraged me!
that was the only way to get pizza back then.
and recently my niece got a coupon for it too!
but i no longer like pizza huts pizza anymore,
their too greasy and salty!!!
Thanks everyone! Great advice that I will be definitely trying out. When I was in high school and College I could at times eat an entire medium pizza by myself. I only weighed in at 180 then though and I am 6 feet tall. Then I found I had a thyroid disease and not only cannot eat that much anymore but watch what I eat better. I am glad that so many enjoyed this post and could provide such great advice. Thanks!
buh! My school had the book thing too. I never did it though because I hated reading as a kid, but if I told that to someone now they wouldn't believe me. Now, why would you want to give up something that's important in your life? I know it's pizza hut and it doesn't seem that important, but it's the little things that matter right? Anyway my solution is.. eat it in moderation, not like once a week or even once a month.. maybe just once in a while. Or as a reward in meeting a health goal [if the whole cutting pizza hut out of your life issue is about health], just get yourself a pan pizza fer meeting it, sure it has a lot of calories, but not as much as having an entire medium pizza...
then again I'm no good with this health stuff, I just had a peice of cake for breakfast this morning. Anyway that's just my advice. Best of luck in figuring it out.
I want pizza hut now!