I recently spent two days working as a movie extra, something I’ve wanted to try as part of my new effort to become an actor as a hobby and future possible career. As one of 650 people on the set those two days, I had no control over what I would eat and the planners of the event certainly were not thinking about my restricted diet amidst the mountain of other things they needed to consider.

So I went off my diet, first reluctantly and then hungrily as the two 14-hour days drained me physically. The first morning, I stuck with fresh fruit for breakfast but lunch was a roast beef sandwich, something I’m not supposed to eat. I took off the cheese to save some salt and fat and put all the meat in half a sandwich so I would eat less bread. I also only munched a few salt-laden potato chips instead of a whole bag. But I gave in to the chocolate chip cookie for dessert and even sought out a second one.

Day two, I started with a Boston cream doughnut which was fabulous. I used to eat those weekly, but have largely stayed away from them for the past year.

My lunch sandwich that day was something called a Big Tony, an Italian themed meal with mortadella, which is laden with fat, and high-salt ham gabagol which is an Italian spiced ham variety I grew up with. Again I only ate half the bread and one cookie this time.