One Last Sinamin Roll

I loaded up on all the sugar substitutes I could find. I also loaded up on all my favorite teas, fruits, vegetables and anything else I love but don't usually spend money on. I let myself get all those things in hopes I won't be mad at myself when my sugar fast begins. I was surprised to find "grain sweetened" dark chocolate chips. I hope they are as delicious as they look. Also, some of the tea out there is so decadent! I will be adding a little cream (non-dairy, of course!) and honey to each cup of tea so I don't think I will feel too deprived.
A funny little psychology has taken hold of me. Because the count-down to New Year's Day has begun, I am forcing myself to eat little sugary items that I don't even necessarily want to eat! Today, shopping at Whole Foods, I picked up Jeff's favorite snack from the bakery section and then stood frozen in place as I considered my options. I could walk away. Or, I could choose to splurge because this will be the last time for a year that I don't have to carefully examine ingredients for sugar. I wasn't craving anything sugary--but I grabbed an enormous, sticky, caramelized cinnamon roll--because I could! I've already eaten it and it made me feel so heavy and gross. I hope I will remember this throughout the year when I feign cravings for bakery items like this. It's not worth it! I think that going without sugar will be pretty easy.

Day after Christmas 2007

It's so interesting how during the holidaze, everyone expects to eat more food in general, including sugary treats. How interesting that weight gain and unhealthy eating during this time is so easy for me to justify! I found myself dipping into the peanut brittle over and over again. In fact, I was hoping the conversation would last forever so I could continue my little binge. Mild guilt set in but it was too easy to keep those feelings at bay because everyone else was overindulging as well! In fact, I found myself relying on other people's overindulgence to justify mine! I've never eaten so much peanut brittle in my life. It was heavenly for the moment and perhaps I ate extra to make up for the fact that I will quitting sugar for an entire year.
I don't really know what to eat or not eat during these last few days leading up to the big start day! Do I overindulge myself because I "can"? Do I slowly wean myself away now? Will I be quitting cold turkey on January first? I haven't thought this through very well, so I might as well enjoy a couple more donuts and a few more cups of hot chocolate. My favorites. If I'm going to be bad, I'll be really bad. Extra whip, please.

Acid or Alkaline?

It has been a very interesting last couple of days. I have been reading a book that a friend gave me called "The Acid-Alkaline Diet", by Christopher Vasey, N.D. It came to my attention that I might be overly acidic, so I bought a roll of pH paper from New Seasons to test my pH. I was only a couple of points above battery acid! I have since been eating primarily alkaline foods and water with a pH of 7.0 or higher. By definition, H20 is supposed to be neutral-neither acidic or alkaline. I tested my tap water and to my dismay, it read acidic! No wonder my own body's pH was acidic! In only two days I have changed my body's pH from 5.2 (very acidic!) to around 7.3 (this is about right for the human body). In doing so, I have been drinking expensive Fiji bottled water and Evian bottled water. They both have a pH greater than 7.0. I have also been eating almond everything. They are very alkaline. I have almond butter on my whole-grain sprouted wheat toast, almond milk with my coffee, and a couple handfuls of delicious raw almonds throughout the day. I have been feeling a little nutty...

My Year Without-Your Year Without?

I titled my page vaguely, "My Year Without", in hope that my fervor for going without something for a year would translate into something else for someone else. I liked the idea of "a year without" because it could mean so many different things to different people. I hope that you will let me know if this idea has found meaning for you. I look forward to reading all comments with an open mind-so don't be shy, write! Thank you for taking the time to visit my page.

December 6, 2007

I'm sitting here savoring the flavor of a new kind of soy ice-cream--chocolate chip cookie dough! Finally! How will I be able to give up cookie dough for a year? I want a bath of it as a reward when this is all over. Hopefully I won't even want it after a year. It will be interesting to experiment with sugar-free recipes.