January 2, 2025
I am coming to the end of day 4 sugar-free! Yeah, congratulations to me. I know the day counting thing works because, in the past, when I have stopped counting is usually when I break. Anyway, I woke up this morning with a lot of energy and not very hungry, which I thought was a good sign. I only had my banana mid-morning and wasn’t craving much of anything. But in reflecting, I start most days that way and then my willpower eventually breaks down. And this is exactly what I am fighting right now!
I spent the afternoon painting the outside of the house- I swear this is the last home that I live in that I will paint- but I think I said that last time too. Anyway, nobody wanted dinner so I decided to do some salad, steak, and potatoes. This is a hearty meal by any standards so why am I craving dessert? I always crave dessert. I have the obsessive desire to cap any meal off with something sweet but this rings especially true after dinner- when the day is done and my willpower is gone.
I traditionally find myself rummaging the pantry for anything that’s sweet, but not fruit. My wife and stepdaughter usually have some semi-sweet chocolate chips on hand for baking. They use it to make a little snack of sorts with raisins, shredded coconut, nuts, and melted chocolate amongst other things. Yep, sorry to share- another thing I like to grab if I see nothing else- just a few chocolate chips will satisfy me and maybe no one will notice. Sadly, in moments of desperation, I have been know to have a spoonful of brown sugar.
Tonight, I have planned ahead and have some green apples (always green) and fresh peanut butter. The peanut butter I love the most has no sugar- It’s the kind you make yourself at the grocery store and put in a little plastic cup. This snack is a true saving grace for me. It is the perfect healthy snack, although tonight, it is seemingly unnecessary after the meal I just ate. We’ll see if my cravings can decrease over time, but today I just shoved more food in my face without sugar- not exactly the level of self-discipline I am seeking.
