January 6th, 2025
I headed back to work today after a nice long break. I feel rested and refreshed and relatively caught up. However, my sugar-free challenge is about to be put to the real test. First, I am fortunate enough that my office is located above Whole Foods. Yes, Whole Foods has offices above it- well, at least, this Whole Foods. And, yes, it is a wonderful perk and privilege if one has the self-control and discipline I am clearly lacking. Initially, I fell into the trap of just running downstairs to get a slice of pizza (or two) for lunch with a bag of chips and, for a while, washed it down with my beloved Virgil’s Root Beer. And whenever I need a little stretch break, it is all too easy to run downstairs and get the delicious $2.49 fresh from the bakery sea salt caramel and toffee chunk cookie….There goes my mouth again, salivating at the thought of it. But that’s not even the biggest challenge!
I sit toward the back office in the last row of cubicles with the “staff kitchen area” so to speak located behind me. Between myself and the back kitchen wall is a nice long brown table which sometimes is used for laying out and assembling stacks of packets fresh off of the copy machine. However, it is mostly just a place for food. Leftovers from a breakfast meeting- some nice scones and muffins- Add them to the table. Extra leftovers from a retreat- Stack those chips and salsa and cookies on the table. Made a nice cake last night that you just wanted to taste but not actually eat it- Lay it on the table to share with your fellow employees. Feeling generous and picking up some nice warm glazed donuts on the way to work- Put them on the table. And there I sit, able to swivel my chair and grab a little extra avoiding the shame of having to pass by everyone in this office. Finally, let’s not forget about the holiday season that just transpired either. Every type of sugary dessert and treat imaginable. We even held a bake-off this year where every department had to make and bring their favorite dessert… Gorgeous key lime pie, carrot cake, pecan pie, homemade cupcakes- All on the table right behind me and, yes, I fully indulged in it all.
Today, as well as being the first day back, marked the kick-off of Mardi Gras season in New Orleans- which also means King Cakes. People here are quite passionate about their King Cakes and everybody has a favorite. There’s cream cheese-filled (my personal favorite), apple-filled, praline, and cinnamon to name a few, and the bakery that produces it is serious business to the New Orleanian. Each King Cake has a little plastic baby stuffed inside it. (Read more about the tradition here.) Whoever gets the slice with the baby has to buy the King Cake for the following week, which means there will be eight weeks of King Cakes right behind me while I try to abstain from all sugar! And likely whenever I go to a school for a meeting- there will be more King Cake. The good news is that I don’t love them as much as I crave a good cookie- but without a good strategy, I know eventually I will break my sugar fast and grab a slice. That’s what did me in last year.
Around 3:30, my sweet tooth decided to test me and I needed to take a stretch break. Rather than continue to salivate at what was behind me, I walked downstairs and headed straight for the fruit, found a nice looking and crisp Gala apple causing me to leave Whole Foods $1.18 poorer, which is the least amount I have ever spent there. I sort of thought they should just give me the apple for free. “Sir, are you just getting one apple instead of a King Cake- no need to check out for that! Our treat.” I am pretty sure Jeff Bezos can afford it and we might have a healthier America- or at least a healthier me.
