Day One: A Delicious Dilemma

I have a problem. It's a problem that takes over my life. I hide. I sneak. I destroy evidence. I act a little bit like a raccoon in the garbage.

My name is Jen and I'm a chocoholic.

While this might not sound like a serious issue, I promise you it is. I can't just eat the recommended sliver of dark chocolate per day. I will stuff my face with all of the chocolate in sight until there is nothing left--and believe me I search high and low to make sure there is nothing left. Afterwards, I feel disgusted and a teensy bit ashamed. Oh chocolate. It is delicious and it is my dilemma.

For this reason (and possibly because my four-year-old told me the other day that my "belly is getting weally big"), I decided to start this "healthy detox" I've been talking about for months (after reading it in Glamour magazine.... It's ok to laugh. My husband does too). Nothing too crazy. Just a little week-long cleanse of sorts: no sugar, caffeine, alcohol, added salts or packaged foods. Doesn't sound too bad, right? But you don't understand my addiction!

Chocolate is not something I have once in awhile. Lately, it has become something I eat several times a day. I'll put chocolate soy milk in my coffee in the morning. I'll drink hot chocolate at work. I'll hit up the vending machine after lunch. When I get home, I'll either pick at whatever chocolate might be in the house or I'll take my daughter out and just happen to stumble upon some chocolate in our travels. I have no self control.

I decided that the best way to tackle my little "issue" is to force myself to avoid it. Once I get past the withdrawal and feelings of loss and desperation (oh the horrors! no chocolate covered strawberry dessert?!), I'll have an easier time controlling myself. But to get to that point, I need a) a distraction. Doing a detox provides me with just that. It's not just chocolate that I can't eat this week. There are other things too--like pretzels and sangria! And b) accountability. By broadcasting my little experiment here, I am much more likely to stick to it (mostly so I don't look like a big jerk).

So, I've decided to keep a little food diary here and to relate my trials and tribulations to whoever might be listening...

Day One:
Breakfast: smoothie (greek yogurt, frozen strawberries, light V8 Splash) and a hard-boiled egg
Lunch: salad (spinach, grilled chicken, almonds, red wine and vinegar dressing)
Snack: guacamole with veggies
Dinner: Greek chicken, salad with an oil and lemon dressing, hummus and veggies

Believe it or not, I didn't feel very deprived. I had my regular mid-afternoon super craving, but I soldiered through. Most of my afternoon was spent wrangling my daughter and nephew and preparing food (dinner, hummus, guac, cutting veggies for the rest of the week), so my mind wasn't occupied on finding and devouring chocolate. We'll see about tomorrow....

photo sources: box of chocolates, chocolate covered strawberry