35 Down, 5 To Go

In less than one week, Lent will come to a (much-anticipated close), which, among other things, roughly translates into: if I'm so inclined, my sugar/alcohol intake may officially resume again. Cause for celebration, right?

But if I'm being honest, I must admit I'm a bit shocked at how easily I've adjusted to such a major dietary change in such a short time span. The human body is fascinating, with its ability to adapt, adjust, start fresh, and keep going. I was reflecting back on what the last 30+ days have been like, and I was struck by what a positive experience this sugar/alcohol fast has actually been. I can't even believe I'm admitting this to the public blogging world, but it really hasn't been that awful. Don't get me wrong, of course I had some moments of panic, doubt, grumpiness & weakness, and I'm sure every member of my family would willingly attest to that. But overall, I think I've handled this okay. And truth be told, I've sort of learned how to function without all that sugar. On the couple of rare occasions I've allowed myself to have sweets (just a bite, for taste), it was somewhat disappointing because it was large jolts of OVER THE TOP sweetness. Sickening sweet. Like, Fruit Loops sweet. Hostess Cupcakes sweet. All this time, I've been giving my taste buds the equivalence of a cardiac arrest because I simply didn't think I could go without. Shame on me! I've got more strength and will-power than I've ever given myself credit for. I mean, good gracious, if I somehow found the strength to push out two babies, I can certainly find the strength to JUST SAY NO to cake/ice cream/cookies/chocolate/pastries!

Alcohol, however, is a totally different beast. NOTHING ELSE can give me that relaxing wind-down feeling like a glass of wine.
Nothing.
I mean, why else do you think Jesus drank wine at weddings? Jesus is the smartest.

Now, what's a little sacrifice without a little reflection? So here is the Reflection Section of my blog, where I thought it appropriate to share some things I've learned through this experience. First, let me introduce  you to 3 of my new best friends:

• Sparkling water has changed my life. Something about those little bubbles make me feel like I've just kicked the "fancy" level up a notch. If I may quote Emeril Lagasse, BAM! Regular water becomes fancy water! And when it's infused with the essence of lime or orange, it's extra delightful. DOUBLE BAM! Drinking it out of a wine glass has almost brainwashed me into thinking I've got something pretty snazzy in my glass. Extra hidden bonus: the carbonation from the sparkling water usually makes my tummy feel full, so when I drink it throughout the day, I tend to feel less hungry/snacky. Awesome! I will definitely continue this trend. (Disclaimer: if the water has become flat and lost its fizz, I refuse to drink it. Who wants sparkling water without the sparkle? Pointless)
• Popcorn saved me in my darkest I-want-sugar-now moments. A while ago, we stopped buying those super convenient microwave bags of popcorn and opted for the big giant tub of kernels you can get at Costco (so much cheaper, so much healthier and SO MUCH TASTIER!) At night when I would crave a sweet treat, I would often make a small batch of popcorn on the stove, and season it with salt & garlic powder (and on rare occasions when I must have been PMSing, cayenne powder was thrown into the mix). I got to a point where I wasn't even adding a smidgen of butter! This is huge, as I am a passionate lover of salted butter (just ask Alicia). But once I went without, I realized I just didn't need it. And--stop the press-- the popcorn still tasted fantastic.
• LARABARS! Do y'all know about these? You can read all about 'em here, but in short, they are GLUTEN FREE * DAIRY FREE * SOY FREE * NON-GMO * VEGAN * KOSHER delicious, tasty bars. Coconut cream pie is hands-down my favorite, and I will drive across the county just to stock up. So, if anyone out there from Larabar-land is reading this, SEND ME FREE BARS! Please! I'll eat them and blog about them and come up with new flavor ideas and sing your praises until the end of time! This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

So as it stands, the plan is to continue with a sugar-free/"light" alcohol diet during the week, with sweets/plural glasses of wine allowed on the weekend. All within reasonable moderation, obviously. 

Except, of course, when Summertime heat arrives and homemade ice cream season begins. All bets are off then, and rules of moderation will no longer apply. Obviously.