5 Months Without Chocolate

It has been 5 months since my last real taste of chocolate. Yes, you read that right. Say it with me. "5. Months. Without. Chocolate."

Why, you ask? Surely I must have been diagnosed with some rare allergy that would kill me or put me through terrible physical suffering and pain if I consume chocolate? Or, I must be one of those people who doesn't like chocolate? It could not possibly be that I willingly gave up chocolate by, like, choice? Noooooooooooooooooo!

Wait. It gets worse. Worse? How in the Hell can it possibly get worse than that? ((sigh)) It isn't only chocolate. It is all sweets in general. Chocolate is just what I miss the most. And ice cream (Ben & Jerry's Phish Food). And cheese cake. And cookies. And doughnuts... But I digress. It has been 5 months since any of this sinful food has touched my lips.

It started as a New Year's resolution. Now, if you knew me in real life, you would be laughing your ass off right now knowing that doesn't mean anything. Umm yeah, me? Not really a resolution person. However, 2005 was a year of many gains. Mostly on my scale. I stopped checking at twenty. I had to buy new pants (2 sizes bigger). So? I needed to do something and giving up the sweets is what I had to do in order to get healthy. Now before you get all "she should be nominated for sainthood" on me (cuz, you must be thinking that. I would) I haven't cut out all junk food or (not so) low fat foods. In fact, I do allow myself salty snacks. I know, I know, but in my chocoholic world it makes perfect sense. Chips, peanuts, popcorn... yeah, all that stuff is fine. Why? Because I can stop eating that kind of food. Don't get me wrong, I love potato chips (salt and vinnegar, please!), tortilla chips (pass the guacamole!), popcorn (extra butter for me), peanuts (forget about it). But after a prolonged period of consumption, I'm over it. I. Can. Stop.

Now, try that with a big bag of M&M's (no, not the wussy King size, I'm talking about the big bag you find in the bulk candy section... you know the kind you buy for parties (ha ha ha ha, parties!). Put that in front of me and I will eat to my heart's content. Until I'm sick even. Maybe (maybe not) I'll get tired of them and stop eating them, cuz, you know they're making me sick and all. But? An hour later I'm over it and back in the bag (or the second bag, you know how it is!) Halloween? OMG that holiday is a nightmare for me. All those varieties. And they're so small... it's just a mini chocolatey, sugary smorgesborg. And the older my kids get, the more of it they bring home!!! And I can't let them eat it, what with it being bad for them and all.

So, I'm not going to lie and tell you how easy it was and how after a few days I didn't even miss it. That's just bullshit. I mean I gave the stuff up, but my family and the rest of the world did not. There have been times. A lot of times where I've been all alone cleaning up the kitchen, and come face to face with an open bag of Oreos. Oh, the dilemma. To do the right thing? Or? Dip those beautiful little cookies in a glass of milk and... yummmm. Or there was the time hubby took the kids to 7-11 and they bought me a King size Hershey bar. That was back in February. I still have it. I keep it in my desk at work. I deemed it my "emergency" chocolate. My son doesn't believe that I can have it sitting there every day and not eat it. Every time he comes to my office he opens the drawer to see if it's still there.

I didn't really have a goal in mind or a certain amount of time. I certainly didn't give the stuff up forever. I just wanted to feel better. So, one week turned in to two, and then a month turned in to two months... and here I am at five whole months. I've lost some of the weight I gained last year. I've been running on the treadmill and recently I bought some new pants in my old size!

Before this the longest I ever went without sweets was 3 months. I have a birthday coming up in July. Well, not just any birthday. My 40th birthday. I think that will be a good day to indulge.
So, with 52 days (and counting) until the big day, I'm going to start planning my "Chocolate Birthday Menu."

Out of curiousity, what would you have if hadn't had chocolate (or your favorite dessert) in 7 months?