Carb Cuttin

It's time. This time, for real. It's time to stop this suicide by food mission and get a grip. My doctor asked me to give up sugar. Not just cookies and fudge - no - all forms of sugar. Bread, pasta, grains - you name it. Don't remember how long before it was not enough to keep me from that afternoon Pepsi, and before long, it was an all-out calorie fest.

7 months pass and she is sending me emails and suggesting we catch up. Uh. Yeah - that whole me-not-eating-sugar thing? Didn't work out. Sorry. But then she told me that she was addicted to sugar, too, and she just happened to be giving up carbs that very day.

Fine. I will try again - this time we'll do it. I really will roast vegetables and eat protein for breakfast and not eat anything with sugar. I can do this. I am strong. Send me recipes and I'll get to the grocery store and stock up on the right things and throw out all my lovely carbs. 2 weeks later and we meet again - she says I am doing better than she is! I wonder if that's true or if I am embellishing my story.

Haven't gone a day without a few pieces of fruit. Lesson one: never buy a huge watermelon which you will then have to cut up on a hot day for your loved ones while totally avoiding.. hah. NOT going to happen. A handful of grapes, blueberries - cleaned a whole 2 pints and only ate a dozen or so, some goldfish crackers, a half slice of honey wheat bread.. mmmm. Never went a day without "messing up" and still my sugar intake was cut down 80 or 90%.

Now, we are in it for the long haul. Sharing recipes, strategies, tricks, tips, whatever gets you through the day. She wanted me to write down my experiences, so I can look back. "You will forget" she says, "so write it down now, so that you can look back."

Ok, here goes. Haven't been under 195 lbs since I was 20, and I was in shape in college - at least as much as ever. Was at 211 prior to starting, then 208, then 211 again (week 1) and then 208 (week 2). Not looking for drastic change, here, just simple long-term patterns that create a major shift in quality of life - I hope.