My bag 'o sugar.
Who: Aislyn Greene, assistant editor
I’m giving up: All sugar (including honey and syrup), booze, and dairy
I chose this because: I’m a sugar fiend. And it needs to stop! And, in general, I feel better if don’t drink alcohol or eat dairy so I figured, why not just go for broke this week?
My biggest challenge: 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. As sad as it sounds, sometimes my post-meal desserts (yes, I usually have a little dessert after lunch and dinner) are what I look forward to most during the day. I’m not really sure how to fill that void, but have signed up for a dance class and bummed a friend’s Netflix password. Distraction is key, right?
My biggest temptation to cheat: Being awake between the hours of noon and 9 p.m. Seriously, working at Sunset is a diet trap. There’s usually something incredible cooking away in the test kitchen, my drawer is filled with sweet snacks, and the grocery across the street has a fantastic selection of chocolate.
Coping mechanisms: Two dates with peanut butter — Mother Nature’s candy bar! Licorice tea. Drooling over my favorite pastry books as I plan what to bake this Saturday. Avoiding the test kitchen.
Today I feel: Underprepared, but mildly confident.
I didn’t prep as much as I’d planned for this week. After a busy weekend, I forced myself to make this amazing curry last night at 9 p.m., then toasted my pile of fruits and veggies with a final glass of wine and some chocolate and called it a night.
Going into the week half-prepared made this morning feel a little haphazard. As my coffee percolated (it’s the one vice I refuse to give up, though I’m skipping the cream), I pulled all the chocolate, sugar, honey, etc. that I usually turn to during the week and dumped it in a bag (my housemate’s hiding it for the week — there’s no way I’m actually throwing Theo and Valrhona chocolate away!). But then, I started to prep my breakfast and realized my usual granola is out — too much sugar. So I cheated with yogurt with dates and cashews. Then at work, I almost splashed cream into my coffee, before remembering it’s off my list. Ten minutes later, I started to text a friend about meeting up for cocktails this week before I realized they’ll have to be club sodas instead.
It’s the little habits like those, I think, that will be toughest to break. It’s easy to feel moderately virtuous right now on a Monday morning, after a weekend of indulgences. But come 3 p.m., when I usually have a bite (or three) or chocolate, or dinnertime when I really crave a glass of wine…those will be the rough moments. I like to think knowing my co-workers are in the same boat will provide some solace and help me steel myself against temptation. We’ll see.
Will I cave? Follow me on Twitter (@aislyngreene) and Instagram (@aislynj) to find out!
