Lisa Online's Journal, 11 Apr 10

I smoked cigarettes off and on, but mostly ON for 20 years. When I quit smoking I did this ceremony where I lit a candle, that lit my last cigarette with the flame. I played nice instrumental music and wrote myself a letter as to why I needed to stop the 1 pack a day habit of smoking. Re-reading my letter, my determination and reasoning as to why I needed to quit has made me a successful non-smoker for over 15 years now. I made it real special the day. It was very difficult kicking the habit as I truly liked to smoke but looking back it seems as if I never smoked and that was all a dream. I let my cigarette habit go.

Today, I did a similar ceremony with the sugar habit in my life because I know this is what needs to change in order for me to feel better and to stop a strong addiction. Drinking my morning coffee and savoring one of my favorite sugars "Bob's Sweet Stripes" a soft mint candy" I am saying goodbye to SUGAR because I don't want to be controlled by a substance that causes me more harm then good. Those candies have been in my house since Christmas and I have ignored them up until this morning. PBS aired an interesting show last night about the "Brain" and addictive behavior. My sugar will come naturally from fruit and vegetables and like the man on that show said, "You never hear of anyone mindlessly eating too many bananas. I feel very weak right now as I know how very powerful this addiction has been for me as it started very young with my love of sugar babies. I am taking this day by day just like I did with smoking. I will someday look back and I will be much stronger and feel so much better. I will say, "I recognized a habit that wasn't serving me well and I am no longer a junkie abusing a substance that harms my body and mind". As to what I am going to do with the 5 boxes of discounted Just Born Peeps my husband brought home for me yesterday? Every Sunday that comes around I will ceremoniously flush a peep down the toilet and 30 peeps from now I should have a new born sugar free me. On the Sunday I leave from Monterey, I will take that weekly peep and some sugar babies and set them free in the ocean on a Hershey chocolate bar surf board. Now doesn't that sound like a fun ceremony!! TOWANDA!!!

---

1246 kcal

Fat: 17.73g | Prot: 45.79g | Carbs: 240.05g.   Breakfast: candy cane, activia. Lunch: orange, veggie burger, pasta. Dinner: pork and beans. Snacks/Other: Ritz Toasted Chips - Cheddar, craisins, strawberries. more...

2282 kcal

Exercise: Swimming (moderate) - 45 minutes, Resting - 15 hours and 15 minutes, Sleeping - 8 hours. more...