When the Cheshire emerges...

I've had a couple of self-awakenings this week.

First, I feel really disgusting if I sleep for a 10-hour period (which I never used to be able to do, and will not let myself undertake again).

Second, I really do eat too much sugar.

Photo: art.ngfiles.com

Now, while I don't go obsessive for the round things like Homer Simpson, there are certain sweets I cannot ignore.

Chocolate is the main culprit. I've written before about my excitement for Asian confectionery and baking chocolate cakes, and it's something I believe hereditary from my paternal side.

I drink chai lattes and hot chocolates as an alternative to coffee when out with friends or in need of a hot drink. I put Milo on my Weet-Bix (NOT weird, it actually does taste amazing. Don't knock it until you try it.).

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A couple of weeks ago I thought about all of this, and then combined that with friends' views/experiences on a no-sugar diet.

While I could never go totally without sugar, I decided to look at what I was doing wrong.

First was the Milo. It's been off my cereal for nearly two weeks and it's staying off. I usually try and have fruit with my Weet-Bix when I can, and because blueberries are cheap right now they're great to chuck in - and a bit of fun too...

Is it weird that I have @DisneyAnimation's Hercules in my mind right now? #film #planetsaligned #toogood pic.twitter.com/ky4sbik7co
— Katina V (@Katiinkaa) October 2, 2013

Next is not consuming chocolate all day. Now, with this I often have high ebbs and flows in that I binge for a while and then go off completely for a bit. I've had too many film nights with friends lately to give myself that chance though, so I'm really pacing myself.

I didn't have any sugary/junk food from Sunday to Tuesday, even passing up chocolate mud cake at work (my FAVOURITE). On Wednesday, my day off, I succumbed to an iced chocolate. And you know what? It didn't taste as wonderful as I expected. Still good, but not entirely satisfying.

Then I went and won some chocolates while wearing a crazy hat that night at dinner, ahead of today's Hat Day (great initiative by the way, look it up). But I didn't eat them. They're being saved for a rainy day.

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The point of all this is really to say that I'm thinking a little bit more about the sugars I'm consuming and how it relates to my general energy levels and wellbeing. I believe if I do eat less chocolate and don't feel tempted to eat as many cakes at birthday parties then I'm on a winning run. And I think I've taken off OK.

Sugar will never leave me, but at least I can control the level of the high.

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You are whole. You are complete. You are total in every moment that you're alive.