Lenten Fast 2011

courtesy of my blog: http://cjferrara.blogspot.com

I'm sure you're all asking yourselves, "I wonder what Carl did for Lent this year?" As my faithful readers may remember... Last year I tried giving up Pepsi, and in the process, High Fructose Corn Syrup. This year, I had a new dietary "issue," my triglycerides, and a blood test that showed that I may be in danger of being pre-diabetic. So, while I gave up Pepsi again, I also cut out "Sugar."

Now, by "sugar," I mean desserts. No Chocolate, No cake, No Donuts, Cookies, sweets. I allow myself the sugar in my coffee, and any mealtime dish involving sugar, such as barbecue ribs and wings. Last year, it got easier each week, and by Holy week, I no longer craved soda. The Sugar-free diet is harder. It's coming up on Palm Sunday now, and God, I want some chocolate! Fortunately, this fast ends on the year's biggest candy Holiday; with the possible exception of Halloween.

Now, I believe firmly that anything marked "diet" is inherently bad for you. Sugar is natural, and I've come to believe that Corn Syrup is as well. Diet Sodas contain Aspartame, or Splenda, which is created in a lab. Sugar is created by God. I have been trying to follow a strict diet of eating FOOD. In other words, don't get the Kraft Mac and Cheese; get some Cheese and a Bechamel sauce, and put it over pasta.

When I gave up sugar, I actually started by going cold turkey. I even tried Splenda and even Truvia in my coffee. YECCCHH. It tasted to me like something artificial. Like chewing on tin foil but without the exhilarating electrical charge. I finally couldn't stand anymore, and felt that God would forgive me switching back to sugar in coffee. (I hope.)

I also noticed that I crave sugar at night. That craving for carbs is typically satiated by a little goodie for dessert. But, on this diet, I need to satiate my craving by having a bread or bagel or some other non-sweet snack. I've been favoring cheese and crackers or a peanut butter sandwich. It's rarely enough, though, and I still have these food cravings afterwards, because the complex carbs need time to break down before I get that sugar-rush. I think that if I had a piece of chocolate, I'd be immediately satisfied, and not "carbing up" during snack time. It's my theory, and it works for me. The biggest thing about these diet experiments is that it helps me identify my own eating habits.

So, I'm very much looking forward to Easter. I plan to pick up a 6-pack of Starbucks Cake Pops, which were so cruelly launched by Starbucks on Ash Wednesday. And then possibly gorge myself on chocolate and peeps all day. Then I'll meditate on positive changes in my full-time diet.