Day One.

And so it begins...

I woke up this morning and stashed away my candy collection. Yes, collection. Now hidden away in various cabinets and drawers is a vast array of sugary substances ranging from a box of Cocoa Pebbles to a giant bag of Halloween candy. My daily diet consists of at least one serving of dark chocolate [preferably Giradelli's Dark Chocolate Raspberry Squares] and an additional dessert [usually a large portion of a medium-sized bag of M&M's that I always keep in supply].

I blame my mother. She gave me my first taste of chocolate at an age that most parents are trying to get their children to eat mashed peas. Growing up, family meals consisted of putting sugar in just about everything: tuna salad, deviled eggs, pasta, ketchup...EVERYTHING. Apparently, the American diet did not consist of enough teeth rotting, chemically altered substances already, my mother needed more. [Note: the last item on the list, ketchup, already contains the sweeter-than-sugar ingredient corn syrup, as does the miracle whip and sweet relish included in my mother's signature tuna salad. Sweet enough for you?]

Needless to say, sugar is a daily part of my life. I've been known to eat dessert after every meal and bake entire batches of brownies for myself only to polish them off in less than 48 hours. Thankfully, due to good genetics and a high metabolism, this sugar obsession has never translated into a weight problem, quite the opposite. At 5'2" and around 100lbs, I sometimes think the overindulgence in sweets is an effort to prove to those around me that I don't in fact starve myself. Through out the years I've heard many comments of 'where do you put it all?' and 'that will catch up to you later,' but I'd much rather have that than quiet whispers wondering about my physical well being.

Ironically, I really am a pretty healthy eater [aside from the sugar addiction]. A semi-vegetarian since the age of 11, I recently cut chicken out of my diet as well. While these diet changes were for moral and ethical reasons, it does bring me pride to read that it also could reduce my risk for cancer and/or heart disease. I am constantly fascinated with the effects certain foods have on our bodies. A few years ago after reading that the hormones in milk can sometimes lead to acne, I stopped guzzling it by the gallon and the breakouts lessened.

Sugar, however, will be a whole new battlefield.

According to a Princeton study of lab rats, sugar actually is slightly addictive and, just like any drug, can cause withdrawal symptoms. Effects of halting sugar intake after a pattern of binging include shaking and changes in brain chemistry. A friend's boyfriend who stopped consuming sugar momentarily also experienced headaches and a general lack of well being. Generally, withdrawal symptoms should only last a month tops...exactly how long I've given myself for this experiment.

So far, nothing...just a slight twitch to bust out the Halloween bag and binge on Twix bars, but that'll pass, right?