Giving up sugary sweets and soda last week has not only given me more money in my pocket (no more last minute trips to the store to pick something up to snack on) but has also improved my health. I haven't had those sugar highs that result in crashing in the late afternoon. And yesterday I realized that I lost 3.25 lbs. in one week! Ever since weaning Joe last month I have gained weight steadily, mainly because I was not taking into account that I needed to cut the additional calories that I had gotten used to while pregnant and nursing. It didn't help that every time I went to the store I would throw a package of cookies or some type of candy into the cart. Whether it was a trip to the grocery store, Walmart, Dollar General, or the gas station...those things would end up being bought by me. That is at least three times a week then, if not more. Giving that up for Lent has made me aware of all the junk I was eating.
It has been difficult, but not as bad as I thought it would be. Yesterday when I had to make a stop at Dollar General they had a cart of Oreos marked down to $1.25 a package. I gravitated toward that cart without thinking and reached into it the same time that little Joe reached into it (his favorite cookies are Oreos!). Then I remembered I gave them up and told Joe that we had to go find the dryer sheets that we were looking for; he didn't put up a fuss and I wasn't missing them when I came home and had a container or lemon yogurt and an apple for a snack.
It's been a bit more difficult for the kids, and I have let them have pop and popsicles while they have been sick. After Jacob's speech therapy his teacher gives him and the other two kids a small treat and I allow them that. They are, after all, a bit young to truly understand sacrificing something during the Lenten season. I haven't been picking them up anything extra at the grocery store and they haven't been complaining though, so their sugary eating habits have been changing as well.
I must admit, it was just last year when I heard that Sunday was exempt from the Lenten sacrifice. It was the first year that I realized I could partake in what I had given up during Sundays. So this past Sunday when hubby was at Walmart picking up some cat litter I asked him to bring a little something home. That little something ended up being gummy worms. I used to love gummy worms and grabbed at the bag...but didn't even eat a handful without realizing that they weren't that great anyway and that I wasn't missing much.
I hope that this is just the beginning of our change in our eating habits!
Congrats on the 3 lbs, that's great. I seriously have this issue with sweets too, before the move I was working, waiting tables, so constantly running, and in 6 months I lost 22 lbs. Sitting around the house worrying about money and being un-used to the cold so not leaving unless I have too, has made at least 10 of that come back (I stopped weighing myself, too depressing). And I had hoped that the super broke-ness we are dealing with would help curb the need for sugar, but I've just been making my own, we had cinnamon rolls last night and this morning. Oh, dear. (sorry for the pity party, and for my making up my own words... ;)
ReplyDeleteKathleen...isn't the cold the worst? When it is so cold out I feel hungry constantly, as though my body is telling me to pack on a layer of blubber to keep myself warm! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure this spring will give us all the motivation to get out of the house and start moving around!