Confessions of a Chocoholic....

I have been overly consumed by diet and exercise pretty much since puberty! Ever since I hit adolescence my weight has been on and off, and it's always been a difference of a few pounds here and there. But of course, at that age I could starve myself senseless and be fine. And somehow, I must've convinced myself that chocolate contained the bubonic plaque or something because I managed to avoid it for about 4 years!!! As a matter of fact, it wasn't until college that I rediscovered chocolate doughnuts displayed so superbly amidst the sewer fog and traffic on the street corners of NYC vendors. Sure I felt guilty after 4+ years of avoiding it, but I didn't gain weight! I was 19 for God sake!

But for the last 2+ years my weight's mostly ON! I really thought hard as to why I had gained the weight I did and when?? It sneaked up on me so fast, and by the time I knew it the button and zipper on my jeans wouldn't reach and I was over 20/22 lbs. I know to some that may not be a lot of weight but for my 5'3 frame, it really is!

I realized that in the past 2 and half years all I've done is SIT! I sit 37 hrs a week at work, I sit 2 hours to and from work during my commute, and I sit 6 hrs a week in class...therefore I've put on weight. And I exercise if and when I get the chance and between papers due, my daughters school work (she's in kindergarten and yes they have work) and dance classes, I try and squeeze everything in!

I discovered that I love cardio kickboxing, but my schedule doesn't allow it (not now at least) and I even bought a treadmill from my friend and neighbor, and use it maybe 2x a week, but compared to how often I sit, it's really not much! I would have to be on the damn thing 3 hrs each of those 2 days in order to make up for all the time I'm plopped on my a$$! And of course, I love food, therefore I EAT!

The good news is, after much trial and error of diets, like "weightwatchers" and the "all protein diet", I've discovered the "south beach" diet. Thanks to my good friend Violet who told me about it, I started the first phase and in two weeks lost about 7 pounds. But as usual my busy schedule got the best of me and I am near where I was, and although I didn't put it all back on, I think I have to restart the first phase of the diet, which really doesn't feel like a diet at all! I didn't feel deprived so that's gotta be good news!

But in all honesty, the south beach diet was the only diet I didn't feel hungry while on, and my biggest problem/challenge is chocolate. I had some serious withdrawal in the first week, but the first two weeks did help get rid of some of the addiction but I still need HELP for my chocolate addiction! It's just too darn good!!!