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General Discussion => Throw Down the Gauntlet => Topic started by: kander on February 17, 2015, 11:48:12 AM

Title: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: kander on February 17, 2015, 11:48:12 AM
I want to try to stop eating chocolat for 40 deays. Who is with me?

I'l try to explain why I do this for 40 days.

In Holland (and maybe also in other countries, I don't know) we have the lent term from tomorrow until easter. This is 40 days (when you don't count the sundays!!) The days before easter are normally a moment I eat mountains of chocolat egs. But I want to break this habit and be more healty and less chubby.

I think it is doomed to fail, but with some help and knowing that other people join me, it might work....
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat
Post by: NICE! on February 17, 2015, 12:14:16 PM
I'm in, but for cussing. I'm also going to fast on Fridays. Not going to give up soda, but I will cut back.

Perhaps you should rename the thread so others can roll with whatever they're going to try to quit? Just an idea!
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat
Post by: DagobertDuck on February 17, 2015, 12:17:28 PM
I'm in, but for alcohol.

Exception: moderate drinking (max 3) at social occasions is allowed.

But 0 beers at home, and no binge drinking at bars or parties.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat
Post by: kander on February 17, 2015, 12:21:40 PM
I'm in, but for soda and cussing.

Perhaps you should rename the thread so others can roll with whatever they're going to try to quit? Just an idea!

Thanks! i've changed it. :)

I had to ask my husband what cussing means ;) Good luck with that, you should make a cussing jar and put money in it every time you do it. ;) Maybe that works!
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: samburger on February 17, 2015, 01:14:53 PM
I'm in, but for dairy. I love cheese, but I probably need to nix it for health reasons. There's no way to know for sure without cutting it out, so out it goes.

I have a bottle of kefir in the fridge that I'll finish, but after that, no more dairy.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat
Post by: 2Birds1Stone on February 17, 2015, 01:23:18 PM
I'm in, but for alcohol.

Exception: moderate drinking (max 3) at social occasions is allowed.

But 0 beers at home, and no binge drinking at bars or parties.

I am really tempted to try this. I am afraid to commit. Alcoholism?
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: CaribbeanMustachian on February 17, 2015, 02:05:18 PM
I'm in for meat, soda and alcohol including Fridays and Sundays.

Booked an all-inclusive vacation that starts this Friday - totally forgot about Lent.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: kander on February 17, 2015, 02:29:07 PM
I'm in for meat, soda and alcohol including Fridays and Sundays.

Booked an all-inclusive vacation that starts this Friday - totally forgot about Lent.

That must be difficult on vacation! Good luck!
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: savedough on February 17, 2015, 02:49:44 PM
Candy and mindless web surfing which includes this forum.   I'll check back on Easter Sunday.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: smilla on February 17, 2015, 03:23:17 PM
No personal internet use before 4pm on workdays, except banking.
No lite (mindless) reading. 

I got rid of home internet/cable in January so the above should more or less take care of all time-wasting in my life.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: renter4evah? on February 17, 2015, 03:32:02 PM
I'll give up alcohol for Lent.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: kander on February 17, 2015, 11:50:23 PM
I think internet is also a great idea for me. But I'm not going to be too strikt about it. I'll try to cut my time on internet in half.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: HappierAtHome on February 18, 2015, 12:14:30 AM
Anything with added sugar.

This will be a stretch for me - I have a low sugar diet but not a no-sugar diet.

I'll make an exception for the small amount of honey I put into my homemade nut and seed loaf, because it won't work without some source of sugar for the active ingredients.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: kander on February 18, 2015, 02:07:47 AM
I had a hard time this morning. Normally I eat bread with chocolat sprinkles for breakfast. Today I took peanutbutter instead. Bah!!
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: kathrynd on February 18, 2015, 02:12:19 AM
hmmm...nope :)

I'm pretty content with my life.

Good luck everyone !!
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: kpd905 on February 18, 2015, 06:49:08 AM
Normally I eat bread with chocolat sprinkles for breakfast.

(http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/471/864/7ac.jpg)
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: kander on February 18, 2015, 07:04:15 AM
I know, I know, I know ;)
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: gaja on February 18, 2015, 07:27:48 AM
I like the thought of lent, but I'm not sure I have the willpower to actually do it. Will talk to the kids; they might be able to keep the motivation up for all of us.

If we go through with it, it'll be:
-only planned meals (which usually means much more fish and veg, and less meat and processed stuff)
-no chocolate or candy
-no chips or other types of snacks

We don't drink much alcohol anyway, so that won't make much of a difference. Sure, could throw it in, to get an easy goal.

The big problem is that I'm going to Brussels next week. How to avoid chocolate there?
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: kander on February 18, 2015, 08:10:03 AM
only the thought about belgian chocolate almost made me wanna give up ;)

Are you going there for the weekend? Because I believe that the Lent period doesn't count on sundays, but I'm not sure about that.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: smilla on February 18, 2015, 04:16:27 PM
I had a hard time this morning. Normally I eat bread with chocolat sprinkles for breakfast. Today I took peanutbutter instead. Bah!!

Mmm!  Chocolate "hagel" right?  My sister brought me back a box this summer but I rarely seem to have bread in the house.  Must get a loaf.

Are you going there for the weekend? Because I believe that the Lent period doesn't count on sundays, but I'm not sure about that.

Yes, Sundays are considered mini-feast days during the Lenten season so you may take the day off if you like and not be cheating.  Sadly, I tend to do better if I don't get Sundays off - faulty willpower switch.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: HappierAtHome on February 18, 2015, 05:50:07 PM
Are you going there for the weekend? Because I believe that the Lent period doesn't count on sundays, but I'm not sure about that.

Yes, Sundays are considered mini-feast days during the Lenten season so you may take the day off if you like and not be cheating.  Sadly, I tend to do better if I don't get Sundays off - faulty willpower switch.

Me too - abstaining completely is easier than having a little bit of what I want.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: Little Nell on February 18, 2015, 07:38:07 PM
I'm in for candy. Did it last year and felt surprisingly good. Then let things slide....
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: kander on February 18, 2015, 11:24:11 PM
Are you going there for the weekend? Because I believe that the Lent period doesn't count on sundays, but I'm not sure about that.

Yes, Sundays are considered mini-feast days during the Lenten season so you may take the day off if you like and not be cheating.  Sadly, I tend to do better if I don't get Sundays off - faulty willpower switch.

Me too - abstaining completely is easier than having a little bit of what I want.

Same for me, but if I went on a holiday to Belgium (chocolat paradise of Europe) I think I would give myself one day off. :)

Today's breakfast was much easier. I had rolled oats :)

Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: kander on February 18, 2015, 11:29:02 PM
I had a hard time this morning. Normally I eat bread with chocolat sprinkles for breakfast. Today I took peanutbutter instead. Bah!!

Mmm!  Chocolate "hagel" right?  My sister brought me back a box this summer but I rarely seem to have bread in the house.  Must get a loaf.


Yes, we call it chocolate hagel or hagelslag ;) Hagel = hail and hagelslag means the sound that hail makes on the roof (I guess) ;)
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: 2Birds1Stone on February 19, 2015, 07:10:33 AM
36 hours without booze =D Many many to go hopefully.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: kander on February 19, 2015, 11:14:20 AM
Very nice ;)

It's been 48 hours since my last hot chocolate and I'm having a very hard time not eating anything with chocolate. Still 95% to go :P
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: frizzywhiskers on February 19, 2015, 07:36:24 PM
I'm in on this but I already have a headstart!  I am 11 days into a 30 day detox, but I might as well stretch it out to 40 days!  This is prescribed from my naturopath where we are getting to the bottom of some apparant food sensitivities I seem to have.  For this detox I am not having the following:

- coffee/tea - or any caffiene
- alcohol
- gluten
- dairy
- eggs
- sugar/any processed foods
- tomatoes, potatoes and peppers

Sadly the thing I miss most is coffee!  Wonderful coffee!  And, not gonna lie - beers on Friday night are sadly missed too!  The rest isn't so bad once the first few days are over with, I'm committed and in a groove!

Once my detox is over I will start adding foods back in!
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: kander on February 20, 2015, 12:13:39 AM
wow, that are a lot of foodrules, frizzywhiskers. Let's hope it works! Seems like a lot of work to make up a menu with so many things you can't eat!
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: HappierAtHome on February 20, 2015, 01:13:56 AM
Day three without any added sugar, still going strong.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: kander on February 20, 2015, 02:12:46 AM
I'm also still going strong in this challenge, but I feel like a loser. :( I'm thinking about chocolate all the time. I have a major headache. I'm not as alert as normal, yesterday my son dropped of a slide because I didn't see the railing stopped earlier than I thought. I'm extremely tired and don't feel capable of anything.

So I guess I am even more of a chocoholic than I thought. That feels bad. I hear myself talking and I hear the same reasons I should buy chocolat as I heared some drugs-addicts at work saying when I asked them why they bought drugs.... :(

Anyone else having troubles or am I the only one having a hard time??
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: 2Birds1Stone on February 20, 2015, 06:23:59 AM
36 hours without booze =D Many many to go hopefully.

60 Hours and going strong, here is where it gets tough on the weekends for me -_-
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: gaja on February 20, 2015, 09:19:37 AM
only the thought about belgian chocolate almost made me wanna give up ;)

Are you going there for the weekend? Because I believe that the Lent period doesn't count on sundays, but I'm not sure about that.
Nope, it is for work. But I've talked with the kids, and we are going to go for it. I'll just have to go back to Brussels after easter. The tickets were only $50.

The rules are:
It is not allowed to buy chocolate or candy from today to the friday before palm sunday.
No baking of cakes before palm sunday
If you find sweets in the house, you can eat them (we have a little bit of dark chocolate in one drawer, and some croissants in the freezer)
If you get offered something, you can eat it (birthdays, visiting neighbours, etc)
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: mrsggrowsveg on February 20, 2015, 10:10:30 AM
I am in.  I have given up sweets and Facebook.  I'm not going to stress about eating fruit or potential sugar in sauces, but I will avoid things like brownies, chocolate and cookies.  I never really post on Facebook, but have gotten in a bad habit of checking it far to frequently on my phone.  Day three and I have gone to the sight without thinking several times and immediately logged out.  I am feeling really good without both of these things.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: sheepstache on February 20, 2015, 10:17:19 AM
Apparently this Lent the Pope wants us to give up being uncharitable or something.
http://time.com/3714056/pope-francis-lent-2015-fasting/

Personally I try to give up dabbling in other people's religions for Lent (zing!).
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: kander on February 21, 2015, 04:47:22 AM
Apparently this Lent the Pope wants us to give up being uncharitable or something.
http://time.com/3714056/pope-francis-lent-2015-fasting/

Personally I try to give up dabbling in other people's religions for Lent (zing!).

I'm no catholic ;)
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: gaja on February 21, 2015, 05:08:52 AM
Apparently this Lent the Pope wants us to give up being uncharitable or something.
http://time.com/3714056/pope-francis-lent-2015-fasting/

Usually you save some money when you give up a luxuary item. A lot of religious people I know (muslims, tewahedo christians, catholic) donate the money they save during fasting periodes to charity.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: kander on February 24, 2015, 02:36:30 AM
How is everyone doing? I ate chocolate yesterday...
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: DagobertDuck on February 24, 2015, 02:40:13 AM
I had one beer last saturday...

(It was a beer I got for a book I gave away, does that make it less bad?)
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: 2Birds1Stone on February 24, 2015, 06:07:32 AM
I did great Wednesday - Saturday and had a few beers while over friends house for dinner/movies. Won't be drinking again till another social occasion presents itself next weekend.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: gaja on February 24, 2015, 02:24:58 PM
Day one in Brussels. No chocolate yet. Walked past aisles filled with the stuff; praniles, truffles, chocolate bars...

Two more days to go.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: CaribbeanMustachian on February 25, 2015, 02:00:03 PM
The first week went over well. Attended a wedding with an overzealous bartender. Don't think there was anything virgin about my fifth drink. Didn't swallow like Monica said, so no harm no foul. The "Sundays doesn't count" rule makes Mondays too hard.
Coke is the devil. Proving much harder than no steak or booze. As for eating only what's in the pantry. Made a spinach and canned salmon salad for dinner one night that got rave reviews.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: Philociraptor on February 25, 2015, 02:04:49 PM
No alcohol or candy, doing well so far. Plenty of temptation during Lunar New Year celebrations, but got through em no problem.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: gaja on February 25, 2015, 02:39:29 PM
Day two: Bought a croissant for breakfast, but no real chocolate.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: NICE! on February 26, 2015, 12:17:17 AM
Didn't swallow like Monica said, so no harm no foul.

Is this a universal policy?
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: CaribbeanMustachian on February 26, 2015, 07:37:24 AM
Didn't swallow like Monica said, so no harm no foul.

Is this a universal policy?

Depends on the situation. ;) Now don't go swishing soda. Cut back.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: CaribbeanMustachian on March 02, 2015, 12:29:37 PM
Has everyone gone silent? Survived the weekend?

Getting creative in the kitchen. Made yellow rice and red beans - didn't miss the meat. Have substituted alcohol with fresh made juices. Juiced pineapples and oranges. Added mint and chia.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: Philociraptor on March 02, 2015, 12:37:28 PM
Easy peasy, there were beers available where we had dinner last night, but neither of us had any. I suppose giving up alcohol has become too easy, going to have to step up my game next year.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: HappierAtHome on March 02, 2015, 07:31:57 PM
I'm out. Caved and caved hard. Ate a lot of sugar. Loved it.

Instead of focusing on absolutely no sugar ever, I'm just going to keep focusing on eating as healthfully as I can - which sometimes means a little sugar, but generally means very little processed foods at all.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: kander on March 03, 2015, 12:58:02 PM
I'm out. Caved and caved hard. Ate a lot of sugar. Loved it.

Instead of focusing on absolutely no sugar ever, I'm just going to keep focusing on eating as healthfully as I can - which sometimes means a little sugar, but generally means very little processed foods at all.

+1
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: CaribbeanMustachian on March 03, 2015, 01:49:07 PM
I'm out. Caved and caved hard. Ate a lot of sugar. Loved it.

Instead of focusing on absolutely no sugar ever, I'm just going to keep focusing on eating as healthfully as I can - which sometimes means a little sugar, but generally means very little processed foods at all.

+1

Really? What happened? Are you calling it quits too or starting over?
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: gaja on March 04, 2015, 01:05:47 AM
All is well. Got home from Belgium without a gram of chocolate, and survived the weekend. The girls are missing their candy, but not overly much.

Glad we didn't set the target to high. Avoiding all sugar sounds like a very big goal.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: kander on March 04, 2015, 03:30:44 AM
I'm out. Caved and caved hard. Ate a lot of sugar. Loved it.

Instead of focusing on absolutely no sugar ever, I'm just going to keep focusing on eating as healthfully as I can - which sometimes means a little sugar, but generally means very little processed foods at all.

+1

Really? What happened? Are you calling it quits too or starting over?

I went to a housekeeping fair and bought chocolate with the thought that I would keep it for when the 40 days were over. But the temptation was too big :(

But I've found a new challenge for myself: less internet :)
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: CaribbeanMustachian on March 11, 2015, 10:47:52 AM
Happy Day #22! If it only takes 21 days to form a habit then I'm a converted vegetarian! Not really, but enjoying the extra energy.

This week was harder than ever not to reach for a glass of wine. Vacation (all you can drink), bachelor/ bachelorette party (shots), baby shower (toast), birth of a child (cigar and a shot of whiskey).  Didn't realize how much booze was part of our social life.

Thankful for this post to keep me accountable.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: smilla on March 11, 2015, 10:03:12 PM
No personal internet use before 4pm on workdays, except banking.
No lite (mindless) reading. 

I got rid of home internet/cable in January so the above should more or less take care of all time-wasting in my life.

Things are going well, aside from one day when I forgot about no internet before 4pm for a couple hours.  I also feel like this cutting back on time/energy leeches is becoming habit and giving me extra energy. 

Kander just because you messed up a little doesn't mean you can't jump right back in :)  but less internet is also a great goal.
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: No-stache on April 23, 2015, 04:07:53 PM
I'm in for ice cream. I've not had any all year thus far.

I did have a cup of sherbert at employee appreciation day.

I also make my own mock "ice cream" with frozen bananas. I don't count that though. It's entirely made of bananas and doesn't have added sugar...unless I add chocolate chips. :)
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: duellingbanjos on April 23, 2015, 06:09:27 PM
I'll join. I'll abstain from peanut butter and sugar-free sweets. Peanut butter because I have absolutely no control over my consumption of that substance, and sugar-free sweets because I tend to stress-eat these and then suffer the gastro consequences..

Is it 40 days counting sundays or no?
Title: Re: 40 days without chocolat or your own addiction
Post by: CaribbeanMustachian on April 24, 2015, 07:27:11 AM
This challenge was done mainly for Lent, but it works during the rest of the year. Some of us abstained on Sundays. I didn't because the "stop and start" method doesn't work for me.

The end result for me, was cutting down on soda. No longer reach for a coke when other options are available. If I do, it's no more than 4 ounces and drinking more water.

Will join you both and abstain from buying coffee in the morning. The savings would be nominal.  I'm addicted to the social part of chatting with the regulars. Could use that time to check up on a friend or relative.

Good luck to you meredith1629 and duellingbanjos!