296- The Beginning of the End

Happy Halloween!  Or as I used to call it, the beginning of the end.  This day officially for many people (and formerly ME) kicks off a 2 month bender of overeating that only a New Years Resolution can fix.  It starts with a few Fun Size Snickers bars- better buy 5 bags, we get A LOT of trick or treaters afterall!  Being slightly annoyed everytime some stupid kid in an ugly costume comes to the door, I cheaply hand one measly piece to each kid, and "surprisingly" find myself with 3 whole bags leftover! 

 

The huge bags of tiny candy pieces barely make it to the second week in November, which then of course its time to start testing out (and eating) Thanksgiving recipes.  Always searching for the most creative decadent dishes that pack the most refined carbs and sugar into each bite, "its only one day" I say to myself "I want it to be special!"  I begin dreaming up new ways to indulge, since turkey, stuffing, yams, mashed potatoes, rolls, various pies are not enough.  "Oh, maybe I should start a "Thanksgiving cinnamon roll" breakfast tradition this year!  Or, maybe instead of pumpkin and apple pies, I'll make a gigantic pumpkin-caramel swirl cheesecake with ginger snap crust!"  The leftovers make my "one special day" into four. 

 

December brings work holiday parties, friends holiday parties, red and green M&M's, christmas cookies, cold weather in which only comfort foods will suffice, and Christmas!  Christmas usually means family, and who doesn't want to eat 10,000 red foil wrapped Hershey kisses or a whole bowl of raw sugar cookie dough when family is around...looking at you with those eyes.  Ok, maybe that last sentence is specific to me only.  Yup, pretty sure it is.  Anyway, you get my point.  Halloween- January 1st = non-stop indulgence if you aren't paying attention.

 

Last year, even though I was CrossFitting and "eating Paleo" I fell somewhat victim to the 2 month trap.  Not in anyway like previous years, but I definitely am currently working off the mistakes I made, one year ago.  Literally and figuratively.  Honestly?  Now that I have detoxed from refined sugar/carbs and can see clearly, I know that my success depends entirely on me not eating one piece of Halloween candy.  I know I can do this because 1) I bought 3 bags of the most responsible candy I could find (Raisinets and Reeses PB cups) last night, bf deluxe immediately opened the Reeses while we were carving pumpkins and I didn't feel the slightest inkling to eat any, 2) my 365 day challenge and 3) because I know from the 2 month scenario I outlined above that there is no "one piece of Halloween candy."  I certainly do not want to be sitting here next year working off any mistakes.  Been there, done that.

 

I just got an offer today from a friend of mine that is going to help me through this once tough time.  She just learned that I have made it 70 days eating strict Paleo.  She is challenging me to 100 days, and completing the next 30 days with me (Nov. 1st to Dec 1st).  Then, we are going to celebrate with a Paleo dinner at the end of the 30 days!  She knows my ultimate goal is 365 days, but hey, if this makes 30 of them go by faster/easier, I'm all for it!  How cool is that?  Like I said before, I learned that I can't do this alone.  I'm taking all the help I can get.  She says I'm helping her as well, so its a win-win.  The chef bf deluxe has also thought up an entirely Paleo friendly Thanksgiving menu, which wasn't hard, at all.  The funniest thing ever might have been when he announced the menu to his parents (who look forward to Thanksgiving every year like no other) and the looks on their faces.  Disappointment doesn't quite capture it.  Whatev's, he's my family now beeotches! 

Tomorrow I'll have my November 1st update for you, and then the focus is getting to day 100!