it gets easier

People have been asking about how the no sugar thing is going, so I'm posting an update. The cravings are getting less difficult or intense or whatever. It really helps that I don't have any junk food in the house. I will admit to a few substitutes, however. 

First, a preface. I know soda, in general, is not good for you. However, I've been drinking Fresca (the cherry flavor is super yummy) and diet root beer. it tastes very much like the real thing, which, I am told, is because root beer is made with spices. I'm aware that there are drawbacks to both choices. However, I also think that total deprivation would send me over the edge. And quite frankly, no one can convince me that diet soda is just as bad as Coke. So please refrain from telling me that there are detriments to drinking it. I'm aware.

Another choice, I'm eating yogurt...the sugar free kind. I realize sugar substitutes are not great. However, yogurt has many many benefits, and it helps satisfy the cravings. Last, today I bought organic Odwalla and Kashi bars. They contain sugar, however, the sources are all organic. And the sugar count is pretty low, around 15 grams or less. I feel like it is a bit of a stretch, but I actually think they might be better choices than the yogurt and soda, especially the soda, because they are made from whole grains, contain flaxseed, etc. 

I set the goal to go sugar free for a month. I've been doing it for almost three weeks. I do see a difference in my energy level. I'm not as tired. It's funny. Last semester I was off of coke when school started. Then slowly, as things got more stressful, I told myself I needed it. And now I see that the coke craving was triggered by stress. But, while it might have been a momentary pick-me-up, I crashed. It was just making the cycle worse because an hour or so after drinking it, I felt worse. Not that that is news to anyone. I knew that's the way it worked. But I kept responding to the stress signal. So no more coke. Ever. Period. 

But the rest of the sugar food group isn't on the outs forever. I haven't decided what I will do when the month is up. I suppose it depends upon how I feel then. I will probably reintroduce it slowly. Maybe once a week or once every other week. For now, I'm just focusing on the first goal.

By the way, thanks for all the tips. I'm trying them. I bought ingredients to make a yogurt and fruit shake. I even bought plain yogurt to do it, so thanks for the tip, Heidi! I drink a lot of water. I never go to the grocery store hungry. I feel like all of the tips helped!  

HELP...

okay, so i made it a goal to go sugar free for a month. i've been wanting to do this for a while, and thought i better get to it. i started on monday, january 12th. at first, i was amazed at how i wasn't having any cravings for sugar at all. i could even look at sugary snacks without having any desire to dive in and take a bite. so i thought, hey, this is a piece of cake...no pun intended. and when i say i'm off of sugar, i mean i'm reading all labels. if sugar is in the first five ingredients, i won't eat it. i won't touch anything with any high fructose corn syrup at all. of course, i am eating fruits.

so then last night rolled around; i was really really wanting a cookie or some cake. i figured it would go away and did my best to ignore the need. but the cravings aren't going anywhere, at least not so far. it is now monday night, and i've been successfully avoiding the sugar for about twenty-four hours. but i want it. help! what do i do to kick the craving? i haven't purchased any sugary items, so all i have in the house are semi-sweet chocolate chips and some left over weight watchers ice cream bars. neither will do the trick and aren't the least bit tempting. but i'm worried about what i might do tomorrow while at school. or tomorrow night...like make cookies because i'm weak and i need it! any ideas?

Friendship

I had a very sad experience this week. On Tuesday, Dawn called me to say her husband, Jon, was in the hospital having surgery once again. My dearest, sweetest friend was married only three and a half months ago. Tuesday night, after several hours of complicated surgery, Jon passed away.  

As I slowly headed up to the hospital in Salt Lake, through a very treacherous snow storm, I thought of how grateful I am for my friends and my family. Susan was with me, and I was grateful that I didn't have to face the storm by myself and that she was willing to go out in the weather with me. When we arrived, I was grateful Dawn's family and friends were there, or arrived shortly after. I was grateful Dawn got to meet Jonathan and that they were sealed in the temple. I was grateful to know that her sister would be there early the next morning. I was grateful because all of our friends called and wanted to help. I was grateful because their neighbors cleared driveways, brought food, called, sent flowers and offered support and condolences. Mostly I was grateful I wasn't back in New Jersey. I am so grateful I could be there when she needed me most.

My heart is broken for her. I've cried with friends and family. I've sat at her feet and allowed them to sit in my lap as she rested for a moment in the hospital. Today Jamie, Amber and I gathered around her and looked at pictures from her wedding and remembered. I will never forget driving her home and leaving her at her house late Tuesday night. As we drove away, Susan said that that image would be burned in our minds forever. I agree. It will. I love you Dawn. I've always believed that we were destined to be friends. Time and time again, that is reconfirmed to me. And while I have to leave tomorrow, I want you to know you are first and foremost in my thoughts and that you will continue to be. And to the rest of my friends and family, I love you so much.  

tagged

8 shows I watch:

Lost

The Office

30 Rock

Dancing with the Stars

The Biggest Loser

Criminal Minds

News

CSI

8 things I did yesterday:

Homework

Worked out

Listened to a guest lecturer

Went to class

Paid a few bills

Watched Dancing with the Stars

Made dinner

Went to bed

8 places I like to eat:

Max Brenner (this amazing chocolate restaurant in the city) 

Cafe Rio

Clyde's

The Carlisle

5 Guys

In and Out

Thaiphoon

Gondolofos

8 things I'm looking forward to:

The end of the semester

Having my paper turned in and my oral argument over for appellate advocacy

Twilight (I'm going to the midnight showing...I might be crazy!!!)

Thanksgiving in Texas

Carol's cooking in Texas

Christmas in Utah

Mom's cooking in Utah

Seeing my friends and family during the holidays

8 things on my wish list:

Getting married

Having money to pay my school debt

Getting a job when I graduate

Food storage

Having a better social life

Developing more charity for others

A spa day

A shopping spree

8 people I tag:

Hmmm...anyone who wants to...

Gratitude

Last year, a friend and I heard about an organization called A Complaint Free World. It's a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating complaining in the world. We decided to participate and ordered bracelets from the website, acomplaintfreeworld.org. The program is as follows. You put on the bracelet (whichever arm you choose is fine). Then every time you complain, you have to switch the bracelet to the other arm. The point, obviously, is to make you aware of the behavior and to try and change it. The goal is to make it for 21 full days, the time they say it takes to form a habit, without having to switch the bracelet to the other arm. Needless to say, it isn't an easy task. I kept in on for a while, switching it from arm to arm. Then I just wore it, telling myself it was a reminder not to complain. Then I just stopped wearing it at all.

Today, I was reminded of the goal as I was preparing my lesson for Relief Society on gratitude. I realized I just gave up without really trying. And so I decided to put it back on. I've only talked to one person since I put it on a few hours ago, a friend and fellow law student here in the building, and already I've had to switch it to the other arm. HMMM!  So, I have a new goal, not just to wear the bracelet, but to be aware of my attitude about my life, school, being the Relief Society President and people who aren't voting my way :). (That's a shout out to all my friends voting for McCain. I'll stop complaining about it. At least you are voting.)

I don't just want to stop complaining, however. I want to do something more than that.  I want to be grateful. As I was preparing my lesson, I came across this thought, from J. Reuben Clark. He said, "Hold fast to the blessings which God has provided for you. Yours is not the task to gain them, they are here; yours is the part of cherishing them." In the spirit of this Thanksgiving season, I want to improve upon my own level of gratitude. With that in mind, I have many things to be grateful for.

First, I'm thankful for my testimony of Jesus Christ. This is the center of my life and my being, and I am so grateful to know of His life, His love, His example and ultimately, His atonement. The gospel enriches my life in every aspect. 

Second, I'm grateful for my parents who taught me the gospel and who have always supported and encourage me in the things I do. I can't think of two people who are more supportive and loving. And along with the best parents in the world, I have the best siblings, in-laws, nieces and nephews in the world. My brothers are awesome. I could go on forever about what good people they are. They are kind and good and smart, and they work hard. My sister is one of my best and closest friends. She is brave and kind and a great mom. My siblings married some wonderful people that I am so grateful to call friends. And I must brag and say that they also have the cutest children in the world. I always look forward to seeing my nieces and nephews.

I've also been abundantly blessed with friends. I've lived in several places. I've been lucky to make friends at work, church and school. I don't know what I would have done without them. We've travelled together, played together, cried together, supported each other. I feel really really lucky to have so many people to call friends.

And the last two things I'm so thankful for? School and travel. I've learned so much from both. I'm super lucky because I've been able to travel and see a lot of places. I've been lucky enough to not just graduate from college with my bachelors, I've also now had the opportunity to attend graduate school. 

Now if you've made it to the end of this long post, thanks!  Thanks for being a friend to me!

Manners???

I had an episode this weekend with a woman as I was getting on a train. I suppose I was feeling a bit put out because I'd been in the city, and several people had been bumping into me, and one woman shoved me with her shoulder as I was crossing an intersection. She didn't mean to, I'm sure, but would a quick, "Oh, excuse me," or a "Sorry," have hurt her. I think not. I realize New York is crowded, and you sort of have to put up with being jostled around.  But come on. Manners please!

I had watched an episode of Oprah earlier in the week concerning the lack of courtesy in our country. Apparently people feel it is pretty bad. So, going back to the train situation, I was getting on the one door the operator had decided to open for the hundred or so commuters (and yes there were several more that could be opened but that is a whole other rant for another day). I was trying to politely wait my turn, giving space to the people in front. After all, I knew that despite the inconvenience, I would get on and get a seat in plenty of time. However, the woman behind me felt differently. After being shoved from the back many time over, I turned around, and firmly said, "Please stop shoving me." I didn't yell. I wasn't trying to make a scene. I just was tired of being propelled forward into the crowd when all I wanted was to give others the same space that I wanted to be given to me.

Needless to say, she didn't take it well. She told me that she hadn't shoved me. I corrected her and said she had. She tried to make the excuse that everyone was pushing. I said that no, I wasn't. I was trying to leave some space so I wouldn't shove the people in front of me and asked her to please stay out of my space. She then said that I was rude and disrespectful of my elders, while, at the same time shoving my friend in her attempts to move forward. So, as I told her it wasn't a lack of respect on my part but on hers, my friend very calmly pointed out the fact that she was, indeed shoving, as she had just shoved my friend. She got quiet, having no obvious retort for the fact that she was being rude. She then proceeded to speak in a foreign tongue to her friend standing nearby, probably about how I was a rude little American.

Now, I shouldn't have gotten as upset as I did during the exchange that took place. I really wasn't trying to be rude. I just didn't want to be shoved anymore. What I don't get is why it is acceptable for someone to pull the age card as an excuse for rude behavior. Shoving people is rude. Asking not to be shoved is not rude. Am I crazy?

Guidos

Guido track suits...labeled as follows: (And no, I didn't make this up!)

"White"...sort of boring

Much more amusing..."DooDoo"

Yes, that's right, "DooDoo"!

The "Baby Blue"...not so bad...

For those of you feeling a bit 

more patriotic "The Statesman"

There is a phenomenon here I like to call "the Guido" Jersey Boy. It's rare when I spot a Guido. However, much like when one spots a mullet, it's quite amusing. This morning, I spotted a Guido. I seriously wish I had a camera and could take pictures. So what is a Guido you might ask? A Guido is found only in Northern New Jersey. Normally of Italian heritage, they typically sport a velour track suit and gold chains. And hairiness is a must. However, since only found in Northern New Jersey, they're quite the rare breed.

My first sighting occurred in torts last year. A fellow classmate (no names will be divulged) showed up to school in a mint green, velour track suit. I didn't think it was for real. I only thought that outfits like that happened on the Sopranos. Perhaps I was sitting in class with AJ. But I won't lie, it made me really happy. I wish I could have snapped a picture because I don't know many guys gutsy enough to bust out the velour track suit. This morning, much to my astonishment and joy, I once again ran into a guido. Only his velour track suit was black. 

All I know is that I thought what my friends and I affectionately call the J.Lo was only for the ladies. (And if men did happen to sport one, it was only for a role on television.) I guess not, as the above pictures demonstrate.