Tootsie Roll

Something happened to me yesterday that I never thought would….I ate one midget size Tootsie Roll and didn’t desire to eat another. It was amazing! You know that Doritos commercial where they say, ‘You can’t eat just one’, well that’s always been me with Tootsie Rolls, Peanut M&M’s, Popcorn Jelly Bellys, Hot Tamale Candy, and Goetz Caramel Creams…just to name a few. Those are my favorites anyway.

So how did this happen? Well let me just say that change can occur in our lives if we are willing to let it happen. I’ve been trying to change my way of eating for years! Heck, my whole adult life! Most people that know me well know that I’ve always struggled with my weight. I’ve tried all kinds of diets like most overweight people, lost the weight, gained the weight back, then I stopped dieting and focused on just a healthy life change of smart eating and daily activity/exercise, but then life would take over, mess that up, and I was back starting over again for the umpteenth time. And of course, I’m older now, pushing 40! But I’ve got a good 6 months before I die and keel over. Anywho, the older I get, I’ve noticed that my body does not respond to losing weight in ways that have worked for me in the past. That has left me to trying new things once again.

Well this time, I’ve taken all my compiled and current knowledge of health, nutrition, and exercise and worked out my own little plan. I figured the best approach for me would be to take things in baby steps. Take away things in my usual regimen that’s bad for me one at a time. So along with eating healthier and staying consistent in the gym, my first one thing I decided to completely take away from myself was Diet Cherry Pepsi. This has become my addiction, drug, fix, you name it, it’s what I’ve become dependent on first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. Crazy huh?! Well I’m sure I’m not the only one that likes this stuff! It tastes awesome and the caffeine, well enough said! But really, it’s all bad. Filled with fake stuff with no nutritional value. Yes it is calorie free, but the artificial sweetener still triggers the brain to crave sweets and carbs. Not good! Besides I read one time that people use diet soda to clean rust off cars. Hmmm….I’m not a car!

So my baby step approach was this, no Diet Cherry Pepsi until I reach my first goal, 10 pounds lost! Once I reach this first goal, then I would reward myself with one 20 oz bottle of the good stuff! Then begin the next 10 pound loss and reward myself again with just one. Well I started this strategy over 2.5 weeks ago. So far so good. I’ve had no diet drinks and I have lost 5 pounds. So I am 5 pounds away from my reward guzzle. But after yesterday with my Tootsie Roll incident, I wonder if I’m going to be able to drink that whole 20 oz bottle?

I’ve not had many sweets at all during this time, mainly fruits and yogurt, and I did try some homemade blackberry cobbler two Sundays ago my mom made. Yummy! So I know that my body is changing with the elimination of Diet Cherry Pepsi and other sweet stuff. But I tell ya, not to grab a second Tootsie Roll was mind boggling. It was an awesome thing for me. It affirmed to me that my plan is working. Plus I didn’t succumb to grabbing another one just because it was there. I refrained from an old habit and just walked away! Change is awesome!!

So now I think I may change my reward. Instead of having that Diet Cherry Pepsi at the 10 pound loss mark, I may just burry one in the backyard with a note of the date of when I had it last. Then I’ll decide what to eliminate next and then burry that in the backyard. Better go buy me a shovel! LOL


Sometimes if you want to see a change for the better, you have to take things into your own hands. –Clint Eastwood