Introducing the “Stronger Than Chocolate” Challenge
4 Jan
As I sit down to write this post, I’m a little afraid of myself. I’m afraid to actually be the person who tells myself not to eat chocolate. And I’m not talking about a day or two, I’m talking for as long as I can take it. But wait! That’s too long! Ahhh!
Okay.
Breathe.
We can do this. Let’s just dial it back..
If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you might have seen the momentum building in the comments of yesterday’s blog post. As I debated the morals of eating a chocolate truffle verses a container of blackberries, only to eat them both, reader Tasha commented saying she had managed to stay clear of chocolate for two days. I read that and thought, “Wow, that’s pretty great, probably impossible for me though.” Then I thought… “Wait, a minute.. why is that so impossible? If she can do it, I can do it.. we ALL can do it! YES WE CAN!” Then President Obama commented and joined.
So here’s the plan. There’s a lot of us out there who have what I’ll call an I-can’t-live-without-chocolate addiction. We keep bags of Hershey kisses in our drawers at work, buy chocolate chip cookies just to eat the chocolate chips out, sprinkle chocolate chips on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (omg I want to try this right now. stopme)… and the list goes on.
INSTEAD of reaching for chocolate when the urge strikes us.. let’s reach for fruit. For one week, or as long as you can stand it. Not a different kind of dessert like a cookie–no. That would just bring on another addictive behavior that we’d have to challenge ourselves off of! Fruit. I’m not saying don’t eat dessert at all, I’m just talking specifically about your chocolate cravings. For the next two weeks, fruit IS chocolate. Got it?
One week is the first goal. Then after that? Let the strongest competitor win. I’m betting I can beat you all! Mwahaha (actually, probably not). Think you can go the longest? Join in on the challenge by commenting below. If you’re in and you’re a blogger, let others know you’re taking it on. The Stronger Than Chocolate Challenge has begun! (updated to add: starting tomorrow).
Now I know what you’re thinking, a week or more is cray cray. It’s an impossibility! There’s so much holiday chocolate sitting in my cabinet calling my name right. now.!! But since when do we let sugar and butter and cocoa beat us? Since forever We don’t.
Here’s a list of the weaknesses I’m going to have to overcome:
- eating a piece of chocolate after breakfast and saying to Dave “It’s never to early for chocolate, right?”
- eating a piece of chocolate at 2:30pm when I’m kinda hungry but just want a pick me up
- buying chocolate chip muffins to eat the chocolate chips out of the muffin top. mmhmm. guilty.
- ordering the chocolate lava cake dessert after dinner. i just started to cry.
- eating the amazing chocolate T sent me at night before I go to bed as a chocolate night-cap.
Other reader’s vices:
- Hershey kisses
- Mini chocolate luna bars
- Chocolate chips on oatmeal
- Espresso infused chocolate
- Berries and chocolate
- and the list goes on…
In honor of the blog post that started it all, I’m going to make sure I have tons of blackberries on hand for when a craving hits. Strawberries, too. I’m going to need options if this is going to work.
I’ll be keeping a spreadsheet of all the participants and posting updates on the blog. This is going by the honor system, so please tell the truth my friends. Also, I’ll be posting a survey on the Mel Runs facebook page to let you vote on the winner’s prize! If you have any prize ideas, let me know.
Let’s do this!
I don’t usually eat a lot of chocolate, but I just find it ironic that I’m reading this post after having a s’more with PB last night and a PB, Banana, & Chocolate Chip sandwich packed for lunch. =)
omg that all sounds amazing. tear.
I’m in.
By the way, I picked up 2 pints of blackberries at HEB yesterday for $0.98 each. I also grabbed a bag of clementines at Central Market and some apples too. Setting myself up for success!
89 cents! As soon as I am back in Austin tomorrow morning I am stocking up. Thanks for the tip Mike! We got this
I’m in, but not starting til Friday. I’m almost out of hot cocoa mix, and I want to use the last one for breakfast tomorrow (as per usual… hahaha). But once it’s out of my house, I’m on the fruit is chocolate bandwagon! CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.
Wahoo!! Glad you’re in!
I’m in! No chocolate. Fruit Instead. 2 weeks. Let’s do this!
We are stronger! Dude, I’m already dreaming of chocolate… haha. Gah!
I’M IN! I love this idea.
Does this begin immediately or do I have time for a one last chocolate scrumptious? (Just kidding…honor system).
I just ate half a pineapple. Nice & sweet.
haha I actually didn’t say when it began, but I suppose tomorrow would make sense in case some more people read this later tonight (though I did start today). So go ahead and follow that pineapple up with a piece of chocolate! Go go go! Glad you’re on board
I had the thought, I should sneak in a piece before Mel publishes the post, that’s not cheating right? but I didn’t. I was good. hahaha
haha if I was you I would’ve totally done it! I’m going to count tomorrow as the first day thought since today was really getting the word out. So hurry up- eat a Trader Joe’s pb cup for me!
I am totally in. I actually started NOT eating chocolate TODAY, Wednesday! So I’m one day ahead…and totally going a week without it! Because I eat it far too much…too often. lol. Oh, and frozen banana pieces are great subs for when the craving hits!
My vice though, is cereal and chocolate chips. Weird right? lol!
if by weird, you mean delicious sounding, yes
I started yesterday and posted about it today! http://bandsnbows.blogspot.com/2012/01/pushing-myself.html
I’ve already had a banana this morning and I’ve hidden my desk drawer chocolate stash and replaced it with almonds and pistacios
so awesome! Just featured you on the Mel Runs facebook page
Can I get a ruling on this? Ice cream of non-chocolate variety ok?
Day 1 without chocolate.
# Resists: 6
# Times confronted with chocolate: 2
Feeling: “I can do this” AND “I think about chocolate many times a day.”
Love this. My day 2:
# Resists: 5
# Times confronted: all day!
Feeling: “I’m not a slave to chocolate anymore” AND “Man, if I could just have 1 little peanut butter cup”