Saturday 8 August 2015

Blaugust 8, 2015: Getting To The Guts Of It

As many of you know, I gave up chocolate about nine months ago now. Well, 'gave up' is perhaps a touch strong; rather I put such severe restrictions on how I consume chocolate that I pretty much don't.

I'd forced myself to take a break from chocolate for a month or so, because I realised I was having trouble controlling myself with it. When I let myself have chocolate again, I was convinced I had self-control back, but I soon found myself three large packets of FruChocs deep and swore, 'never again'.

My rules are as follows:

- I am not allowed to eat milk or white chocolate.
- I am allowed to eat a small amount of plain dark chocolate if I want, especially with Scotch.
- I am allowed to eat chocolate that is used as an ingredient in something else, so long as it is reasonably transformed and not just chocolate bits on top of something.
- Chocolate-covered anythings are still chocolate and right out.
- Hot chocolate is OK.

I've not had trouble with chocolate since. However, in the absence of this vice, other vices have... flourished. My intake of pasta has increased almost to my teenage levels, I'm eating more icecream, and you'd better not let me near a packet of Jam Fancies. There were a couple of weeks there where I was buying a kilo of Apricot slice to go through.

This week I ate four 1L tubs of Connoisseur icecream, so it is time to cut out another easy vice. I go into this knowing my other vices will all get slightly worse to compensate, but ridding myself of something I can't stop myself with is a good move. So here are my rules:

- I am not allowed tubs of icecream or gelato for home, except ordinary non-fancy vanilla.

- I am allowed a small amount of vanilla icecream to accompany something else, such as pudding. I am not allowed to base my dessert on the icecream (no cones, sundaes, etc).
- I am allowed to eat icecream etc when I'm out, but not 'take home pack' sizes. No serving myself if I'm at someone else's house.
- I am allowed to make a special order from Gelato Bello of their Apricot flavour and be a fat bastard over it, but no more than once a year and I have to invite others to share.

So! One more vice ruined because I lack self-control! Let's hope I don't have to make it more strict still, and let's hope I can steer my vices toward still more tea instead of something more harmful. Though way too much tea isn't particularly good for me either. Bah! Where is the fun in moderation?

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