A Challenge Completed

I just barely posted about my garden planting experience, and I'm on the verge of exhaustion, so I'm not sure I should be writing this, but I'm hoping I can do it quickly and head off to bed.

About a month ago I mentioned two challenges I had just started. One was a walking challenge through work which isn't over, but I have already fulfilled the original goal. I thought it was too low anyway, but that's beside the point. The other was to go an entire month without sugar.

The walking challenge hasn't been too big of a deal, except it's made me more conscious of methods I can use to increase my daily step totals or to challenge myself. But the other one was really hard. It's taught me a few things that I'd like to briefly share.

I chose to participate partially because I knew there would be strength in numbers, and I was right. It helped so much to know that both Smirk and the Fashionista were doing it too. I didn't want to say I'd failed when I knew they were still working hard. Plus we could feel each other's frustration at family gatherings or events when everyone around us was eating dessert but we weren't.

My original reward was to put money toward a new iPod. But, some unexpected money came my direction which is now going to make it possible for me to get my new iPod. Wa-hoo! I've been convinced to upgrade from a 16 gig Nano to a 32 gig Touch. I'm still not convinced that I need one, but I must admit I'm intrigued at the idea of a tiny handheld computer with useful apps. This has helped me learn an appreciation for delayed gratification and the importance of rewarding myself for important milestones. We're such a now society that like many others, I have become accustomed to getting things I want quickly. It's been great to make myself wait.

I appreciate the changes I've felt in my body and within myself as I completed this challenge. I figured it was a wise idea for my health's sake, but I didn't realize that it was also going to teach me self mastery, a skill I'm still working to develop. It taught me that I can resist, even when temptation is looming in front of my face. I'm hoping to build upon this as I proceed forward.

Finally, I didn't realize until I did this just how bad my sugar addiction really is. While I would love to say I'll never eat any candy, chocolate or dessert again, I know that's not realistic for me. I am intending to severely limit what I put in my body. And I'm pretty sure that will have positive effects too.

This is my personal pat on the back for going 31 whole days without sugar in the form of chocolate, desserts and sweets. Natural sugars and those in foods, and surprisingly enough in milk too, that I can't control are okay. I'm still intending to use fruit as my main source of natural sugar. Wish me luck as I continue to apply the lessons learned during this challenge.