Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Why The Obsession With Candy?

I love Fall, I don't like Halloween. The ghosts and demons come out of hiding and in my life, that means the candy and chocolate. Is it just me or is there candy and chocolate everywhere you go these days? Even worse, chocolate candy. I'm obsessed with it and I get madder and madder every time I see it.

You may say to yourself when you see my postings each week on Facebook or Twitter about staying away from candy and being strong, alright already, we get the drill. Candy is bad. Candy will send you down a road you don't want to go on. Get over it. So what? Why the obsession with candy? 

My obsession with candy, I guess, began when I was a child. We were rewarded with candy, it was a thrill to have something sweet. Halloween was a treasured holiday because we would fill up our pillowcases and some years, it would last even until January we got so much! I was raised on candy. I didn't see any harmful affects until I was older, and by then it was too late, I was hooked.

When I started having children is really when I started realizing that I had a problem with candy. When I say candy, I mean chocolate. Chocolate candy, but it can also be candy corn, which is also very popular this time of year. With pregnancy, the pounds came on, but once the baby was here, so was the weight. And I couldn't get it off. No matter what I did.

And so this went on for a good 8 years. Trying every diet and workout under the sun, but unable to give up my beloved candy. Halloween was the worst. As moms, we go out and buy the "bite-size" candy bars, you know, because they are so much healthier than the actual candy bars. Huh? A candy bar is a candy bar, 45 calories or not [see previous post "It's still an oreo..."], 90 calories, 190 calories. It's still a candy bar in your body. How does your body digest that? Like it does any sugar, fat, over-processed item you put into it. Hard. Just like soda, ladies especially, it affects - your metabolism, your hormones and your ability to lose weight.

But you already know all this, we're told it all the time. So why do we still eat it? Because it's there?

My battle with candy may have began when I was a child, but it's still going on as an adult. But now, I'm on the other side of the fence. I know how destructive it is to your body. It was to mine! Have you seen my before and after photos? I don't ever want to go back to that! I like being healthy, feeling fit and how I do that is by giving up the candy.

Candy is the enemy now.

A little radical?

I don't care anymore. I don't care if you secretly call me a "candy czar" or make fun of me because of my FIGHT with candy. I don't care if you think I am off my rocker when I ask why candy is on counters, in schools, at homes, at restaurants, at gyms, everywhere! I know I make people mad. I know I make people uncomfortable. Believe me, I've lost some friends over it.

But I believe it!

I believe that candy and chocolate is a huge downfall to many women who have weight to lose and lives to regain. And I won't stop. I won't stop the fight against it.

And I won't have any candy. That's the obsession now.

2 comments:

  1. I agree, but how do I talk my kids into this??? I never buy candy, but this time of year they seem to go crazy over it. sigh.

    Lisa

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  2. Hi Lisa, it's hard. First you have to set the example to them by not eating it. Then try setting limits on how much they are consuming. Even if you don't buy it, people give it to them all the time this time of year, churches, schools, stores, neighbors. Once you set the limits, abide by them and provide healthy fruits and veggies and other healthy snacks. My kids know if they are going to have candy, they have to eat something healthy with it.

    It's my goal to keep them healthy and it is no coincidence that people [and kids] start getting so sick in November and December and after. It's not just because it's getting cooler outside, it's because we change our habits and sugar is one of those bad seasonal habits.

    Be strong and be a good example!

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