Why I am declaring May chocolate free – Mummascribbles

Back in February I did the #dechox challenge. The whole idea was to cut out chocolate in its entirety, so anything that contained cocoa was a no go. From hot chocolate to Magnums, chocolate donuts to the chocolate sprinkles on top of a cappuccino (the latter was never a problem for me because I don’t like coffee, but y’know, I needed an example); I couldn’t touch it.

In the early days of the challenge, I came so close to not succeeding. Not because I was caving into the need for chocolate, but because I needed to train my brain to not just automatically reach for it. I remember being at a children’s birthday party and when my boys decided they didn’t want any more of their chocolate cake, I couldn’t just finish it for them like I usually would. And when Zach left a little bit of a chocolate corn flake cake and I was wiping away the crumbs, I had to stop myself when I was half way to putting them in my mouth. Usually I wouldn’t have to give two thoughts about whether it was to go in my mouth or not, it would just be put in there no matter what. So it did take some training to get into a different mentality.

That said, after the first week, I found it much easier, and in the end, I wasn’t really missing it at all. After 28 days, I had successfully completed the challenge. Not one bit of chocolate had passed my lips and I had raised a nice little amount for The British Heart Foundation.

But you know what happened next don’t you?

Yep – I ate chocolate.

That first weekend, I found myself in the park and soft play and I had quite a bit of hot chocolate. I remembered what I had been missing out on. I found myself back into the habit of eating and drinking the stuff, and where throughout my challenge and despite not exercising, I had managed to maintain my weight – I soon found myself getting bigger again.

Because that’s what happens to us doesn’t it? We work hard at keeping the weight off and then as soon as we start on the bad stuff, it all comes piling back on.

And then Easter happened and I have been surrounded by chocolate and I think I have had a nibble on some every single day. And now I am really feeling it.

So there is only one thing for it. I need to cut it out of my diet again! And that’s why I am declaring May chocolate free. Not only that but I really need to do more frequent exercise and start eating salads again!

But the chocolate thing. That is clearly a biggy. Not only because I need to train myself again to not have it. But also because this time it isn’t for charity, so if I cave in, I am not really affecting anyone else but myself! I don’t have anything to prove to anyone this time, so I don’t have that element of I have to do this!

But I do have to do it, and I will. And this time it’s for even longer. February only had 28 days, whereas May has 31.

31 whole days. What am I doing?

My other half isn’t going to be impressed either. I found myself not buying chocolatey things last time and he definitely noticed the lack of it in the cupboards. I won’t be as mean this time though, plus we still have loads of Easter stuff in there that he can have a munch on.

So today marks the start of my new challenge ‘Say No To Choco’.