New Year, New Resolutions

Every year, I make resolutions, and pretty much every year I stop following through after a month or two. And, of course, I resolve the next year to be better at the follow through. Yup. I am pretty much delusional, but I keep doing it, because I am always the optimist.

This year, my resolution, at least food-wise, is to cut down on my sugar intake. I have a horrible sweet tooth, and if there is candy in the house, I will almost always eat it, especially if it's chocolate. This year, though, I have a strategy, and hopefully posting it up on my blog will help me be accountable to you all! That's not to say I won't make some yummy sweets and post them, but the day-to-day sugar consumption is going to go down.

Here is my plan to keep on track this year:

1) Drink more water  - I figure if I'm swallowing water, I can't be swallowing sugar. To help me do this, I bought some shrubs from Spiker's (http://spikersshrubs.com/). Even though it has a little sugar, it helps when water is just too blah (although I like drinking water, every once in a while you want a little flavor). I add a little bit to my water, and it gives it a little zing. Plus, apparently the cider vinegar acts as a sort of "detoxifier" if you ascribe to that sort of thing. Also, there's Sassy Water, which I have posted about before.

2) Have other, healthier snacks available -- That means slicing up some red pepper, cucumbers, etc and having them in the fridge. The easier it is to have those snacks, the less I'll grab the sweet stuff.

3) Put away the sweets -- I have boys who are very active, and while they generally eat well and make healthy choices, I also don't want to be that house that doesn't have tasty treats available. I grew up in a house that didn't have a lot of sugary stuff, so I craved it when it was offered to me somewhere else. I want the kids to have the option now and again, because, sweets are not evil. Moderation is key. Besides, what kids are going to want to come to the house that has kale chips to munch on? Although, Elliot actually really likes kale chips, so maybe that's not the greatest example, but you know what I'm getting at. However, often, "out of sight, out of mind" works for me. So, if I put away the sweets, I won't think about it. We have a "snack box" in the pantry so the kids can easily grab a snack from there (it usually has granola bars and such), but I will also put baked goods in the freezer. The more effort it takes to get to the treats, the less likely I am to eat them, plus I don't have to worry about them going stale after a couple of days on the counter.

4) Eat more veggies. They fill you up, and the fiber means it takes your body longer to process it, which means you'll feel full longer and not feel the need to snack as much over all. One of the recipes I'm eager to try out it this one: Sheet Pan Spaghetti Squash Puttanesca.

 5) Stop buying myself treats. I know this seems like a "duh" thing to add to the list, but I need to be firm on this and not even have it as an option anymore. I am the worst if there's a candy bar on sale (especially the really good ones with interesting flavors), and I'll justify buying it, telling myself that I'll share it with my husband or the kids (I rarely do). So I need to be firm with myself and just draw that line in the sand that I will not cross.

So, there's my plan. I'm off to a good start already, I think. Well, sort of. I made cupcakes for our New Year's celebration, and we have a few left. Even though I've given some away, they are too good to just toss, so they are still around. BUT, I am also focusing on the water thing, which means I need to sign off and re-fill my glass! Do you have any food resolutions for the new year? Tell me about it!