This weekend has been a real eye opener for me.
Nothing quite tests the dedication to a lifestyle change like spending a weekend baking hundreds of cookies. In the last three days I’ve baked five dozen shortbread cookies, four dozen oatmeal raisin cookies, four dozen chocolate chip cookies, and ten dozen sugar cookies. The old Average Jane would’ve grubbed hand over fist the cookies as I baked them -- the new and improved AJ didn’t binge at all.
But of course, I had to try them.
I invented a new almond shortbread recipe, so naturally I had to taste the finished product -- I had a half of cookie. Then I played around with my oatmeal raisin recipe and again I had to try it -- I had half a cookie --I don’t want to poison any of my friends and family. I’m proud to report I didn’t eat a half of a chocolate chip cookie as I didn’t mess with my recipe -- but that’s because I licked the bowl. I heart chocolate chip cookie dough -- so I had a tablespoon worth.
I figured it would be a supreme test of my willpower to just make them and not eat a lot of them. But even as I made all my favorites -- other than the two cookies I shared with three-feet-of-fun and the cookie dough -- I didn’t find myself lusting after them. The few bites I had were enough to slake my cravings. And I don’t feel guilty for the bites I had -- everything in moderation after all -- plus the very point for a lifestyle change is to be able to actually live it.
So even with all my cookie and dough nibbling this weekend, I still climbed on the scale this morning to see how I was doing. I lost a little over a pound! So I’d say I was doing pretty good.