So just when all the New Year's resolutions have gone out the window and you've nicely returned to a lifestyle of guilt-free gluttony and sloth behaviours, Lent pops out of nowhere wreaking havoc on the come home-pour drink-have a good sit routine. Fortunately I'm not Catholic, so technically, I'm good. I don't have to give up anything. I can drink, smoke, and eat bags upon bags of Cheetos until I explode, and Jesus doesn't care. He loves me anyway.

But in the name of being a good sport and "don't hate, participate" I've decided to give up something for Lent this year. It could be that I've been afflicted with the Olympic spirit. Or maybe I feel like I need to earn a few extra brownie points with Jesus, God & co. on account of being horrible so much of the time.

Whatever the reason, for the next 40 days and 40 nights, I'm giving up...drumroll...SUGARY BAD THINGS.

I can't narrow it down much more than that, because if I say 'chocolate', next thing you know I'm om-noming on Skittles or Gummi Bears or Jelly Bellies ad nauseum.

However, because all sorts of awesome foods contain sugar, allow me to clarify a few things.

Foods Jesus doesn't want me to eat:
-chocolate bars
-chocolate candies
-misty mints
-gummies
-smarties
-Reese's
-doughnuts
-cookies
-brownies
-M&Ms
-fudge
-cake
-spoonfulls of frosting straight out of the jar
-pies
-regular pop
-kool-aid

Foods Jesus is OK with me eating, because Jesus he knows me, and he knows I'm right:
-hot chocolate (IT DOESN'T COUNT AS A FOOD!)
-baked goods that aren't in the above list, i.e. bread and rolls are OK
-fruit
-diet Coke
-sweetener for my coffee
-a lil' brown sugar on my oatmeal
-cereal that has sugar in it
-granola bars
-syrup (I use E.D. Smith sugar-free so it doesn't count) and honey
-Jello fat free pudding or sugar-free Jello. It has no fat. I'm already sacrificing something. It may have bits of animal hooves in it, but by God, there's no fat.

Today is day 1 and after dinner I was already eyeing the leftover Valentine's Day candy that our kitchen seems to be birthing on a daily basis--I swear, it's multiplying, not dwindling away. I finally talked myself off the candy ledge by repeating, "You are not hungry, you are just crazy" and feeding my sugar cravings with hunks of melon.

My hope is that by the end of 40 days I won't miss sugary things at all. They say it takes three weeks to break a habit. Plus, I never used to have a sweet tooth--it's something that seems to have developed over time and peaks when things get stressful--and I want to start generating that stress into something else, like going for a walk, playing piano or writing in my journal rather than pounding back a Kit-Kat or a handful of Reese's Pieces.

I think that the possibility of winning favour with Jesus could be just the motivation I need to eat a little healthier. Before I cave and head to the office chocolate stash, I'm going to ask myself, WWJE? Yes, what would Jesus eat? Then I'll act accordingly. And I'll show all you Catholics. Booyah.