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Chocolate ban

Sequin | 10:19 UK time, Wednesday, 31 October 2007

I am giving up chocolate for the whole of November. I do it every year. It's just one of my things. An exercise in self discipline. I reckoned that if I told you it would be more difficult for me to cheat. ( which proves, I suppose, that my self-discipline isn't that strong!)

We will have chocolate biscuits with our tea this aftertoon before the new month begins.

Anyone want to join me in a chocolate fast?

best wishes,

sequin

Comments

  1. At 10:26 AM on 31 Oct 2007, Rachel G wrote:

    I read that as "Anyone want to join me in a chocolate feast?" to which the answer is "Yes, thank you very much, I'd love to".

    But a chocolate fast sounds like a terrible thing. A whole month? Noooo.

  2. At 10:30 AM on 31 Oct 2007, tomi wrote:

    Good luck with your fast. I had a friend some years ago who always abstained successfully from alcohol for the month leading up to Christmas and New Year.

  3. At 10:40 AM on 31 Oct 2007, silver-fox wrote:

    Nobody knows the truffles I've seen.

  4. At 11:02 AM on 31 Oct 2007, wrote:

    Goodness me. Lent seems to get earlier every year.

    Sid

  5. At 11:06 AM on 31 Oct 2007, Big Sister wrote:

    Men are from Mars and women are from the Milky Way, eh?

    I'm very happy to join you in this, Sequin, though to be fair I'm not a chocoholic ;o)

  6. At 11:07 AM on 31 Oct 2007, Perky wrote:

    I'll join you, sequin, if you give me a hint about the rules. When I've given up chocolate before, I haven't given up chocolate CAKE or chocolate PUDDINGS, which are clearly in the CAKE and PUDDINGS categories, not in the chocolate one.

    I suspect that you are very good and give up all chocolately delights, in which case, it'll be hard, but I'm willing to give it a go . . . .

  7. At 11:08 AM on 31 Oct 2007, Stewart M wrote:

    NO! My wife and I get a monthly box of premium chocolates delivered. The discipline I have is these are the only chocolates I eat. Now the wife has other thoughts on that.

    Are you also banned from cocoa at bed time? do you have to be demoted to Horlicks?

  8. At 11:11 AM on 31 Oct 2007, Stewart M wrote:

    Oh! Good luck sequin!

    Sid, Lent is Early next year. I think its about as early as you can get.

  9. At 11:17 AM on 31 Oct 2007, Aperitif wrote:

    Demoted Stewart (7)??? But Horlicks is so much nicer than Cocoa!!!

  10. At 11:18 AM on 31 Oct 2007, wrote:

    Well not wanting to sound smug (much!) but I'm already on a chocolate fast.The last time I ate chocolate "per se" was in October 2005. That was the month my dentist told my tooth troubles were down to eating sugar, so I flounced out of the surgery & announced to family I wasn't eating it any more. And I generally don't. Certainly not chocolate, sweets, bought biscuits cakes & puddings. Make my own cakes & biscuits without any sugar (but dried fruit which I am well aware has plenty of fructose in it).

    My teeth have generally been better, but still shed previous fillings with alarming regularity. I guess that's down to age!

    Good luck with the fast Carolyn. The strange thing is, even if you don't eat chocolate, people keep giving it to you as presents. I've lost count of the boxes I've been given, & then watched my family eat. So I guess all the rest of the office will be encouraging you on the fast, as that means more for them, should you be given any chocolates during the month.

  11. At 11:27 AM on 31 Oct 2007, witchiwoman wrote:

    Good luck - would join you but actually don't like chocolate (unless its the spanish style hot choc but one of those a year does the job!). In a token of support I may give up raisins....nah, who am I kidding!

  12. At 11:30 AM on 31 Oct 2007, Big Sister wrote:

    Here's a good idea, Sequin: Every time you crave chocolate, donate one such item to Eddie's little larder. Then sit back smugly when, on his return, he puts on the pounds. Alternatively, every time you crave chocolate, and resist, award yourself five pounds. Then, when your period of fasting is over, you'll have a tidy little sum to spend on a (non chocolate) treat for yourself .... Cashmere, perhaps?

  13. At 11:36 AM on 31 Oct 2007, Carolyn Quinn wrote:

    Perky and Stewart M - the rules are very strict. Not even allowed a bakewell tart if it has those stripes of chocolate across the top.

  14. At 11:37 AM on 31 Oct 2007, Stewart M wrote:

    You must not have tasted my Cocoa/hot cholate then :-)

  15. At 11:48 AM on 31 Oct 2007, Carolyn Quinn wrote:

    Big Sister - I like your cashmere idea.... as for leaving chocs for Eddie. His desk is so cluttered already with "stuff" that there's barely any room.

  16. At 11:54 AM on 31 Oct 2007, Big Sister wrote:

    Okay then, Sequin, go for the cashmere. Eddie's vice, from what we know of it, is more in the caffeine stakes anyway.

    The nice thing about the 'treat' route is that the more you have to resist temptation, the greater is the reward!

  17. At 12:13 PM on 31 Oct 2007, wrote:

    All I can say is Good Luck, Sequin :) I onl have an occasional chocolate (maybe one bar every couple of months) so I can only guess how tough it can be for a true "choco-holic". I'll be with you in thought, though...

  18. At 12:14 PM on 31 Oct 2007, Aperitif wrote:

    Yes, Good luck Carolyn. Perhaps I'll give up Salt & Vinegar crisps to keep you company...

  19. At 12:23 PM on 31 Oct 2007, Piper wrote:

    Sequin

    If you did the "crime", you do the time...

    "You know how much I love doing PM and filling in for Eddie. We've drunk the cocktail cabinet dry, eaten all his chocolates and taken the keys to the blog and crashed it. I haven't touched his bottle of Japanese Diet Coke yet - but heck. I've still got a week to go..."

    Wonder what Dr Anthony Clare would have made of it..?

  20. At 12:24 PM on 31 Oct 2007, Gillian wrote:

    Can I just swap chocolate for mince pies?
    Good luck Sequin!

  21. At 12:36 PM on 31 Oct 2007, Val P wrote:

    I'd like to be supportive and pledge to join you Sequin, and I know I could because I've done it before, several times, the last time being for 4 years not so long ago. No, I'm not boasting, just musing on the fact that although I have done it, I really, really don't want to do it again at the moment. What would Anthony Clare have made of that? A chocolate support? Not a very good idea actually.

  22. At 12:49 PM on 31 Oct 2007, Vyle Hernia wrote:

    I join my esteemed fellow froggers in wishing you success. It'll probably be harder with us all asking you about it...

    Was just thinking how little chocolate I consume, then Stewart M mentioned cocoa at night. Oh woe, woe, thrice woe!

  23. At 01:03 PM on 31 Oct 2007, Daisy, Windermere wrote:

    You are very brave to start a choccy diet so soon before Christmas Sequin. I know that I need to join in, but it just won't happen, until the New Year that is. Actually the way that I'm eating lately you would think that I am due to hibernate soon!

  24. At 01:32 PM on 31 Oct 2007, Big Sister wrote:

    Vyle: Is that three cups of cocoa per night then? Gosh! I'd have thought you'd have the runs ....

  25. At 02:11 PM on 31 Oct 2007, Wonko wrote:

    Stewart M - I get those too! Except I only get them every three months - for purely fiscal reasons.

    I go away with friends every year for the week over New Year, usually somewhere hilly. Several years ago I drank 126 units of alcohol in that week. The year after I didn't have a single drink.

    Sorry Sequin, I'm just not as strong as you hope to be. best of luck with it.

    ;o) []

  26. At 02:43 PM on 31 Oct 2007, Charlie wrote:

    Sequin

    I would join you in your choc-fast but, because it's you, I'll do something far more useful...

    You send me all of the chocolate you're tempted by and I'll eat it. ALL of it...

    I wouldn't (or should that be, "couldn't"?) do that for everyone

  27. At 03:14 PM on 31 Oct 2007, wrote:

    Luckily I'm not a chocoholic - however I'm turning into a fruitcake junkie!

    Annasee - your huge slab is nearly gone :-(

    What shall I do? Hunt out your recipe I guess :-)

  28. At 04:27 PM on 31 Oct 2007, Chrissie wrote:

    You're doing it a month early, girl.

    Advent is supposed to be a 'mini-Lent' for the run up to the Feast of Christmas! I bet not a lot of people know that.

  29. At 05:17 PM on 31 Oct 2007, Frances O wrote:

    Good luck, Sequin!

    Telling people is a good idea. Some twits may think it's funny to try to tempt you, but most will be supportive. And if you've done it before, you know you can do it this time, too.

    I gave up chocolate in all its forms for over 10 years, when it seemed to trigger migraines. Then I tried a chocolate. No migraine. I'm now a choconotquiteholic, but I do indulge. No migraines. But during my choc-free years, people who knew never offered my the stuff. Which made it a lot easier.

  30. At 06:08 PM on 31 Oct 2007, The Stainless Steel Cat wrote:

    Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

    Sorry Sequin, I can't even bring myself to wish you good luck with that, it's just... it's... unnatural!

    If you like, I could give up... turkish delight in support of you, but for me to give up Badcurries, or Lessknees, or Par's, or StarCluster, or chocolate buttons or anything of that ilk (even though some of those companies have foul business practices) that's well beyond my power or desire.

  31. At 10:38 PM on 31 Oct 2007, wrote:

    I was going to say 'But how will we know you've stuck to it' but it's pointless as clearly anyone who works as d****d hard as you do, cycles to work and comes in to cover sick leave on virtually no sleep couldn't possibly lie about something like that!

    I might regret this but I will attempt to join you in a chocolate-free November (it'll be hard as I am a *registered* chocoholic and we get loads donated at work!).

    I've already taken the Trick-or-Treat choccies down to the beach. The cocoa's at the back of the cupboard. Bring it on!!

  32. At 01:42 AM on 01 Nov 2007, Electric Dragon wrote:

    I love this comment from Erik Wolpaw (one of the writers of computer game Portal) -

    ...at the beginning of the Portal development process, we sat down as a group to decide what philosopher or school of philosophy our game would be based on. That was followed by about fifteen minutes of silence and then someone mentioned that a lot of people like cake.
    ( )
  33. At 12:01 PM on 01 Nov 2007, Vyle Hernia wrote:

    Big Sis,

    Very funny. Actually I felt rather sick last night, so did not indulge in my one mug of cocoa.

    Chrissie (28)

    I doubt if many people would want to know that. Have you noticed the chocolate logs in the shops with a use-by date well short of Christmas?

  34. At 12:10 PM on 01 Nov 2007, wrote:

    mmmmm.....fast chocolate, warmed and poured over Gillians Mince Pies....


    ohh...err matron

  35. At 03:06 PM on 01 Nov 2007, Stewart M wrote:

    E Dragon, I Must get this game. the demo was addictive.

  36. At 03:23 PM on 01 Nov 2007, Aunt Dahlia wrote:

    Noooooooooooooo

    I've just looked at the future - no bacon, no ham, no great bl**dy steaks, no cheese or cream or whine, sorry, wine, and now you want us to give up chocolate.... what are we supposed to do for comfort now........................


    and my knees are too cranky for that!

  37. At 04:27 PM on 01 Nov 2007, wrote:

    Aunt D if you wish to live a long and healthy life you should eat like a sparrow - ie twice your bodyweight in food daily.

  38. At 04:45 PM on 01 Nov 2007, Stewart M wrote:

    Aunty D.

    Its lifetime risk so the older the are the more you can booze, eat dodgy foods, dare I say smoke.

    I heard some Dr bod and Radio 4 saying that just the other day.

    It was essentially if you are old (and I do not imply anyone on this blog is a old we are all mature 21year olds here.) then you can booze as much as you like.

  39. At 05:06 PM on 01 Nov 2007, Aunt Dahlia wrote:

    mmmmmmmmmmmmmm
    a pair of sparrows covered in chocolate in a wine and vodka sauce.......

    yum yum

  40. At 05:26 PM on 01 Nov 2007, Big Sister wrote:

    Vyle: Glad to hear it - one cocoa is enough for anyone, I'd say!

    Aunt D: I believe Paul Heathcote has a recipe for pigeon with chocolate sauce - is your version an adaption of that dish?

  41. At 05:51 PM on 02 Nov 2007, Perky wrote:

    End of day two and no chocolate!!! I could actually do this . . . .

  42. At 12:49 AM on 04 Nov 2007, wrote:

    heavy, adj.:
    Seduced by the chocolate side of the force.

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