Happy New Year - 2002!

So.. once again it's that time to make a promise to yourself that you'll have a heck of a time trying to keep. I've never really made a new year's resolution before... and this year I finally have one.

Chris gave me the idea of course.. and it was definitely something I've been sitting on for a while and trying to muster the strength to accomplish.

My main new year's resolution this year? To quit EATING SUGAR! Refined sugar mainly... but that means, no normal cokes, candy, cake, and other sinful goodies. THAT is going to be hard... especially because I've always hated artificial sweeteners! I don't know if I can handle not eating cake again because my mom gets these TOTALLY scrumptuous cakes from some Vietnamese bakery somewhere and I can never stay away from them. Maybe I can make very small exceptions heh.. I'm not sugar intolerant ... not like Chris (is or might be).

Since sodas were my main source of liquids.. I guess that's going to have to change since I want to avoid diet drinks as much as possible. I don't want to quit consuming sugar at the price of possibly developing cancer from artificial sweeteners like Aspertame and Splenda... blech.

I can definitely handle water! I love water... but sometimes when I drink it, I feel more thirsty, and my throat gets kind of dry from it. I love cold water... mmm.. .goes down easy and makes me feel refreshed. Chris suggested I try to stick to water for as long as I can, and then when I have that sudden craving for a carbonated beverage, to drink a diet one -- that's what worked for him.

Chris totally avoids all sugar now... and I am so amazed at his willpower. If he can do it, I would think I could do it, too. His motivation is to avoid getting sick from sugar intake... my motivation? I guess to prevent diabetes and/or possible weight loss.

Anyway, I'll give it a try... I know I can get used to it. If Chris... a once TRULY hardcore Coke/Pepsi/Dr. Pepper freak can suddenly enjoy diet versions of his favorite drinks, then there is hope in this world. Besides I should try to get used to eating less sugar now so that I can pass on this eating style to my future kids. I want healthy kids.. not porky, overweight, sugar munching kids. My neice-to-be Alexis has a diabetic mom, and they don't really snack on candy or juice much. When we were on a family trip with them and noticed that not once did Alexis crave snacks or candy... it was astonishing... she looks like your everyday peppy kid who'd love to down a twinkie or a packet of chewy bears, but it was almost as though she naturally ignored anything with sugar in it. That's what I want my kid to be like darnit!

One more thing... I've tried drinking diet drinks with aspertame in them and I swear when I drink some it feels like some invisible force suddenly shoots down to the bottom of my stomach and causes it to hurt and feel uncomfortable. It happens every single time I ingest aspertame... even when I tried sugar-free jell-o once... man my tummy hurt from that. I'd really like to not have to drink any carbonated drinks if possible... especially diet ones. Am I the only one who gets a stomachache from artificial sweeteners? They taste so chemical to begin with, and it's almost like you're drinking plastic.

Anyway.. here a few more things I'm going to attempt to accomplish this year:

- Get my house spotless!
- Find more time to maintain I Eat Meat!
- Get to level 60 in EQ
- Complete some more college hours
- Start saving up money for a new car or a house
- Upload a new layout for goodness sake!
- Get the proper amount of sleep
- See my family more often
- Get our VW in good shape
- Be a LITTLE more positive and smile more :P