Chocolate

My name is Colin. I am a chocoholic. There, I said it. I feel a little better now. Stll hungry, but a little better. Let me try and explain.

Ever since I can remember, or at least as long as I can remember being allowed to make choices about food (this usually comes around the same time as your parents allow you to handle money!) I have loved chocolate. It is my favourite foodstuff bar none. I love fish & chips, I love roast dinners, I am a total fiend for breakfast cereal but chocolate has to win - hands down.

For example, look at its versatility.

Q: Could you have fish & chips for breakfast?

A: No.

Q: Chocolate?

A: Of course!

Q: Could you have roast beef for a snack?

A: No.

Q: Chocolate?

A: Of course!

It is the ultimate in convenience/ comfort/ nourishing/ healthy food. It covers all the major food groups. It is equally at home raw or cooked. Ok, I lied about a few of those qualities but it just tastes sooooo good!

Now, when we talk about chocolate we have to be specific about what it is we are talking about. We are talking about Cadburys. We are specifically talking about Cadburys Dairy Milk. This is without doubt the finest chocolate known to man. Not for me any of your posh nonsense. No siree. No Thorntons or Green & Blacks here thankyou. No plain, no fruit and nut, no turkish..yuk..yuk.. It has to be Dairy Milk. Everytime.

You may have already guessed but in the aim of this challenge - to ride the Etape Caledonia - I have given up chocolate. Yep, me, the confirmed chocoholic has not eaten a single piece of the lovely brown stuff since Jan 1st....and it is killing me! It is all part of a wider dietary plan which I will share with you at a later date but I feel cutting out snacking is a big part of getting my diet healthy.

Prior to the New Year I was averaging about two bars a day. Some days I would go without but some days I could be up to four(ish). It really is pretty easy. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Supper. I told you, so versatile! I would love to tell you that I don't miss it but I would be lying. I have a small incling of what it must be like to be a smoker (never had one, never will). I am not standing outside my office wishing I could have one whilst everyone else is inside looking at me but I do find there are certain life situations where I automatically feel a craving. I have obviously developed some reliance on it (bizarre as that may sound to the non-chocos out there) for stress relief and relaxation.

I gave up once before. I managed over a year (about 16 months) before crumbling at a mates stag party (two Twix saw the end of it, I still remember them!). Once again it was in pursuit of sporting excellence (my previous hockey career) and also just to show myself I could. I wonder how long I will manage this time? I hope at least until May so that I won't feel guilt ridden if I don't get around the route.

Lastly, I ask you a favour. Please have a bar of Dairy Milk on me and let me know how fantastic it tastes!

Cheers,

Col.