In a new weekly feature, Her.ie newbie Liz is going to share her weight loss journey. She’ll be filling you in on fighting temptation, her willpower struggles with the cocktail menu and taking painfully slow steps towards regular exercise. All in the name of a dress. _____________________________________ Hanging on the wall at the end of my bed is the constant reminder I plan on shedding nearly two stone this year. I also plan on marking the trials and tribulations of ‘trying to be good’ – the favourite saying we all tout, and quickly replace when a cake is put in front of us. Week 57: Send help... This week I embarked on a sugar free diet. I could write a whole post about how easy it is to find recipes, and plan your meals, but I’m not about to lie to anybody. It was sad and depressing. I started off by reading a book from a sugar free diet guru. An office colleague lent it to me, and I was hoping it was going to ease me into the most horrible of break-ups. The time had come to kiss goodbye to chocolate. I wasn’t taking it very well… The tips I’d been given from fellow sugar-free friends was to take it slowly. Not to just ditch the sugar. That would result in migraines, bad moods and PMS like symptoms. So I started by weaning myself off bread and extra treats. I also cut the occasional sugar from my tea and waved goodbye to any soft drinks that were lurking in the presses. Day one was… difficult. I started with eggs, ditched the bread, stuck to salad and had a healthy dinner. The problem was, I wanted my sweet treat. I tried substituting it for two mandarins, but I’m sorry, it’s not the same. I was also recommended trying to some ‘chocolate cheats’ and ordering ‘clean foods’ but I feel that might work if I knew what I was doing with them once the delivery arrives… So I’m looking for any tips to help. Because right now, I could do with some words of encouragement. I know from healthy eating, it’s a case of once you start (and continue for long enough), your body stops craving the added, tasty, fatty calories. But for now, I’m munching on carrot batons. And feeling pretty sorry for myself…