I like sweets. I mean, I like sweets a lot. Okay…I love sweets!

For the past decade plus, however, I have been gaining about 2-3 lbs a year. It doesn’t sound like much at first. But think about it? It does not lead in a good direction.

Great news! In 2015, I did not gain weight!

In fact, I even lost a few pounds. How did I do it? Well, it wasn’t by going to the gym because I don’t have time for that. (Okay, I decide to spend my time in other ways…like writing blog posts at 5:00 am.)

I cut desserts from my diet!

I know, it sounds impossible but stick with me for a minute. Yes, I removed desserts from my diet as well as calories from my beverages. No candy bars. No birthday cakes. No soft drinks. No sugar in my tea. As far as the beverages go, I basically just drink hot tea (unsweetened) and water.

Walk
Also, I have started walking regularly. I am not into heavy exercise (maybe in the future). For now I really enjoy a short walk every day or two, and a longer walk once a week. This allows me to listen to a book or podcast and take a break from the busyness of life. It is actually very restful for me.

“Cutting Back”
Back to the sweets. Yes, it was pretty hard. In the fall of 2014 I started “cutting back,” which ended up being more difficult than quitting and here is why.

• When you are “cutting back,” you have a decision to make on when to eat sweets and when not to.
• When you are not eating sweets, there is no decision to make.

Dreams
I’ve heard of stories from people who stop smoking. They talk about having dreams where they messed up. I’ve had this with sweets, at least 3-4 times this year. Kind of funny!

More than Losing Weight
Yes, I wanted to stop gaining weight. I hope to continue this trajectory of now losing a pound or two every year. However I’ve gained so much more from this experience. Here are my two biggest takeaways from this year:

1) Stronger Immune System – For years I had struggled pretty bad through the cold season. Not to say that I never get sick anymore, but I can notice a significant difference. This makes sense, of course, because there is no nutritional value in sweets. I know, I sound like a crazy person, but sweets don’t help your body. They only hurt you.
2) Yes I Can! —> Momentum – As I mentioned before, I really love sweets. If I can make this change, what other change could or should I make? Now I believe I can do anything…and it feels really good.

2016
My original plan was to cut sweets for one year in order to stop gaining weight. I have decided to continue this for next year. The main motivation is a stronger immune system. I am really loving it!
Next week I’ll have my Quarterly Offsite and make my final decision on what other habits I want to add or takeaway from my life. I’m considering a decrease in carbohydrates, but do not currently have a very tangible plan for this. Again, it is easier to “cut” than to “cut back,” so I am hesitant to make this commitment. Additionally, one needs to have an alternative and really plan ahead on this one. Suggestions are welcomed.

What about you? What life, health and fitness goals are you setting for 2016? What do you need to make those goals a reality? Please share in the comments or on social media. Thanks!