Surviving Lent with a Rebellious Sweet Tooth

Confessions of a sugarholic, featuring handy steps to lessen the cravings:

Step 1: Pray. Pray without ceasing. Ask God to curb this withdrawal that is making life miserable for another 16 days.

Step 2: Eat frozen fruit with abandon. Grapes are a personal favorite.

Step 3: Drink gallons of tea with lots of milk and a spot of honey, just this once. I highly recommend Chai. A pretty teacup is an absolute necessity - it makes everything taste better.

Step 4: Find friends who will join you in cultivating a savory tooth. Enjoy cooking and movie nights featuring dishes like Cape Cod chowder, Red Lobster cheddar biscuits and buttery homemade popcorn.

Step 5: Pick specific things to pray about instead of eating sweets. Intercede for those things while at birthday parties, surrounded by ice cream and cupcakes.

Step 6: Adapt favorite dishes for a sugarless alternative. Top decadent, impossibly fluffy Belgian waffles with a strawberry sauce made from reduced berries, vanilla and the tiniest smidgen of sugar to draw all the juice from the berries. Result? Better than syrup.

Step 7: Do strenuous physical activity to take your mind off your cravings. Train for a half marathon, and relish the weightless feeling of a sugar-free body.

Step 8: Repeat sugar fasts as needed throughout the year. They're no fun, but invaluable in practicing self-control and cultivating a healthy lifestyle.

Now, go eat a cookie. For my sake.