Beware the sugar-free goodies

So I was in the little, closer town Thursday picking up the things I forgot when I was in the big town Wednesday. And I was seduced by a brightly colored foil package of Russell Stover Sugar-Free Caramel Drops. Each drop is about half the size of a malted-milk ball. Let me tell you, sugar-free chocolate is vastly improved over what it was the last time I tried it, which has been several years ago.

I went to my next stop, which had even more sugar-free variety, and I bought several little bags of treats. I haven't had a treat since January, when I visited my daughter and her family (who keep a large jar of M&Ms on the kitchen counter. I'm powerless; what more can I say?). A half or third of a serving of sugar-free candy has about 50 to 60 calories, which fits into my program just fine. There are "No Net Carbs!" Another tantalizing line of copy on the package says "Low Glycemic Index!" That was the line that tipped me over the edge.

Of course, there also is a warning that excessive consumption may result in … ahem … digestive upset. Believe me when I tell you that I did not overindulge, and I logged every bite. And boy was my gut rebelling last night. I might be able to get away with one little caramel drop a day. But I really think I wasted five or six bucks on candy that I just can't have.

I so wanted to be able to indulge in a little treat every once in a while. What I need to do is change my mind, not my appetite. Why can't a grape be as "treatful" as a caramel? How is it that apples are less seductive than chocolate?

Anyway. It was quite cold yesterday, with a few little spits of snow, so I chose to work out on the rowing machine and treadmill. Thirty minutes of rowing and 60 minutes walking at a steady, 3.6-mph pace, with the help of Wonder Boys, which happened to be on television. This is possibly my second favorite movie, Accidental Tourist being the first. The stars! The writing! The soundtrack! I usually watch VH1, but I'm not a fan of heavy-metal music, and that was their feature when I decided to exercise.

The rest of the day was quiet, except for my stomach.