Nutty Buddy Christmas Bars

I am no stranger to Little Debbie. I remember when I was a teenager, hiding boxes of zebra cakes behind the never-used-no-one goes-behind-bar in my parents basement. I would come home from my job at Kroger, stuff my mouth with a whole box, and no one was ever the wiser.

At 42, I wish I could say my love for these scrumptious delights has waned over the years. But alas, I still cannot resist the craving whenever I pass the aisle. And as if the regular temptation of fudge rounds wasn't enough, they have the special ones they only bring out once a year. The big pink heart at Valentine's Day. The Halloween Brownies. And of course, the coup de gras, Christmas Tree cakes.

Twice the size of any other selection, this red white and green cake with the sprinkles has been calling my name every year for as long as I can remember. And, difficult as this might be to believe, I took it to the extreme. 2 for breakfast. Another at lunch. All of  December. Throw boxes in the freezer for Christmas in July. They have been my crack. Until this year.

I do a lot of work for a very well known Dollar Store chain. There is one of these in just about every town in America, and they keep us running all over the State of Ohio and beyond. A few weeks ago, we were sent to inspect one in Oberlin, Ohio. And it was there, just to the right inside the front door, that I saw them.

Christmas Nutty Buddy Bars.

I had always loved the originals. Peanut butter wafers covered by chocolate, I never imagined they could make them better. But I could see on the box that they had iced them with white frosting and red stripes, and I began to drool. I bought two boxes, one of which was gone before we got home. A few more boxes made their way to our pantry, and I was looking forward to a holiday season full of Little Debbie goodness.

What a world. Nutty Buddy Christmas treats. We will get back to that shortly.

So I went to the doctor about a week and a half ago. Actually, she is a Nurse Practitioner who manages Tiffany's health issues and is a great advocate for my wife. So I figured she could do a physical on me, tell me to lose some weight, and put me on a blood pressure med, just like every time I go to see a medical professional. And I nailed it.

She yelled at me about Krispy Kreme, told me I had to shed some of the 273 pounds that I tipped the scales at, and drew some blood with a promise that she would call me if any abnormalities showed up. Sounds like a plan!

But then she called.

Abnormality.

Type II Diabetes to be exact.

When she told me, I was just happy not to have heard the word cancer. That had been the fear when they called Wednesday to let me know I needed to come back in. She did, however, let me know how serious the situation is. With a smile on my face and a knot in my stomach, I thanked her for her help and vowed to make a change.

It took me a few days to process. No, I am not insulin dependent. But I am on the borderline for that. If I do not change my entire dietary routine, I will be giving myself shots within a year. After that, who knows what happens?

That means no more of a lot of the foods that are a part of my daily routine. From Sausage McMuffins to Kripsy Kreme donuts, I have to leave them all behind. And while a wedge salad will never taste as good as zinger or ho ho, none of those taste as good as being alive feels. So be it.

So. Be. It.

I took the Nutty Buddy's out of their hiding spot and gave them to John-Michael. And as I did, I thought to myself, I quit smoking, I can do this.

Then I smelled a fresh batch of Tiffany's Pizzelle Cookies. This might be tougher than I thought.

Speaking of cancer, my old boss from Belfor is apparently laying in a hospital, afflicted with leukemia. He is not my favorite guy in the world. Heck, he is not in my top 2,682,294 favorite people. But no one deserves that. So maybe say a little prayer for him tonight. Thanks

Day # 1022. 1 pound down, 72 to go. It is good to be me!











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