Twenty two hours in – the first hurdle down – and not even a shaving of chocolate has crossed my lips – although I did sniff my son’s soy hot chocolate this morning and looked longingly at the little chocolate fish on the side. But no! I was strong and stuck to my coffee.

Last night TMoTH greeted news of the challenge with an obviously sceptical ‘well it sounds like a good idea’. He didn’t actually say he didn’t think I’d last an hour – but it was written all over his face. Around 9.30 when we usually settle down with a pot of tea and a spot of…#focus….it occurred to him there may be other issues to consider.

“This, um, challenge – just what am I expected to do during it? What kind of support are you looking for precisely?”

Like most women, I’m adept at understanding what the real question is when TMoTH is talking and I knew his real fear was that he would have to join in and go for 22 days without chocolate.

Tempting as it was to suggest a total ban of the stuff in the house, I’m not convinced simply making chocolate unavailable is really the point of the exercise. After all if you’re stranded on a desert island and there is no Mars Bar in sight, can you really say you gave them up? It might be in line with the letter of the challenge, but it’s not exactly in the spirit of the thing is it?

By the way I’m going to blame my sudden passion for being pedantic on withdrawal symptoms.

Besides I have a sneaking suspicion there are some in the gallery who don’t believe I can do this – especially if I am surrounded by rich, chocolaty temptation.

So I let him - and The Offspring – off the proverbial hook and told them they didn’t have to give up anything - although if they wanted to that was an entirely different matter.

Ha! Today I took myself off to the supermarket in search of something for lunch and came away with: Puhoi yoghurt, a small punnet of blueberries, an orange for afternoon tea, and a bottle of Iced Pomegranate Peach Passion White Tea. This is quite possibly the healthiest shopping basket I have ever invested in – and although I did gaze longingly at all the delights waiting at the checkout, I did not even consider cheating.

I can’t recall the last time I left a supermarket without some form of chocolate – if only in the form of a chocolate frog!

I also invested in a new drink bottle – a bright pink one to go with Pinky, my new pink laptop. I’ve decided withdrawal symptoms may be setting in, but if it gets me drinking more water I can live with it.

The most surprising thing – for me at any rate – was how much I enjoyed my lunch. I love Puhoi yoghurt so that was no hardship but I had forgotten how much I love blueberries – I’m not sure how one forgets something like that, but I had. As for the Iced Tea – if you haven’t tried POM, I suggest you run, not walk, to your nearest Countdown and get some. NOW.

Day One is all but down for the count – now all I have to do is get through the next 21….