...and now for a very special episode....

It's Spring in Chicago. And we all know that really means that it's still Winter in Chicago. Don't let that sun fool you, fool. It's cold, cold, cold. (I know it could be worse but let me rant)

But lucky for me, I have a tropical vacation coming up in just a few days (YAY!!!) Of course I can't wait to let those warm tropical breezes wash over me, and lay like a lizard soaking up that gorgeous tropical sunshine.

And therein lies the problem.

As part of my "let's get healthy" kick this Winter, I decided to stop tanning. In a booth. I know, it's so 1990s of me, but just a few minutes locked in the tanning booth's warm embrace has always been an essential part of surviving Winter for me.

Just to be fair, I did indulge in self-tanners, so that after 5 months of no UV rays I'm not completely deathly pale. (My favorite: L'Oreal Sublime Bronze, available in lotion, foam, or towelettes!)

But I wouldn't exactly call my skin tan. So to prep my skin for seven days of abuse I decided to go tanning just a little, to build up a "base tan." (Is that really a thing?)

So far I've been good, with just a few moments in the booth here and there, and I am starting to notice a subtle, golden glow creeping back into my complexion. BUT....

I'm getting hooked.

Full disclosure: I went tanning yesterday. I went tanning today. AND---I fully intend to go tomorrow and the next day. So that means a solid week of tanning leading up to my trip.

I'll admit it: I think I'm becoming tanorexic.

It's not like I'm burning, or even deeply tanning my skin, but I know the beginning of an addiction when I see one. Remember the blondorexia that set in during the mid 2000s?

(To be fair, it was a family affair. Every single one of my siblings fell victim at the same time. I'll spare you the dreadful family photos from that era.)

It's a classic case. I keep telling myself "just until after the trip," or "I can quit whenever I want," but I know the truth. And it's not my fault: tanning is FREE at my gym! So how could I ever hope to resist the siren song of the tanning booths every time I go in to work on my fitness? My two favorite things: narcissism and a deal!!!

I'll keep you updated, but it's not looking good. If this gets really bad I could end up on Intervention! Hmmmm, maybe superficial reality show "fame" might just be the thing to keep me from falling deeper into addiction. We'll just have to wait and see....