Still addicted...!

So, I haven't been able to fully break the soda pop habit. I've been doing better at only having a certain amount each day, instead of what I used to do -- namely, drinking it all day long, almost every day.

I keep getting headaches and end up using them as my excuse to have some caffeinated fizzy sugary yummyness.

And then immediately feel guilty about it.

August has been so hectic, I also use that as an excuse to eat/drink poorly.

I need to stop being hard on myself and make a realistic plan. Hm...

Interesting article...

Getting Real About the High Price of Cheap Food

Curses!!

Oh, dear favorite soda pop. How you torment me.

This is day 3 of having just one can of pop per day, and I'm still a tired lump, and this morning in particular I am resisting the urge to go up to the cafe and buy a delicious, ice-filled soft drink.

I've got my one-can-ration in my lunchbox. It's just waiting there for me.

I want to drink it.

But I also want to wait awhile so I don't use up my ration so early in the day.

I'm kind of embarrassed that quitting this junk is so hard.

In perhaps more positive and/or optimistic news, I received my copy of The Beck Diet Solution yesterday, and did the Day 1 activities. So far it is interesting. It's about retraining your brain with Cognitive Therapy so that you will "learn to think like a thin person", rather than about an eating plan.

Day 1's homework was to review a list of reasons to lose weight (and add a few of your own reasons), then write these reasons in order of importance on a 3"x5" card. Then make a written agreement to read this list two times daily, and to post the list in at least one other place where you'll see it and be reminded to read it.

It's a "srump"! (David will catch that reference, I'm sure.)

So...yeah... yesterday (day 1 of the second-phase pop reduction, or SPPR to you tech nerds) I was very tired all day. Today, I am really tired again.

While part of me is saying, "Go ahead and crack open a cold one" another part of me is saying, "Save it for later in the day!"

I know it is just another slump... my body getting used to a reduction in both caffeine and sugar intake. I was reading articles yesterday on how bad sugar is for us and how much sugar gets sneaked into just about everything pre-made. Some studies estimate that 25 of our diet is made up of sugar! Holy moly. Needless to say my tea was served unsweetened last night.

I've been trying to replace my soda pop sugar intake by eating more fruit instead. I slacked a little yesterday, but did have some blueberries with cottage cheese for a midmorning snack. We also had grilled pineapple with our salmon, stir fry & rice dinner (yum!) and I ate a couple bing cherries in the evening instead of opting for ice cream.

Week one: a reflection

Well, I survived for over a week with 24 oz. of soda pop per day, only going over my limit on the day my whole family went out to eat. I made the excuse to myself that it was OK because the glass was so full of ice, then proceeded to have 3 glasses of cola. Argh!

That said, I've noticed a few things already in this short amount of time, just having reduced and limited my soda pop intake:

1. My teeth don't hurt!
2. I've been sleeping a little bit better
3. I've been craving other fake sugars LESS
4. I've been eating more fruit and vegetables
5. I've been drinking water or milk with dinner instead of pop

Today will mark the first day that I reduce my intake limit yet again, this time to 12 oz., or one can of soda per day.

I will see how I feel after one more week, and then decide if I'm even going to finish the case of pop, or perhaps switch to having one every other day toward the end of the stash.

Last night I brewed some tea to make iced tea with, and before I put the pitcher in the fridge I put a few freshly picked and washed basil leaves in it. It tastes yummy! And the extra flavor means I'm not tempted to add sugar or sweetener. I did buy a box of sweetener packets, however, in case my upcoming attempts at removing further sugar from my life become too much and I need something sweet. :)

The saga continues

Well, so far my 2-cans-a-day plan is working. I suppose I should drop down to just one can a day starting tomorrow...?

I'm feeling already much better about my cravings- they aren't too terrible, and if I just make myself wait awhile before allowing myself to have some pop, I can make it through the day just fine.

Today at work when I had some pop, it didn't even taste that good. At least, not as much as it usually does.

Today I also "splurged" and ordered 2 used books from Amazon - The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person and Dr. Shapiro's Picture Perfect Weight Loss: The Visual Program for Permanent Weight Loss.

I'm thinking that since now I'm not so worried about the soda addiction being such a huge problem (although I shouldn't get too ahead of myself and jinx it), I'll start on the next step of improving the rest of my food and beverage intake habits.

New Plan (Option 2) update

I've been doing ok for the last few days having a maximum of 2 cans of soda per day. I still have a few more days to go before switching to just 1 can per day.

So far, so good. I wish I'd had the stamina - and lack of migraines - to just remain cold turkey over the weekend, but, oh well!

I'm still craving pop but if I slow down and enjoy my 12 oz. can, and spread the 2 out over the day instead of drinking one right away after breakfast or after arriving at work - instead opting for mid-morning - then have the other sometime after lunch, it isn't that bad.

This morning I woke up really tired and achy, though... so of course I want to do the Dew...