Bring on the GREENS!!!

So I've been on this journey for almost 2 weeks now and I can say I really don't miss the soft drinks too much.  I know I can keep it up but I do crave them from time to time and I just have to tell myself no.  The same way I have to tell my kids no to ice cream for breakfast.  Ok so this is one step down and many to go.

This next week I plan to start to eat a salad for at least one meal per day - everyday.  There is no better way to eat healthy than to pile a bunch of leafy greens together and add some dressing.  I am not a fan of spinach or kale BUT I do like iceberg so here is the plan.  I will each day mix the 3 with the majority of it being iceberg in the beginning and slowly switching the ratio.  I hope to eventually eat only darker leafy greens in my salad.

A salad for me in my prior life consisted of lettuce, cheese, egg, carrots, cucumber, croutons, bacon bits and some form of meat (turkey, chicken, ham, etc) and of course Honey Mustard dressing.  This week I plan to change that up a bit.  I will drop the croutons, bacon bits, cheese and Honey Mustard for some type of vinaigrette dressing.

In my adventures of working out I have been searching for a good protein powder to put in my smoothies.  I came across a fellow Memphis Thunder Racing member who has been using a JuicePlus Complete powder in hers and she was telling me about it.  I had heard of JuicePlus before but didn't know much about it so she invited me to a tour of the company that makes it.  I was very excited to find a vegetable based protein powder and to be able to tour their facility.  Let's just say I was  BLOWN AWAY!!!

As we walked through the facility the tour guide was giving me the history of the company that makes it, how they support the community, how they are financially stable, and about all the research studies done on their products.  Besides the powder, I learned about capsules they have that are made from whole foods and put into the capsules to ensure you get the nutrients you need.  I know my body is used to living off sugars/carbs primarily so I decided to order some of their products and give it a try.  I am confident it will have an impact on my health.  I am so convinced that I have decided to sell it to!

The Headaches are GONE!!!

Everyone said it would happen and it is true.  I am on day 8 without any sodas and my headaches are gone.  The first 4 days, the headaches were really bad!  I took alot of Advil and it helped but I knew it was still there.   I just can't believe I have no headache anymore!  WHOOOHOOO  YIPEEEEEE

4 days of NO DIET COKE

So I have to say it is easier than I thought.  Ok, so the headaches are AWFUL but other than that, I'm doing good.  I had a small set back today though.  My 3 year old has had a stomach bug and decided to give it to me - UGH!  There was a moment this morning when I got a can of DC out of the refrigerator and almost opened it telling myself I NEEDED it to feel better.  It was in my hand and I had to talk myself off the ledge.  In 4 days, that was really my only moment of true weakness.  I am feeling confident that I CAN do this and I WILL do it.

24 hours down and a lifetime to go...

So here I am 24 hours after the decision to quit!  Here is what it feels like:

• I was yawning at 6:30 last night ready to go to bed
• My head was throbbing when I would stand up
• I went to bed at 8:30
• Woke up at 4:30 am dying for a Diet Coke but chose water and green machine instead
• Went to the gym
• My head is pounding still 
• I'm eating everything in sight

However, I have already had 5 bottles of water today and am ready to fight this.  I feel this bad because I was addicted to the chemicals in soda.  This just makes me mad!  

I am more ready than I ever thought I could be to take on this challenge.  

Week 2 - Thanksgiving Week

Ok so this has been a tough week! I think just knowing I'm giving up sodas has made me crave them more. I have even had a few Mt. Dews which I gave up months ago.

The hard part isn't during meals. I am doing good drinking water with meals. It is when I'm at home or in the car that I want a soda. We did a lot of traveling this week.

I've come to realize too that it is the sugary taste that I'm addicted to. It isn't the carbonation. I've noticed if I drink some Green Machine by Naked Juice my craving stops. At least I know what I'm up against.

So, here is what I have decided. I'm am done drinking sodas as of right now. It is 12:26 on Monday 11/26/12. There, I said it and I'm done.

My sister and my 3 year old son on the Wed before Thanksgiving

I have also convinced my sister to do this with me :) YAY!!!






In the spirit of Thanksgiving I am thankful for:

• Family that supports me in cleaning up my diet
• Friends who spoke up about our food supply and led me to this journey
• Robyn O'Brien
• Farmers that grow healthy food organically
• The internet for providing us with access to Information - good and bad :-)
• All the documentaries that expose what is really going on that no one wanted us to know
• My boys are young enough I still have a chance to teach them the right way to eat real food
• Being healthy enough to exercise 
• Having the guts to try, I mean DO this thing :-)

Week 1 - Making Progress

So after that first day where I drank 1 water before I would have a Diet Coke (DC) it became harder and harder.  Day 2 was good.  I only had 3 DCs and 4 waters so I felt good.  Day 3 however, I rationalized with myself that I could have a drink of the DC then drink the water because I needed to wake up faster.  Well, let's just say that water tasted gross.  I had a really hard time getting the water down.  I finally had to just chug it down so I wouldn't feel bad about it anymore.

I spent some time cleaning out the frig and the pantry too.  I threw away a lot of "bad foods" and replaced them with the good stuff.  In this journey I know it is going to be hard and I planned to do this gradually over time but I just can't stop thinking about how bad it is.  I am not saying I am going ahead full steam but I am going to make smarter choices.  For example, I bought Almond Milk instead of regular milk, and I did get the yogurt again but I got plain and will add my own fruit to it.  I also got some Almond/Rice crackers vs my regular Ritz crackers.  The trick will be getting my kids on board.

As I packed my 6 year old's lunch this morning I kept thinking about how hard it is going to be to get them on board.  I put in his lunch Annie's version of Goldfish, Pretzels, Ritz Bits Peanut butter, and a turkey sandwich on whole grain thin buns.  I know it isn't as bad as it could be but I am not sure how I can get him to eat better.  I need to do this gradually as I know he will just not eat so any advice out there is welcomed.  You always hear, replace the sandwich with a salad - well, I've been trying for a while now to get him to eat a salad with no luck.  He acts like he is gagging - ADVICE???

Anyway, the rest of the week was fine.  I never had more than 3 in a day.  Progress!

I have gotten a lot of questions of WHY?  It is hard to answer but here are a few reasons:

1. I just turned 40 so I thought I should start to act like an adult and eat adult foods and take better care of my body
2. I know aspertame isn't good for you
3. I need to hydrate myself better
4. I want to be healthier to be on earth longer for my family
5. I don't want my kids to grow up with bad habits and I believe you lead by example
6. I don't know - maybe it is my mid life crisis to torture myself

So that is it, off to week 2 - maybe I can get to only 1 or 2 a day this week.  I only have 1 more week until I quit them forever!  

Day 1 - The Choices

So I woke up this morning to a decision.  I went to the refrigerator just like I normally do while the boys are still sleeping and reach for a Diet Coke.  Today though I reached for a water too.  I made sure to drink my water before opening the Diet Coke.  That was a big step!  I drank the water as fast as I could so I could get the Diet Coke.  LOL - Baby Steps Right???

Anyway, went on my normal routine of the following:

1. Make the boys pancakes, "Hulk Juice" (Naked Green Machine), and Banana
2. Wake them up and get them settled to eat.
3. Make Collins breakfast consisting of 4 eggs (organic) and turkey bacon
4. Make the coffee
5. Get the boys dressed and get their teeth & hair brushed 
6. Get the family out the door for school
7. Clean up the mess from the morning shuffle

Ok, now time for me - I don't have a routine really.  I either go work out or get directly in the shower to start the day.  Today, I am writing this blog first (while downing a tube of go-gurt) then I will get my work day started.

So the rest of the day went like this:

I had a 2nd Diet Coke before 10am so since my first was at 5:30 am, that is a span of 4.5 hours.  Not too bad in my mind.  Then I went for a run during lunch and had my 3rd at 2:00.  I guess I needed a pick me up.  Then we had PTA meeting and open house last night at 6:00 so I had one on the way there.  That one was because it was routine to have a Diet Coke when I go to get in the car.  It is a habit I will have to break.

That was it, only 4 which seems like a lot but it almost 1/2 what I normally drink.

I didn't see any side effects which I didn't expect to but I am sure when I cut them out completely I will.

Now for the bad news, I did eat everything in the house from leftover pizza, to Doritos.  I have to make sure I don't keep that up or I will gain 25lbs during this adventure :-)

The Decision to get Healthy

Today I made the decision to finally change my life and I have a plan :)  Here is my story:

I grew up in a small town and ate whatever my parents put on my plate.  Well, mostly what they put on my plate.  You see, I was a very picky eater so what the family had for dinner wasn't always what I had.  I sometimes got my own meal because I didn't LIKE what the rest of the family was eating.  

One of my fondest memories was in the 3rd Grade I had a teacher named Mrs. Walker.  She was a very strict teacher and I was really scared of her.  The way I remember it was that at lunch they were serving spaghetti and that was one of those meals I didn't LIKE.  I remember her "making" me eat the spaghetti and I vomited all over the floor.  I'm not sure if she actually made me or just suggested, I'm also not sure if I was already sick or what by in my 8 year old mind, the spaghetti made me sick and it was all her fault.  So from that time I would use this to make sure I LIKED what was on my plate.

I can remember in High School, every day after school stopping at the local Hardee's and getting 2 cheeseburgers for the ride home.  I was not a heavy child either.  I was probably 5'5" and 115lbs so I didn't think it was bad.  I would eat whenever and whatever I wanted with no regard to it at all.  

When I got to college, I was danced on the POM squad at our school which was ranked number one in the country for the previous 7 years.  This was the first time I ever heard that food wasn't just food but there were good foods and bad foods.  I remember drinking a SunDrop and my coach freaking out.  I never did that again.  We had weigh ins every week so my diet soon became a combination of baby food, tuna fish and baked potatoes.  This consumed my every thought.  I was worried about what foods were going into my body.  I probably only consumed 600 calories of "food" and the rest was from alcohol.  Not to mention we practiced 3 hours a day and I usually didn't make my weight so I would have to run an extra 2-3 miles after practice.  So I worked out approximately 3.5 to 4 hours a day / 5 days a week not to mention games.

1.5 months after baby #2 and a long way to go!

After my POM years I didn't really do much exercise wise.  I would run 2-3 miles a couple days a week and ate whatever I wanted.  My weight fluctuated between 120-130 for a good 10 years.  Then I had children.  With each of my kids, I gained 50-60 lbs.  I was able to get the weight off after by exercising and taking Phentermine to curb my appetite.  I also worked with a personal trainer 3 days a week.  It was hard work but I loved it.  I started getting into running marathons and triathlons.  I have even competed in 2 half IronMan competitions since then but I always felt like I should look more fit than I do because I worked out so much.  

After baby number 2 - starting to slim down

Running and Running and Running but still looking flabby.

I was forever changed when I saw a Facebook post by a coworker out of another state that said he felt better than an 18 year old one day.  I started watching his posts and finally asked him what was up.  He told me to watch the documentary "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead" and that was it.  I started researching and finding all kinds of information about our food supply and GMOs and wow was it overwhelming but I still couldn't MAKE myself eat better.  I started buying organic veggies and fruits, grass fed beef, organic chicken, etc but I still made it back to eating mac and cheese, eating out, etc.

If I now know how bad our food is and that my eating is killing me, why can't I change?  I know every time I drink a Diet Coke how bad it is but I can't stop.  This is an addiction that is worse than any other.  I am addicted to bad food.  How do I stop?

I have made the decision to stop!

That is it - I have to want to and make the decision to so here is my plan.  I am going to take out one of the bad habits and replace it with a good one, one month at a time.  So I decided I need to write it down and hold myself accountable while sharing it with all my friends and family so they can hold me accountable too.

December 2012- NO MORE SOFT DRINKS and only drink water from now on!!!  Wow, I said it, now let's see where I can take it.  

January 2013 - cut out all processed foods - I already don't eat that much so this should be ok but this means for my kids and husband too.  Fixing lunches will be a challenge so I will be looking for helpful ideas.  

February 2013 - remove dairy - whew this will not be easy because cheese is my major comfort food.  It is my "go to" food when nothing else sounds good.  I each cheese on everything and with everything.  

March 2013 - remove all breads and gluten.  This is going to be a challenge and maybe even harder that the dairy.  

April 2013 and beyond I plan to eat only vegetables, fruits and lean meats.  It sounds so simple but I know it will be hard.  

So, here I go!