When you give something up, you enter a crash course in self control. Yesterday's eating habits involved lunch at my mother in-law's restaurant, and a graduation cookout for my wife's best friend. As you can imagine, some sort of soda usually accompanied my meals so temptation was at its peak.
The worst part of the day was eating at the cookout. Watching the other attendees sipping their sodas, watching the condensation sweat from the cans and drip down the side was torture. I could hear the crackle of the ice as hands gripped the cold cans and released them from their watery prison.
I thought about giving in, but then I remembered you all. I've not only made a promise to myself, but having something in writing gives me an accountability to readers as well as my health. I can't give up now.
So begins day 4.
apparently it takes something like 28 days to break a habit. so you're 1/6th of the way there.
ReplyDeleteI saw that you were doing this from a facebook post and just thought I would comment...
ReplyDeleteI too fell victim to the addiction. I was literally a "Coke" addict in that I grew up in a house where Coca Cola was the preferred beverage of choice. And still there is no better feeling than that of a cold soda kicking the back of your throat after the first sip and the inevitable "Ahhh.." that emanates after.
Anyway...
Here is how I kicked the habit and maybe it can help.
1) I drink about a gallon of sweet tea a day! Not really, but lightly sweetened tea can be a much better alternative and it's more natural and healthier (especially if you get into Splenda or Truvia sweeteners).
2) As far as restaurants go, when I worked at Applebee's one summer I was told to push drinks on the customers; to make sure they never order water...why? Because sodas are the most profitable items based on their mark-up pricing in a restaurant. Something crazy like a 200% mark-up in price for the customer while the restaurant pays pennies for the syrup and carbonation and can charge whatever they want (usually around $2.50). Now I always get water at sit-down restaurants because this pissed me off!
3) Don't completely give up soda if you don't really want to. Personally I use it as a treat like once a week. I never buy 12-packs from the store, but every once and a while I will grab a small bottle of Coke Zero and that will keep me happy for like a month...
Sorry this was so long but I just wanted to share my experience. Hope this helps, and know you are not alone! Lol.
Thanks Jiordan. That was actually really motivating. Thanks for following my blog. Now I have an accountability group :) Good to hear from you.
ReplyDeleteJoseph,
Good point. I can't wait 'til I'm a third of the way through.
this is interesting... if you stop drinking soda, you start hating it.. I can't even drink it now because the carbonation burns. Why not just drink water when everyone else is drinking soda? What you are describing sounds like being thirsty, not specifically wanting soda. Does soda even quench thirst anyway? That's why I don't like it, it grosses me out what's in it and what it does to your body and it burns. And so many pointless calories - I just don't see the appeal. I guess people like cigarettes too, though.
ReplyDeleteWhat about fresh squeezed juice as an alternative to water/soda? Or Odwalla juice if you don't have a juicer?