Is is possible to change. Truly it is. I bear little resemblance to the drunk-every-single-day girl I was in my early 20s, and I believe for all of us who are truly living, a similar transformation has occurred over the years as well.
This week I've been attempting to change some habits, and though change is possible, it's anything but easy! I came back from Hawaii with a list, created on the airplane, of things I wanted to do. It was a very long list, but thankfully I'm grown-up enough to recognize (finally!) that this entire list probably won't happen in one short week. So I knew that picking one or two items would be a much better idea, with a greater likelihood of success, than bolding and underlining every single thing.
So I've had no Diet Pepsi this week, and I'm starting to drink green tea. These choices may not sound like much, but they are surprisingly difficult for this girl! I've been drinking Diet Pepsi in some quantity or other for over 30 years. No, I don't drink a six-pack a day, but I was a "3 Pepsi a day" girl when Tim and I met, and probably have averaged at least one soda per day since then. My justifications have been many: it doesn't have calories, it fills me up, I have to have at least ONE vice (oh the ignorance in THAT one!). And while those are all true, it feels like it's time to let go of this habit. Do I miss it? Heck yeah! But I haven't had a soda all week!
In conjunction with this change, I'm also starting to drink green tea. I don't like tea. I don't detest it either, but it just doesn't taste good to me. And yet I like the idea of tea -- it seems sophisticated and calming and very very cool somehow. And the health benefits are numerous and growing. So I've had a cup of green tea nearly every day this week. And I'm noticing that while I wouldn't say I like it yet, I'm starting to get used to it. Looks like familiarity breeds, not contempt, but maybe benign tolerance?
Oh, and speaking of tea, I'm not putting anything in it, as I've also decided to stay away from Splenda. Time to go polish my halo now. ;)
9 comments:
Hey Leslie..I changed over as well.
I had the same problems Diet Pepsi or Diet Coke which I just started drinking two years ago..before I would never touch the stuff. I was also drinking coffee. Just a cup a day but I never used to drink coffee until 9 years ago. The end of last year I gave both these up and also swtiched to green tea. I love green tea so that was not a problem I do sometimes still want a diet coke or pepsi but have been able to resist it. The longer you stay from it the less you desire it. I cannot even stand the thought of drinking coffee now..I never thought I would feel like that.
You can do this..
I'm glad you decided to give up diet soda. I did that a few years ago and noticed benefits in my hair and nails within a couple weeks! I still drink soda occasionally when I'm out to dinner or at a party, but I don't keep it in the house. One thing I've found that helped when I was craving it was sparking water. It's carbonated like soda so it fills you up - but you don't get any of the bad chemicals (plus water is good for you!) Good luck!
Leslie,
I have an amazing story to tell about the evils of aspartame if you're interested some time. I have a proposition for you. If you get a chance, drop me an e-mail @ urgayle@gmail.com.
I have been off the diet mt dew since Feb 4th! Hard??? Hell yeah, one of the hardest things I've had to do in a while! But, it killed my teeth in my younger years (now have a fake upper plate) and now it's moved to my stomach (if you've read any of this past months posts on my blog you will follow this) and caused gastritis which sucks big time-so do I miss dmd?? Not any more, it feels good to not have pain and be able to eat! Hang in there!
Good for you! I did this a while ago and I feel the same way about tea. But now I order ice tea when I'm out and drink green tea at home. I experiment a lot with "flavors" of green tea. I tend to like the ones by Lipton in the funky pyramid shaped bags. (But yes on rare occasion I will still have a diet coke)
Here is a negative about diet soda that you can keep in the back of your mind...it will still zap your calcium stores, which we don't need happening at our age (or any age) and that "diet" word doesn't compute with our brain. Our brain tastes the sugar "food" and when no calories "energy" comes with it, our brain wants to make up those calories in other ways...you will want to eat more.
Good about the green tea...I only get the mint green tea, because teh taste is nicer. If I have regular tea, then I only add a very small amount of honey (because it's a real food) and it tastes great ;)
i REALLY want to try to cut out splenda from my coffee, i just havent yet, its hard! great job on staying pepsi free for the week :)
I really want to give up Splenda/artificial sweeteners but so far I haven't made that commitment. How's it going so far?
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