Kicking the Habit...

Last week I have decided to turn over a new leaf...slowly. Ever since I can remember I've been drinking soda. My mom used to pack one for me in lunch box so I would say around 12 is when I would have started the habit. I don't blame her, I could choose whether or not to drink it and I certainly could have stopped instead of waiting 13 years to choose so. In a way, caffeine addiction is almost like being an alcoholic. You feel as if you need it to jump start your day, you become angry and cranky without it and without the proper support you finally cave and go back to it. After talking it over with my trainer, he told me I need to go cold turkey. Honestly, I don't think I'm strong enough. But he did tell me that switching from Diet to regular would help. That's not to say that I can put away three Dr. Pepper's a day versus 3 Diet Coke's and expect to loose weight, but I am substituting and keeping it to one a day. Or I try my best on most days. Last week was pretty succesful overall. On the days I did slip up I would have a diet coke so my consumption has gone from three a day to one or two. My plan is to be off soda completely by the end of the summer. In a way I've realized I've become dependent on a product that I don't need. The body can't break down the aspartame and in turn takes it and stores fat. Doesn't it amaze you at all the people who drink a so called Diet Drink and are still fat? What it boils down to in the end is that it also creates cravings. Without the sugar by product you are constantly looking for something else to much on. Overall it's about creating a healthier lifestyle. The first step for me last year was to signifacantly cut back on my alcohol intake. Now this is not to say that I don't imbibe every once in a while, Hello Vegas!, but I do try to limit it. In turn it has made me a cheap date which the hubs does appreciate. I used to be at a point, especially while wedding planning, where I would have probably three or 4 glasses of wine in a week. Now I generally only drink with company, such as dinner with parents on Sunday, or when we occassionally go out with friends. I have found that has made me feel better and has helped to shed a few pounds. It's easy to eliminate the things that aren't a neccessity.
My next step in my plan is to start meal planning. We ordered the Biggest Loser cookbook about a month ago and have maybe used one recipe out of the entire thing. So last night I wrote down the names and what nights we would have them. Now we have to do the grocery shopping, but after that I have all of our meals picked out for two weeks. It makes it simpler so we don't come home exhausted and wonder what to eat and then opt for fast food. My hope in the long run is that we'll eventually cut out a vast majority of our eating out expense. We analyzed out bank statement one month and found that we ate out 26 of 30 days. All the money down the drain and I'm sure the added poundage we don't need. So here's a new start to saving for a rainy day and potentially a bigger house. Because after all one of these days we'll want to start a family and we definetly won't be able to afford that. Nor do I want a child who becomes accustomed to that lifestyle.
Also, the other motivational boost....Destin in a month and half!! Nobody wants to be the tubby girl on the beach!