So I have decided once again to cut pop out of my life. Mountain Dew has been a true love of mine for so long now but I need to kick him to the curb! It has only been 3 days since my last sip of that delicious goodness (well not even, in a few hours it will be 3 days) and I am craving a pop so bad I am going crazy! I have been drinking water like someone who has been in the desert without water for months and it seems to be helping becuase I have not had one caffiene withdrawl headache yet! I have been reading all the bad things about Soda - which I all knew before but didn't really care becuase it tasted so good - but I read that drinking excessive amounts of water at first will help flush out the toxins so that is what I am trying to do. I hope I can stick to it this time (I have tried to kick my caffiene habit many times before but have never been able to say I won). Below are just a few things I keep reminding myself of in hopes that I will stick to my resolution and maybe even drop a few pounds!
* Carbonation (think "bicarbonate of soda") neutralizes natural stomach acid. The reason you have acid in your stomach is to aid with digestion. When there is insufficient acid, your food doesn't get fully digested. I always have a stomach ache - maybe this has something to do with it!!
* Regular soda is full of sugar, and sugar ultimately ends up as extra weight around your hips, or as an extra clogging factor in your arteries. Don't even get me started on this one, I have enough extra weight and it is time to give some of it back!
*Soda gets expensive! Seriously if I buy 2 bottles a day at work that is $550 a year just for the pop I drink at work everyday, now add on all the pop I buy for at home - seriously we could go on an extra vacation each year with the money we could save!
* Caffeine makes all aspects of a menstrual cycle worse. I do not need to explain this one any further!
* Caffeine can cause headaches. I still believe the headaches occur when you lack caffiene but studies show that too much caffiene can have the same effect, which might explain my increase in migraines over the past couple years. I never had migraines before but I never used to drink as much pop as I do now.
I have also decided to run a 5K in the near future so Mountain Dew needs to be the first thing I cut out of my life as I try to prepare to run 3 miles without dying!!
* Carbonation (think "bicarbonate of soda") neutralizes natural stomach acid. The reason you have acid in your stomach is to aid with digestion. When there is insufficient acid, your food doesn't get fully digested. I always have a stomach ache - maybe this has something to do with it!!
* Regular soda is full of sugar, and sugar ultimately ends up as extra weight around your hips, or as an extra clogging factor in your arteries. Don't even get me started on this one, I have enough extra weight and it is time to give some of it back!
*Soda gets expensive! Seriously if I buy 2 bottles a day at work that is $550 a year just for the pop I drink at work everyday, now add on all the pop I buy for at home - seriously we could go on an extra vacation each year with the money we could save!
* Caffeine makes all aspects of a menstrual cycle worse. I do not need to explain this one any further!
* Caffeine can cause headaches. I still believe the headaches occur when you lack caffiene but studies show that too much caffiene can have the same effect, which might explain my increase in migraines over the past couple years. I never had migraines before but I never used to drink as much pop as I do now.
I have also decided to run a 5K in the near future so Mountain Dew needs to be the first thing I cut out of my life as I try to prepare to run 3 miles without dying!!
YAY! I'm needing to break up with Mt. Dew as well. I'm finding it much harder to do when I'm home all day. I feel like I need at least 1 to get me through the afternoon. Best of luck staying away from pop. I hope I can do the same soon!
ReplyDeleteI say do it - just kick Mr Mt Dew to the curb! We can have a challenge to see who can go the longest without drinking any!! I need more motivation becuase I am really thinking about giving up already!
ReplyDeleteMandy, Pop was one of the first things that I kicked when I was on dialysis (fluid restrictions helped) but after the transplant, I have to drink a ton of water so I get those flavor packs you can throw in to make it taste like something. (just make sure there isn't caffeine in it). Pop isn't my monster...its COFFEE! Best of luck...and GL with the 5K. You're my hero! I would DIE.
ReplyDeleteWay to go giving up something that's so unhealthy! Everything about soda is unhealthy, diet included. But just think about the calories alone, how many you would be cutting out per day if you really gave up Mt. Dew! How many do you drink a day? Two? Three? Aren't they like 150 calories a piece or something? God, that would be cutting out 450 calories a day! That's HUGE!
ReplyDeleteAnyways, sorry I'm getting carried away, I just started doing the math, and that is just awesome.
Dan gave up pop completely many years ago, and at the same time lost like 15 pounds... and he was drinking diet! Anyway, he drank a lot of propel, if you havn't tried it, you should look into it. It doesn't have any aspertame in it or anything, and is basically flavored water, but has like less than 50 calories in a 16 ounce bottle. Sometime you need something other than water, you know?
Good luck!
Thanks for the tip Alicia, I have not tried Propel yet! I have some of the Crystal light packets that you add to a bottle of water but I am not completely sold on them yet! I am doing good with water so far but I am sure I will get bored with it rather quickly. I am drinking milk with meals instead of pop, I almost forgot how much I like milk. I really hope I can stick to it and really kick the caffiene addiction.
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome Mandy! Good for you. Once you get over the caffeine part, it will hopefully be way easier. I've found that by drinking more water, soda sounds less and less desirable.
ReplyDeleteI totally love love love Propel packets! They add flavor but aren't overpowering like some flavored waters/juices.
Wow...you are BRAVE! I always try to quit my Diet Coke but I always fail. It is so freaking exspensive latley that I have been thinking more & more of giving it up not to mention all the health reasons.
ReplyDeleteWhy do I love it so much? Maybe you can be my role model. Keep us posted & good luck!
This addiction is killing me - I want one so bad! And last night my sister and Frankie both drank a Pepsi right in front of me, I almost died. But I have not given in to the urge yet - going on 5 days without a sip!!
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work Mandy! You make me want to give up Diet Pepsi, but I don't know if I'm quite there yet. I have been doing good with cutting back. I've been drinking way more water and milk too. Next time we're together, you can convince me some more!
ReplyDelete