Hello to the Rest of my Life

Hello to the rest of my life ... that's how I felt this morning when I got up.  I have planned on today being the first day of my "diet."  I worked on menus for the coming week, using what things I had in our cupboards and freezer.  My husband does the grocery shopping, so he won't go again until Saturday.  We are already eating fairly healthy - my problem is, I drink Cokes.  Plain and simple.

Everyone I know tells me I have to stop drinking Cokes, and I know I have to.  I am smart enough to know that I am drinking pure sugar.  But this is a hard habit for me to break.  My husband and my daughter have kicked the soda habit, so I know I can do it, but it's this psychology thing making me hold on to it.  I have stopped drinking Cokes in the past.  I have gone months with drinking any, but the craving was still there and after a period of time, something will trigger my anxiety, and I'm reaching for an icy cold drink.

I'm not going to make a big declaration to myself saying:
I AM GOING TO STOP DRINKING COKES
I am going to give it my best shot to cut down the amount I drink.  I'm not going to forbid myself to drink the Cokes because then I only want them more.  Instead, I'm going to save the Cokes for special times and try drinking water and sugar-free liquids throughout the day.  This is enough for me to try and work on for the next few weeks.

So, in addition to cutting down the amount of my portion size and trying to add some walking to my routine, I am going to cut down on my Coke intake.  I have given myself three goals for the next week:

• Smaller meal portions
• Small walk every day
• Small amount of Coke only

I will try to keep a journal of my success, charting my ups and downs as I go along.  Experts say to also write down your feelings when you are charting your food/exercise intake.  

Today I'm in a manic mood, and these are always unorganized days for me.  My brain is racing in hundreds of different directions and it is hard for me to focus on just one thing.  Sometimes I can get things done, but more times than not, I end up starting several projects that don't get finished.  Today I also have the added stress of my daughter going back to college.  She has been home for Christmas break, but now it's time to get back to the real world.

I'll keep you updated on my progress.