I have been working on getting my family healthier for a long while now. It all started back about five or six years ago. My daughter in law and I joined Weight Watchers while her husband(my son) was deployed in Iraq. We both stopped drinking regular sodas and started drinking diet coke. We also stopped eating out. Our families benefited for having more fresh home cooked meals. We both did very well on our diets. I lost well over 40 lbs. and I know my daughter in law came near loosing 40 lbs. Thinking back I would have done one thing different. I would have stopped the soda and never started drinking the diet soda.
Just recently I started removing refined sugars from our home. I want my grandchildren to be healthy. With all the processed foods in the market it is so easy to just grab a package of something and cook up a meal in minutes. I started looking at all the packaged foods we have in our pantry. I saw lots of corn syrup, artificial colors and flavors. Not to mentions lots of other ingredients I can not even pronounce.
So we are now slowly cleaning up our diet and looking for ways to become healthier. The first step for myself was to stop drinking diet coke. I have tried to cut back slowly multiple times. This has never worked for me. After several tries at cutting back I decided to just stop completely.
Now I have not had a diet coke in four days! Yes it has only been four days. You might not see that as a big deal. But for me this is a big leap in the right direction. I can not begin to describe what the last four days have been like. I expected to get a headache the first day. When evening came I thought wow no headache I can not believe how easy this was. Wrong, oh so wrong. Four am day two I woke with nausea and a headache I have never felt before. I was sick, sick, and more sick. I got to the point I thought I would just throw in the towel and have a diet coke. I have to give credit to an awesome and loving husband who helped me stay strong and keep moving in the right direction. I actually still have half a case of diet coke in the pantry. Any suggestions on what to do with that left over diet coke would be welcome. I sure don't want to waste it or give it to my family. Now I am at day four. I am feeling a little better. I still have a lingering headache but my nausea has passed. I am thirsty as ever even though I have been drinking 6 to 7 bottles of water a day. I am also drinking a little juice and tea. I have an appointment to get a blood test in a few days. I wanted to make sure I am moving in the right direction and keeping my blood sugar levels in good order.
Once we have removed all the obvious sugars in our diet we will start working on hidden sugars and carbohydrates. I think my family has a long path ahead but we will be working on this as a family so we are bound to succeed. Are you doing anything to improve your health or family diet?
Just recently I started removing refined sugars from our home. I want my grandchildren to be healthy. With all the processed foods in the market it is so easy to just grab a package of something and cook up a meal in minutes. I started looking at all the packaged foods we have in our pantry. I saw lots of corn syrup, artificial colors and flavors. Not to mentions lots of other ingredients I can not even pronounce.
So we are now slowly cleaning up our diet and looking for ways to become healthier. The first step for myself was to stop drinking diet coke. I have tried to cut back slowly multiple times. This has never worked for me. After several tries at cutting back I decided to just stop completely.
Now I have not had a diet coke in four days! Yes it has only been four days. You might not see that as a big deal. But for me this is a big leap in the right direction. I can not begin to describe what the last four days have been like. I expected to get a headache the first day. When evening came I thought wow no headache I can not believe how easy this was. Wrong, oh so wrong. Four am day two I woke with nausea and a headache I have never felt before. I was sick, sick, and more sick. I got to the point I thought I would just throw in the towel and have a diet coke. I have to give credit to an awesome and loving husband who helped me stay strong and keep moving in the right direction. I actually still have half a case of diet coke in the pantry. Any suggestions on what to do with that left over diet coke would be welcome. I sure don't want to waste it or give it to my family. Now I am at day four. I am feeling a little better. I still have a lingering headache but my nausea has passed. I am thirsty as ever even though I have been drinking 6 to 7 bottles of water a day. I am also drinking a little juice and tea. I have an appointment to get a blood test in a few days. I wanted to make sure I am moving in the right direction and keeping my blood sugar levels in good order.
Once we have removed all the obvious sugars in our diet we will start working on hidden sugars and carbohydrates. I think my family has a long path ahead but we will be working on this as a family so we are bound to succeed. Are you doing anything to improve your health or family diet?
We never used diet items or artificial sweeteners, I've always felt they were dangerous. I do substitute Stevia for most sweeteners now.
ReplyDeleteOnce in a while will still have a soda, but it is a treat. Trying to use fresh fruits and vegetables more too.
That is wonderful that you lost so much weight and also you are getting your family healthier!
I have read that even the artificial sugars are just as bad as the real ones.
ReplyDeleteI love Diet Coke too. I am always trying to limit it to one a day, but I really would like to just completely stop.
ReplyDeleteAh Sweety, you are doing such a good thing. Don't feel bad about 'wasting' your diet coke. Just throw it out and be rid of it! Now that the worst part is over, you'll start feeling so healthy and light! I'm cheering you on!!!
ReplyDeleteWay to go. I wish I could just walk away from my bad habit (coffee). I don't know how well this works but I read somewhere that coke cleans toilets really well. I guess it wouldn't hurt to try the diet coke... :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome job! Very proud of you!
ReplyDelete