The sun is back after a rain-filled week…Hallelujah!
Eric and I took advantage of the nice weather to get outside for our first hike of the year.
We weren’t the only Canadians with Spring Fever! We could barely find a parking spot…
Ladies and Gents…meet Dwight K. Schrute! Or just Dwight for short. ;)
I picked myself up a Garmin Forerunner 305 at Costco this weekend!!
I have been wanting one for over a year now and my Polar RS200 has been broken for several months so I finally forked over the cash for a Garmin. Costco seems to have the best deal in Canada (aside from one sketchy website which I deemed was perhaps not the most reliable).
Eric couldn’t stop laughing at how HUGE the watch looks on my wrist. I had to explain to him that it’s a runner’s thing and I am PROUD to wear this beast!
If you are an Office fan you will understand where the Dwight name comes from. On the show, Dwight is known for wearing a huge calculator watch, which the Garmin kind of reminds me of. ;)
I can’t get over how many cool features this watch has. You can train or race against a ‘virtual partner’. This will be so motivational for me on solo runs. You can also upload all of your workouts and track/compare with the software. I still have half of a manual to read, but so far it has been quite easy to figure out! I can’t wait to use this on my 15km race this Sunday!
We tested out Dwight on the hike today. I set up the automatic pause feature, so the timer pauses every time I stop for a rest. At the end of the workout (or during) you can look at how much ‘rest time’ you had. It prevents the need to keep pausing and starting the watch each time you stop.
It was about 18C today and just perfect for a hike!
So peaceful.
Winter BE GONE!
We brought some of these on our walk for a snack:
Eric and I love going on hikes together because it gives us uninterrupted time to just talk about anything and everything…
We had one VERY interesting talk that I will be telling you about soon. :mrgreen: Oh, it’s a DOOZEY!!!!
We walked for an hour and covered 2.9 miles of hills, rocks, waterfalls, and rays…
We worked up appetites for lunch…
A protein packed spinach, lentil, hummus, and tomato Ezekiel wrap:
My breakfast this morning did an OK job of holding me over. Not as good as my first batch of vegan overnight oats for some reason (I may have just been extra hungry this morning though!).
An apple which was way too soft and not very good…(I like crunchy apples!)
and a handful of dried organic apricots and a dark chocolate:
I spent the afternoon organizing my bakery stock and taking inventory. It feels so good to get a jump start on the work week. This week is going to be VERY busy and EXCITING as I am training my first employee, meeting with the organic farmer’s market director, finalizing the new GF Glo Bar, and of course doing my regular orders!
In my last post, I told you that Eric is trying to kick something COLD TURKEY from his diet!
If you guessed COKE you were right!
And no, not the illegal kind of coke…this kind… ;)
Eric has been addicted to Coke since he was a young boy. In university, he often drank up to 6 cans a DAY as a way to be able to stay awake. He cut back a bit after university, but he still drank about 2 cans during the work day. I used to encourage him to drink healthier things, but he never showed ANY interest in stopping so I dropped it years ago.
Well, what does he do totally out of the blue last week??
He tells me that he decided to cut Coke (and all pop) COLD TURKEY out of his diet!!!!
He has not had a Coke since the beginning of our vacation in Florida, and not one sip at work. Apparently, his coworker bought him a Coke last week and set it in front of him and Eric didn’t even drink it after much teasing from his coworker. I was so proud when he told me this story I almost shed a tear! lol. I gave him a big, beaming bear hug because I am just so proud of him!
I asked him why he decided to do this all of a sudden and he said, ‘It is the one consistent thing in my diet that is bad for me and I realized that I could replace it with something healthier.’
When the craving strikes, he is trying to beat it by making tea or having 100% pure orange juice.
So far it has been working…BUT, he admitted to me this weekend that he is craving one REALLY BADLY and he is worried that he might crack and have one and then be hooked again.
I immediately thought of you guys and I knew that you could help Eric! I said, ‘MY AMAZING BLOG READERS CAN HELP YOU!!!!’ :mrgreen:
He needs the encouragement now more than ever and I was hoping that you guys could leave Eric a comment below and encourage him to stick with cutting Coke out of his life. Then he can read the comments when he is craving some. Actually, this could help ANYONE out there who is trying to cut something out of their diet. Eric REALLY wants to stick with it, but he is afraid that he is not strong enough!! Any encouragement you can offer is greatly appreciated. :) maybe those of you who are also trying to kick pop out of your life can offer each other support!
Today’s question- Do you have a story to share about pop/soda? Do you like it and have you ever tried to cut back? What about diet pop?
My story with pop is a simple one- I always disliked pop since I was a very young child. I have never been a fan of carbonated drinks for some reason! The only pop I ever drank was the orange or pink stuff…and I drank it very rarely because I always preferred juice as opposed to carbonated drinks. I know a lot of women who are addicted to diet pop…they drink about 6-8 cans a day and can’t kick the habit.
Eric, when I discovered that I had many food intloerances which were doing more harm to my Crohn’s disease, I at first didn’t think it was possible for me to cut out so many foods…one being chocolate. Oh man, was I ever a chocoholic. I found ways to sneak it in wherever possible. Once I cut it out I had huge cravings for it, I would try eating so much other foods just to try to take away the craving, but it would never work, I would just be sad that I couldn’t eat it. Then last Christmas in 2008 I cracked and tried a piece of peppermint bark. It was SO good! I ended up eating a few handfuls of it, but within a couple hours I was curled up on the couch…for 3 days. That was that, I no longer crave chocolate. I’ve found great alternatives to it though, such as carob…so good! Anyway my point being, is that just pretend that if you drink it, it will make you feel sick..or seek out other alternatives to the cola…I know theres a brand at Whole Foods called Zevia…it’s stevia sweetened pop…0 calories. I saw it the other day in the Toronto Whole Foods. They had a cola flavour…maybe that would help with your craving?
Anyway…good luck with it, you can do it!!!
I haven’t had coke since I was probably 8. Can’t stand the stuff. And in my 20’s all of them just became too sweet for me. I used to have a fair bit when I was bartending, as during a busy shift you need some instant energy :) I’s like to try the whole juice/seltzer thing though. Your hike looks like heaps of fun! I had a cold today, so couch time for me, but excited about getting out in the Spring weather!
You just reminded me…the one fizzy drink I used to have in university was RED BULL…I would drink the diet stuff from time to time. eek.
I have the 305 and LOVE it! I definitely haven’t used all of the cool features it has but I do find it great for programming your own sessions.
I’ve never been addicted to pop (soda for our American Friends). We really only buy it if people are coming over so there is an option (or a mix if there’s alcohol).
Hopefully it works out for him – I agree a fizzy water may be a good alternative!
i used to be a total diet pop addict! i would drink it all day, because after all it’s like water (err.. not quite). i love carbonation, so i started by making my own spritzers at home with club soda, stevia and citrus juice. it wasn’t nearly as satisfying, and occasionally i would still succumb when i was at restaurants or parties.
what really got me to kick the habit? kombucha. it’s an expensive addiction, but i see it now as a special treat and it’s good for my health. i allow myself one of the fizzy treats a day and it keeps me “clean” :) i now brew it myself too, though i can’t yet keep up with the rate i drink it.
(PS- it’s also a good source of vitamin b12, so it’s perfect for vegans!)
Ive always wanted to try Kombucha…I’m a bit scared!
Don’t be scared!! :) it’s really yummy! I enjoyed it my first time a couple weeks ago. it is pricy though :) worth it for a treat sometimes though :)
definitely don’t be scared– though maybe dilute it with juice at first. it’s tangy and effervescent, but that’s what makes it good. i even got my dad to give up alcohol for months after he replaced his daily glass of wine with a bottle of kombucha! never thought i’d see the day. trust me, if he can do that, eric can kick the coke.
also, i’ll point out that kombucha gives me more energy when i’m tired than anything with caffeine! it gives me wings, no red bull required.
also, soda cans contain BPA–another reason to skip the pop.
(sorry to monopolize your comments!)
Does it come in a can or a bottle and where do you buy it?
comes in a bottle. i like GT/Synergy brand. you can buy it at whole foods, co-ops, and even many “regular” grocery stores (usually in the dairy section, even though it’s totally nondairy).
I had a MASSIVE soda habit, I made the switch to diet soda about 10 years ago and was drinking 3 cans of diet soda each day, plus about a 2 liter every night. I also quit cold turkey (last August) and now only have diet soda in a very rare mixed drink. I drink a TON of water now.
Go Eric – you can do it!!
wow good for you Kelly! :) woot
Hiking is my favorite kind of exercise — it’s so nice to be outdoors and enjoying a social activity while getting your heart rate going.
I gave up Diet Coke but still “slip” sometimes. It’s been really bad this week with 17-hour jet lag but I’m hopefully back on the wagon.
We all have slips…it’s human…you can do it! Lack of sleep is a trigger for SO many things.
What a beautiful hike :) Looks gorgeous!
And stay strong Eric – you will kick the habit for sure :)
Not strong enough? psh! Of course Eric is strong enough! If he’s already gone this long with no Coke (and resisted the coworker’s little temptation shenanigan) then he definitely has this thing under control! I agree with other people that mixing some carbonated water into juice (or drinking it by itself) can help with any cravings for something sweet and/or bubbly. Good luck, Eric!!!!! :)
On cutting the coke:
I’m a big fan of mixing sparkling water with juices as someone mentioned above.
Other ways to start drinking water more is to flavor it! Some of the things i like to add:
1. Fresh Ginger (sliced)
2. Cucumber (sliced)
3. Mint (organic food grade essential oil makes it really refreshing, you can also use mint leaves but the float and get annoying)
4. Lemon or lime wedges (squeezed of course)
I just fill a glass pitcher, put one of the things above in it and put it in the fridge, cause the colder the better! It’s amazing how just a little flavor in plan water can make it so much yummier! I also do it with my water bottle i carry around with me everywhere, so i have refreshing mint water where ever i go
Fizzy water, though it might be a good step towards kicking the Coke habit still actually causes bone mineral leaching – NOT good!
I don’t know anything about fizzy water and Im curious why it would cause bone mineral leaching now…
i did a bit of online research and it looks like the phosphoric acid in carbonated drinks can leech calcium from your bones if you are not taking in enough calcium to counter the over abundance of phosphoric acid. In a regular healthy diet with lots of variety and moderation this wouldn’t be an issue, only when healthy beverages or foods are cut out and a high amount of carbonated beverages are consumed. :)
My Nutrition Teacher told us a story about one of her clients who had osteoporosis in her twenties, and they couldn’t figure out why based on her food intake.. then they looked at her beverage consumption and she drank a CASE of diet soda every DAY !!!
Moderation will save you life :)
What beautiful pictures! Several years ago I gave up soda (I call it soda) cold turkey for a month (as a personal challenge). The first week was the most difficult, but after that it wasn’t so bad. I did eventually go back to drinking soda but not nearly as much as I used to.
Is he having any headaches from caffeine withdrawal? Tea or coffee can help with that. Replacing soda with sparkling water or seltzer can replace the initial cravings for the fizz. Also, chewing gum can help–especially cinnamon gum. There is something in the cinnamon flavor profile that helps with cravings, including cigarettes! If he doesn’t chew gum, maybe some hot water with a cinnamon stick swizzled in might help? Good luck!
Jen
Yes he has had headaches..I think the tea does help a bit, depending on how much he drinks. Eventually the body will adapt Im sure :)
What perfect timing! I quit drinking soda jan 1st. It’s definitely tough. And I was having some hard-core cravings recently, so this was the perfect time to hear of other people pushing through. I’ve had a few (prob 3) Izze’s and they help a bit, because of the fizz. Eric don’t bail on me :) We can kick the habit together!
My trick to cutting Coke (and Diet Coke): Read the ingredients!!! Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, phosphoric acid, natural flavors and caffeine. Diet Coke is even worse because it’s ALL chemicals (hence no calories). Now, do you really want to put all that syrup and chemicals into your body? Or would you rather give your body something it NEEDS and will make you feel good? Water rids your body of toxins, tea has multiple health benefits, etc. Hope this helps!!
Very good points!
Eric, you can do it! Ironically enough, I gave up Coke at the beginning of last week. It has almost been a week for me and I am doing okay. I try to not focus on how much I want one and instead think of all the other healthy things I can put in my body. And, really, if it will eat rust off of metal, then imagine what it really does once inside us!
I’m one of those women who is addicted to diet pop. Over the years I have been able to cut down and even cut it out of my diet for several weeks at a time, but somehow I always come back to it. There’s always an excuse to be drinking it. I don’t get enough sleep so I need the caffeine, I need to focus at work and it helps me, et cetera, et cetera, ad nauseum. It’s funny that I’m reading this blog because my boyfriend and I just had a conversation about our addiction to coke products and how we would both like to give them up. When you think about it coke addictions can end up costing as much as nicotine problems. Scary thought! I think it’s really admirable that Eric is able to just cut it off completely like that. If he is craving something more fizzy that’s at least semi healthy, I’ve heard club soda + orange juice is pretty tasty. It lacks caffeine, but it has that tickly carbonated goodness that make my insides happy :-p. Wishing Eric good luck!
Eric: I used mountain dew to survive my first year of grad school, and I survived. I quit cold turkey and switched to all kinds of tea and green monsters in my second year, and I wrote an awesome thesis. Your life will be just as good, in fact, even way better if you keep at it! You’ve already lasted so long – don’t waste the effort you’ve already put in!
Also, if you do start drinking coke again, you will hear all million of angela’s readers crying, and that’s going to be pretty loud and annoying ;-) Oh yeah, and heartbreaking. You wouldn’t break all our hearts at once, would you? :) kidding, but good luck!
hahahah amazing comment…Eric enjoyed :)
I have struggled with a Diet Coke addiction since high school. Never more than 2 cans a day, but totally crave it. I gave it up for a year once, and then just one can did it for me and I was hooked again. Like Eric, it was my only vice. I tried to substitute cranberry juice and club soda, for the carbonation, which sometimes worked for a while. The day I found out I was pregnant though, I drank my last full can and haven’t touched it since. I miss it though and can’t promise that I will have given it up forever. So, I wish you luck Eric, it’s not easy but I do recommend not drinking even ONE.
I’m going to hold you to it post-pregnancy! ;)
I used to drink multiple Diet Dr. Peppers or Diet Cokes in college. When I went abroad, I stopped b/c canned sodas weren’t easily found and if so, they were expensive. I could felt completely different after going without soda for a few days. After a while, I realized it wasn’t that hard to let the habit go, and I could tell how much better I felt.
Every few months, I crave a diet soda. But after the first few sips, I realize how crappy it makes me feel: bloated, heavy, and almost like I have a metallic liquid running through my veins!
You can do it, Eric! Sodas are pure crap–diet or not. Why drink a can of chemicals? There are so many better, smarter, tastier options out there!
I used to drink all sorts of pop all the time and quit a couple years ago. What really helped me was drinking carbonated water (club soda) with a little lime or lemon juice. You still get the bubbly feeling without all the sugar and chemicals. Zero calories and zero sweeteners. Just water and a little carbon dioxide. Delicious!
That does sound kind of fun to try…I bet you could also squeeze in some fresh orange in there. congrats on being pop free for 2 years :)