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.
I grew up drinking Coke all the time – with dinner, throughout the day, sometimes in the middle of the night even!! I stopped drinking regular coke a few years ago and replaced it with Diet, however I don’t crave diet coke so I don’t drink it too often.
Tell Eric that when I stopped drinking Coke, I dropped 5 pounds. That is what Coke was causing me to carry around (not to mention the other gross side effects).
Sometimes if I have something big to celebrate, I’ll go ‘crazy’ and have a Coke. And it is so delicious. But because it is a special occasion drink, I can look forward to it the few times a year I have one.
I used to have a SERIOUS Diet Coke habit. At the worst of it, Diet Coke was the first thing I had in the morning (on an empty stomach, ick!) and I would drink cans throughout the day, up to five every day! When I went vegan I decided to also cut out coffee and soda, and let me tell you Diet Coke might have been more difficult to quit than cheese! I would get really intense cravings for that specific, bubbly taste. The thing is, a couple months after giving it up I had a Diet Coke, and the taste was NOTHING like I remembered it being! It was actually disappointing, because I had intended to give myself a treat and after tasting that Diet Coke I didn’t even want to finish it! It tasted metallic and gross, nothing like I remembered it. I said out loud to myself, “THIS TASTES LIKE CANCER!!”
Once you become accustomed to having whole, natural foods in your diet, processed, artificial garbage like soda just tastes nasty! I think that Eric has got the right attitude and the right approach, and once it becomes habit NOT to drink Coke, he’ll be there. The first few weeks are the toughest. And if he DOES drink a Coke, he shouldn’t feel like a failure! All-or-nothing is only helpful for some people, and if it’s not for him, there’s nothing wrong with a slow taper.
Good luck!
I was addicted to diet coke starting around age 11. By high school, if I didn’t have a big diet coke by noon I would get major headaches. And by my first year of law school, I would drink a 12 pack of cans in a day or two! I finally decided to give it up about a year and a half ago – my husband and parents made the commitment at the same time, so that helped! I have not had any soda since December of 2008! It gets easier as the time goes by. The hardest part at the beginning was certain meals that I associated diet coke with and couldn’t imagine them tasting as good with some other drink. I still crave a big diet coke every now and then, and I expect that it will never go away, but at this point I’m not willing to throw away a year and a half of hard work over a craving! The longer you stick with it, the easier it is to say that indulging a craving is just not worth it. I drink lots of iced tea now (mostly decaf) and these days a big glass of tea sounds even better to me than a diet coke!
I went totally soda-free in 1997…used to drink 5 or 6 Pepsis each day and stopped cold-turkey. It was difficult for the first several weeks but soon I realized I just didn’t drink that stuff any more. My soda-free life went along very well until 2008 when I started drinking caffeinated sodas again for the energy during an extremely difficult time for our family. I admitted to my husband that I was using it as a crutch to get through the days. Well, now it’s 2 years later and I’m still drinking 3 or 4 sodas a week. I really need to stop (she says while sipping from a Coke) because I just don’t need that stuff in my body.
Eric, you have inspired me to cut out the soda again. I just don’t need it and it’s time to stop. Thanks to this blog post I’m cutting it out today. No more soda for me. Stay strong in your resolve, Eric. You can do it and so can I. Our bodies will thank us. Good luck to you and thanks for the inspiration. I really needed it.
My husband did the same thing but with Mt Dew. He used to drink one 20oz everyday and decided last fall to stop cold turkey and guess what… he’s had two 7-ups since last October! I’m so proud!
You can do it, Eric!
Quitting soda is like quitting any other habit (smoking, nail biting, running around the house in your underwear singing Miley Cyrus’s “Party in the USA” into rubber spatula…just me?)
I’ve definitely had habits I’ve wanted to rid myself of and I think the key thing is breaking the routine when the craving hits. Chew gum, practice deep breathing, take the $1 you’d have spent on a Coke and stick it in a jar, paint your nails (maybe not), or just find a substitute that DOES work for you. I love the OJ idea, maybe if you mixed it with some carbonated water?
Have faith, it will get easier, but just stick with it!
ohh i def am addicted to singing in my underware…but hey it replaced my pop addiction :) HEHE
Hi Eric and Ange! I am not sure if someone has posted this video yet, but if this doesn’t deter you,nothing will. ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F4t8zL6F0c
You can do it Eric!!!!!!!!!!! We have faith in you!!!
Oh my, that video is just icky. That definitely reinforces my resolve against sodas. Every time I see a pop-top can I’ll think of that fat-filled glass. Thanks for that link.
I know, it is the most disgusting video I have ever seen! Very, very effective. :)
Two health related reasons not to drink Coke (or diet Coke).
1) Caffeine restricts arteries, restricted arteries is correlated with heart attacks. Coke won’t cause your heart attack (the soda kind), but it certainly won’t help!
2) Your dental health. Soda eats away at your teeth – our dentist actually told my husband it would be better for his teeth to drink beer than soda… he was pleased with that suggestion. Of course anything that’s better for your dental hygiene is also better for your cardiovascular health.
My dad has given up/reduced his soda intake at different times during his life and always found it useful to have mints nearby.
And if nothing else – remember you made this decision for yourself, so honor yourself by keeping to it!
I had no idea the Garmin had a setting that would automatically pause when you stopped! I’ll have to check the manual. I gave up pop in high school when I learned how bad it was for me. I still have no idea how I just did it like that (can’t seem to cut out other things that are just plain bad for me :)) so I’m sorry I can’t be of more help! But maybe reading some things about the nasty effects of soda would help the resolve.
Pop wasn’t big in my house growing up. We had it, but it was mostly for friends and guests. Oddly, my siblings and I never really drank it – and still don’t. My parents don’t drink it either.
So I never really drank it until college. Working in the restaurant/bar biz got me started on Diet Coke. I liked the caffeine and it was free on the fountain or the bar gun. I was up to 3 a day probably 3 years ago. Then I was having just one a day up until last October, when I was on vacation and it just wasn’t refreshing. I got back and got sick, and just never had one again. I just didn’t like the taste anymore.
I have never liked full sugar sodas like Coke or Mt. Dew, but as a replacement I would encourage Eric to always have something on hand like water (or soda water for the carbonation) to keep busy, then if he needs the caffeine turn to coffee or tea. I also wouldn’t take an all or nothing approach…start slowly and don’t tell yourself you will never have another Coke, or you will want it that much more!
I kicked my pepsi habit about 8 years ago and now I can’t stand any kind of pop (soda). I also gave up coffee about 2 months ago, it wasn’t difficult, I never really liked it anyway.
I also have the same Garmin, I’m sure I will love it when I figured out how to use it :) It seems kind of confusing. Any tips on how to use it would be appreciated.
YAY!! So proud of him! He did not give in to peer pressure! :)
Costco sells these really could “pop type” drinks. They have no sugar added and are just juice and carbonated water in a glass bottle- like a beer bottle! I have never drank pop, but they are really yummy, and I think similar to pop. AND, they are sweet from the fruit juice. Check them out- their brand name is ‘Fresh and Pure’ and they come in a case of 12.
I got my Garmin Forerunner 305 a couple of weeks ago, (from Costco too) and I love it!
My hubby is a Diet Coke drinker, and drinks 2 cans per day. He’s tried to cut it out many times, but unfortunately with no success. I’m going to give him some of the above suggestions…
Enjoy your day :)
I kicked my (2-4 Liter/day) soda habit in May 2009. I don’t tempt myself by keeping it in my apartment. When I have guests over I make sure not to buy my favorites. Also, all of my friends know I’m off soda and that helps keep me accountable. I understand Eric’s worry that just one soda and he’ll be hooked all over again. But, an all-or-nothing mentality is just a set-up for failure. You can do it Eric!
I stopped drinking Coke around October 2009. I just felt that there were better things for me to be drinking instead of all that sugar. I was drinking about 2 to 3 cans a day. I really don’t miss it. the odd time I will order one, but really don’t enjoy the taste ( too syrupy!).
You can keep the coke out, Eric! Anything you set your mind to do, you will be successful!
I was a serious soda addict – I would get those gigantic fountain drinks and probably drink 2-3 per day. If I had cans of soda in the house, they did NOT last long.
In June 2009, I made a decision to get healthier and lose weight. Cutting out the soda was the first big change I made. It was tough, but I haven’t had one since and now drink almost solely water (and green monsters!!).
I was a serious soda addict – I would get those gigantic fountain drinks and probably drink 2-3 per day. If I had cans of soda in the house, they did NOT last long.
In June 2009, I made a decision to get healthier and lose weight. Cutting out the soda was the first big change I made. It was tough, but I haven’t had one since and now drink almost solely water (and green monsters!!).
It’s definitely hard Eric, but you can do it! Try using a tracking system (I used sparkpeople.com, another one that’s quick/easy is dontbreakthechain.com) – it really kept me going because I didn’t want to break my streak! Good luck!
I actually just out of the blue decided to give it up too. My love was mountain dew said to be one of the worst kinds. I haven’t had a sip of any type of pop since Dec 29th 2009.
Yep I’m 104 days sober.
It wasn’t easy…but I no longer crave it :)
Good LUCK Eric You can do it.
Just had to share the Garmin love. As the proud owner of the forerunner 405 monstrosity and a husband who asks if i need a forklift on my runs I say boo to them. Does HE know what my pace was on that trial? Nope, but my Garmin does :)
You know those posters they have at school that shows the effects of alcohol/drug consumption (along with those graphic images of what it can do to your organs?) Well…you can replace the word alcohol with “Soda”. Ha, and stick it in the bathroom or fridge!