health

Quitting Diet Coke 3.4

/ christinaparisi / Leave a comment

It’s been a month since I’ve had a Diet Coke.

The past couple weeks have been easier than the first ones but damn, these cravings still hit me like a ton of bricks.

And I almost caved today. Almost.

I had just finished an interview for a writing assignment I have when I decided to stop at my fast food go-to, El Pollo Loco. For me, Diet Coke goes hand-in-hand with my Wing Lovers meal so when the cashier asked if I wanted to add a drink, I debated it in my head and tried to find a way to rationalize just one… But when I noticed she was getting a bit impatient (and also probably wondering what the hell I was doing), I blurted out a ‘no thanks’ and asked for a water cup.

30 days and counting…

#quittingdietcoke

(And a quick plug since it’s the day after Halloween – my latest article on Blasting News is about things to do with your leftover candy!)

Quitting Diet Coke 3.3

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It’s been two weeks since I had my last Diet Coke and I’m feeling good about it.

I still get the random intense craving for a cold can over ice but those are much less than the one’s I had the first few days and I can fight them back with ease now.

Sparkling water (flavored) has been my savior. I truly don’t know if I could have done it without my bottles of Arrowhead Lemon or Orange sparkling or my inhouse SodaStream but thankfully, I don’t have to find out.

Oh wait, there’s someone else….

If this were the Academy Awards, I would be thanking my husband right now alongside my sparkling water. He has been so amazing to me. Whether it was going out to get me a fun drink so I could forget the dark stuff I love so much or dealing with my mood swings that first week with nothing but love, I am eternally grateful for having such a supportive partner.

And thank you to all who came along for this with me. I will write again when I hit three months. Till then….

#quittingdietcoke

Quitting Diet Coke 3.1

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It’s been four days since I’ve had a Diet Coke and I’m not gonna lie. I miss it.

I know I shouldn’t. I know it’s ridiculous to yearn for a flippin’ soda that’s bad for me but I said I’d be honest about the process so here it is, in all its glory.

I miss it. A lot.

Like, right now, for example. As I sit here with my cup of chicken gumbo while I write, all I can think about is how much I want a Diet Coke. This has been happening all weekend to me. My inner dialogue has been on speed: “Yeah, this slice of pizza is great but wouldn’t it be so much better with a nice cold DC on ice?” “Damn, that bike ride was fun. Shouldn’t I reward myself with a can of Diet Coke?” “This movie is good but what it really needs is a glass of the dark stuff in my hand and then it would be better.”

It’s been difficult.

But like the last time I quit all those years ago, I’m replacing this addiction of mine with sparkling water and though I love those tasty clear bubbles with a fruit essence, I’m grumpy about the replacement.

I hope it’s just the withdrawal talking. I’m pretty sure it is but damn, I’m in the thick of it. The hard part. The time where I try to convince myself I can have just one.

BUT NO. I’m not going to.

I need to stay strong and wipe out this fake-sugar-filled liquid from my mindset.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “It is easier to prevent bad habits than to break them.”

Damn, that man knew what he was talking about.

#quittingdietcoke

Quitting Diet Coke Take 3

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Today did not go well.

I caved. And I’m ashamed to say I did it quite easily.

I was grabbing a taco for lunch and saw the Diet Coke fountain machine just staring at me. It was literally right beside the register.

The universe gave me a test and I failed. Miserably.

I ordered one before allowing myself to think about it. Never a good sign. And then, to add insult to injury, the attendant handed me my change and said, “Oh, and there’s free refills.”

Universe, what are you doing to me???

Yes. I got a refill.

I was so beyond weak today.

I know this. And I have reset.

NO MORE DIET COKE. (and repeat…)

#quittingdietcoke

Make Healthy A Habit – Three Months Later

/ christinaparisi / 2 Comments

It’s been three months since I decided to change things and make healthy a habit.

I wish I could write about how great it’s all been and how healthy has become so much a habit for me that I don’t have to focus on it…. but I’m not going to lie. It hasn’t been easy. And focus is exactly what keeps me going with it.

Allow me to explain…

My goal for making these changes to begin with is so I can live a healthier life and make the best decisions I can for my mind and body. Sounds smart, right?

But has it been easy? No. Not in the slightest.

I’ve had days where I threw caution out the window and reverted to the unhealthy habits I’m trying to get rid of. More than I care to admit actually. Things like deciding to go for the easy drive-thru meal rather than making a healthier one. Or opting for a third glass of wine, for the second day in a row.

No one is perfect and I’m fully aware of that. I’m far from it and I have no plans to live in a bubble. There are times for celebration and a little debauchery (granted it hurts no one other than yourself) but those should be the rarity, not the norm.

So, yes, I’ve had some struggles with reverting back to bad habits as time goes on and life kicks back in and the plans I made for the New Year just aren’t as shiny as they once were, now that the practicality of them has settled in while the romance has vanished.

But, and this is a big BUT, things have changed.

When I was pondering why I still made choices that are unhealthy for me, I realized something – they’re happening much less then before I made healthy a habit.

I’m much more conscious of living healthier now and even though my bad habits try to rope me back in, I’m able to resist them more by reminding myself of why I don’t want to make those choices any longer.

And the more I resist them, the easier it gets.

Here’s what I’ve found:

Three weeks may not make a habit, but it does change your focus.

And isn’t that the beginning for any real change? After all, how can you change something within if your focus on it hasn’t changed?

So while I may still have bad days, they are fewer then before. And changing my focus to be healthier these past three months has absolutely led to many wonderful things – regular weekly yoga, less processed food, healthier snacking and much more.

Personally, I think the key to changing one’s habits is being conscious about the ones you want to break and the new ones you want to make and then taking action, over and over again, to do so.

And know, it is not easy.  But then, what of value is?

Make healthy a habit. #makehealthyahabit

 

 

Make Healthy A Habit – Three Weeks Later

/ christinaparisi / 3 Comments

Here it is. Three weeks after my three-week long project of trying to make healthy a habit.

I thought I’d answer the same exact questions from before…

Have I changed any habits?

Yes, I still maintain the changes I wanted to make. Not perfectly though, I will admit. I’ve gone through a fast food drive-thru twice in the past three weeks and I’m not proud. It was out of convenience. (And just for the record, In ‘n Out and El Pollo Loco doesn’t count as fast food to me. They’re more like once-in-a-while fun.) I have wine maybe two to three times a week and mostly two glasses or less. Big difference for me and I love that this has stuck. My diet has stayed way healthier with dehydrated fruit and kale chips leading the way in snacks as opposed to the kettle chips and candy days of 2015. I still have some other faults I’m trying to kick but those are more inward. I can say this though – a healthy life makes a healthy mind.

Is it getting easier every day to do so?

To some degree yes, but there are still challenging days. I miss things, like frozen soft pretzels and cereal bars, but learning about the unhealthy things inside them helps keep me stay strong.

Do I feel better?

Definitely. All over. Inside and out.

Does it take three weeks to make a habit?

It seems that three weeks is a pretty solid number to start with but effort is needed far beyond that, at least in my opinion.

Will I continue?

100%. And by my mind focusing on it so much right now, it seems that everyday I learn a new way to be more healthy and happy. The universe speaks, if you’re listening….

What does being healthy mean?

To me, it means treating my body the best that I can while being proactive by doing my own research about what is good or bad for me.

Thanks again, to all of you who have come along for the ride and showed support through likes, comments and shares. And for talking to me about it!

Stay tuned… I’ll keep you updated :)

Make healthy a habit. #makehealthyahabit

Make Healthy A Habit – Day Twenty-One

/ christinaparisi / 1 Comment

Here it is. The end of my three-week Make Healthy a Habit project. And I am so happy that I’ve done this…

Have I changed any habits?

Yes.

Is it getting easier every day to do so?

Absolutely.

Do I feel better?

I feel great (and I’ve lost five pounds!)

Does it take three weeks to make a habit?

I don’t know. BUT here’s what I do know – it’s three weeks later and my desire for wine has greatly subsided, to the point I no longer think about it the same way I had before. And buying junk food has stopped being a part of my routine. I’m serious. Week one I had to focus on it regularly. Week two was a struggle. Week three felt way easier.

Will I continue?

Absolutely. I haven’t conquered all the bad habits I need to break yet…

What does being healthy mean?

I think it means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. To me, to be healthy means I’m making the best decisions for my mind and body and taking steps to prevent future illness while appreciating the moment I live in.

Thank you all who have joined me and showed support through likes, comments and shares.

Stay tuned… I’ll keep you updated :)

Make healthy a habit. #makehealthyahabit

 

**For the original idea, please visit here.

Make Healthy A Habit – Day Twenty

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The Universe speaks to us.

And if we pay attention and listen, we can hear it.

The past two days, I’ve been sick. And I mean sick. I had a fever that spiked at nearly 103! And I’ve never had so many chills and sweats.  At one point, in the early morning, I could not get out of bed. Literally.

This morning, however, I woke feeling much better. Though I’m not 100%, I’m close to it and just need to get some color back in my face.

When I was at work tonight trying to summon up the energy to be on my feet, I thought about how being sick has really made me appreciate what it means to be healthy.

It’s kinda crazy not to take care of our body, when you think about it. Who doesn’t want to feel good physically?

We hold so much power to achieve that. And yes, there are unfortunate situations where our health is not within our reach, but if it is, shouldn’t it be the goal?

Okay, Universe, I get you. Being sick made me value being healthy so much more.

Point well taken.

And thank you.

Make healthy a habit. #makehealthyahabit

 

**For the original idea, please visit here.

Make Healthy A Habit – Day Eighteen

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Today, I have been under the weather. It was odd but late last night, I woke up with a fever and chills and have felt horrible since.

Being sick is part of life. Fortunately, I can go years without getting ill but this year, I haven’t been so lucky.

So I must deal with it.

It’s very tempting to keep going while sick but I’ve learned from past experience that is exactly what I shouldn’t do (unless I absolutely have too.) Today, I was able to take off so I did and I listened to what my body needed…

Rest. Fluids. Protein.

And then, I received something I did’t even know I needed but so did. It’s made this whole experience so much better.

Love.

My husband not only went to the store for OJ and medicine but he’s been my nurse all day, checking in on me and showing me love while I shiver under the covers before sweating it out.

My eyes are closing now, so I must go. Tomorrow I hope to be back to 100% percent. But even if I’m not, I know I have to listen to my body to heal it.

Make healthy a habit. #makehealthyahabit

 

**For the original idea, please visit here.

 

Make Healthy A Habit – Day Seventeen

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As I was lying in bed this morning, a thought occurred to me about something my husband and I had talked about in the past.

Getting rid of technology in the bedroom.

The world we live in is fast-paced and practically run by technology.

Smartphones are everywhere and people are now attaching them to their wrists.

Tablets and laptops are third arms for a large part of this population.

And all the noise of technology is very difficult to shut off if you live in a major city. Hell, probably even in small cities.

So, where is our sanctuary? Our technology-free zone? Our place to cut ourselves off from the grid and be mindful in the present moment?

Sure, one could argue that’s what yoga studios and churches are good at but my husband and I came to the realization that we want a place like that in our home.

In an effort to get better sleep, be more mindful and present with each other and in the moment, we are no longer allowing phones, laptops or tablets in our bedroom. This is our place to disconnect, log out, sign off.

Because really, is it healthy to always be online?

Make healthy a habit. #makehealthyahabit

 

**For the original idea, please visit here.