I just read this blog about how to kick the junk food and soda habit. I think the suggestions provided were really good, plus a lot of people commented to share their own tips and tricks for success.
One woman said that it came down to one choice for her…either “not change…get fatter…and die sooner, thus leaving my kids without a mom or saying enough is enough and getting my rear in gear (ie, nothing tastes as good as thin feels).” She mentioned having to mentally take ownership of her actions in order to achieve her goals. This is wonderful and very powerful! I believe that many people prefer to blame just about anybody or anything rather than facing the music or mirror. But keep in mind when you point a finger, there are three others pointing back at you.
Other people commented they were trying to kick the soda habit by using diet instead. This really isn’t a wise choice in my opinion, mainly because the jury is still out on the effects of artificial sweeteners on your health. In my professional experience, I’ve seen people loose weight just by avoiding diet drinks, just that! I would allow them one diet soda per day max, until they didn’t need the “crutch” anymore.
Here are my tips to kick the soda and chocolate habits. For those who don’t like to drink water and enjoy the fizziness of pop, I have a great alternative for you. The company “Tree of life” has wonderful pure juice concentrates. They have pure pomegranate, wild blueberry, black cherry, cranberry and Concord grape flavors. You can make a natural soda by mixing 1-2 tsp of concentrate in sparkling water or club soda. Don’t add too much or else it can be tart and you may need to add a sweetener of some sort. This is also a good alternative for those of us who have the habit of drinking a glass (or two) of wine in the evening. Instead of wine I mix the concentrate in a wine glass with pure water. It does the trick and is very healthy without the extra 100 (or 200) calories.
For those who just love chocolate and find it hard to control, I suggest having one or two pieces of really good dark chocolate a day to keep cravings at bay. It makes you feel good and it’s good for you (in moderation)! Another great healthy chocolate option that I love is the famous Vitalicious muffin tops and brownies, available at many health food grocers. They’re only around 100 calories and contain 6 grams of fiber with a great chocolate flavor. They are so tasty and very good for you. They may be difficult to find but worth it to control chocolate cravings.
Bottom line is we have to pick our evils, because we can’t have them all. If every month you work on a habit to improve, soon you’ll be able to control the craving by eating only a bite or a small portion and be satisfied. We have to be satisfied, proud, not deprived and celebrate the small successes! Think about that for a minute and smile.
- Josee
Labels: Diet, grocery shopping, healthy eating, Healthy Planet, Josee, Mind-Body Connection, Success
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