Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Habits or Addictions?


So here is something to consider with this No Sugar and No Soda thing, is it a habit or an addiction or both? For me it is both but I don't know if I realized they were both.

Have you ever noticed where the Three Muskateers are?
(They are my favorite!) Yep in the checkout lines. Where are the Coke's and Dr. Peppers? Yep in the check out lines. I read an article once on how a store is laid out. The items a store is trying to push will be in the front of the store and in the aisles. Have you ever noticed that the “natural” food is all on the outskirts of the store? I am talking about the fruits, veggies, meats etc. Inside the aisles are the processed foods. I have to try and learn to shop the outside aisles first, then go to the inside aisles.

One store in Utah actually has their produce in the very back left corner of the store!!! You have to walk all the way through the store to get to the produce. What happens along the way? You pick up all the other deals you just can't pass up!!! I didn't make it to that end of the store very often. Sad but true.

Some people can make a list and just buy what is off the list, I can't. The list overwhelms me or I forget something and have to go back 10 aisles to get it. Because I have a hard time walking, I normally don't and won't do it. Therefore I look at my list and think FAILURE!! On my way to the checkout I pick up a few more “treats” to console myself because after all I just failed in the grocery store. So I don't make grocery lists.

Last year when I went off my sugar and soda, I knew to break my habits AND addictions (because they were both) I had to find substitutes for them. So for my sugar addictions, I would pick up fruit, nuts and yes even Sugar Free chocolate. Russel Stover (I think) makes a Pecan Delight bar I like and is the same cost as a regular candy bar. I also got in the habit of going through a checkstand (end one) that had no candy sitting in the aisle. After awhile it got easier to go through a checkstand with the candy and not pick it up because I knew I was on a mission of holding out to Thanksgiving for no sugar and no soda.





For the soda, I found some flavored water I liked that was fairly cheap. Yeah I know, I know....there is some carbonation in it, but it listed no calories and no sugar so I went for it. Plus the small bit of carbonation is nothing compared to soda. Sometimes I would get the lemonade packets to pour into my water. Plus I drank a lot of water. Just find what works for you. I am not a big lemon water fan, I will drink it......but would prefer just plain water. The point is, I was cutting down and trying to break my habits and addictions.

So that is what I did to get me through the no sugar and no soda. I am not the Sugar Police here so do what you feel you can do. For me it was ways to cut down on the sugar and soda in take and it is the only way I can lose weight. Also it mean I had to step away from sweets and soda, just limiting myself to one a week did not work.

Bev shared a bit of her story on another blog and I hope I can get her to share it here (hint hint Bev). Diabetes. I have been checked time and time again and told I am not diabetic. On the same hand, have been told that because of my high level of estrogen it masks my blood work so it looks perfect, but underneath it is not. Double whammy for me!! Again whatever our reason is we can do this. Even if you fall and fall and fall....keep getting back up and don't give up!!!

I will be anxious to hear what you all are doing to bypass the sugar and soda. Please Share!!


Two more days to go....Let's Do It!!!!

1 comment:

  1. Laura, I will be happy to share my story. I started writing about it here and then decided it was getting WAYYY to long to post here as a comment. I have shared it on my own blog, which I have no followers yet, so it's just "there". :)
    If you have a minute, I invite all to read it. It might just help you or a family member.

    http://bevsbeat.blogspot.com/2010/12/sugar-friend-or-fo.html

    ReplyDelete