To a Healthier New Year

 

There are all kinds of changes any one of us can make to have a healthier New Year.  My goal was to announce my addiction to Cokes and my plan to give them up for good. I have stopped drinking Cokes  for a month or two at a time, but I haven’t been able to give them up completely. And the reality is, I just love my Cokes❤️ Thinking about giving up Cokes as a New Year’s resolution, makes me want to hold on to them even more. Yes, it’s sick! Ha!  It’s unhealthy, its all kinds of things and most importantly its not the best thing to be drinking with all the inflammation problems I have going on which doesn’t exactly make running any easier.

I understand all the many ways that coke is unhealthy and there aren’t any nutritional benefits! But for me, the one benefit, regardless of whether it is classified as an addiction, an emotional attachment, or whatever, having a Coke just simply makes me happy.  And the times when I seem to drink more of them are usually when I decide to give them up!!

Over the past several months I have decreased my daily Cokes to one 12 oz per day. But, with the holiday stress, I have relapsed  into drinking more Cokes and less water. And I am really feeling it physically.

So, I don’t want to give them up completely, but I do want to cut way back on them. Even a daily habit of 12 ounces is too much. Instead of giving them up completely, I thought about turning that daily habit into having a Coke occasionally when I would most enjoy it.  Currently, almost anything can trigger having a Coke like:

My ride into town – I live 45 minutes to an hour away from Anchorage so I like to stop and get a Coke on the way.

Once I get to work – I want to get my Coke as soon as I can! I think this is more of a distraction from my work than anything else.

Going out for lunch – there are just certain foods that are even better with a Coke.

Hanging out with my Mom or/and my brother – that doesn’t happen very often because they are in NC and I am in Ak but I love having a coke while sitting chatting with them. Its a Southern thing!

Stress – Anything that stresses me makes me want to reach for a Coke

After runs! That is the best!

And there are probably many more cues that trigger stopping for a coke but these are the main ones for me. So, I don’t want to give them up completely, but I do want to cut back to no more than a couple of times a week.

So, I think the best place to start is with my ride into town. Its simply a habit to grab a Coke and head into town. Drinking water instead should be an easy change to make.

Next, I only work two days a week for the most part, so I don’t really need a Coke at work. Plus, I get fountain Cokes which just sits at the nurse’s station and gets watered down. Its not even that good! Again, in those situations, just drink water.

Then, its better to identify the stress and acknowledge it before simply reaching for that avoidance Coke.

I still like to have a Coke after runs but maybe just a nice treat after a long run of 10 miles or more instead of every run!

Giving up Cokes completely is just not a realistic goal for me right now. But, I think this is a good start to being healthier and happier! I’ve got this!