1/26/2010

Kicking the Habit

So, if you are here, you are likely making an attempt, maintaining, or considering a clean eating lifestyle. Hey, me too. But is there something (maybe more than one) in your diet that you know for darn sure it isn't within the guidelines of eating clean? Sure, I'm sure there is. Maybe it's that' Diet Coke you just have to have every day with lunch. Or, perhaps you really can't live without an occasional Dairy Queen Blizzard. Well, nobody is perfect. I've been clean eating now since just after the Thanksgiving holidays. Yes, I went for it at a very difficult time of year. I stopped eating candies (yes, when my boss gave me a coffee cup filled with Hershey Kisses, I did eventually eat them all gone - but I gave some away too), I stopped drinking soda of any kind (fell off that bandwagon though last week and I had ONE Diet Coke because my daughter, aka the temptress, bought and brought home a case and left it sitting on the kitchen table), and I stopped eating white flours (and that's been pretty easy).

All that went out the window - mostly - on vacation. But I digress as that is a post all on its own.

But what about that one vice, that one thing one can't live without? Tosca Reno herself has one - and it's coffee. For me, it's my little pink packet (and it MUST be the pink kind) of artificial sweetener in my two cups of coffee first thing in the morning. Before I drink my water, before I eat my breakfast, before I work out on my treadmill... I have two cups of freshly brewed, wake up full on caffeinated, hot cups of coffee with a dash of milk and a pink packet of ultra sweet goodness.

For the first four weeks, I thought - later, later I will give it up. The fifth week I said, now. So, I bought some Agave syrup thinking that was the sweetest stuff described. And for 10 days I tried it. I hated every cup of coffee. But I kept drinking it - it's my thing - it's what I do. I went to Costa Rica for a week this month and while there I decided, well, since there is no agave, and I don't want to revert to my artificial ways, I'll try the unrefined pure cane sugar they had. No dice. I hated every single cup. So, I returned home (and on the trip I brought Tosca's book to read), and thought about Tosca and the plan.

It's clear that for Tosca, she was unwilling to give up her coffee. She made many other good choices, but that one, that very one was not going to budge. I started thinking about my development. I realized, I eat damn healthy 98% of the time. I've given up artificial sweeteners in my fake cookies, my low-fat false ice creams, my diet sodas, my diet iced tea drinks, my powerade/gatorade drinks - from everywhere else, it has been eradicated. So, is it completely and totally necessary to give it up in my coffee? I've decided, no. But I've reduced. I've learned that having a Hazelnut coffee, or a coffee dusted with cinnamon before brewing provides natural sweetness. So, I only need a 1/2 packet per cup to still love my coffee.

So, there you have it. Sometimes, it's just allowing yourself a simple pleasure that can keep you right on track.

6 comments:

  1. So true. My one thing I have not given up is Movie Theatre popcorn. It is my only vice, and going to a movie would not be the same otherwise. I happily gave up the pop/fruitopia I used to drink with it in favour of water, but the popcorn stays :)

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  2. Oh, I SO agree!!! Life is WAY too short to miss out on the things you truly love... even if it IS that little, pink packet. (I used to love those, by the way... LOL.) I will not give up french fries or cake (gluten-free) or Carnation Instant Breakfast. Ever. :-)

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  3. mine is the DC! can't kick it and probably never will. but at least i'm honest with myself! that is the only artificial i do though. THE ONLY.

    but my real downfall are sweets. i'm talking subway cookies and any kind of good, dark chocolate. once a month, i get that urge and for like a week straight i'm bad with it. very bad. here and there gorging myself on it. but...then i feel like crap and try even harder to stay on track.

    well, maybe chewing gum? never really thought of that...but that has aspartame in it as well! huh!!! that sucks.

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  4. my vice is splenda.
    I simply can't give it up!

    love the blog, Ally!

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  5. Great idea for the blog Ally...I will keep reading, and see if a little of you can rub off on me.

    I'm claiming a busy schedule is keeping me from going clean, and I know it's just that i'm scared of failing at something else. I'm going to take baby steps though, and see what comes of it. Because I know you're even busier than I am, and it's working for you!

    Much continued success girl...and thanks for the inspiration!

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  6. Headaches,fear of cancer,and temporary memory loss made it easy for me to give up the pink packet.Stevia works well after you get used to it and no fear of cancer or diabetes.And you can maintain the theme of clean eating,no man made foods(chemicals).

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