Week 3

Today is the official end of Week 3 and I'm feeling really good about my progress so far. That may seem a bit incongruent when I report that the scale says I lost 0.2 lbs this week but I stand by my previous statement. I'm excited to have lost 10 lbs in 3 weeks and beyond that I really feel great! My skin is even more clear and just feels better. It's still pretty dry at times but I believe that's simply a product of living in Minnesota and constantly being buffetted by the wind and the extreme cold.

I recently read a book called "The Flat Belly Diet". It's the product of some seemingly detailed research done by the editor of Prevention Magazine and a hired expert. One of the more interesting things discussed was the roll soda pop plays in stomach bloating and digestion. I found it very interesting because as anyone who knows me will tell you.......I have been known to have a can of pop...or 8 on any given day. Anyway, their research determined that if you wanted to reduce the protrusion of your belly for an upcoming party, one of the steps you should undertake it to remove all carbonated beverages from your diet for several days to a week prior to the party. The reason being that as the air bubbles of carbonated beverages make their way through your digestive system they actually create pockets of air that get blocked between the stool making it's way through your system which in turn creates extra bloating of the belly area. They went on to describe some other more detailed digestive results I won't go into here. I found the idea very fascinating and decided I would remove soda pop from my diet.....which lasted I think for about a half a day. Can you say addiction? Yep, I just couldn't take it. It wasn't a caffeine headache that made me give in, it was the thought of the taste and the feel of those tiny, cold bubbles as they slid down my throat, it was....well, actually it was a lot of things. Bottom line, I began to believe I was simply addicted to pop. I must say, I didn't like that thought at all. The idea of being controlled by an outside substance, even soda pop was unsettling.

So as I embarked on this new approach to fueling my body, I did not commit to abstaining from soda pop. I just couldn't bring myself to make that leap. Lori even asked me while walking through Sam's Club what I had decided on drinking or not drinking pop. I stood there completely conflicted, struggling to decide if I could do it and I just couldn't commit to not having it. I was afraid that commiting to that as well would have simply been too much! I decided I would just try to cut back to one or maybe two cans a day. I mean if I'm going to have to eat all these vegetables and NOT EAT all my favorite deep fried and bbq sauce covered foods (dipped in blue cheese dressing I might add), then I at least should be able to sit down and enjoy the taste and sensation of those tiny little bubbles sliding down my throat. Wouldn't you agree?!

Now here I sit on a Sunday morning three weeks into my new, healthy eating lifestyle and the majority of the case of pop purchased from that trip to Sam's Club is still sitting on the shelf. I think I've had two cans in the last week. Huh, what happened? It just doesn't taste the same. I mostly crave water instead. I know, it's weird!!!! I've truly never experienced this before. And I believe I've proven (at least for my body) that all the research from that book is true. My digestive system really does respond just the way they described. So I no longer feel addicted to pop. I will still have it occassionally if it sounds good. I'm sure I would still have one with a burger or something like that but I'm glad to not be constantly craving those tiny little bubbles anyway.

Hopefully next week the scale will provide a little more concrete evidence that I'm on the right path but for today......I'm Content!!!!!

Week 4 here I come.....