A few years back, about 6 years or so, a few co-worker and I used Lent to give something up. We agreed to forgo said addiction for 40 days and 40 nights. Some gave up cigarettes, some potatoes (of all kind), and others gave up alcohol. I chose to give up soda. The first week of this challenge was the hardest, I was a raving bitch. The headaches were constant and horrible, and the cravings were awful. But I didn't falter, I pushed through it and around week 3 I started to feel normal again. The cravings weren't as intense or as frequent. That was around the time I learned that it takes us around 21 to 28 days to form a new habit/ break an old habit. By the end of the challenge, I no longer craved soda and tasting it for the first time was not a pleasant experience. I have fallen off the soda wagon a couple of times but for the most part of the last 6 years or so I have been soda/caffeine free. The result, I felt better and lost about 15 pounds in 2 months. :)
About 4 years ago I tried going vegetarian for a month, this was not as hard as giving up the soda. What spurred me to try this was reading about how it takes our bodies anywhere from 24 to 72 hours to digest red meat. Worse, is that it's for 4 ounces (the serving size an active person should be eating, sedentary should eat less) but most Americans eat anywhere from 6 to 12 ounces a meal, and are sedentary. This means that it is taking your body about 2 to 3 days to digest that one chunk of red meat, and if you are anything like most Americans, you eat red meat 4 to 6 nights a week. That's NOT good. I had decided to start cutting back on the red meat and increase my white meat intake. But to start this, I wanted to give my body time to clean itself out. I can not express how amazingly good I felt at the end of that month. The day after that challenge I was ready to have a nice big burger, that night I was so ill. Not my brightest idea to say the least. I now only consume red meat 2 to 3 times a week, sometimes less. I consume more white meat & fish.
So knowing that I have given things up successfully and survived to tell about it, I have decided to put myself up to another challenge. I read a great posting on one of my favorite blogs, The Box Magazine, about refined sugar- "Grinding Against the Sugar Monster". Out of all the things I have curbed in my daily diet, sugar is my biggest weakness. Some days I am strong enough to avoid it and substitute it with someone healthier but most times I give in. It is probably the biggest hinderance in my diet and training. I have goals I am working towards and I want to be as successful as I can be, but the one thing slowing my body down is the refined sugar. So I have decided that starting on November 1st I will cut out all alcohol and refined sugar through the end of the year. On December 1st I will reintroduce wine & beer in moderation. This will probably be one of the hardest challenges I put myself through, more than the soda challenge. My hope is that when 2014 rolls around, I will no longer crave sugar and can do without. I'd like to continue to change my daily diet to a healthier one so that my body is in optimal running condition.
There are many things that are fine in moderation, such as alcohol, dark chocolate, etc etc. The problem with the American mass, we don't do anything in moderation. We consume, and consume, and consume, and then wake up one day wondering why we are riddled with illness and disease. I refuse to allow myself to reach that point. I want to start off 2014 on the right foot!
So who else is up for the challenge? I dare you to join me...
This photo was found on Pinterest.