I work downtown. Right smack dab in the middle of Downtown SLC. I love it. It's not metropolitan yet, but it'll get there. There's fun places to eat, interesting book stores to visit on my lunch break, and in the Summer, there are live concerts by local bands every Friday at noon. I like it downtown, and my dream is to live in an urban-style loft downtown someday.
At the moment, though, I live in Sandy. My commute to work totals 25-30 minutes - on a GOOD day. And anyone who knows me, knows that I get some seriously mad road rage a lot of the time.
Well, today was NOT a good commute day. I-15 was a parking lot from where I got on (merging from I-215) to where I got off (3300 South) - and beyond. Apparently two major accidents halted the flow of traffic. Now, I work at 9:30, so I'm usually on the road after most people are already at work. But today, whoever was commuting after 9:00 was stuck on the freeway, including yours truly. So, already being 20 minutes late for work, I got off the freeway at 3300 South and got on State Street, which was also jammed with commuters - and then proceeded to hit most of the lights red instead of green. So today's commute took me an hour. Can you imagine my road rage? Well guess what?
I DIDN'T HAVE ANY.
None. No road rage. A little frustration, sure. But otherwise - I was perfectly at ease on my way to work. Can you believe it? The queen of road rage was content during a heinous commute. Be proud of me.
On a completely different note (and a possible breakdown), I still haven't had any soda for almost two months. I thought that I would drop at least 5 pounds immediately, but I haven't. Weight loss has been very slow - steady, but very slow. Mostly because I'm controlling (or trying to) my calorie intake, drinking more water (2-4 liters a day), and exercising like mad. Giving up soda has not done much for me - I don't get headaches, I haven't lost weight from it, and I haven't noticed a difference in my lung capacity (meaning, soda doesn't cut my wind) but I still crave the carbonation a little. Okay, a lot. After many nutrition-based conversations with people, I'm starting to wonder - is it really doing me any good to just not drink it? I mean, the only reasons I'm abstaining are mainly to prove that I can do it - and because I know carbonation is not really good for you. But what good is that, when I plan on starting back up again in June? Doesn't that defeat my whole purpose of not drinking soda? If I'm controlling my calorie intake, can't I just build a can of soda into my calorie budget?
So now comes my question: Do I just give up carbonation altogether because I know it's not good for me, and I'm trying to be healthy? Or do I let myself have a Coke every once in a while because not only am I replacing soda with juice that has the same sugar and calorie content, but I just really, really like it?
What do YOU think?
5 comments:
No road rage? I don't believe you. And you know my vote on the carbonation...if you've given it up just to replace it with juice, then I say go for the Coke every now and then. Put it in your calorie budget and do it! :)
Hello Melouise! You're a good writer. Your personality really shines through and I hear your voice when I read your stuff. I just love ya! Okay, I hAtE high fructose corn syrup. Coke is made with that stuff. So, since I just noticed that...this week...I now think Coke is gross. I think it's very admirable that you've gone without pop for so long. I also think it makes you feel good - with that good kind of pride (I noted that in your voice, here and at cafe rio) that you have done without it. You made a goal and kept it. Something I find hard to do myself! So, if it will ReALLY make you feel better, have a Coke. One Coke is not going to make you gain weight or lose your health! But I"m just sayin', I think it's righteous cool that you have stuck with your goal.
I think you should give it all up all together! Just kidding. I do drink a diet coke now and then but since drinking soda makes it hard for me to work out (and I try to workout daily) I just choose not to drink soda. Actaully, I don't drink anything with sugar but I know that choice is not for those who get sick of drinking water all the time. I guess I am lucky that I don't get sick of the eating and drinking the same things every day.
I say a soda a day won't hurt anyone. A diet coke might, but a coke once in a while is just fine. I mean, there is less sugar in a coke than in most fruit juices on the market these days. I think its all about tiny portions and eating the right things, and if there is a coke in there too, no biggie!
Let yourself have a treat every so often (be that a Cherry Coke or whatever). Abstaining completely for a limited period of time seems kinda pointless... the only dieting worth doing is something you can and are willing to sustain long term, no?
In any case, don't budget it into a daily alotment... those are worthless calories as far as your health is concerned, and I know you guys already cut your calories pretty low to lose weight anyways... I'd had to see malnutrition be a factor in not being able to lose weight. Your body does need to be able to function properly ;)
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