Food Habits Conquered and Food Habits Not Conquered

Once I started running, I began to start paying more attention to the foods I ate.

For the past six years, I’ve been on a steady path of improving, but still have certain guilty pleasures that I’m not willing to give up.

Things I’ve Been Able to Give Up

Coke:

Mmmm

I NEVER would have thought I could do this one!!  And truly it has been the hardest habit to kick. I couldn’t stop cold turkey, so first I reduced it from seven Cokes a week to 3.  Then, like a heroin  addict  using methadone to ease off, I switched to a few Sprites a week.  Since I don’t like Sprite as much, it’s been easier to wean myself from that.  I also replaced my morning Coke with Unsweet Ice Tea.

Every morning Unsweet Ice Tea

Wine:  I really never had any intention of quitting wine.  It just kind of happened, and I feel SO much better without it!  Since I switched over to really early morning running, I noticed that it was much easier to get up and go if I hadn’t drank any wine the night before.  So I just stopped.  Strange!

With these 2 changes, I lost about 5 pounds!!  And I didn’t even try.  I’m now the skinniest person in my house…which isn’t necessarily a good thing, b/c in the classic ‘Even Steven’ principle (from a Seinfeld episode where if someone loses weight, another nearby person will gain it), my daughter is gaining.  (She’s a sidelined cross country girl still fueling like an active cross country girl).

Anyway, I digress.

Advil:  Not necessarily I diet change, but something that I enjoyed that I probably overused.  When I first started running, they really helped with muscle pain.  I’d take anywhere from 4 a day everyday down to 2 a day 3-4 times a week.  About 2 weeks ago, I just stopped (wasn’t supposed to have any before the small surgery that I recently had), and noticed how much better my tummy felt.  After having dealt with a chronic upset tummy for years, this is nothing short of miraculous!!

Things I haven’t Been Able to Give Up (Yet)

Goldfish:  I literally eat handfuls of these EVERY SINGLE DAY.  I guess maybe they are fulfilling some dietary need for carbs and salt?  Or maybe not.  When I’m feeling really fancy, I mix two flavors together.  But my go to favorite is pretzel.

Mixture of Parmesan and pretzel goldfish

Candy:  Sorry, just can’t quit.  I always have to have a bag of candy in the house that I’m working on.  I have pretty good self control, so it will take me a while to work through a bag.

I think I’m pretty tricky on Halloween though.  I buy candy that I don’t like to give out! (I’ll bet I’m the only person on the planet with that strategy).

Don’t really like these candy flavors

Cookies:  Every single morning for breakfast 4 (or sometimes 8) Nutter Butter Peanut Butter Cookies.  Mmmmmmm.

Breakfast of Champions

What have you been able to quit?

What are your guilty pleasures?