Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Day two

I'm working on day two.  Day two of munching on Advil to try to alleviate the caffeine withdrawal headache.  Yes, I have been talking about cutting down on my Diet Soda habit for a while.  Notice I said 'cutting down'.  I did not say that I was quitting it totally.   I kept trying to 'cut down' but you know what?    That concept is so much more difficult to perfect.  I would 'cut down' until someone offered to go pick up fountain drinks for everyone at work.  I would 'cut down' until I sat down in a restaurant and the waiter would ask me what I wanted to drink.  I would 'cut down' until I was home and thirsty.   Ohhh, and I wouldn't really drink my water before hand...because I knew a Diet Soda was just around the corner of my life.

Years ago on one of my previous attempts (successful too...for quite some time) to give up soda, I didn't give it up totally.  I gave it up totally for a while to get past the slump of learning to live without. (aka withdrawal symptoms), but then I would treat myself in the evening by drinking a can of soda if and only if I had already drank more than the 100 ounces of water that I was drinking.   Normally eating out would have me ordering water.  But admittedly, there are some meals that I feel just NEEDS a diet pepsi. I'm sorry....pizza needs a soda. So my plan?   Make it a week or two and then be ok with a diet soda every once in a blue moon.  Not everyday.  Not even every week.  Every once in a blue moon.

I am proud of myself though.  Even with a headache from hell....or rather a headache from caffeine I still made it out the door and got in a 2.5 mile run.  It was slow and brutal.  It's gonna be slow and brutal because I have totally lacked any kind of discipline in running.  That HAS to change.  I have plans.....I have dreams...I have.  Oh heavens, I have a 5K coming up in 2.5 weeks.   Uhhhh yeah!  I did say 2.5 weeks.   I think this last minute training is NOT cool.  AT ALL.  Why do I do this to myself?  Really?   Oh well, no use trying to figure out why I have now done this for TWO races/runs.  It is what it is and I just have to get myself into running shape.....as much as possible.  At least this time I only have to prepare for a 3.1 mile run and not a 6.2 mile run.  ha ha ha    It won't be a fast run, but I will do it.   This same run in 2013 still stands as my PR that I strive to beat.  I had been running consistently....and my time showed it.   It's not a PR that is spectacular, but it is my number and I own it! (ironically, I think if my first 10K would have only been 3 miles I would have PR'd...ha ha ha.....why?  Because I had run utterly consistent and regimented for the months before that run.    Yes, I'm getting the idea....RUN.  Run regularly.  Run consistently.  Run diligently.  Just run!

So I don't know if I should be disgusted or somewhat proud. (Maybe the pride is from hanging around with my young nephew so much.....he would definitely be proud!).    So let me say that I never run with a tissue tucked in my pocket or anything like that.  A month or two ago I had a slight bloody nose while running (in the cold)  I thought about starting to run with a tissue tucked somewhere safe.  That never materialized.  And then I was out running today.  (And I apologize in advance for the next few sentences but hey...it was a bit traumatic and I must talk about it!  Therapy you know....)   I was running, and I could feel that I needed to blow my nose.  It kept getting worse.  LOTS worse.  I became fearful that if I breathed too heavily that a booger would dangle from my nostril. My left nostril if you are interested in really visualizing the complete picture.  I had no choice.  Really, none at all.  Don't be a hater......but I shot my first snot rocket.  Or maybe I should call it a booger bomb.  Yeah, that's disgusting....but I'm weirdly proud.  Yeah, I'm a loser.



5 comments:

Tricia Coniglio said...

Yaaaaay! Your first snot rocket! LOL. I saw a guy at the bus stop blow one and at first I was grossed out but then I realized guys NEVER carry tissue with them so he had no choice - unless he wanted it to drip down his face.

finding lori said...

Hey, what else can you do when you don't have a tissue?? :) Good luck with the withdraw headaches...they will get better!!

Kitty said...

I gave up Coke Zero a few weeks ago. It was hard. I had tried just not buying them for the house (having them when out and about or when eating out) and it didn't work. I was always picking up an extra at the convenience store and bringing it home and before I knew it I was drinking 3 of them every day.

Finally I realize that for ME, I needed to just get in the habit of not having them at all. Act like they don't exist. Order water or unsweet tea when dining out. So far that has been easier to deal with.

For the caffeine part of it I have a glass of iced green tea every morning. Works great (make up a huge pitcher of it just drink a glass or two a day).

Darcy Winters said...

They will have to pry my diet coke from my cold dead hand for me to give it up.
Well, okay...not really. If it makes you feel any better - caffeine is suppose to help ward off Parkinsons ad possibly dementia. I'm trying to switch over to black tea so I can keep the caffeine and eliminate the chemicals, but I just like the fizz from soft drinks.

MyStalkerIsFat said...

I have tried giving up soda many times, and it's not easy! The stuff is like crack. But it does get easier if you hang in there.