I noticed I have replaced drinking alcohol with eating a lot of carbs and sugars. While that may be temporarily better for me (at least I am not getting drunk), I know it is still not healthy. I been eating too many donuts and bagels. Snacking on too much candy. And even though I try to eat healthy chips, I still eat them too much.
So I decided to try the South Beach diet again. I have done it before and the hardest part was always “no booze for the first two weeks.” That part is easy now. *wink wink* Now giving up other sugars will be the difficult option. I do not want to substitute sugars with artificial sugars because, well, they are artificial. I would rather do this as natural as I can.
I am also planning to do this as a vegetarian. I have flirted on and off with vegetarianism the past two years. Ever since I read the book Fast Food Nation, I have become concerned about America’s food. I do not trust the safety of the meat industry. (But I trusted the FDA enough to control the alcohol I drank?) But sometimes I get weak in my resistance and eat meat. Sometimes it is just too easy.
And as if giving up sugars and meat was not enough, I am gonna stop soda. No more Diet Coke. I think that has been my strongest addiction. I have read of so many horrible things and risks caused by Diet Coke. It actually increases appetite and chance of diabetes.
I think for this triple challenge, I do need daily 12-step meetings!
“God grant me the serenity to change my sugar habits, accept I will avoid meat, and the wisdom to know the dangers of Diet Coke.”
Mistake # 88 – I lost 10 pounds on Weight Watchers. Just in time for my first anniversary with a boyfriend. We celebrated by going to Napa for wine tasting. We joined a limo winery tour.
I was not happy with just “tasting”. I was never good with just sipping my beverages. I would even buy extra tastings or a whole glass of which ever I liked the best. I was trashed by late afternoon. I stole the wine cork screw from the limo because I liked the logo on it. We ate dinner in the hotel but I acted like a drunk idiot. I was loud and obnoxious. We fought.
I was very hungover the next day and slept most of the drive back. Not the romantic weekend for which I hoped.
I remember walking into Weight Watchers and gained 2 pounds with my weigh in. I told her I went away for my anniversary. She said “well I hope it was worth it.”
Back then I said “hells yea!” Now I am not so sure.
365reasons2sober 
Good luck on your new journey. It seems like we keep having to give things up!!
I am sure you will do as well with the diet as with the booze. Seriously, if you can’t manage it all, the one thing to give up is the soda. You will loose weight immediately. I haven’t had soda in 25 years, I replaced it with wine!! 🙂
thanks. I was thinking the same thing. Diet Coke has so many horrible things to it. And I might even lose weight just kicking that (along with the booze.) I have so many friends that are anti-diet sodas. But they never cared about me killing myself with alcohol. Then again, I don’t think many of my friends noticed I had a problem.
Ah yes….the sugar! Good to be aware of it. We’re always looking for that neurotransmitter boost and sugar does, albeit temporarily. So we need more!
And then it boils down to AAA. Awareness, Acceptance and Action. Or not! Our choice.
Good luck!
The first time I got sober I dropped 10kg. I thought I was going to be skinny in no time! I didn’t account for all the sugary crap I was chowing down on instead, and now my weight has been the same for the past @ 3 years as I continue to struggle. With it being Easter at the moment I have gone waaaayy overboard on chocolate and now feel completely fat & disgusting. Think I’ll have to go cold turkey!
I’ll look forward to reading your updates on your diet!
I definitely am eating way more sugar than I ever ever have done, but I’m trying to address that very soon. People say don’t make too many changes in early sobriety and yes, if I get a raging craving to drink and a chocolate bar will stop that (which it often does) I’ll eat rather than drink, but I know I’m not giving myself the best chance to heal my body. And diet coke… Jeez don’t get me started!
Read the book Skinny Bitch, easy read, great information if you really want to clean up your diet and go meatless. Love Cookie Monster pic.
Thanks! I will look into that.