RE-POSTING A FRIENDS POST ON SODA SITUATION! not my writings "I Couldn't Live Without Soda!" But can you live with it? I'm not gonna lie; I was a diet soda addict. Having come from the mother I did (you can read yesterday's WANT post for a bit about Big Norma; there's tons more about her in the archives) -- and I'm not slamming her; she was an amazing woman and very much ahead of her time in many ways -- but she was absolutely a product of her time as far as diet/body image were concerned, I grew up drinking...TAB cola. And then diet Pepsi or Coke, when they were invented; whichever was on sale. We drank lots of it, my brother and I, for lunch and dinner and when we were thirsty. When I was a teenager, I attended a private Catholic high school quite a distance away. I left home at 6:30 AM after a breakfast consisting of diet soda, an apple and toast and took public transportation (two subway trains and a bus ride) for an hour to get to school. Before I walked in to the caf to hang with my friends, I'd hit the corner store for a JOLT cola ("all the sugar and twice the caffeine" was its slogan). This became especially necessary during my last two years of school when my drugstore job kept me busy from 4PM to 10PM three nights a week and then I had an hour and a half of homework to do before crashing in bed around midnight and getting up at 5:30AM. In college, I bought at least two cans of diet Pepsi every day off the roach coach and when I moved along into adulthood and my office jobs, it was not unusual for me to drink four cans of soda during the course of 9-to-5 and more at home at night and on weekends. Trapped at home alone with two babies all day for years meant I was drinking six to eight cans of diet Pepsi a day (before going to my 7PM-midnight cashiering gig at the local supermarket, where I could re-stock the supply) and when I was working part time at the hospital, there was always at least a can or two consumed during my shift and on my meal break. I mean, what was the harm? It was just diet soda. No calories! I had one friend/co-worker at the hospital whom I remember telling me probably in 2003 or so that she had recently quit all soda cold turkey and had her family do the same. She told me all these things about how bad the carbonation and coloring were, what phenylalanines (sp?) do to your body and all this other stuff that I heard as blah blah blah. I'm sure I nodded and smiled and thought Fruit Loop! and I went along drinking diet soda in large quantities for another four years. From Norma....yes I feel NO SODA ALSO! I used to buy the 12-can refrigerator packs and keep two in the fridge in the kitchen and store two or more (stock up when it's on sale!) in the extra fridge in the basement. As I've mentioned, oh, way too many times by now, November 1, 2007 was "the day" I kind of went crazy and cleaned the cabinets of crap food and ran my death mile and all that...but the soda stayed in the fridge; I wasn't getting rid of that. That was going to be my one thing with which to kind of thumb my nose at clean eating. A weird thing happened. About two or three weeks into the clean food thing, I was in the refrig probably getting stuff to make a salad and I noticed there was a full 12-pack and two or three stray cans of diet Pepsi on the bottom shelf. It occurred to me that I hadn't had any in...how long? A week? Ten days? I took one out and kind of looked at it and realized I don't drink soda anymore. Much like in April 2010 when in a Facebook conversation with Josh I realized I don't drink alcohol anymore. There was no conscious decision to "quit" or "give up" either of them...my body had just simply lost its "need" and "want" for them. So I haven't had a soda in over four years and I don't see myself ever having one again. (I posted in mid-November about how the no alcohol thing came about; it's titled "Sober Life" if you're interested in reading about it in the archives.) So, in the now-world-famous "From Hell" post last Friday, I said that one of the stupidest things I've read on a weight loss blog lately was someone whining about how she'd never ever ever no matter what be able to live without soda: “I can’t imagine life without soda!” (Imagine making this statement to your grandparents who lived through the Depression or someone who’s come to the US as a refugee from a war-torn country and how fucking outright idiotic you would sound. If your life would be somehow diminished by the absence of carbonated flavored water, you should kill yourself right now.) Perhaps that poster was being hyperbolic, but I don't think she was. I've had too many real life people say the same thing. A few readers took exception to it in the comments, as is their right. And one of them (the very sweet, funny and intelligent Miss April) nicely took me to task on that line in her response. I replied back to her comment, saying: As for the diet soda whores playing in traffic...I want them to do that not as much for drinking the crap as for having convinced themselves that it is such a great thing they couldn't live without it. Not for a week, or a day or even an afternoon. It's for having such little confidence in themselves to even push themselves to do a very, very small thing ...like not drink a diet soda for a whole day. I said somewhere around here (and I stole it from somewhere else that I wish I could remember) that this really SHOULDN'T be all that hard...getting off heroin is hard, going through six rounds of chemo is hard, growing up in foster homes is hard...respecting yourself enough to make your health a priority by doing simple things like eating right most of the time and exercising in a way you enjoy as much as you can really isn't that hard. Trust me, if you'd asked me at any point prior to mid-November 2007 if I could "live without" diet soda, I am sure I would have said: No Fucking Way. I never tried to "give it up," or thought there was any reason to give it up. I, of course, know a lot better now (there is actually no reason to drink the shit) but my real issue, as I said to April, is that it's really not even the soda itself that irks me...it's people's utter lack of faith in themselves at being able to change. If you consider yourself dependent on soda (as I was) but know that it is seriously no damned good for you and you'd be improving your health by getting it out of your diet (or even limiting it) why not challenge yourself to TRY? For a day. For an afternoon. If you usually drink four cans a day, just skip ONE. TRY. YOU ARE CAPABLE OF SO MUCH MORE THAN YOU GIVE YOURSELF CREDIT FOR.
Monday, January 30, 2012
PINK ANGELS making a difference
what a pleasant surprise
At the gym with my walking man after dinner and I got the surprise to see two awesome gals...The excitement over came me and I JUMPED off my machine, bounced over to the front desk with my Stephie cheer and smile...YAY Donna and Diana! happy to chat it up with my Ital gal and her Irish sidekick LOL our mouths all go a mile a minute if only the elliptical went as fast as our chattin! hahahha luv u gals...
ALL KINDS>>>DIET AND REGULAR>>>WATER FOLKS>>>kick the SODA HABIT!
http://health.yahoo.net/experts/eatthis/3-shocking-soda-facts read this article.....then go to this one and drink lots o H2O AND eat the superfoods...healthy eats peeps....u r what u eat ....you eat crap you fell like crap, you eat healthy foods you fell AWESOME! then go to this article http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/nutritious_foods_for_a_healthy_body/bone_builder_dried_plums.php?page=1
Friday, January 27, 2012
one persons trash is another persons treasure
Had a donation from a friend, stuff that was gonna get trashed...WELL the stuff (things happen for a reason) went to a well deserving, very grateful mind you young man, whom is turning his life around. Made me and another person SMILE :D b/c of it! YAY! Please take this to heart, If the item you want to trash CAN be used by another who may need it PLEASE donate it. There is SA, Big Brother-Big Sister...the store SAVERS takes stuff too. The homeless shelters take all kinds of stuff. I love to give to St. Vincent DP box at the church. PLEASE, things that still have life to them, DONATE! Let me know even I will so take it to it's proper place. I shop for the soup kitchen/food pantry (donations from the church pays for the stuff) and they always have people who need the littlest of things in life. DONATE! Thanks!
oh the clothes
This is crazy with a huge side of gross
http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhealth/chicken-nuggets-how-bad-are-they
Friday, January 20, 2012
have to share.....
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-frank-lipman/immunity-foods_b_1211129.html?ref=health-fitness#s619210&title=Avocado minus the salmon I love these other foods and THEY DO make you have good clean eats running through the bod! hey and move move move that body..it was not meant to sit on the sofa and stare at a tv...
to update on PAPERWORK POST
How behind on PAPERWORK is the STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS!!!!! Got 3 state payments for Nana T since her passing ands since her death cert was submitted...funny too how the end of the estate ck comes in and after that a regular payment also comes in...hey left hand tell right hand what is goin on....will ya lol
Thursday, January 19, 2012
You can choose your reaction.....
getting the fleece on BIG TIME!
The clothes you wear in the winter just make you feel so warm and BIG. I really love spring weather clothes, as I am sure most of you do. I often feel 10 lbs heavier wearing all the fleece type bulk. In the old days I would LOVE to bulk up and cover up ever inch of the bod...These days I am not showing skin by any means but do however want to wear clothes that do not add tons of lbs on. Capris and a t is fine...I can't wait to wear the SKORT again..lol I really should not b*itch b/c this winter has not been anything like last though I still want to shout SUNSHINE DAY! And have the April/May weather here always...and then throw in some humid July 100* to get the sweat on! So till then it is the heavy under tights for this gal under the fleece/insulated pants.!!!!!! LONG LIVE THE SPRING~~~~~~~~~~~~~
you must know some people who need this!
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
TULIPS
Dealing with paperwork
Since Nana T's passing I have had the awesome husband helping out so much. He so knows these things way more than I do. He does paperwork ect. Well yesterday I got an insurance paper about her benefits for eye care ect. and how she needs to switch doctors. So I call the 1-800# on the forms to report that she is deceased..so I proceed to tell the man n the other end after giving him her ID # that she is "deceased" and that date was blah blah and the State got the certificate mailed to them ect. So he then says did she die? No sir she is alive and kickin' I like the word "deceased" or I may not have used it in the proper way..Ahh to myself mind you I am lookin at the phone rollin the eyes saying..the state PAYS you to service the calls??? lol A DECEASED person is in fact dead! YES THEY ARE~! So he gives me a DIFFERENT # to call b/c in fact he can not do anything for me....what a shocker....So I then call the OTHER number who the gal there knew how to help and also knew that my DECEASED Nana is in fact no longer alive and in need of health insurance benefits. She also said I am sorry for your loss, that I feel is very professional when they say that. It personalizes the fact that some of the state workers in fact do think of the feelings of others. SO if ya want to Google the word DECEASED sir state callboard man...it in fact means...Noun; A person who has died, Adjective: Dead; no longer living. So yes my grandmother no longer needs the health insurance PLEASE take her off the list b/c I would liek to see the state take care of and give services to other LIVING elderly people.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Back to WIT!
So this morn is the day that the truck gets packed up to make the trip to Boston. Stephen is back to Wentworth this morn, classes start Wednesday. It is bitter-sweet. Gonna miss our boy around here but feeding the 6'3" kid....LMAO nah not gonna miss that. HAHHA ok who am I kiddin, I will miss that too. So woke up before I took to the YOGA mat I see this white substance on the lawn, deck and steps...the driving areas nada..YAY! So Ry says to me "Ma you sad about the snow?" I said Nah no big deal, not gonna make a difference;looks pretty on the lawn....he was like DID YOU JUST SAY THAT! lol So he says "are you tired this morning?".....No Ry, why you say that? He goes "you don't seen as springy, happy like other mornings" "It;s because you see snow huh ma!" Lets start out that Ry like his mama talks A LOT in the am.....I talk A LOT in the AM mid day and PM...lol Ry has always had the gift of gab in the morn so it is a 20 question type morn and always info packed with his telling me facts and stuff. So he seems to think I am not "springy/happy" this morn. I said well Stephen is heading back to WIT and I will miss our foursome + puppy dynamics here at 01949! I know just like last semester it will fly by and we can see him for the family b-days as well as his 19th b-day dinner and frog pond skate at the end of January. As for the every moring/night times together...he there us here. I am so very sure Bailey is jimdandy about his not being here. Stephen seems to be barked at often from the lil beast when he comes and goes. The bags and linens are all lined up Raf OCD...along with reusable bags of snacks and college dorm room type foods. On another note I get to sport a NEW beautiful, earth friendly, animal cause helping, environmentally safe reusable purse today. I have a choice if two beautiful styles. My buddy Austin's mom KNOWS ME TOO WELL...and picked up 2 very savvy fold away bags knowing that Stephie LOVES those bags! Thanks Pam! xo Have a great day all and misses and kisses and sunshiny hugs...
Sunday, January 01, 2012
The Annual New Years Morn Walk with the Pink Angels!
Always a great way to start New Years morning with a walk with some of the most fantastic people out there. Love you all in your own special way. Had to trex the hills of Breakheart and so proud Bailey was even off leash keepin up with the big boys and girls! More proud of M and I for letting him get down and dirty and be a DOGS DOG! Lol
Thanks to all the Pink Angels, family members and furry friends for always making my New Years Day morning a special one! :D M joined us for the 1st time and he was "10" lol He said I am a ten! yay! LOL we count off to make sure we have everyone and he was #10.....YOU'RE A 10 BABY! that's for sure!
PINTEREST! oh so fun
http://pinterest.com/ziastephie/
Spoke many times with Pam when she would come over about PINTREST and it always sounded so good BUT nah not for me...WELL GUESS WHAT?! Yup I like it....:D thanks Dana and Pam for the suggestion. Like a scrapbook on line!
A Romantic New Years walk
A romantic New Years Day night walk. Taking the pups for a walk all around Salem tonight was a great way to celebrate the new year. We took Bailey and Myles for a long walk around the pretty lit city. The weather was not too cold and the park area was all lit up near the Hotel lookin very moviesk! lol SO ROMANTICAL!
