Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Ever since the worst day ever 4 weeks ago, my health has been heavily on my mind.  Catherine was only 40 years old when she suddenly died from sudden onset acute liver failure.  FORTY.  Way too young.  Admittedly, she did not lead the healthiest lifestyle.  Because who believes that they are going to die at 40? 

Well, message received my friend.  After I spent a few weeks eating my feelings (and I had a lot of feelings and ate a lot of crappy stuff), I finally decided that I need to change things.  Lots of things.  I toyed around with doing the Atkins diet.  In the end, I decided not to do that 100% but use some aspects from the diet plan along with good old fashioned better, cleaner eating and exercise.  I was struggling very hard with having to give up fruit for so long.  With Atkins, there is NO sugar and very few carbs in the first 2 weeks.  Fruit is full of sugar, so they are a no-no.  If I have to eat diet food, I want to be able to eat fruit at least, to help satisfy my craving for something sweet.  I'm going to seriously concentrate on cutting out all processed sugar.  I've heard it can be ugly.  Your body has to basically detox from the sugar and craves it maniacally for a few days. 

The other big thing I'm changing is literally giving me anxiety.  Are you ready?  I can't believe I'm even going to say this. 

 

I'M GIVING UP MY PRECIOUS, PRECIOUS DIET COKE.

That statement makes me want to throw up.  I love Diet Coke beyond all reason.  However, even I recognize that the rate of my consumption of said perfect bubbly drink is ridiculous.  I cannot continue to hoover a 12 pack of Diet Coke every 2 days.  Even though it's diet, so I'm not getting all the sugar, I'm getting the sugar substitute (that stuff that gives rats cancer) and I'm getting so SO much sodium.  It's literally an empty drink.  By that I mean it is nutritionally empty.  There is not a single nutritionally redeeming value about the soda.

 

BUT THAT'S WHY IT'S SO DAMN GOOD. 

So, as of right this second, I'm now 48 hours without a Diet Coke.  I have not died.  More importantly, no one else has died either.  I am drinking water and tea (unsweetened.....sweet tea is GROSS). 

I can do this.  I have to do this.  I'm 45.  I have 2 children and a grandchild.  I have a fiancé who loves me.  And, I don't want to put my friends through what I've gone through for the past month because of my sudden death....especially if I could have done things to prevent it.  Catherine didn't know what was wrong and it happened so fast she couldn't have stopped it.  But I can do things now to be healthier.  And I MUST.  Seriously.