Soda/POP?

I know this is a difficult subject for most people so lets keep it simple, SODA/POP (whatever you call it) IS A TREAT!! There are so many extra calories and sugars in drinks you could easily consume more calories each day in drinks than you should eat in a 24 hour period. Yes diet drinks have no calories and sugar BUT (yes it's a big but) it has artificial sweeteners that are even worse for your body. I love soda just as much as the next gal and I do still drink it in moderation. I think it would be better for me to have a cup of soda then 2 pieces of chocolate cake. So when I'm getting a sweets craving I normally eat a piece of fruit or get a cup of soda to satisfy it. My favorite is Diet Caffeine Free Coke, but I don't drink it very often and I don't have much of it! Now a days it is impossible to eat everything clean (clean meaning completely fresh and free of preservatives and artificial sweeteners), you would have to dedicate a lot of time, money, and will power. Which personally I love food and want to enjoy what I eat. So every once in a while its OK to have a treat. The important part is don't make a habit out of it! If you can't function each day with out your morning caffeine, that is probably a good sign it is not good for your body and you NEED TO CUT the habit! I swear there is a soda/pop addiction in my family. Everyone drinks either Mountain Dew or Coke everyday. So I understand how hard it is to cut this habit. It’s not easy.  I compare it to doing drugs because it truly can become an addiction.  Good luck and you can do it because you ARE worth it!!! 

The Master Cleanse

Now that I am done with the marathon and still have a few more pounds that I would like to do the Master Cleanse http://themastercleanse.org/ (aka The Lemonade Diet, Cayenne Pepper Diet, what Beyonce did to lose weight for Dream Girls). You may have heard me talk about it before. I actually prefer the Juicing Reboot http://www.jointhereboot.com/ (from the documentary Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead) but it is so expensive I have been doing a combination of both. Basically what the Master Cleanse is:

 

- 1 Cup of Water

- 2 Tbs. Organic Maple Syrup (not the syrup you put on pancakes)

- 2 Tbs. Freshly Squeezed Lemon

- 1/10 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

Then this is all you have for a few day period. I DO NOT recommend this to lose a lot of weight, or if you are just starting out on your journey. I just use it as a cleanse for the body, and to help me get off those last few stubborn pounds after the 60 already. If you just start off doing this you will probably gain more weight back than you lost in the first place. It will not teach you the new healthy eating habits that you need to learn and drill into your brain to live happy and healthy for the rest of your life. I like to do this every once in a while for two reasons 1.) As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we are asked once a month to fast for a 24 hour period. With fasting and prayer to my Heavenly Father we can receive revelation, blessings, comfort, and so much more. I also believe that our Heavenly Father has given us fasting not only for spiritual reasons but for physical as well. Here is a quote I found from http://www.falconblanco.com/health/fasting.htm."Probably the most important reason is that the body uses quite a bit of energy to digest food, and when fasting this energy becomes available for other uses. In the fasting state, the body will scour for dead cells, damaged tissues, fatty deposits, tumors, abscesses, all of which are burned for fuel or expelled as waste. The elimination of these obstructions restores the immune system functionality and metabolic process to an optimum state.  Fasting restores good digestion and elimination, and peristaltic action is quickened. Fasting allows a deep, physiological rest of the digestive organs, and the energy saved goes into self-healing and self-repairing. By eliminating obstructions, by cleansing, detoxification, and purifying the intestines, the blood, and the cells, we can overcome many of our physical ills or handicaps as well as getting a boost in energy. Fasting not only removes obstructions and helps the body to heal itself, it is also rejuvenating and life-extending. These resulting benefits can have lasting affects in your mental and emotional health." Jesus fasted for 40 days and nights, now I'm not saying this is something we should try. I have a hard time fasting for just 1 day. But I feel for me this is a good alternative for sometime to clear out my system and start a new. I think Heavenly Father knew what was best for our bodies when he asked us to fast once a month. That our bodies need this to help clear itself as well as gain a heightened spiritual experience.  2.) I feel like it takes away my relationship from food for a few days. I don't ever feel hungry but just that urge like I need to bite into something or have something crunchy. Its kind of a weird experience to express. It has totally changed my relationship with food. Now I understand even more that it is a life source for me first and foremost. But that it can also be a pleasurable experience as well.  Of course drinking only this for a long period of time is not good for you. As is everything you want to do it in moderation and I think they only recommend it for 10 days. 

I know that a lot of people think this is a really bad and unhealthy idea. And it is if you do it for an extended period of time, but it is my belief that for a few days it is not going to hurt me. In moderation it has only made me feel better and more free.

Although I can’t wait to start eating in a few days, I defiantly LOVE food so much and cant wait to enough it again soon. Thanks so much and if you have any questions please let me know of check out the website links above. They will tell you everything you need to know about the two cleanse that I suggest!

http://themastercleanse.org/

http://www.jointhereboot.com/

Update since writing this post, I only did the cleanse for about 4 days this time. I think doing it so soon after the race my body wasn't ready for it. So it’s back to losing weight the old fashion way. EATING RIGHT AND EXERCISE!!!