Pop Addiction - Week 1 and 2.

Two weeks ago I set out to conquer my reliance on diet pop, Namely how much Pepsi Max I was drinking.

At the start of my weight loss journey I swapped out full fat coke-a-cola for Pepsi Max beleiving it was a change for the better. Now several times throughout my journey I have tried giving up the Pepsi Max. I lasted around two days before I gave into the headaches and the other withdrawals I was experiencing.
I have always loved a fizzy drink, I could easily polish of a two liter bottle of the stuff without the help of anyone else. I would think nothing of just drinking straight from a 2L bottle throughout the day while at home then grabbing the odd 300ml can while out to 'quench my thirst'.
I know, I know... Fizzy pop isn't good for you blah! I have heard it all before, I have seen the penny get cleaned by the coke but nothing has stopped me from drinking it.

Expect two weeks ago I finally decided I needed to stop it but this time I was going to approach it differently. Cold turkey clearly wasn't the way forward for me so I was going to try a different approach.

For the first week I went from drinking well over 2000mls a day to just 600mls (two cans). The first week of doing that was horrible. It was so odd it not being my 'go to drink' Instead I started drinking more water (with a splash of sugar free dilute juice) and green tea. I would have my first can early morning then would be clock watching and open my second can with dinner and make it last right through till dinner time. I did have a couple of days where I went to the fridge and nearly grabbed another can but didn't.

Week two; Still drinking 600mls a day. I figured as the week before had been so tough I would do another week at this amount. After all... I am doing this gradual.
Things was so much easier than I expected. I've gotten into a new habit in a morning. I will put the kettle on as soon as I get up and while its boiling will drink a pint of water, make my breakfast and by that time the kettle has boiled so will make myself a green tea. I have been able to 'wait' for my first can of Pepsi Max till around mid-afternoon and then having my second can once the children are in bed with my evening snack. I am feeling a lot less bloated and feeling more positive that I can do this. Not felt the least bit tempted to have anymore then what I had alotted myself.

My Aim for week three is to take the amount down to 300mls, so just one can a day. This scares me just like going from over 2000mls a day to 600mls did. I know the first few days will no doubt be difficult but! I will get through it and I will feel so much better for it.

September Goals and 1st weigh in.

September is a pretty important month for me. More specifically the first week in September is very significant.
Its three years this week that I embarked on the biggest change of my adult life: I walked into the Weight Watchers class that helped transform my life for the better.

This month I really don't want to set unobtainable goals that are impossible to achieve. My goal this month is to loose 4lbs. That averages at 1lb a week, completely attainable. Anymore than that I will welcome but right now that 4lb goal I am happy with.

This morning I had my weekly weigh in and for the first time in a very long time I hand on my heart had no idea what the scales would show as I had hubby hide my batteries for my scales. I was stressing my self out too much and became obsessed with weighing myself two or three times a day. Not healthy. Over the past 4 weeks I had lost only 2lbs (main reason this months goal is 4lbs!) even though I had tracked and been good I really hit a brick wall so went today expecting much of the same. I got on the scales and as my leader turned the scales round I saw 10st6.5lbs! My mind was trying to do the maths, while I knew it was more than the half a pound I was expecting I was just stunned. 2.5lbs!! TWO AND A HALF POUNDS off in one week!! That is the most I have lost in one week in 3 months!!

I am elated, I am hoping that is the end of my bodies plateau and we can get back on the train to goal. It just shows even when things get hard and you keep at it things will start moving again eventually!

So after my first week in September I am already half way through my goal. I am not counting chickens just yet as the half a pound looses may come back to bite me in the butt yet haha.

Diet Coke Chicken

This has become a recent favourite in our house. It's quick easy and very flavourful. The amount of propoints it will work out to be will depend on the size of the chicken breast you use to be sure to measure your chicken and adjust your points value accordingly! 

My portion worked out at 5pp.

What you'll need...

A preheated (200*) oven.

Tablespoon of Tomato purée (or passata)

A can of diet cola (we use Pepsi Max) 

A couple of tea spoons of Worcester sauce

Oxo cube

Chicken breast (we had 2 and a half)

A oven proof dish. 

1) empty the can of cola into the oven proof dish along with the tomato purée and Worcester sauce.

2) sprinkle the chicken breasts with the oxo cube and place into the oven proof dish

3) place into the oven for around twenty minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.

I have had ours with both couscous and rice with vegetables. It works well with either 😊