Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Not So Corny

Thanks for all your fun and funny comments on treats that tempt you!  I could include many of your items on my “don’ts” list, too!  Thankfully, it was a better day with respect to “the corn”.  Even though the last bits in the bowl tried to beckon me a few times, I was able to resist.  Get lost, corn!

Needless to say, when gobs of candy corn sit in your stomach like the Rock of Gibraltar, hunger comes late to the party.  I was not feeling much like eating breakfast, but experience has told me that if I don’t eat a decent breakfast, it will come back to haunt me in the afternoon.  After much debate, I decided on a Chobani yogurt and a Cranbran Vitatop

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I skipped the gym and decided to tackle some household chores instead.  I knew my time at home was limited today, so I tried to be as efficient as possible in getting stuff done.  I’m easily distracted these days (the result of candy corn induced brain rot –uh huh!) and I’m trying to change that to maximize my “doing stuff” potential!

I finished up the last of my mini list and get ready to meet up with my sisters-in-law and mother-in-law for lunch.  They wanted to try Cosi, which was great for me;  I love it there!  I stayed true to what I always order when I go there – Fire Roasted Veggie Flatbread Sandwich.  It is filled with roasted veggies, shredded lettuce and a tasty creamy feta spread.  I broke out of the mold today and got the Duo – half sandwich and cup of Moroccan Lentil Soup.  Both items did not disappoint…

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After lunch, I raced home to pick up the daughters and had a fun package waiting for me – Zevia Natural Diet Soda!  I won this in a giveaway on Missy’s blog and have been excited to try it!

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I gave up diet soda quite a few months ago due to stomach troubles coupled with the fact that I wanted to rid myself of artificial sweeteners.  I was a huge Splenda fan.  I didn’t use a ton of it or at least I thought I didn’t.  But, when I started taking a look at the foods that I was buying that contained it (ice creams, baked goods) along with the diet soda and the addition of it in my coffee or tea, I realized it was too much.  I slowly weaned myself.  Out went the diet soda, then the processed stuff and finally…sadly…the coffee and tea, which I had to give up, too since my reflux was flaring up.  So, I was excited to try this O calorie soda that is sweetened with stevia, a natural sweetener.  I will admit, I have tried stevia before and have not been a fan, but I was hearing good things about this soda, so I was more than willing to give it a whirl.  I grabbed the Orange flavor to try first, while running out the door to take little daughter to dance class…

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It was good!  I didn’t detect any weird aftertaste.  It tasted very similar to Diet Orange Crush which I used to really like.  Both daughters tasted and liked it.  Actually, big daughter finished it off!  Great, gotta hide my stash!  I’m looking forward to trying the other flavors.  And here’s me sporting the tshirt they sent – size xs!  They have high hopes for me, I guess.  Wasn’t sure the whole shirt would even  fit over half my body;  it stretches…we were cracking up as I struggled to get into it…hence the blurry pic…

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Okay, enough embarrassing myself.

While little daughter was at dance, I was able to run to the gym for a quick 30 minutes on the elliptical.  Afternoon workouts are harder for me, but I like to trick my body that way sometimes!

Dinner was a heat and eat.  I broke out a container of Big Batch Bulgur Chili and made some cornbread  to go along with it.  Super filling…

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And I ended the night, with no candy corn!!!  Whew!

Hope you have a great day!

ONE GOOD THING:  You know what I’m gonna say…NO candy corn!!!

Question of the Day:  Do you use artificial sweeteners, natural, straight up sugar or none?

23 comments:

Unknown said...

I use straight up sugar. I don't add it to many things. I try to limit my intake of artificial sweetners as possible.

Unknown said...

Looks like you made a great lunch choice! I love that Chili-wish I had a BIG freezer! The tee shirt looked great on ya! That is kinda funny that they just sent an xs though...lol

Im not a fan of artificial sweeteners. but I also dont use much real stuff either. I tried stevia a while ago and found it bitter...I have some truvia, but same thing-bitter. oh well, I will skip it!

Allison (Eat Clean Live Green) said...

I try not to use artificial sweeteners - instead I try to not sweeten things, use a bit of real sugar, or stevia. The stevia is new to me, I've only been trying it the past week or so!

Di said...

I use Stevia and Splenda and aspartane as it comes in pre made items I buy. I use stevia in coffee and splenda for cooking because it is the only artificial sweetener that does not break down when cooked.Sugar , honey , molasses and corn syrup give me terrible heartburn for some reason.

Janet said...

I go for half and half (I put 2 tsp of molasses along with a bit of Splenda in my morning oats)...

Yum Yucky said...

Awww! You're so purr-tee! And yes, my cornbread detector just when off. Ding ding ding!!!

Diane, Fit to the Finish said...

I use regular sugar and real butter (when I use it). I too weaned myself off artifical sweeteners. They made me feel a little bit sick.

You look wonderful in that t-shirt!

OldGoogleAccount said...

I don't use any artificial sweetners in place of sugar. I use sugar in my coffee (never more than 2 cups per day) and baking. I will buy products with artificial sweetners in it, rarely, and not if it is aspartame.

I know sugar is bad but I try not too eat too much of it.

Salty on the other hand, salty will get me every time.

Jen, a priorfatgirl said...

ah, just gotta say one thing - ROCK THE SHIRT lady! It fits you like a glove and looks great. YOU WEAR AN XS!! WOOT WOOT!

Graze With Me said...

I slowly weaned myself off white sugar and artificial sweetners about 6 months ago. It's hard but I've stuck with it for the most part.

I still use a tiny sprinkle of stevia in my tea to cut the bitterness and the only time I eat white sugar is when I have a treat. I try not to make it an everyday thing.

janetha said...

i usually do not sweeten things, unless i am baking of course, then i usually just use sugar. i did get a nunaturals package to try out and some xagave and i have found both products taste really good, no weirdness. but i also dont like things sweet. i put the nunaturals in my oats today and they were WAY too sweet for me. you look so cute in that shirt! and i love all the soups, makes me warm on this cold day :) xo

Joanna@BooneDocksWilcox said...

I loved Sunkist Diet Orange. I don't have reflux but the Splenda seemed to give me UTI's, so I've given most Splenda stuff although I like it a lot. I would like to try Zevia for sure.

Unknown said...

Lookin' good, girl!
I use Splenda in my coffee, and that's about it. I don't really add sugar to anything else. I don't drink diet soda anymore.
If I'm baking, I use the real stuff. I don't like the taste of artificial sweeteners in baked goods.

MarshaMarsha said...

I can't do artificial sweetners.. YUCK! I just have to limit myself with the real stuff.
Good job on getting in quick afternoon workout.. Afternoon workouts have been impossible for me to lately. Have a good week :)

Andrea@WellnessNotes said...

I used to drink a lot of Diet Coke but stopped drinking it several years ago. I also try not to buy processed foods with artificial sweeteners. But I still find it sometimes sneaking up on me when I grab something quickly at the store without carefully reading the label...

I really only use sugar when baking (which isn't all that often). I try to reduce the amount by half or more. I also have some agave nectar that I use once in a while.

The T-Shirt looks great!

Arlene Delloro said...

Great job getting to goal. I recently rejoined. I'm a Lifetimer, far from goal. Lost 10 lbs my first 6 weeks, good for me. I'm always looking for new food finds to keep me on program. I may give the Vitatops another try. The cranberry one looks good.

Marisa @Loser for Life said...

Arlene - not quite to goal, yet! Hoping to get there one day... :)

Allison (Balance in Bites) said...

That picture of you is SO CUTE!

I rarely use artificial sweeteners. These days, buying a bottle or can of diet soda is a huge treat - something that I consider to be "bad" for me, just like I'd consider a burger at McDonald's to be bad for me, yet, delicious at the same time. =)

paulawannacracker said...

Sugar for sure. I've tried the splenda and I'm not too crazy about it. I recently tried agave nectar which is similar to honey. But you have to be careful with the agave because you can overdo it.

I've been trying to kick the sugar habit but I'm not having much luck.

Cosi sandwhich looks wonderful. I haven't been to a Cosi in years. Love their flat breads

paulawannacracker said...

Sugar for sure. I've tried the splenda and I'm not too crazy about it. I recently tried agave nectar which is similar to honey. But you have to be careful with the agave because you can overdo it.

I've been trying to kick the sugar habit but I'm not having much luck.

Cosi sandwhich looks wonderful. I haven't been to a Cosi in years. Love their flat breads

carla said...

HOW CUTE ARE YOU!!

I used to use sweeteners (in my oatmeal) and then realized as you did how they are in lots of the stuff I used to DRINK (*sigh*) so I stopped.
I decided FOR ME Id rather get the real stuff in moderation.

Anonymous said...

Congrats on you Zevia win. You look awesome in that shirt.

Christy said...

I love sodas. I like the sparkles! My soda consumption went WAY up when I started drinking diet Coke, Barq's, Dr. Pepper.

My naturopath says splenda and aspartame are bad, bad, bad for the function of my hypothalamus, since it prevents leptin (the satiety/"fullness") hormone from bonding with it's receptors on the hypothalamus.

So, I'm on an hCG diet right now, but I've added sparkling water to my diet ... all of the sparkles, none of the doubt.