Goodbye to Big Kit Kat Bars

After yesterday’s consumption of massive amounts of Chinese food followed by eleven cookies, I decided enough is enough. For the past couple of weeks I have practiced absolutely no self-restraint when it comes to eating. Apparently my scale agrees with my assessment because I’ve gained three pounds in the past week. Three pounds in a week!

This morning I sat down at my trusty computer and created a contract to help myself lose a little weight and get in better overall health. Mind you, I’m starting small. My body does not like change nor does it like chocolate deficiencies. Big Kit Kat Bars have become my nemesis. Have you ever had one? They are heavenly! My only good habit in the past couple of weeks is that I’ve been cutting calories through diet soda. Other than, I’m a mess.

I’ve decided to post my contract on my blog in order to make myself more accountable. It’s here, in front of my face, and there’s nothing I can do to avoid it. Here it is:

I, Elaine, promise to abide by the terms of this contract for one month beginning Monday, April 3, 2006 and ending Sunday, April 30, 2006. Should I refuse to comply or infringe on the terms of this contract, the consumption of chocolate will be prohibited for 2 weeks starting on the day subsequent to the violation.

Terms of Conditions:

· Eat a balanced breakfast comprised of nutritious foods. This does not include chocolate.
· Consume no more than one Big Kit Kat bar each week.
· Exercise for 30 minutes at least twice a week. Exceeding this condition will result in the
allowance of two Big Kit Kat Bars a week.
· Eat at least two servings of fruit everyday.
· Eat at least three servings of vegetables per day.
· Drink at least four cups of water per day.
· Consume at least 2 servings of dairy per day.
· No cake or pies.
· Continue consuming diet soda.

Update: Additional term: Sign up for the Susan G. Komen 3 Day, courtesy of Soul Searching. Everybody should really consider participating in this - it's for a great cause!


______________________________
Elaine
Junk-foodaholic Friday, March 31, 2006

"I Love Diet Soda" Goes Syndicated

“I Love Diet Soda” is now RSS enabled! I know, I know, I’m like the last blogger on Earth to add this awesome feature but I’m not the most technically savvy person and it’s taken me a long time to figure out this RSS thing in general.

A couple of months ago, a fellow blogger suggested I syndicate my site and I promised I would consider it. In reality I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. After becoming more active in the blogging community I noticed the majority of sites had buttons advertising “RSS’ or “XML.” For a while I decided to stay ignorant and simply ignored the buttons. After some time my curiosity and general dorkiness got the better of me, and I decided to check it out.

Since I’ve begun blogging, I check out my favorite blogs for new entries on an hourly basis. This is not exactly time well spent at work and I think my coworkers are starting notice my blogging addiction. Hello, my name is Elaine and I am a blog addict. There I’ve said it. Now that I’ve got a newsfeed reader I don’t have to spend all my time waiting for new entries - the moment one of my favorite sites is updated I know about it!

This whole technology thing is amazing and really underrated! Anyways, if you would like to subscribe to “I Love Diet Soda,” here’s the URL: http://ilovedietsoda.com/feed.xml

Wishing for Diet Coke Blak

Whew! What a week! Work has been really busy this week and I’ve been feeling a little rundown lately so I’m so happy it’s Friday and I can just kick back and relax.

Thanks to Sandra for informing me about the new Coke Blak. According to a Coca-Cola press release, “Coke Blak is a sophisticated, premium blend of Coca-Cola, natural flavors and coffee essence. The effervescence and rich flavor of Coca-Cola Blak provide the perfect pick-me-up for people looking for new ways to stay refreshed any time of day or night.”

Although I’m incredibly disappointed there’s not a diet version of Coke Blak (yet), I’m rather intrigued by this new soda. I love coffee and I love soda so this just might be a perfect fit! Has anybody tried it yet? I would love to hear the opinions of my fellow bloggers! Do you think Coke Blak could work as a diet soda?

In other news, something new is coming to “I Love Diet Soda” and it’s very exciting! I’ll fill you in on the details soon…

Low-Calorie Ice Cream: Dream or Reality?

Update: The girl’s weekend was absolutely fabulous! If you’re ever in Atlanta, you’ve simply got to check out the GA Aquarium. The animals are amazing! My friend and I spent almost as much time there as we did at the mall. In addition, I feel as though I gained at least five pounds over the weekend.

Low-calorie News:

It’s almost here - low-calorie ice cream!!! Tate & Lyle, the makers of Splenda, are working to create a brand of low-calorie ice cream. I’ve been waiting for this for a very long time. You see, I’ve got a serious sweet tooth and though I’ve tried, I can’t always keep it under control.

That’s actually how my whole blogging adventure began. I used to drink a lot of Dr. Pepper on a daily basis and realized one day that none of my clothes fit. I couldn’t zip the jeans or button the shirts. It wasn’t a pretty sight. Eventually I made the switch to diet sodas and here I am today – 15 pounds lighter. Over time, I realized that incorporating low-calorie and low-fat foods into my diet allows me to indulge in guilty pleasures without really feeling guilty.

I digress, back to the low-cal ice cream. According to the article from Nutra Ingredients,

"Research commissioned by Tate & Lyle has shown that one in four consumers believes that reducing fat and sugar levels are the most important improvements that can be made to ice cream, while 73 per cent of current ice cream buyers would 'definitely' or 'probably' buy a low-fat, low-sugar ice cream."

I would consider myself in the “definitely” category. In the meantime until this amazing product comes out, I’ll have to suffice on the reduced-fat ice cream. Who am I kidding? I love that stuff too!

Southern Hospitality

Today is like a Friday for me because I’ve got the day off tomorrow! Yippee! My best friend is coming in town from Austin, and I’m excited about a weekend of good food, girl talk and shopping. I love my job but having a day off to do absolutely nothing gives me butterflies in my stomach.

Here are the things I plan to do with her while she’s in Atlanta:

Little 5 Points and Virginia Highlands: These two areas are so eclectic and unique that a trip without them would be no trip at all. We’re having dinner at Noche, a southwestern tapas restaurant, and then on to somewhere else for drinks.

Georgia Aquarium: Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe this is actually the world’s largest aquarium. There’s a lot of hype about this place so I’m ready to see what all the buzz is about.

Coca-Cola Factory: Here’s where you get to see where your favorite fizzy concoctions are created. Me, I’m not partial to Coke or Pepsi – I love ‘em both as long as they’re diet!

Taverna Plaka: If you live in Atlanta or plan to visit, you’ve got to check out Taverna Plaka. It’s a Greek restaurant with belly dancers, a band and delicious Greek food. Saturday nights are the best time to go – the place is like one big party.

I hope everybody has a good weekend! If you have a diet soda this weekend, think of me!

Do You Dig the Dew?

There’s a new diet soda in town. Well, technically it’s an old diet soda with a new taste. Pepsi-Cola is coming out with a Mountain Dew that has a “turned up taste.” I think the taste of Mountain Dew is pretty distinct already so I’m not quite sure how they “turned up the taste” but I’m interested to find out.

Diet Mountain Dew was my absolute savior in college. I used to buy a 12-pack of Mountain Dew before I pulled an all-nighter and I really believe it’s the only thing that got me through. Mountain Dew, regular and diet, seem to be taste that people either love or hate – there’s no in between. I for one love Diet Mountain Dew but my best friend abhors the stuff.

Last week Pepsi gave out three million free cans of the stuff! That’s the largest single-day sampling effort in Pepsi’s history, according to Convenience Store News (yes, I read Convenience Store News – don’t make fun). Where’s my free can? I’ve got a whole blog devoted to diet soda and I didn’t even get a free can?

I’ll let you know how it tastes once I try the stuff but I must say I’m pretty pumped!

I Love Fridays Almost as Much as Diet Soda!

No health/diet soda news to report today. It's 4:00 on Friday here in Atlanta, and the weather is absolutely gorgeous! Back in college on a day like this I would have conveniently "missed" my classes and spent the whole day outside playing frisbee and laying on the grass in North Campus. If you've never seen the University of Georgia before, North Campus is this glorious spot where UGA campus kisses downtown Athens. There's an eclectic mix of people from indie rockers to professors to punks to sorority girls.

Anyways, enough reminiscing. All around, today was a good Friday. My co-workers and I ate Mexican and we were joined by a very special guest. A former co-worker joined us and boy, do we miss her! She's a wonderful person and a delight to be around. Not to mention she loves diet soda too - bonus points for her!

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe weekend. I plan to spend my time outdoors, enjoying the beautiful weather.

Full-Calorie Soda Takes a Hit

The News-Tribune in Tacoma, WA is reporting that two new studies indicate full-calorie soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages may cause obesity. Nutritionists who believe soda is the culprit in our struggle against obesity hope these studies may lead to a tax on soda or even a surgeon general’s warning.

We’ve done it with cigarettes,” said one scientist advocating this, Barry Popkin at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

Okay, I absolutely love diet soda (duh, what’s my blog’s name?) but I do not think soda should have a surgeon general’s warning or be compared to cigarettes. Yes, soda and juices can really make the calories add up, which may lead to weight gain. On the other hand, isn’t life all about moderation? If someone drinks two sodas a day, why not switch one of them to a diet soda and save 150 calories? That way you can have your cake and eat it too.
I haven’t read these studies yet but I plan to do so soon. I’ll keep you updated but in the meantime I’m sticking with my diet soda.

Happy Birthday "I Love Diet Soda!"

Happy Birthday to my “I Love Diet Soda” blog! Yesterday my blog celebrated its first birthday and I couldn’t be prouder. What started as a simple way to voice my love and devotion for diet soda has transformed into a place where I’ve met some really cool people and learned some interesting things. So what’s changed in the past year?

First of all, I’m no longer dealing with the anxiety of leaving college and entering the working world. Sure, getting up in the morning still isn’t easy but I really enjoy my job and the people I work with. I never thought the day would come when I would actually enjoy going to work but it’s here.

Second, I’ve realized there many people out there who are truly passionate about diet soda. Some absolutely love it and some absolutely hate it. I’ve received comments warning me of the dangers of low-calorie sweeteners in diet soda, claiming these ingredients will cause a myriad of symptoms and diseases. People, these claims are just myths and are not to be believed. Low-calorie sweeteners are perfectly safe and I’m glad they’re around because they make my diet soda taste great with any calories.

Third, Atlanta traffic is even worse than I initially realized. Seriously, where are all of these people coming from? I live about ten minutes from my office and some days it takes me over an hour to get home! I love Atlanta and it’s a great city to live but this whole situation is really out of control.

All in all, this has been a pretty great year for me. I’ve met some real cool bloggers, one of who lives in Atlanta. You should check out Johnny’s blog because he writes about some hilarious and bizarre things. Hopefully I’ll still be around next year so I can celebrate “I Love Diet Soda’s” second birthday!