To Drink A Soda...Or Not To Drink A Soda, Thats The Question!!

Sometimes when I come up with an idea or when a random thought gets stuck in my head, it makes sense for me to write about it. Being new at writing and trying to figure out my style is always somewhat of a treat, or nightmare if you are the poor soul who is tasked with editing my thoughts. I have noticed that many posts do not in fact even include recipes, which is ok. Food and the ideas that swirl around the world of the before mentioned food is not always about what to cook for dinner.

Today for example is an attempt at being more healthy! As the title implies, I want to talk about soda or whatever you may call it. Before I even begin talking about the things I have been learning about, I have to go on record as saying that I am a fan of soda. In fact over the years my breakfast has consisted of a Pepsi and a Snickers Bar (please insert respective name branding and copyright materials here). My local Dunkin Donuts knows me by the order I place almost everyday while the baby and I are out doing stuff together. I pull up to the speaker and get a bottle of Pepsi along with a cup of ice and I am smiling for the next several hours.

Here is where life takes a turn though. This coming July I am turning 40 years old. Most days this is just a number for me, I really dont care about my age and have never liked the birthday party idea. These last few weeks have got me to thinking about my overall health. I am not 25 years old running around NYC having fun each night of the week...nope these days I am all about the kids, my much better half and getting to bed at an early hour so I am not sleeping all day long. Yard work takes a little longer and the thought of running around after a newborn child has me staring in the mirror at my stomach. This is the same stomach that my daughter enjoys curling up on to fall asleep.

Here is my idea. I am going to cut my own personal soda consumption by extreme measures and post about it here and over on Facebook. Over the space of a month I am going to see if it makes a difference in how I feel and how I look. During this time I am also going to be eating some healthier choices and at the very least trying to exercise each day. There will be no trainers shouting at me and no gyms for me to work out at. I am going to do this by myself and see what happens.

Time to bring out the food journal, put down that 12 ounce can of goodness and pick up that bottle of water. Time to say hello to my scale and sneakers, along with a hearty wave to the streets each day as I go walking.

Decide on your own what is healthy for you. It is not for me to decide what or how anyone should eat or live their lives. If you happen to be similar to me and wonder sometimes about the effects soda has on your body, please keep on reading through these facts. Consuming anything these days could be bad for you...lets face it, we hear all the time about what is good and bad. Practice moderation and make smart choices. When it comes to soda...this is my way of making a smart choice.

Did you know...

~  People who drink soda regularly are more susceptible to gaining weight. A 12 ounce can of soda can have up to 9 teaspoons of sugar. Combined with the fact that many of us have more then one can of soda per day, this extra sugar known as 'empty calories' increases the chance of obesity.

~  Drinking more than one can of soda per day can lead to a condition known as Metabolic Syndrome. This is a grouping of conditions that includes high blood presssure, an increase in blood cholesterol levels and insulin resistance which could lead to diabetes.
~  Caffeine much like other addictive substances, is found in many soda varieties. The addiction causes people to drink more and more soda throughout the day. Withdrawl symptoms can include headaches or go as far as causing nausea and other flu like symptoms.
~  Soda contains not only caffeine but also phosphoric acid. These both can be hazardous to bone health because they remove calcium directly from your bones.
~  When you drink a soda to quench your thirst, you actually become thirstier. This is because of the sugars and caffeine. Soda is a diuretic and causes an increase in urine production by the body.

So again, what does this all mean at the end of day before you head off to bed? Perhaps by reading this, you will take a few minutes to regulate your own soda intake or maybe you will, like most people continue drinking away. For me though, it is time to take a small step forward and become healthier...not just for me, but for my children, my wife, my family and friends...all of them want me around for the long run!!