no more diet coke!

so if you know me, you know i have quite the affection for diet coke. i'm quite a fan. especially when its on ice, in a glass, with a fresh squeezed lime. i'm also quite a fan of coke light, Europe's version. i promise its different- and much better!

problem is, thats not all the caffeine i take in in a day. i have a diet coke after having at least two cups of coffee, and i generally go on to have another diet coke. not so great for the kidneys. or the head. or really any part of me.

i've been working really hard the last few years to live a healthy lifestyle. i run fairly often, have almost entirely cut out high fructose corn syrup (i'll rant about that another day!), and try to eat as naturally as possible. i have upped my intake of fruits and veggies and try to eat a limited amount of processed junk. i drink lots of water and even have tried to not drink as much out of plastic bottles.

i truly believe that my body is a temple, and i am just as much a steward of it as i am any other resource that God has given me. how can i love God and not take care of what he has given me, namely, my body?

when i eat right and pursue healthiness, i feel stronger, happier, more satisfied, and find that my walk with God is often closer and more consistent.

now i am not saying that diet cokes have hindered my walk with God or that they are sinful or bad. oh no. i believe i will always love an ice cold diet coke. and i will choose to enjoy them. but i know that i must take care of what God has given me. as i read about the possible side effects of regular consumption of artificial sweeteners, i am kind of grossed out. its pretty bad.  read here and here and here and here. 

so, for the next while, i am going off diet coke. cold turkey. starting yesterday, no more. now i'm still having my morning coffee- and am trying to replace my afternoon diet coke with an iced coffee. up next will be weening myself off so much caffeine. but for now, no more diet coke. i'll keep you posted on how that goes!

ps, have you checked out the gratitude blog?