Zero Coke Zero

Hola Belicas,

It's been a hot minute since I've made a post.

Life has been quite busy lately.

My family from Mexico visited us over Christmas, and I've been working long hours at my job...

Also, I was down bad with this whole TikTok ban, but we're BACK!

Let me share what has happened to me over the past month. I've been overindulging since my birthday. The cake from Paris Baguette and the freebies from various restaurants had me thinking I wasn't harming myself because I was "running." However, I was just gaining weight. In all honest truth, I was aware of it, but I had absolutely no control over my impulsiveness.

In late October, I relocated to a new house, and the packing was overwhelmingly excessive.

I moved from a single-story house to a two-story house, causing the movers to scatter our boxes throughout the house.

So.....

for that whole November, guess what....

YUP

I dined out for every meal until I was fully settled in my new home.

& to be completely honest,I was starting to get tired of dining out.

By the time December arrived, I began eating at home more often, though I still frequently dined out. Additionally, I was mostly pairing my meals with Coke Zero, except for breakfast.

I honestly felt like I was spiraling down. I tried to stop, but it seemed like the more I tried to stop this behavior, the more i was eating out because it was my "last time"and mainly it was fast food restaurants.

The only thing consoling me was that I was still running here and there.

During my workdays, it was a real struggle. My work pants kept getting tighter. After meals, especially lunch, I dreaded returning to work. I felt very uncomfortable due to my poor food choices, not to mention my Coke Zero :)

It wasn't until the end of December, with all the festive meals, dining out, and birthdays, that one morning at work, as I was putting on my work pants, BOOM!

THE BUTTON ON MY WORK PANTS WENT FLYING like it was auditioning for a role in an action movie! I half-expected it to land in a colleague's coffee cup and declare, "I’ll take my retirement in espresso, thank you!"

Seriously, I could hear it scream, "Freedom!" as it soared through the air, probably hoping to join a group of rogue cookies that had escaped from the break room. I swear, at that moment, my pants and I were in a relationship crisis—talk about a real “button” issue!

The guilt and embarrassment I experienced were beyond this world. Yet, I remained in denial until it occurred three more consecutive times... indeed.

As a result, I immediately felt terrible about myself.

Following December 25th, I chose to end my 3-year relationship with my long-term boyfriend:

Coke Zero.

I replaced my Coke Zero with peppermint tea and hot water. Surprisingly, this change significantly reduced my bloating and gas (I used to be quite gassy). Additionally, without realizing it, I stopped eating fast food two weeks before December 25th.

Once January hit, we still had one more holiday to celebrate: La Rosca de Reyes. Now for this, I didn't feel bad at all, I ATE.

It's been almost a month without my Coke Zero, and what can I say?

(The story of how I even got addicted to sugar-free soda is for another time.)

During the initial weeks, I was really struggling. I genuinely doubted if I could continue, but what motivated me to stay off soda was the noticeable improvement in my digestion—I was eating without feeling bloated or gassy. Recognizing this positive change, I decided that the discomfort wasn't worth the brief enjoyment of a cold, fresh, and crisp Coke Zero.

I suppose I had reached the end of the road with that relationship, just like my habit of fast food and dining out nearly every day.

I guess I had two breakups back to back.

hmm...

The question is whether I can truly end this toxic relationship with my ex-lover.

At the moment, I want to say yes. There's much at risk. I've lost buttons on my work pants, lost myself in instant gratification, and lost money!

One thing is certain: I won't return to fast food for an entire year. This is definitely a goal I have set for myself this year. I want to observe how my body and mental state changes by eliminating ultra-processed foods.

Regarding dining out, I've chosen to enjoy a meal at a nice restaurant with wonderful company once a week, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

I've been having a great time cooking at home, and I can tell you all that I've been feeling much lighter. I've also been preparing a variety of dishes, not just Mexican ones..

Lately, I've been into Asian cuisine and soups for dinner!

I suppose, in the end, wonderful things can emerge from tough breakups from relationships that left us filled with nonsense and unmet needs.

And this makes me wonder:

What is the most toxic relationship you currently have?

This is a welcoming space, and I'm eager to hear your stories and connect with all of you!

As we enter this new year, I hope everyone remains true to themselves and their aspirations, and always remember to be kind to yourself. Life is challenging enough, so try not to be too harsh on yourself.

I'm excited to share more of my life with Zero Coke Zero and no more number 6 with no tomatoes and onion rings from Whataburger!

xoxo,

Yarlette M.