Ginger.....Ale?

There are a couple of plans around here involving the arch-enemy-that-I-can't-stop-loving, my friend and yours: Diet Coke. (or Diet Pepsi, or Pepsi One or Coke Zero, take your pick) Another doctor has said I have to try harder to ditch it. (can you say "osteoporosis"?)  Frack.

In addition, 10 pounds of fat has taken up residence on my waist and other places. They are not welcome here and they must GO.

So above you see a large Nalgene filled with water, ice, and crushed fresh ginger. Actually, quite delicious and refreshing. I tried to use my garlic press to press the ginger. Not much success. Silly me. I own a nice Omega 1000 juicer. The poor juicer has had a broken arm for a year or so, which has rendered it unusable. So I got my lazy fingers on the internet yesterday and ordered a replacement arm so I can be enjoying those lovely vegetable and fresh fruit juices again, and maybe I can break myself of the Diet Coke addiction. No.laughing.

Knitting: In a show of solidarity with my seeming adult-onset ADHD, I did a few rows on the sock, a few rows on the shawl (enough to fuck it up again, thankyouverymuch. I am frighteningly bloody useless. USELESS), and cast on for a sleeve of Chamomile. I'm trying to pace myself with the excitement.

Comments

[Kathy]

You can do it! I speak as a reformed Caffeine Free Diet Coke addict. One day, the stuff will just taste wrong somehow. Til then, ginger water should at least be a nice distraction ;-)

[Kristen]

How about some sparkling water with that crushed ginger? Might help with the missing fizzy sensation. I have to confess that after 6 months on the DC wagon, I fell off. I've managed to keep it to dire-need-for-caffeine situations, like road trips, but I've been travelling a lot lately... May you be a stronger woman than I!

[Lee Ann]

Diet anything is just a bad idea. It's bad for you. Your body gets full of it and holds on to the...uh...resulting handles that develop. I swear, I was bigger while drinking diet sodas...

The fizzy water is a good idea with the ginger. Juices too. Gonna be tough, but you can do it. Big hugs to you, and good to see the supervisor is on the job with that water bottle :-)

[margene]

I gave up soda pop years ago and have been addicted to plain ol' water ever since. My body is sooo much happier in many ways. I have my Nalgene all ready to go golfing today. I wish I'd thought of ginger! I like that idea better than lemon.
EVERY single thing I knit usually is knit 1 1/2 times. There are many errors along the way and correction them keeps us humble. It's all part of the process. Besides it's summer and we all do a little less in the production department.

[Kathleen]

A big part of my success in kicking the soda habit was not keeping it in the house. If I wanted it, I had to drive to the local deli or 7-11. And overpay. 'Course dragging the kids to the shop was a real deterrent too...if you want to borrow them for a month or so--let me know!

[Marcia]

Try green tea....it got me totally off coffee with no ill effects. Has had some luck with my DC addiction, too. Problem is, I don't like green tea. I do like Snapple's Diet Lime Green Tea, but am I trading one addiction for another here?

[Carole]

I'm not a soda drinker so I can't offer much advice on quitting. I tend to drink coffee, water, martinis and beer, depending on the time of day, of course.
Love the Chamomile pattern! That will look great on you! What color/yarn are you using?

[niter]

My husband is an avid coffee/soda drinker. I have been hooked on tea for just about forever and I kept pushing it on him. He kept telling me I was being silly that the loose tea that I got was just as good as bagged tea....then I got him to try robios red tea (naturally decafinated, btw) and he was hooked. He orders his own tea and makes it regularly. I think he has 1 glass of soda a week. He still does coffee, but skips it in the evening and opts for tea instead. I noticed the tea was creeping into his lunch routine too...

[Anne]

I know you can do it - anyone with enough patience to knit can have enough patience to wean themselves off the toxic beverage known as Diet Coke. If it eats paint off your car, can it truly be good for you?

[Eilene]

When you have your mind set...you can do it. I love the idea of ginger water! I have to try that one.

Camomile is so pretty!

[Cara]

I had a regular caffeine free Coke last night (rare for me - but we were having pizza) and it tasted like Diet. Ew.

Try root beer instead. ;-)

[Beth]

My beverage of choice, after a nice margarita, has been diet Pepsi for years. Rather than go for the "give it all up" thing, I have replaced most of my consumption with lightly sweetened (Splenda) iced green tea with lemon balm or lime juice. It has just a little caffeine pick-up and is very refreshing. Plus, I think I read some study about its appetite supressing qualities. Good luck!

By the way, love the bunny.

[Laurie]

You are probably safe:

http://www.acsh.org/healthissues/newsID.1021/healthissue_detail.asp

I so understand the stupid knitting mistakes. I can barely do garter these days. Waiting for 8/13 when I get my brain back.

[jpt]

Do you have lemongrass in your garden? There's a Vietnamese drink that is quite refreshing for summer: steep a small handfull of crushed lemongrass bulbs in hot water, add simple syrup to taste, and serve over ice. (Hey, if you grow your own, this would count toward drinking locally!)

Forgot to say yesterday that I have l'amour totale for Monsieur Lapine.

[sandy]

Every time I drink out of one of those Nalgene bottles, it spills down the front of me. Am I alone here? It a seemingly simple task, to drink without wearing it. But yet...

[Annie]

You and me both, Norma. I have been trying to increase my water consumption all summer. My joints need the hydration! And even though I'm in pain (arthritis), I continue to sip the diet Coke with lime, or the diet cherry, vanilla Dr. Pepper, or the...

I *will* break the diet soda addiction, and so will you! :)

[Other Marcia]

I've put on ten pounds this summer. In my gut and boobs. So I'm currently on a 10 pd losing streak. I hope.

Although, I think my kidneys were playing some form of "hide the water" through my recent illness, as I seem to be peeing a whole new me, these past two days. Thanks for listening.

The coke thing is difficult, I know. But you really can get hooked on water. Once your body gets used to a certain level, it craves it. And it's good for you.

[Shannon]

I like to crush mint leaves. Easier on the teeth than lemon juice, but I'm intrigued by the idea of ginger.

[Em]

Jebus, even the mention of "ginger" has me in hives. But I think it's a good plan (I tend to squirt a little lemon juice into my Nalgene bottle). Otherwise, might I recommend Beefeater. Snark.

Chamomile is very pretty!

[Lisa in Oregon]

I was raised that water is for bathing in...not drinking. The only success I've had is making sure I have it in a glass, over ice. Stupid, but it's the only way I can drink it. Can't add anything to it...just makes it completely unpalatable then.

I bound off my first (of many I think) "Norma's Sofie" last night...Loved it. I can not WAIT to felt it. :) Hugs, L

[Michelene]

I wonder if ginger would work in Bass Ale?

[Kay]

Well, I know I'm the devil talking here, but I find that when I'm sick of all forms of more or less plain water (don't get me wrong, I heart the water but seem to need more than a gallon a day so I get sick of it), the Crystal Light lemonade is a lesser evil than the diet carbonated sodas. It has LESS of the nasty artificial sweetener, no caffeine. I mix it with home-brewed tea and then it's an even better good-to-bad-stuff ratio. I only do this in the summer when I seem to need so much hydration. Anyhoo. The Red Zinger (any Zinger really) is also super-delish over ice, and more consistent with my image of you up there on a pedestal with Alice Waters! Live strong (ha!). xoxo Kay

[Rachel H]

I've gained at least 10-15 pounds this summer, but I can link it directly to my alcohol consumption and the amount of time I'm spending sitting on my ever-expanding arse knitting. Of course, I woudln't need so much alcohol if I wasn't knitting my first lace pattern, but there you have it.

I go through lots of water during the day at my office, mostly because it's really dry here, and well, free. I'm really bad about drinking the right things when I'm at home. The "not having any in the house" trick someone mentioned earlier is a good one. I do that with cookies.

[Carma]

Dear sweet Norma. Please explain to me, your herbal-challenged friend, about this crushed ginger concept. I love ginger (in fact have recently gotten addicted to orange-ginger lip balm) and I HAVE to get into the habit of drinking LOTS more water. The whole osteoporosis and kidney stone thing. I carry my Nagalene damn near everywhere but actually drinking the water seems to be the hard part. Any assistance from you, oh wise one, is GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks :)
Carma

[Angela]

Norma, instead of crushing the ginger, try freezing it and grating with a microplane. You get teeny little flakes that will dissolve in hot water (ginger & lemon & honey for colds) and may well dissolve in cold water.

[Melanie]

I have a ginger grater that's essentially a small porcelain dish with slightly raised sides and in the center is a circle of rough, raised points. You peel the ginger and then rub it over the points in the middle. The ginger juice and goop sans fibers collects around the edges while the pointy middle traps the chewy fiber bits.

For the commenter who's trying to drink more water, I too get kidney stones entirely too frickin' often and I've found that if I just make sure I have a honkin' glass of water or other fluid next to me while I'm at the computer I will drink it. Carrying the bottle didn't do it for me, having it in the glass did.

And for Sandy who ends up wearing water from her Nalgene, get thee to an outdoor goods shop (EMS definitely has them, since that's where I got mine) and get some splashguards. They're little plastic inserts that fit into the spouts of the widemouth Nalgenes to let you drink without getting splashed.

[sandy]

Splashguards, you say? Will I need a bib too?
:)
Thanks for the tip, Melanie.

[Stalker Angie]

First off, for those of you who have gained 10 pounds over the summer,you get absolutely, positively no sympathy from me. I think my left arse cheek gained that much. :)

All I drink anymore is water, coffee, tea or milk. I had a serious Dr. Pepper addiction as in, I would go by Sonic first thing in the morning, get a Rt. 44 of Dr.Pepper and then do the same thing at lunch. The people at Sonic knew my name and my car and would have it ready!Arggghh!! When I think about how much sugar and caffeine and crap I put in my system... I feel tons better for all the water and my bladder thanks me as well. I don't like anything but ice in my water so I'm no help on that front. But good on you, Norma Dear!! We're rooting for you. :)

Hope you have a great day!

[amy]

woof! the Soda addiction is brutal! My trick these days is Bitters and lime "flavored" soda water (like poland spring stuff) or if its the sugar I crave I flavor it up with a splash of juice, like cranberry (unsweetened though)

[Elizabeth D]

Norma, it's not ADHD -- it's that lapin. Cute, n'est-ce pas? But a VERY BAD INFLUENCE. On doit être très prudent autour du lapin.

[Cassie]

It's too hot to knit.

The ginger flavored water sounds great. And I'm not laughing.

[Chelle]

Where do you get buy ginger?

[Cher]

Go, Norma - I am talking the hubby into making us ginger lemonade right now. ;-D

Chelle, any natural foods store (or decent supermarket) will carry fresh ginger.
[I work for WFM, so that's where I get mine.] You can also look for a store that caters to an Asian population.