RIP Monster Energy

Well...today I said goodbye to my old friend Monster Energy Drink.It's been a good run but it was time to say farewell to the Caffeine. I had done good for awhile not having them but when the fatigue kicks in the monster comes calling. I tried to convince myself since I'd only drink the zero sugar,zero calorie one that it wasn't that bad. And i found my mind wondering (as it often does) to how that relates to life.

How often in life do we make bad decisions? For me, quite often. But how often could we have prevented those decisions in the first place? More often than not I'd say that we know what 'bad' consequences will result from a decision but make it anyway. Whether we choose to ignore them or simply convince ourselves 'it really isn't that bad.' Now I know some of you may be thinking having a monster drink really 'isn't that bad.' And trust me as inclined as I am to agree (& have convinced myself of that very logical time & again) for me it is & much more.

I had my 1st energy drink in college & it was love at 1st taste. When I started getting sick a few years ago I knew the sugar in them wasn't good for me so I switched to the ones with no sugar. Better right? Maybe so. But it's kind of like saying a Grizzly bear isn't as dangerous because his claws have been clipped. I'm sorry,but if I ran into a bear on the street I'd be more concerned about his ginormous 'want to eat my arm off'-teeth than his manicure.In the same way (in my head) a monster is still a monster no matter what ingredients they say they take out. Just like a bad decision is a bad decision no matter how many ways you look at it.  Now I'm not saying it's not okay to make mistakes.Obviously we all have, we're human. But when is it time to start learning from those mistakes so we don't make them again?

I've learned caffeine makes me feel worse but did that stop me? For a little while, but then it was right back to having it. Now I do pretty good with eating health but Monsters have been my weakness. It was almost like an addiction. Sometimes I think I wanted one just to have one,always convincing myself it would be the last one. They seriously would consume my thoughts, Id wake up in the morning & that was the 1st thing I would want!CRAZINESS!

In the moment a decision can seem like a very tempting one but that doesn't make it a good one. The effects are not worth it. That's what I'm learning with food. It's been hard to start letting go of things that are so delicious but I know make me feel worse. Like Donuts. Don't even get me started on Donuts. But through it all I think God's showing me that not everything that happens in the moment is worth what could happen in a long run,to look at the Big Picture. Recently when I was fasting I was craving a chocolate donut (shocker) & my AMAZING mom told me 'eating one would only be a temporary satisfaction while resisting it could be permanent satisfaction.' My mom's a Genius! That has stuck with me ever since.


So I've replaced my monster with this green drink. Is it as tasty as a Monster......maybe not...Do I feel better afterwards?.....ABSOLUTELY! I actually have more energy drinking this in the morning than I ever did drinking a monster. I don't know how beneficial drinking a monster is (sadly,I'm guessing not much) but this drink I KNOW has healthy benefits. I know it's going to be a process but if I'm serious about trying to get healthy & beat this mess I'm going to have to make some sacrifices & live by the truth I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.Phil 4:13. So Goodbye Monster & hello Green concoction!

                                (All organic if possible)                                    

 1 cup kale

1 cup spinach

1 1/2 tbsp hemp seeds

1 tsp chia

1/2 avocado

1/2 banana

1 cup coconut water

You can add apple to make it sweeter. I add a little cinnamon.