I've done it again, and hopefully this time it's forever. I've given up Diet Coke.
Let me give a little history here--I did not grow up drinking a lot of soda. At parties I chose Sprite or maybe Root Beer. I wasn't opposed to drinking Coke, but if I was going to have the caffeine I wanted the sugar too.
It wasn't until I married into Sam's family that I was seriously introduced to Diet Coke. These folks love their Diet Coke. It's like nectar. I often joke that they nurse their babies on one side, and give them Diet Coke for the other.
Diet Coke is a way of life. It's an entrenched part of the family culture. Sam's family is always a little shocked when they come over and we don't have a 12-pack chilling in the fridge. Over the years I've taken to drinking it--to the point that I needed a Diet Coke nearly every day.
Sam and I have given it up before (for a bet of $50--loser pays winner), and whenever I do I'm in for a week of crazy migraine headaches. But eventually I forget the pain. I'll be at a family event, feeling deprived since I'm the only one drinking water. And I give in. At first it's just recreational, but soon I need a DC at 5pm, just to get me to bedtime. Then I have a headache at 3pm, and so I run to the gas station. Soon I am having one for lunch, and when it gets really bad you find me filling a 32 ouncer after dropping Adam off to preschool.
This may seem crazy, but Diet Coke influenced what restaurants I would eat at. Sorry Subway, you serve Pepsi. So do most Arby's, Applebee's, and others. Sam and I also know which gas stations carry the best ice (pellet ice) and add ins (vanilla syrup, fresh limes and lemons). They had me at "Hello."
So, I've done it again--suffered through the week of horrible headaches, body aches, and overall feeling crappy and detoxed from Diet Coke. I had to take a nap nearly every day. But after 7-10 days, I really start feeling better. I have more energy--not just the crazy "push through" energy from Diet Coke. I sleep better, eat better--in fact I crave healthier foods.
And this time I'm determined it will be the last time. I am doing it on my own, regardless of the fact that Sam still enjoys the drink. I will not feel deprived. I will feel liberated. When I get tired, I will have a nap. When I have a headache, I will take other drugs, but rest assured it is NOT from caffeine withdrawal. When the weather is dark and the clouds are low, no matter how much it feels I cannot keep my eyes open, I will not turn to Diet Coke. Because, yes, I will feel better for a little while. But the temporary fix is not worth the price I will pay in the long run.
My new mantras:
"Diet coke will bring me nothing but pain."
"There is no room in my life for Diet Coke."
"Diet Coke, you are not my friend."
3 comments:
Good for you! Keep saying that and stick to it. I'm with you, in spirit. Go Emily!!!
Good for you. Diet Coke is the devil. Everyone at work drinks it all day long. And they have cases of it in the fridge that we are all welcome to, on the house. It gives me a headache just thinking about it. When we go out to eat together and they ask what we want to drink and all around the table it is, diet coke, diet coke, diet coke.... and then me with water. Like I am letting them down, because I wont conform. I don't care. Water is good for me, and diet coke is killing them slowly. I do feel left out, sometimes, because even fruit juice can give me a headache. At least I have water, and I like it.
I had no idea my sister had such addiction problems. Way to go emily. I remember the day I gave up carrots. That was my only addiction. It was when I turned orange I decided to give it up.
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