![]() September 28th, 2011
09:15 AM ET
Holy crap, did I used to drink a lot of Diet Coke. Not just a can or two at lunch and one with dinner. Not just a pick-me-up in the afternoon or the tail end of a droopy morning. More like two liters a day at the very minimum - sometimes four. Had the end times come and yea and verily the East and Hudson rivers risen up and swallowed New York, I could have easily lashed together a raft of the empty plastic bottles I'd amassed in my recycling bin since the last trash day. First port of call: wherever they're keeping the rest of the Diet Coke. And I'd probably have to fight for it. A casual drinker will simply slug, quench and continue about their normal activities, but the Diet Coke freak cannot be so nonchalant. They'll pause for a moment, sinking in and surrendering to the sweet fizz. Then comes the surreptitious scan of the premises to ensure there's easy access to more. For many, it's less enjoyment than appeasement of a bubble-hungry little beast within. It's a physical need with definite emotional underpinnings, bordering on addiction. While the root causes of that are a matter of great debate among healthcare professionals who claim it's tied to everything from caffeine dependence to chasing an ever-elusive high triggered but not satisfied by artificial sweeteners like the aspartame in my precious Diet Coke, that meant jack to me over the course of the twenty or so years I spent trying to kick the habit. Frankly, I didn't care to give much mind to experts, friends and partners who suggested I cut back a tad, citing expense, lack of storage space, late-night convenience store pilgrimages and (in an anonymous, locally-postmarked letter later traced back to my roommate) concern over "Where does the caramel coloring go?" One boyfriend went so far as to ask me, on the eve of our anniversary meal at a high-end Manhattan restaurant, "Would you mind not ordering a Diet Coke at dinner tomorrow night?" I refrained from ordering one (not on his account, but because I opted for the restaurant's notable wine pairings), but not from pointing out the tables around us with Diet Cokes upon them. There, it came in small glass bottles for fanciness' sake. I was clearly not alone in my obsession. We take care of each other, the Diet Coke addicts of the world. My grad school roommate and I had an unspoken pact that even if we were running late to campus in the morning, we'd take five minutes to stop off at the local convenience store and stock up for the day - me with a well-iced fountain cup and her with a two-liter that she'd swig from throughout the day, even after it reached room temperature. Gross, but her devotion paid off; she married the cashier who sold us our fix every day. After that came a boss whose office I dared not enter for a long meeting unless I came bearing a cold bottle for her, a friend who'd also show up at parties with the requisite wine for the host - along with a two liter of Diet Coke for her own personal consumption, and my now-husband who I adored on his own merits, but even more when he started stocking Diet Coke for me in his own fridge. Bad habits appreciate the heck out of company - and I'd justify it by noting that I didn't smoke, drink to excess, do drugs or bungee jump - but it was time to quit. It was, in fact, quitting time for a long time. I was sick to death of the expense, the hauling of bottles, the financial support of a company with which I had some serious ethical issues and perhaps more than anything, the feeling that I had no control over this particular area of my life. It seems like such an insignificant thing, but there's an inherent anxiety to any addiction. I wasn't going to go all foamy-mouthed and twitchy on the floor, but I felt tremendous stress if I didn't know there was another bottle or can close at hand. If I knew I'd be staying over, I'd show up at a friend or boyfriend's home with a supply so I'd be assured a cold one in the morning, and keep bottles stashed in office desk drawers just in case the vending machine ran out. My attempts to quit were a running joke with friends, but truly, it hurt - both physically and psychically. I shook and worried and my head pounded. I'm an exceptionally friendly person (or at least I try to be), but I was crabby and short with people I love and I'm convinced it wasn't just the caffeine. That, I could get anywhere. There is something specifically in Diet Coke that pushes buttons in me that others might simply be missing. Lucky them; this was humiliating. And then the Sodastream happened. I'd wanted this magical machine for ages, but couldn't justify the counter space or the purchase price. It is simply a carbonation device - screw a specially fitted bottle of plain tap water onto a nozzle, press a button, and release. Some people choose to augment the water with flavored syrups, but as it turns out, I'm a purist. Who'd have guessed? My husband presented me with one of these for Christmas, and I appreciated the novelty. It makes a comical little honking sound upon operation, and one can opt for everything from a mild sparkle to a riotous, nose-tickling rush of bubbles. I began drinking a glass or two of carbonated water a day, then three or four or more and it wasn't until I tripped over an unopened bottle of Diet Coke on the kitchen floor one day that I realized I hadn't bought any for weeks. I have no idea how I was released from diet cola's hold, but I opt for seltzer or water in or out of the house every time now. I haven't supplanted the caffeine or the sweetness with anything else, and the most I'll adulterate the sparkling water is by adding a dash or two of Fee Brothers peach or celery flavored bitters or a dash of Tabasco sauce, because I have really odd flavor issues. I'll chalk it up to a fizz addiction which is - lame, I admit, but I'll take it. Tallied up, that's a savings of (with New York City pricing) $850 a year at the very low end of an estimate and a cool grand or more if we're figuring in taxes and bottle deposit - not to mention the 400 or more plastic and metal containers I'm no longer chucking willy-nilly at the planet. That's pretty darned cool to me. I certainly don't mind if folks around me are having a Diet Coke and a smile. I just won't be chilling out with them - for now. |
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I used 2 liters of soda everyday. I realise that it was not good for me when i gain so much weight. I didn't realise until someone told me that u seem to gain like 10 pounds. So i stop and start exercising. Stop eating sweets all together. now I am at a weight i haven't seen myself in like forever.
I used to have a Diet Coke addiction myself. I would drink about 3 liters a day. My boyfriend drank regular Coke, and could drink a 24 pack of cans in 2 days. One day, we were looking at expenses and decided to try giving up soda. That was in April. Neither of us has bought a soda since then. I have consumed one soda since then, at a company event, and I didn't even finish the can. I will still drink an occasional sweet tea from McDonalds or mug of regular tea, but otherwise I haven't even had caffeine since then, and I was a pretty hardcore caffeine addict. I actually prefer drinking water now, although I will admit I used an empty soda bottle to drink water from as a psychological crutch for a little while. My boyfriend drinks a lot of chocolate milk and water, but he also hasn't had soda since April. We are saving, on average, about $30 per week. And it's a lot easier to get my groceries in the house since I'm not carrying in all that soda.
I found an extremely effective way to end an addiction to Diet Coke. I switched to Coke Zero–haven't wanted a Diet Coke since.
Obama is the antichrist and drinking diet coke will send you to hell.
What The F***?
geezus dude – you sound like you just couldn't have waited to say that...
"And I broke the seventh seal, and saw that his tongue was like fire, and Diet Coke was around his waist."
I dunno, somehow this isn't as scary as the original.
I tried the SODASTREAM and it does NOT taste the same as a diet coke. Its not bad per se but still does not have that "kick"
as a DC. I have been been drinking the small 12 oz plastic bottles so I do LIMIT myself somewhat...who am I kiddin' LOL!
I would love to drink more water, but unless I am only 2 foot from a bathroom, I do not. I cannot work and spend half my day in the bathroom due to the effects when I drink a bottle of water. My friends tell me that my kidneys and bladder will adjust and eventually I won't be running to the bathroom, but it isn't happening for me.
I only drink rainwater and pure grain alcohol, to keep my bodily fluids pure.
Mixing pure rain & grain alcohol dilutes the alcohol. Sacrilege.
Purity Of Essence!
Women... women sense my power, and they seek the life essence. I do not avoid women, Mandrake, but I do deny them my essence.
Diet Coke with Splenda is terrific.
You broke the Strangelove Spell.
The Zen-like banality of your comment is strangely pure, however.
Well too bad for us pure coke addicts. It is the fructose corn syrup, which is not in the diet version, which is what keeps us hooked, and is really bad for your health.
I tried snorting Coke and it it just ran out of my mouth. Whatever ...
The twitch in my eye left after I quit Diet Pepsi, I now drink 8 bottles of water daily...ahhh I feel wonderful;)
I drink regular Coke too, and I've never had to pause after a swig to collect myself. Rarely even an "ahh" like the commercials. She makes it sound like opium so either one of our brains isn't right, or I need to learn to tolerate the taste of aspartame.
Was saying ahh for the water. I feel like a million bucks now. Now more headaches.
I meant no no more headaches. Found out jayman that water washes out the brain of all chemicals. Our brains are 90% water. Which is prob why ppl get addicted to the stuff.
Ah, Paula, actually, our brains are less than seventy per cent water.
Coke is the most hated company in latin america they murder their workers for wanting better working conditions open your eyes people and stop supporting these companies that violate human rights Coke paints a pretty picture thanks to their Public Relations team but look at the horror they enslave apon their workers
...the sweetener in Latin Coca-Cola is ground-up workers?
Wow, that IS evil.
BTW, may I suggest that all you diet Coke "addicts" either volunteer somewhere where people are fighting REAL addictions, or somewhere where the people's only beverage is filthy water from a muddy waterhole. This kind of nonsense makes me ashamed of Americans.
BTW, may I suggest that you lighten up?
Completely agree with you, TJ.
I agree TJ for goodness sakes...
OMG JFT, WTF over?
I'm surprised the author has any kidneys left – and what's more, there was no habit kicked, just traded a cheaper version of carbonated crud for Diet Coke. Sort of like substituting your Tanqueray with Thunderbird.
If all she is drinking is carbonated water (with the occasional dash of a flavor) then she is drinking a much healthier beverage than soda. Certainly no worse than people who are adding crystal light or other flavors to their water. All that the machine adds to the water is CO2. No syrup or anything else, unless you add a flavor.
there isnt any proof about carbonated beverages causing kidney problems
Right, and substituting religion for alcoholism (AA) isn't the same in any way, is it.
Guess it's better than being addicted to the 'other' coke...but it's not a healthy addition to the diet, either. Frankly, I can't stand carbonated drinks, the stuff is just plain nasty so I can't imagine drinking two or three liters daily. I'll stick with my cup of coffee each morning.
I did not read this article at all, however I believe he's completely correct, except when he's not.
I did not read the article, just want to say as addicted I as was to any carbonated beverage, one day I decided no more of that and this Dec will be four years since I last had one. Not once in this whole time had even a sip. I wish I was that strong regarding other matters, lol.
Wow! 52% of the people who read this article admit an addiction to Diet Coke. I am, and I've personally met several others who are. We discuss that this is very specific to Diet Coke- no other Coke product, no other beverage. I don't understand why that would be, but I'm here to tell you, it's very real. Diet Coke drinkers have diet Coke as their primary source of liquid intake. Someday I'll make the decision to quit. Maybe someday the Coca-Cola company will tell us what's really in there that gets us all so addicted.
It's one of the ingredients on the can, the one that u really can't pronounce unless you are into chemicals. It's the hook. I feel like if you can't pronounce it, what's it doing in my body. But once I got off it, I can't ever go back, I had a twitch, my head hurt all the time, and I was gassy. I lost 40 pounds in 6 months just drinking 8 bottles of water a day, as I do now. What a difference:) And I have cash in my pocket like never before...LOL
I drank until I threw up and then I drank some more on the weekend during NFL services, on holidays, birthdays until I had a major stroke. I now have what doctor calls,"beer heart", and I have not taken a drink in 10yrs this October but before you congratulate me I smoke and it's been 4 days since my last. At the hospital where I go for check ups I have to say excuse me to all the employees that's smoking in front of the building and I can't help but notice some whom are partially paralyzed like i am. I bum a smoke.
ASPARTAME – IN ALL DIET DRINKS IS A POISON. Look it up!
YOU look it up:
http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/aspartame.asp
found to be false
http://www.snopes.com/humor/iftrue/antpoison.asp
found to be ... wait for it .... false
Site a reputable source for your alarmist claim and we'll talk. Otherwise stfu.
I don't need a study to prove that every time I drink anything with aspatame in it, I get headaches. Not just soft drinks, but anything. Study concluded, now go talk to yourself
Hahaha! The best!
That's not what her post was about. The headache issue was addressed in another comment. Anything taken out of context can be made to sound stupid. KUTGW.
This was a great article! I think you really captured the intensity of those of us who are addicted to diet coke and those who don't understand it all that much. I got to the point that I was drinking so much diet coke that I had gone several weeks without drinking water (I had survived on diet coke as my only form of hydration). So, in an effort to lose weight not only have I reduced my calorie intake, but I have also drastically reduced the amount of diet coke I drink in a week. I have gone from 80-100 ounces of diet coke a day to about 40 ounces a week. The interesting thing is that now that I am drinking a ton of water (like 120 ounces a day) the taste of diet coke seems different to me. Strange, huh? Anyways, I hope others out there will be strong if they feel the conviction to cut back or eliminate diet coke from their diet.
Take care,
Sara Anderson
http://foodaddictionconfessions.wordpress.com/
Wow, I can't believe the seriousness of most of the comments. It's as if everyone is in a giant AA chat room. I have 20 years of sobriety from alcohol. When I quit drinking I started drinking caffeine-free diet Coke; about a 12 pack a day. Guess that would put me in the "addict" category for addiction to soft drinks. Comparing soft drink "addiction" to alcohol or drug addiction is just plain ridiculous. It's as if everybody wants to be able to say they have an "addiction." My friends and family and I are all grateful that I am sober and drinking a 12 pack of of caffeine-free diet Coke. If I hadn't stopped drinking when I did I would probably be dead by now, or in very grave health. However, I am healthy and have never had any problem with my soft drink "addiction" as I did when I was drinking. Caffeine is addicting and withdrawal from it isn't pleasant but it in no way compares to alcohol withdrawal. Without medical help alcohol withdrawal has the highest mortality rate than any other drug.
Had an addiction to Crystal Light Ice Tea.I drankd it like water. I had some strange side effects. Body Aches, muscle spasms, headaches, as did my hubsand and kids. We stopped the Crystal light and all symptoms cleard up.
Thank you so much for the plug for Fee Brothers Bitters. We have 13 different flavors. Find us on the web at http://www.feebrothers.com
There is absolutely nothing other than water that you could drink to such excess and not have serious health problems. I'm sure your diet was out of balance as a result of your habit and that, too, leads to health problems. There is no reason not to enjoy Diet Coke in moderation and as part of an otherwise balanced diet. It appears you were doing neither of those things.
While fun to read, this "tongue in cheek" piece has no scientific merit and only adds to misinformation about addiction. I’m a registered dietitian and believe moderation is the key to success when it comes to eating and drinking. Research shows that sensible amounts of diet soda and low-cal sweeteners are fine. Drinking four liters of anything a day is excessive and I would tell that to my patients and clients. Instead of self-diagnosing our addiction du jour, perhaps we could all just use some common sense.
Carol Sloan, RD consultant to the food and beverage industry including Coca Cola
I am the same way with Diet Dr. Pepper OR diet Mtn. Dew. Have to have it, or i get ill and shaky.
Two hours in a 350 degree oven works
If the fact hat soda is about the worst possible beverage you can drink doesn't do the trick not much will.
Worse than booz? That would explain all those Diet Coke Anonymous meetings I keep hearing about. Oh, wait .... those are AA meetings. Silly me.
Oh, the drink...If that's an addiction put me in rehab for eating lunch.
Hubby's a fizz addict. It's definitely the "fizz" he's addicted to. Doesn't matter if it's 7-Up or Sprite (no caffeine), or Coke or (for preference) Dr. Pepper – he's got to have it. I just drink filtered water out of the tap, so I guess we balance out.
This is interesting. I have always been a Coke drinker, switched to diet many years ago, but nothing to the level discussed by the writer and many of those commenting here. I cannot imagine needing a coke (diet or otherwise) so badly that I would hoard it, for fear that there would not be one when I need it. I also cannot imagine drinking multiple cans or 2-liter bottles of anything in one day. In fact I can't buy the stuff in 2-liter bottles because I don't drink it fast enough and it goes flat. I guess it goes to show we all have our little quirks in life. As for people saying how disgusting diet coke is, fine, then don't drink it, you have that choice. But don't be-little others because they happen to enjoy it. And for those who say it will cause cancer, kidney stones, headaches, etc., everyone is different. Perhaps it will cause those things for some people, but not all. Some people are allergic to peanuts, so they don't eat them. If you are susceptible to the diseases drinking a soda might cause, don't drink it.
Diet Coke? Not around my house. But I will confess to a major addiction to the real Coke... four or five cans a day.
I thought this article was going to be about kicking a real coke habit...You know, the kind that costs $50 a day and gives you bloody noses. Quit whining about being addicted to a freaking beverage. Try getting off cocaine and you'll learn what a REAL addiction is. In the mean time just switch to coffee you big sissy!
You expected an article under "Eatocracy" to be about cocaine?
Have you ever had to suck a ¢°¢k for weed...no? Didn't think so
Bob Saget- Half Baked
Did you seriously just talk about a "$50 a day" coke habit?
What kind of weak-minded loser gets in trouble on $50 worth of coke per day??
Seriouisly, I spend more than $50 on gas driving to pick up my blow.
I bet you are addicted to porn, junk food and ebay, too.
It's your mind, loser, not the substance....
Actually, caffeine (in D. Coke) is one of the most addictive drugs we have–it's also one of the most socially accepted drugs we have. Fortunately, the effects of caffeine are not as bad as those of hard drugs.
What the hey? If it don't get ya a buzz, why drink it?
Well one day you'll figure this question out.
I'm a Pepsi drinker. Until several months ago, I drank a couple of liters of (regular) Pepsi a week, even knowing sugar's not healthy. 6 months ago my FBS (fasting glucose) sugar was over 100, and my A1c was high in the risk range for diabetes. That was the motivation! I'm terrified of the idea of diabetic blindness or neuropathy. I've drastically cut down on sweets, and have reluctantly switched to diet soda or flavored seltzer water. It's taken this long for me to get used to the taste. I let myself have sugar'd soda only once or twice a month, and my recent bloods were FBS slightly under 100 (yay!!) and A1C reduced (although still in the risk range).
I quit drinking soda 6 weeks ago and I lost ten pounds. Soda's not good for the human body.
Contrary to what so many want to believe, not all Type 2 Diabetics became diabetic because of weight or diet. Many have a family history of it. In my case at least some in every generation for the past 150 years on one side of my family have been diagnosed in middle age with Type 2 Diabetes-many were not overweight and did not eat crap. Quitting Pepsi may not keep you from developing Diabetes, but it WILL keep your glucose from being out of control, which is key. Diabetic Retinopathy (which leads to blindness), neuropathy, etc are generally caused by out of control or poorly controlled glucose levels over a long period of time. My great grandmother was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes when she was in her 40s-she died at age 92, having never had retinopathy and only mild neuropathy (a little tingling in her legs) toward the end. If you can reverse your "pre-diabetic" condition great. If you can't, it's not the end of the world. How you control your glucose levels will largely determine whether you develop complications, not the disease in and of itself.
I drink a 2 liter bottle of Coca-Cola a day and have for the past 24 years. It's my preferred beverage.
I haven't gained the weight some of you folks are talking about, even after having 4 kids, so what are you fatsos doing wrong? (Hint: I get exercise on a regular basis).
Good for you but do you have to be so nasty? It's not that serious.It's just about Diet Coke.
Bet your arteries are clogged with that stuff on the can you can't pronounce. "Preferred beverage?" It's chemicals, toots. You are drinking sugar/salt combo. 24 years? That's around $145,000. Lots of money to get your arteries clogged sugarcakes. Feel sorry for ya. And you may not have gained weight, but I bet you are gassy.
RachelM, some people get more exercise than others, some have higher metabolisms than others and some are just plain freaks of nature. One thing is for sure however, nastiness and negativity always comes back to bite you in the end. We're all so happy that you've been drinking a 2 liter bottle of regular Coke for 24 years without any problems. However, there is the distinct possibility that your luck may run out on you. As some have said, your arteries could be clogged and you don't know it, you could be on the verge of becoming diabetic (when was the last time you had an A1C test?), any number of calamities could be in the making as a result of your habit-you never know. It would be a real shame if you had a stroke or heart attack, or developed complications from undiagnosed Diabetes and you became one of those "Fatsos" you seem to enjoy belittling. Karma's a b--.
I switched from diet coke to cocaine then heroin and crystal meth. Diet coke was my gateway drug. Forget weed that stuff is weak compared to the real high diet coke gives you.
I too, am a hardcore Diet Coke addict. I have had multiple, unsuccessful attempts at quitting in the last 10 years I have been drinking the stuff and the longest I've ever gone without my delicious carbonated beverage is about two months. I use it just as other addicts use their drug- for stress relief, to get going in the morning, to avoid withdrawal, and simply because I love the feel of the carbonation sliding down my throat. I currently drink at least 4 liters a day but am planning another attempt at quitting. I can echo every single line of this story and I appreciate someone sharing this because it's NOT an easy thing to stop. I would venture to say that most addicts know their addiction is bad for them on some level, but it's not that easy to quit when you've relied on something as a crutch for so long. Hopefully this next quit will be for good!!
I am a hardcore Diet Coke addict. I can drink up to 10 cans a day, plus a 24 oz or 2 during the work day. I don't like that people assume that because you drink DIET Coke, you're trying to lose weight. I just really can't stand the taste of regular pop. I've been drinking it since high school. I did quit once, but slowly picked it back up. I don't understand how the Sodastream would help my addiction. It is definitely the caffiene that has me hooked (other than the fact that I really do love the taste). I drink so much of it, that the caffiene doesn't help wake me up, and it doesn't hinder falling asleep...but if I don't have it, my head aches until I drink some. I really would like to kick the habit, but the headaches are killer. And I can't stand the thought of being both Diet Coke and Decaf Diet Coke and mixing them until I'm off. It just seems like double the expense. Any ideas on how to kick it?
I went cold turkey a few months ago. I drank up to 2 liters a day for MANY years and suddenly developed an extreme sensitivity to the caffeine with heart palpitations. After struggling to figure out what it was, I wondered if if was Diet Coke. Much to my surprise, stopping Diet Coke eliminated the symptoms. I had to use lots of Advil to get through the bad headaches, but now I feel great. It's so nice to wake up and not worry about if there is Diet Coke in the house!
I drank diet coke, probably 3 to 5 cans a day, since high school. I also started noticing heart palpitations that seemed to get better when I stopped drinking the stuff. I think people can get sensitive to it over time. I think it's more the sweetener than the caffeine because I still drink 2 cups of coffee a day and that doesn't seem to aggravate the palpitations.
I had an addiction to CocaCola for a long time, not near so serious, but enough that I knew that when it added several unwanted pounds to my body, it was time to quit. I've also seen people who are Dr. Pepper addicts, going through cases a day, with fountain drinks inbetween the cans, and having a stockpile of 2 litres at home as well....aside from the health benefit, I no longer get headahces from needing a caffiene fix.
Another misleading CNN bit. Coke and Diet Coke are not the same. Eliminate sugar in your diet and your body will burn fat. Eat sugar and the body will burn the sugar and store the fat. Real Coke in a can, ice cold, first swig after a bite of pizza.... oral ecstasy. Load another bong and repeat.
Another anti-CNNer who continues to patronize its pages. A baffling irony.
Guess what...diet coke has something worse than sugar: fake sugar. They say that people tend to gain weight when they start drinking diet sodas, probably having something to do with all the crazy chemicals that create the sweet taste without having to list actual sugar on the ingredient list.
Minimalistmenufesto's anthem, "I'd like to teach the world to sneer at Coke and Pepsico." The Cola-nization of the world continues apace as the sugar, salt and fat purveyors make more money and our health declines from circulatory problems and obesity. Can we get a warning lable on their junk food-not a scull and crossbones, but maybe a little chubby, Buda-bellied guy grabbing his chest?
That amount of sugar water that is eating away at your teeth, stomach, bones, and who knows all the other chemicals you can't pronounce is disgusting to even consider. Drink water or wine. Those are the keys to health and longevity. Soda is disgusting and a wast of money and your health.
Diet coke is horrid, I could never get addicted to that. I drink 2 cans of coke/soda a day, I doubt that qualifies as an addiction since theres not much else I can drink for lunch/dinner on a regular basis. I dont crave it any more than I crave certain types of food.
I am probably addicted to water though, I go through several glasses a day and always have to have a glass handy. If I dont have any water handy I start obsessing over it and my mouth becomes really uncomfortable and dry. But I hate drinking water with food...
I have about a Coke a day – and even as a grown woman, I get lectured by my mom about this. I used to drink a lot more, but have gotten more used to drinking plain water instead.
I am 54 and I've been soda free for 4 years. I chain drinked (drank?) 14 cans a day at work (when one was done, another was ready to be opened). I then proceeded to have at least 1 2 liter bottle on weekdays and 2 or 3 during a Sat or Sun.
I cold turkeyed the habit and went through 3 days of detoxing not unlike an alcoholic I assume. I was not an alcoholic due to the fact that I was too busy drinking soda. I had a mindnumbing headache, sweats, chills and the shakes as I came off of the caffeine. My motivation was my wife discussing Sodium Benzoate and the Phosphates in the soda. My knees were killing me, they felt like rusty hinges, she told me that the soda was both robbing me of calcium and dehydrating me. I started to drink water (8 glasses a day) and nothing else, it took 3 days for me to notice a difference in my knees. One week in and all of the pain in my knees was gone, I guess she was right about the soda thing. It's been 4 years now and my skin is clearer, my teeth are whiter, and believe it or not I've lost weight (must be that water).
Quitting soda is a hard thing to do, I still have many moments even after 4 years that I want to have a Diet Coke. A coke and a slice would be very nice but snapple will have to do. Thanks for listening.
Paul,
I thought I'd stop and say good job! I'm glad you are noticing your benefits. I feel I'm addicted to the regular Coke. I tell myself that I can have one a day but then it turns out to be two 10oz bottles. I notice the more I drink the more I want. I am never satisfied. I have quit before but one leads to another. After reading everyone's comments we can see Coca Cola knows exactly what they are doing to us. I appreciate your details of ingredients and how they affect you. I kept reading to find a chemist's response but they probably don't have those problems and skipped the article completely. May you stay strong and healthy!
Thanks for taking the time to respond Michelle, good luck to you too
As I set here drinking my Diet Coke, smoking my Marlboro,sipping my Whiskey,reading my CNN,surfing my net,eatting my chips,ordering my pizza,texting on my cell,watching my TV all while driving to work, I realize we all have addictions that really don't help our life but they sure make it liveable!
"but truly, it hurt – both physically and psychically." Yeah, I feel my psychic abilities take a hit when I stop drinking diet pop too.
Any carbonated drink will leach calcium from your bones and deposit the calcium carbonate crystals in your kidneys. Osteoporosis and kidneystones are the results.
I stopped drinking soda and went from 235 to 205 lbs. without any other changes in diet or activity. The weight loss made it easier to exercise though, and I stopped eating junk food too. I am at 185 now, exercising hard 3-4 times a week. Feels great.
Hey Tex71
Keep up the good work on becoming healthy! What you had to say made me think I should tell you something I recently read to help prevent getting the painful kidney stones. The article I read said if you drink cranberry juice everyday you should be able to prevent kidney stones. It was said much better but you probably get the point. Take Care!
stupid btttch little men of the world think you can vote for what you want people to be or not to be. You protect yourselves as a group of bttches but each and every one of you little men cant protect your own naked ass up against the world
Booze is to me what diet coke was to this lady.
She was lucky with her addictions...
Red Bull!
HA! RedBull messes me up. I drink oneI and my comment looks like RedBullRedBullRedBullRedBullRedBullRedBullRedBullRedBullRedBullRedBullRedBullRedBullRedBullRedBullRedBullRedBullRedBullRedBullRedBullRedBullRedBullRedBullRedBullRedBullRedBull
If you lived off of $30/week you'd have kicked that habit a long time ago girl friend. Bet your bootie is carrying that guilt now.