I made a decision that I am starting today. I have shared this with exactly…NO ONE. You’re the first to know. I was scared that I would change my mind and wuss out and I didn’t want to embarrass myself if that happened.
Starting today…
I am giving up Diet Coke.
(WHY, YES! THAT CRACKING SOUND YOU ARE HEARING IS HELL FREEZING OVER!!!!)
I hope you don’t feel mislead by my title or my tweets. Some of you may pooh-pooh this aside as a non-large issue. I know this is not an “I have an alcohol problem” or anything like that but people…
This addiction of mine?
Is bad.
BAD, bad.
And I have noticed it is getting worse.
When I like something?
I LIKE IT.
I like it a WHOLE LOT.
And there are few things in this world I like as much as Diet Coke.
I drink a staggeringly large amount of it.
Huge.
I wake up every morning and after I get the baby squared away and the kids are in school and my husband is still getting ready for work/working from home? I go for a drive and get a 44 oz and then do something that makes me utterly happy…I drive around and listen to music.
It’s my “me” time and I have come to dearly love it.
But I’ve noticed that more and more often?
I’ll pick up ANOTHER ONE ON THE WAY BACK HOME.
In the span of 45 minutes.
That means that by the time lunch rolls around, I have often had EIGHTY-EIGHT FREAKING OUNCES OF SODA.
This is embarrassing, much as I love “imbibing in the dark waters”.
I’ve given up Diet Coke once before for 6 weeks. I was hard core. I had no carbonation and no caffeine. I didn’t even take Excederine or eat chocolate. I found that I didn’t really feel any different, I gained weight and I was bored.
But…
Things are a bit different right now.
I drink a lot more of it than I used to.
Diet Coke are my meals more often than not.
Did you catch that? I often DO NOT EAT FOOD, I DRINK DIET COKE. Sometimes I go several meals in a row without eating a thing. I’m a “chain drinker”. I ALWAYS have a Diet Coke.
Always.
Since I have a smaller stomach, this means I’m often not hungry for food.
And I have noticed that my meals are getting less and less and my soda consumption is getting more and more.
I take out GARBAGE BAGS FULL OF SODA CUPS.
Right now? As we speak?
This is the table next to me:
FROM TODAY.
(Well, I’m writing this Sunday night for publish tomorrow, so I guess technically it would be: FROM YESTERDAY.)
I get a lot of email from people who are concerned about me. Who spew out that I am poisoning myself and my holy hell, one person even sent me a pie chart of my diminished life expectancy due to Aspartame consumption. (Ok, for the record? Those people piss me off a little.)
But the fact remains that this is just NOT HEALTHY.
I’ve been eying giving it up for a long time. And I made the decision a few weeks ago and haven’t breathed a word of it. I went on a trip and LIVED without waking up and immediately sucking down vats of Diet Coke in the AM. Also…I’m starting with a trainer at a gym today and I just can’t try to get healthier while sucking down vats of carbonation.
I’ve decided to give up all carbonation and just go cold turkey (and it is going to effing suckasuckasuckasuckasuckaSUCK six ways from suckville).
I HAVE to have a safety net and way out of this, though.
So…
I AM GIVING MYSELF UNTIL BLOGHER NYC ’10 (August 6-7) TO SEE HOW IT GOES.
I can’t say forever right now.
I just can’t.
RIDICULOUS as I feel saying it…I’m scared to do this.
Terrified, really.
This is going to sound incredibly ridiculous, but Diet Coke is just about the best friend I have. (NO offense to my living breathing friends…it’s a metaphor). It is constant. It calms me down. I take an insane amount of pleasure in drinking it.
And I am utterly scared to try to give it up.
The good thing about me, though?
Sometimes I make myself do the things that I am the most terrified of JUST TO PROVE THAT I CAN. I can be pretty stubborn. And I like to prove people wrong. And I know there are a whoooole lot of people who probably think I can’t do this.
But hell’s bells, people…if a girl who is terrified of flying and doesn’t like heights much can do THIS?
I.can.do.freaking.ANYTHING.
(And yes…I am the one looking RIDICULOUS in the goggles that were too tight, weirdo helmet and that is totally my heart JUMPING out of my neck as I watch everyone else on the plane jump before me before screaming “I AM GOING TO DIE” as my jump instructor is shoving me out the door of the plane at THIRTEEN THOUSAND FREAKING FEET. Seriously…why do they make the terrified-of-flying-and-not-fond-of-heights girl JUMP LAST???!)
So, here it goes.
This has been tough for me to write and I am really embarrassed. I’m sure there is a lot to mock in this post, but gosh…I really hope you don’t.
I hope I have your support.
I am going to need it.
HOLD ME.
I will be your support system. Seriously. I am weaning myself off the stuff and had my first Diet Coke in a few weeks today out at lunch and guess what? I didn’t even drink half the cup! WOOT! I know you can do this. I know it. If I can do it, you surely can. I was literally drinking a 12 pack a day. Cokeaholics Not-So-Anonymous. xoxo
HERESY! Plus, you’re just doing this because your DC-foo is weaker than mine…
You and I are of a mind, brother. HERESY!!!!!
It is utterly NOT heresy! Diet Coke can kill you. I’m so glad you’re seeing the light here and getting some control and being responsible for your health, Loralee. Your babies are counting on their mother to be there for them when they grow up instead of being unhealthy and with brittle bones.
Nope-pretty certain it’s heresy, Stacy.
WELL, if you want to go ahead and poision yourself, I suppose it wouldn’t be heresy but this stuff is killing so many people in America it’s almost at epedimic levels!! How many do you know that are chained to this drink or other soda like our beloved Loralee? I think it’s a terrible thing that many people give little thought to. It’s been proven at the minimum to cause health issues and at a higher degree lead to much worse cases like a poison.
Is that really worth it just because you like soda??????~!
Yup.
I will be over at the bar with anonboy slurping down our devil death drink if you have any other questions, Stacy.
Not to get all dramatic on ya, but there are SOOOO many ways to die, many of which are boring and un-fun, that Diet Coke poisoning doesn’t sound all that bad a way to go. Better than…ulcerative colitis, for example. Or Mesothelioma….well then again, the law offices of James Sokolove could at least make sure that my family received proper compensation if I caught a case of the Meso’s.
HA! I can’t breathe! DEATH BY BLOG COMMENT!!!!! (heh)
It’s in good fun, Stacy. Thanks for being supportive, but I know anonboy and adore him to bits. He loves imbibing in the dark waters ALMOST as much as I do(got that, anonboy? ALMOST)and absolutely allowed to cry heresy with me. :)
You mean ‘did’ of course…since you are on the wagon and all….
Would you like to give me a nice paper cut and pour lemon juice on it? ;P
Diet Coke…Fooo???? That has to be one of the more amusing things that I’ve read. In fact, I shall tell my husband he has DC FOO as he is a huge fan.
I’m glad you’re taking this step, Loralee. You have such a strong presence online and so many look up to and admire you (my way of saying you are one of the popular pretty people!) that this will help and inspire many people, like always!
I know you can do it, but prepare yourself girl. I gave up smoking and tried to give up diet coke.Smoking was easier. The withdrawls from the diet coke made me have nightmares like non other. While pregnant, I weened down to only 3 cans a day (well in suggested limits). Maybe you could wean down at first? And good luck from one diet coke junkie to another. I’m going on a juice faste in a few weeks and am cutting out diet coke temporarily. I’ll share anything I learn.
When I did it, I had to go cold turkey. Cutting back worked for a while, but the quantity kept increasing. I think cold turkey is absolutely the way to go, hard as it is.
weaning is a much better idea than cold turkey. caffeine is a VERY hard addiction to break :( I’ve done it and the headaches alone sucked. The desire to drink diet coke (mmmm diet coke!) out of habit sucks but omg caffeine headaches?!?! enough to knock me on my arse!
(I should quit the diet coke too. but being type 1 diabetic it’s either diet soda or water. juice is used to treat stupid low blood sugars.)
I adore the carbonation and caffeine and I KNOW it’s bad and unhealthy but… I’ll die happy if I have my diet coke ;)
I know you can do this. I was a diet A&W girl myself. I would go through a 12 pack in 2 days. TWO DAYS! Maybe not even that long. But I am completely off of sodas and have been for a very long time. I really only drink water. Ice water. It has to be ice cold. When I occasionally want something other than water I will make iced tea and add some sort of juice to it for sweetness. (Oh would my old mormon friends die!) Good luck and I promise you will feel better as time goes by.
Is this a good time to mention that, um, I HATE WATER.
(I know.)
Oh Loralee I HATED water too. Not only because it is tasteless but because it came with all sorts of emotional baggage. It was one of the only things I was allowed to drink as a kid because of my weight. You know the 5-10 pounds I was overweight instead of the 150 I am overweight now! Probably in no small way because of my mother’s obsession over how much I weighed! But after forcing myself to drink it, and finding that the colder it was the better it was, that is pretty much all I drink. Now my mom uses that to hold over my overweight sisters head. I hate that! Anyway I digress, but try it. You might actually come to enjoy a nice tall glass of ice cold water. Maybe.;-)
I also hated water. Your tastes will change. PROMISE! In the meantime, put it in the fridge with fresh cut fruit it it to give it some flavor or something.
Your tastes will change over time, and eventually, a cool glass of fresh clean water will be something you crave.
ohmy. i did the same thing. starting today. and i made it. so tomorrow will be easier right? and then i hadn’t given myself a do it by date … but … blogher sounds like perfect timing.
and oh yeah. if you can jump outta a plane … girl … you can do anything!
Good luck I KNOW it is going to be hard but keep drinking lots of water and get some straws because that may be part of the appeal keep it fun and remember you WILL feel better
Yeah…the straw thing is a good idea for certain…
Well… considering a few years ago you brought a diet coke to the gym instead of water and had it on the treadmill while we worked out … This is probably a great idea. Call me if you go crazy.
I KNOW. Even I was blushing at that. (But obviously not TOO much as I did it anyway!)
I miss working out with you, friend. xo
I gave up sweets and Mt. Dew a while ago. I was manic for about five days and then things were happy again. Now I only think about them for 12 hours a day instead of 24 like before.
LOL!
Uh…encouraging???? :P
Good luck! You CAN do it :-).
Here’s a website to keep in reserve for when you need a morale boost. It’s about diet colas and osteoporosis.
http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/53591/62278/ditch-straw
Mother’s Day is a wonderful day to take positive steps to be there for your boys for a long, long time. They’re going to want to keep their sassy mama with them, and you’re not going to want to be a burden with bad health. So, GOOD ON YA!!
Holy crackers, dude!! You are an amazing lady! I am more and more in love with your crazy ass every day! I can’t believe you jumped out of a damn airplane!
And the Diet Coke thing… good for you. Your body will love you for it.
:)
This from the woman who took her 44 oz. Diet Coke to the GYM to meet with the Trainer?!?!?! I am very impressed. I know it is going to be hard because you DO have a love affair with the dark master. You can do it though. When you think you can’t, call me…i promise I am up WAAAAY before you are in the morning, so when you want it, call. We can even get your flavicon changed to…oh, I don’t know…WATER???
xoxo
WHAT WILL YOU DO WHEN I NO LONGER LEAVE DIET COKE CANS AT YOUR HOUSE WHEN I LEAVE????!!!! ;p
this is big time! good luck, deary-poo. i’ll support you 110%
You wanna know something funny? On the bottom part of your blog, in the flowers sprouting out of the Diet Coke can, I see a little skull and crossbones. It’s slightly above where they first bounce off the bottom of the page. LOL
Anyway – You have my support. While I wouldn’t recommend actually attending a 12 step group (I don’t think they’d get it) I’ve found the steps to be incredibly helpful tools in many areas.
However you decide to approach it, best of luck to you. <3
Awe, I don’t take the whole asparteme thing THAT seriously but it certainly can’t be great for me for sure.
LOL – I don’t take it THAT seriously either, I just thought the skull/crossbones thing was funny and worth noting. :)
Anyway – like I said, best of luck. I had a part-time roommate for 3 weeks who drank Diet Coke and now that she’s gone I’m having a hard time not buying it for myself. It’s easy to get addicted to. (For reals.)
The grocery store had a six pack of 24ozs on for 2.50. I bought 4. I could like to take this step with you, but I can’t. Sorry.
I will always love you, Dougie. (And we still have Reeces Peanut Butter cups, no?)
Huzzah!
You can totally do it! Both Angella and I gave it up this year (I haven’t had one since February!) and it was SO MUCH EASIER than I imagined it would be. For me, anyway.
GOOD LUCK!
You two were on my mind in this decision….
Oh wow I am so excited to see you post this! Giving up soda is HUGE and it will absolutely help you in the long run. I think the duration is fab, and YOU CAN DO IT!!! Filling your belly with healthy foods instead of diet soda has to be better for you.
I was a soda addict too, so I can totally relate. I was completely and totally hooked. I would get 32oz slushees, so not only was it all the icky stuff and empty calories, it was also TONS of sugar. But having diet didn’t help because it just kept the soda habit going. I had tricked my body into craving soda. I couldn’t even drink water and be satiated.
But now? I haven’t had a slushee since the fall of 2008. I was going to reward myself with one on my 35th birthday, but…to be honest…I was afraid. I was afraid I’d like it too much and get sucked in again. So I didn’t have one. Now? I love water. I drink it all the time. I actually like it AND I can walk into the convenience store without instinctively checking the slushee machine to see if the mix looks good. (That went on for MONTHS after I gave it up.)
Interestingly, I had to try a Coke a few months ago. I was doing a secret shop and was required to buy and try a 40oz soda. You know what? It tasted fine, but I didn’t like it the way I used to. So I tried it, like I was supposed to, and threw the rest away. It was liberating!
If there’s anything I can do to help you with BTDT support, please let me know. YOU CAN DO IT!
Maybe I should give up Dr Pepper with you??!!??!! I have AT LEAST 64oz in a day. EVERY DAY. I have heard all the statistics and things. It scares me a little bit to give it up. I have tried before but the FLAVOR is soooooooo good & they don’t have the caffeine free in fountain so it is more expensive to get a 12 pk of cans….. anywho….. I think that I too shall give up my caffeine crutch– you inspired me!!
DUDE! At least your addiction is Diet Coke, mine is Regular Coke and I drink just as much as you do. However, I’ve noticed since I finished my last final on Thursday, I’ve only had between 12 – 32 oz.
I’m totally with you on this (meaning I understand, I’m not joining), Good Luck
I FORCED myself onto Diet when I realized (after the baby weight from Matthew was not coming off ) that I consumed 3,000 calories IN SODA A DAY.
So not awesome…I HATED it and it took a good 3 months before I LOVED Diet.
Good luck sweetie! I know of three others who’ve done it this year. You’ll do great, I know it.
Oh my friend, we are so very similar. We both have those “types of personalities.” I gave up my Monster Energy drinks three weeks ago. I’m slowly dying but it is getting better every day. We will be strong together!
FEELING YOUR PAIN. Here is a hug, thou who wears cute headbands!
Wow, reading your post and all the comments is enough to scare anyone off of soda. I drink 2 cups of coffee a day, no soda ever. If you need help/support/whatever let me know! I’ll do the best I can.
You can DO this!
I’ve thought about doing coffee to help with the caffeine thing. I’ve proven I cannot do more than a cup or two a day…dunno though.
You can do iiiiiiiiiiiiit!
I am in the process of giving up the regular stuff, I hate diet soda. I think I am going to fail miserably more than a few times before the whole process is over. At least we can be realistic and know that it’s going to be hard. I’ll hold you if you hold me. That’s a fair deal, right?
I am a diet pepsi addict, and I totally get the 88 ounces by noon thing. And I skip a lot of meals too, getting by on soda until I’m about to pass out from dehydration. That’s not a joke, I can literally feel it from all the caffeine and lack of water. I’ve given it up before, but this is probably not the place to talk about the PAIN I went through. I think I have given it up for at least a month, maybe more, but hit me with the slightest stress and I’m reaching for my drug of choice, back on it full force in no time.
I do think you’ll feel better once your body gets past the withdrawals. I really should join you, but I am not in the right state of mind to give up my crutch right now. But I am cheering you on, I know you CAN do this :)
You can do it!!
While my diet coke love is not an addiction, it’s still a stong love. I had to convert 88oz to understand the gravity of the situation – that over 2.5L! THat’s huge!
I don’t know if it will bring you any comfort, but think of all the food you’ll get to eat now that you’re not full of diet coke! Food is awesome (in moderation) and it has something special which diet coke doesn’t have – variety. You can have a joyous time tasting things again. Perhaps if you think about your meals and plan then for a flavour experience, it will help divert your mind from the diet coke lust?
Best of luck. I’m on your cheer team!
You are giving up all the diet soda caffienne and starting with the trainer… in the same day???? O.o
*gets out the fainting couch*
I hope you have a mighty breakfast with plenty of protein. (I’m just tired enough that protein looked wrong enough for me to speed check it with google’s help >.>)
And good luck!
I know. My trainer cancled today though. It must mean the Universe is going easy on me. :)
You have my support!
If you find that the carbonation is too hard to give up, I’d recommend Club Soda / Seltzer Water …comparatively cheap, no calories, no weirdness, just bubbles in water. Some slightly more expensive brands have fruit flavors [just essence, no artificial sweeteners--read the label if you're not sure].
You can do it!
you know, Erin, now I’m gonna see that skull every time…..
Loralee, the first few days will be the worst, then it will slowly ease. It will take 6 weeks for the caffeine to leave your body though. So praying against the headaches (they were my biggest problem). Keep drinking lots of water. I find I drink more water if it is in a pump bottle rather than a glass. And cold. It must be cold. Also, try taking magnesium phosphate. It helps with cramps and muscle tension.
I just watched (part of) a movie on Netflix called Sweet Misery. It’s all about aspartame and the dangers. I thought it would help me get off diet coke but instead I just found myself getting angry with the filmmaker and yelling, “They are biased! I bet it’s all a bunch of phoney research and exaggerated lies!!!” Then I hopped up and grabbed a dc.
I am so pathetic. I should probably join you. Not that you’re pathetic… clearly you’re not… but I need to quit dc too.
i totally understand the fear.. i’m addicted to caffeine and soda.. regular soda. but its really messing with my heart and migraines so I’m giving it up too.. i just can’t deal with my heart feeling like its going to explode and causing my arm to go numb (there are other issues but i’ve noticed they get worse the more i up my caffiene intake..sooo no more caffiene) and i’m trying to lose 60 lbs so i really don’t need the empy calories.. but it is HARD… a 20oz coke was breakfast for sooooo long.. now its one of those special K drinks.. so not the same :(
best of luck! keep us posted on how things go with the trainer too!
I gave up diet coke 2 years ago and I have to tell you, I think it was worse than giving up crack. I don’t know for sure, I’ve never used crack. But I’ll tell you this. I lost weight. Because your body holds on to fake sugar like it is real sugar. And I stopped craving real sugar. And giving up diet coke started me looking at how I was eating as a whole and I eat much healthier now. And now I don’t even want it and if I have it it tastes terrible to me. The first month is the hardest. But you have to give up all fake sugar, not just diet coke for it to work.
Email me anytime, I can be your sponsor.
I was on heavy doses of Oxycodone and Oxycotin for 9 months (needed and prescribed) getting off of those was HELL ON EARTH.
I can do this…right?
I’ve never been a pop drinker but I did smoke for 20 years so I’ll liken it to that. Best of luck! No doubt that is a huge change and it’s going to be tough, but I’m betting you’re tougher.
Dude. If you can kick THAT? I have no excuse to be a wuss here.
OH MY GAH.
I started to shake and sweat a little bit just reading this, which is probably a sign that my Diet Pepsi (I know, heresy, but to each her own), er, habit, is perhaps a teensy bit out of control.
You are brave, because my response to the aforementioned shaking and sweating? Sticking my fingers in my ears and singing, la la la la la I can’t hear you la la la la diet pepsi la la la.
Good luck! And good for you!
Yeah. I had the same reactions for a loooong time. OY.
whoever says aspartame will kill you is wrong. otherwise, i’d be dead right now. i was raised drinking tea made with saccharine sweetener and i still drink it and i’m 29. so boo on the naysayers.
since apparently the stuff in dark colored sodas (diet or not it doesn’t matter) will dissolve a penny according to cnn, i guess it would be a good thing to move away from diet coke. but i’m still having trouble heaving myself away from dr. pepper, so i can’t talk.
good luck with that endeavor.
You can DO this! Think of all the healthy things that can go into your body instead of Diet Coke. Things with actual vitamins and minerals! Your body will (eventually) love you for it. (And OMG I can’t BELIEVE you jumped out of an airplane. My heart is POUNDING.)
I feel your pain. Dr Pepper is my love. Alas, I just found out I am pregnant so I’ve decided it has to go.
Eek, this post frightens me, as I fear it’s my future. I never used to drink diet soda, then started this year as my office provides it for free in the lunch room. And now I fear it’s become an addiction. So you can do it! If only to give the rest of us hope!
Good luck! I know you can do it. And you should set aside all the money you would spend on diet coke and after a specific amount of time, buy yourself something with it for extra motivation- like an awesome purse.
You can do it! Diet Coke might be mildly addictive because of the caffeine, but really it’s more of a habit than anything, and habits CAN be broken. I periodically give up sugar because I love it so much and sometimes I notice that I’m consuming way, way, WAAAAY too much of it. It’s really hard at first, and then after a few weeks I don’t want it as much anymore. I am sure the same thing will happen with you and Diet Coke. It will suck at first, but then after a while you’ll be so accustomed to drinking water you won’t even think about Diet Coke! And if at some point in the future you decide you want a taste, you might find that your tastes have changed and you don’t even like it anymore. Crazier things have happened. :-) Good luck!
I would love to be a normal DC drinker one day. I lurve it. We’ll see. Hopefully I can do this.
You are far crazier and braver than I am! I will support you and try not to tempt you. I love you.
LOL! You are nicer than the people calling me and ordering DC’s and slurping loudly through straws and sending photos of them drinking it down!!! xo I love you, too, Sistah!
I gave up Diet Coke about 3 months ago and let me tell you, you think you have a problem? I was drinking (4) 64oz buckets, per day. Then I’d have two or three cans with dinner. I turned 33 and decided it was time to start making some life changes for my three kids. You know what I found out?
It wasn’t an addiction to Diet Coke that I had, it was a drinking problem. Now I drink the same (4) 64oz jugs, but of ice water. Sometimes I’ll mix in those Crystal Light flavors just to changes it. Now, I don’t “NEED” a Diet Coke anymore, I can have one socially with friends, after work or what ever. Ha Ha.
Seriously, this is a great thing. I was going borderline High Blood Pressure and 60 pounds heavy. Now I lost 40 pounds and no BP problems. Hang in there, cold turkey is tough but if you can stick it out you will be greatly rewarded.
I know you can do it, I’ve been following you for a few years on here and I have watched you stomp through hell, kick the Devils ass and be home in time for supper, you got this kid.
I don’t like water. I’m worried I am going to get really dehydrated. It happened last time. Ugh. We’ll see…
So, this is kinda a question to all of you quitters – does this fake sugar thing mean that if you are all proud of giving up diet coke, or at least cutting waaayyyy back, and drink, say Crystal Lite instead, it’s still bad? Because I drink it all the live long day.
@jodifur – can you explain a bit? Just whatever your understanding is? You can google and find any answer you want, really. I have been trying to avoid developing type 2 diabetes, and been drinking crystal lite as a diversion for chocolate, cookies, whatever, which is my one true love – all things chocolate.
Ok, I wasn’t a heavy “user” like you, and mine was diet Pepsi, but I did kick it just about 2 months ago. I am not giving up my 2 cups of coffee a day though . . .
So proud of you! That shit is a drug – and think of all the spa trips you can make with all that money!
I hope. Last time my replacement was bottled diet snapple…WAY more pricey. Ugh.
Good for you. My MIL had to give up Diet Coke while on chemo last year. Not because the drs told her to, but because the chemo made it taste gross (she would drink at least 8 cans a day). She hasn’t had any in over a year now because her husband took a massive cut in pay with his new job, and they can’t afford it any more (although if hadn’t have been forced to give it up, she would find room for it in the budget, I’m sure). She jokes that because of the chemo, she didn’t notice any withdrawal symptoms. Yeah, she’s a pretty cool lady and has been cancer free for nearly a year. Anyway, we’re here for you. Good luck!!
Jesus. I am sorry she had cancer. This puts my stupid problem into perspective for certain.
Oh I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. I just know how hard it is to kick a Diet Coke habit, and I know my MIL would still be drinking it if it wasn’t for the cancer. In fact, I’m sure she’d rather be a DC addict than a cancer survivor – it’s all swings and roundabouts.
Just a little motivation (hope you don’t hate on me for being “one of those people” cuz I’m honestly not trying to be one of “them”)…
My MIL drinks Diet Pepsi like you drink Diet Coke. She has a serious weight problem and she thinks she can offset her Hershey Kiss habit (a bag a day) by drinking Diet Pepsi. Obviously a flawed mind set. Anywho, about a year ago she started getting this horrible pain and tingling in her hands and arms. They thought she had an auto-immune disorder but the tests were ALL negative. The tested for EVERYTHING and finally decided maybe she has Fibromyalgia. About a month ago she quit drinking Diet Pepsi cold turkey and within 3 weeks her pain was almost gone.
Could totally be a coincidence because I’m not sure I believe in “aspartame poisoning” but the results are kind of hard to ignore.
Also, now I totally see the skull and cross bones!
Good luck!!
That sky diving video is AMAZING!!!
I will definitely support you. I know it will be hard, I’ve done it – but on a smaller scale. I was only having 2-4 cans a day – not 2-4 44oz’ers a day.
But, you can do it. I know you can.
Look, she’s trying to give it up, too! http://decksidethoughts.blogspot.com/2010/05/fact-kickin-it-old-school.html
Maybe you two addicts can form a support group or something.
Try vodka! It’s very pure and seriously takes the edge off!
xo
I drank a mojito last week and was about stripping on the tables. (Lightweight. Sigh)
My sister, a lot like you, gave up dr. pepper. She said it took about 3 months before it got better, and several more to feel “safe” but that now it tastes ‘different’ to her and she can have it on occasion and not be worried about going back.
Good luck!
Kerri’s telling the truth – both of us quit in February. And you know what? A friend brought me one last week, I took a sip and…it tasted like ass. (Not that I’ve ever tasted ass, but it’s what I imagine ass tastes like.)
I will pray for that. But then, I am still praying to wake up and be an organized person that likes to have her laundry done and drawers organized.
(Well…I DO like those things I just totally suck at executing them!)
I can’t get in the car to drive anywhere, without stopping to get a Diet Coke. And it HAS to be fountain, I don’t like the cans or the bottles, I have often contemplated getting a fountain installed in my home, even to go so far as to price them out, they really are not that expensive.
I quit smoking and biting my fingernails 15 years ago, but I don’t think I could quit Diet Coke, more power to you.
You can totally do it!! Giving up regular coke (I don’t do diet) nearly killed me at times but I did it and now I can even have one on occasion without leaving my husband and child to run away with a whole truck full of the stuff. You can TOTALLY do this.
You have my support!! Thank you for not asking us to join you. I am not ready to quit my soda addiction. I give you my full support though. :)
I don’t know how you could have JUMPED. OUT. OF. A. PLANE!! I could NEVER do that. I would have peed myself.
No matter how bad I know it is for me I can’t seem to kick the habit … and I’ve got it bad. I’ve publicly declared on my blog and twitter that I would give up DC hoping that it would make me accountable. I’ve now stopped quitting cause I’m just stuck …
My mother has dealt with a serious, serious soda addiction for decades. The type of thing where our house could be nearly bare of groceries and she would not consider it a shopping emergency, but if our pantry was out of Coca Cola then that would require an IMMEDIATE trip to the store, day or night.
When I was growing up we always joked about it – I mean, who takes a SODA addiction seriously, right? We’ve dealt with some alcohol addiction problems in our extended family so the idea of calling my mother an addict always seemed sort of absurd.
But really, as she has gotten older, it has taken a visible toll on her health. Soda displaces water and healthier foods; the acid is bad for your teeth, and all that phosphorous isn’t great on kidneys, either. But even knowing all that, my mom has had a really hard time kicking her soda habit. It’s very hard to give up a behavior you’ve been leaning on for years for those minor moments of comfort that help get you through the day.
So. I appreciate the difficulty you face here, and I do think you’re doing the right thing cutting back, and I sincerely wish you luck. Something that has worked well for my mother is switching to white or green tea. So you might try that. It does still have caffeine in it, but otherwise tea is generally considered to be much healthier for you. And if you brew it yourself, it’s WAY cheaper than soda.
See, I do not want to be this and I know I am and will be. Gah.
Good for you! You can do this!
I found that giving up soda became 1,000 times easier when I drank other things with carbonation. For a while I combined seltzer water with 100% fruit juice, then went to seltzer with lemon, then straight seltzer. Also, kombucha, kefir, and other naturally carbonated beverages. For whatever reason, the carbonation is really important to me, and if I’m not getting it from somewhere, I end up drinking carbonated booze just to get my fizz on!
I know how difficult this will be, but replacing meals is no bueno.
P.S. I’m afraid of heights and I went bungie jumping! It’s such a rush to face your fears head on…but I’m pretty sure I’d die if I jumped out of a perfectly good airplane.. just from shock alone. My heart would stop.
I could NEVER bungie jump. NEVER. Even though the plane made my heart stop, it was almost surreal it was so high, you know? I could.not.bungie.jump.
You are way braver than I am.
People can be truly addicted to many different things, and it can be a VERY scary road to walk to giving up that addiction. Because it’s not about the what so much as the how, and it’s not silly at all. As a loyal reader, and not-so-loyal commenter, I just wanted to pop over and give you a hearty thumbs up for giving it a go. You are doing yourself and your body a huge favor in trying to be healthier. Good luck! You can do it!
I found a soda I like to drink more and save Dr. Pepper for a treat.. it’s called Dry. The Vanilla Bean is just purified carbonated water, vanilla bean essence and something else that I deemed safe. Good luck!
The key to breaking a habit is replacing it with something else. What is your plan? Vodka? Or maybe cigarettes?
Also. Good luck girl. You can SO do this.
Random lovers named Jaun, Alberto and Sven?
You can do it!! You’re doing SUCH a good thing for your body :)
ps- you falling out of that plane= priceless!!! lol!
Oh you are so brave! I can’t do it…I’ve tried and tried and it hasn’t worked yet. I am so bad that my mouth starts watering as I’m going up the escalator on the way to work.
There is something really addictive about Diet Coke. I used to drink a lot too…and I noticed that I couldn’t think as well anymore. It’s really hard to give up at first but over time you can tell what a huge difference it makes. I drink one about every 6 months now….usually on a trip or something…just to remind myself that I don’t want it anymore. It still sounds good, but it doesn’t feel good.
peace be with you in your time of need.
(and that trainer woulda kicked your ass if he [or she] knew about the soda you’re guzzling, too!)
I stopped drinking Diet Coke years ago after adoring it and now I DON’T EVEN LIKE THE TASTE OF IT. You can do it too! Maybe forevs.
I miss diet coke. My husband asked that I give it up with all aspratame while pregnant. Since this progeny is half his I respected his wishes but I can’t wait to chug a nice cold diet coke.
I’m not helping am I? I’m sure you will do great.
i was at the bloggy boot camp and heard you speak . i was the one laughing hard about your detailed description of the over cooked carrots , and naked movie night . you had me right then and there !!!! i sooooo get and appreciate your humor . then i checked out your blog …. and well , you are not only funny, but deep and soooo BRAVE . i have my own issues with my legs and am going to , come hell or high water, get them veins zapped some day . i also have VERY knobby knees . i love that you just did it and said what the hell , life is too short to live in your self – imposed box . BUT , then i saw your sky diving movie and totally fell in love with your spirit . it made me cry . that happy kind of cry when you witness someone experiencing true joy and true bravery . i believe a lot of women won’t allow them selves a lot of things that give them deep joy because it is dangerous and they are mothers. i’m sure your husband and boys fell in love with you all over again , but most importantly YOU fell in love with your self because you did it . bravo !!! sorry for the ridiculous typing , obviously i don’t .
Oh, I am so, so, SO glad you liked the session at Bloggy Bootcamp. I had so much fun speaking, even though it got emotional.
I cannot thank you enough for this comment babe. xo
I used to have Diet Coke with breakfast and continue drinking it all day every day. You wouldn’t believe the bags of cans and bottles I would have on my porch to bring to recycling that I avoided constantly. I have been Diet Coke free since August 2008 and I’m sure it’s hard to beleive but I don’t miss it at all.
If you can jump out of a plane, you can do anything. Good luck!
You can do it!!!!
I was forced to go off with my GB surgery last summer but Hubby is going off it again starting tomorrow…so I am in the boat with you chicka!
You can do it, Loralee!, But you’ll have to change that cool graphic at the bottom of this page. You wouldn’t want to be accused of false advertising.
LOL. I know. I thought about this. I will have to be clean a LONG time before switching though. I love that little Diet Coke can.
Wait, you jumped out of a plane? Are you INSANE woman?
Sigh. Sometimes I wonder about you. ;)
As I drink my big ole Coke, that I convientatly decided I had to have when I could see this post in my reader, but your site wouldn’t load; as I look at the large Starbucks cup from this morning, I well…I wish you tons of luck in all future endeavors. LOL.
I wonder about me all the time.:P
God help you, woman. You’re going to need it. I managed to wean myself to 20 oz of caffeine free diet coke every day, but only because I was preggo and felt compelled to do so. But I can’t function without my 20 oz. I wish you all the best!
That video made me cry with happiness for you. Seriously. I CRIED.
I LOVE YOU, FRIEND. Seriously. Thank you for this. xo
Hahaha! I love how you ended this. Hold me.
Addiction sucks no matter what it is. I can’t imagine giving up SUGAR! And dairy tears me up but I still eat it–and pay for it, healthwise.
This post can be likened to one by a food binger who comes clean about her 10,000 calorie binges. It’s embarrassing to admit a lack of self-control. That’s great that you’ve decided to do something about it. And in your words, people who don’t like it can suck it. :)
It’s SO embarrassing. Ugh.
I hear you. Seriously I do. I’m a 88 ounce a day girl too and I plan my trips around being able to get to the service station to get some more!
If you do it, I’ll do it. We can climb the walls together!!
were you in my head when you wrote this post? well, not the giving it up part but the drinking it obsessively part! I wish you the best…the only time I have ever given up my Diet Coke is while pregnant and those were hard times!! hard times!!!
i really hope it goes well for you and i look forward to updates, but just know that you are a brave, brave girl!
If you’re ready…you CAN do it!! Good Luck!!
I am not a “Trekie” BUT…..
May the Force be with You!! ;-)
or is that Star Wars? hmmm
WOW! Love that you jumped out of a plane. BRAVE! BRAVO! Glad it was you and NOT ME!
WOW! That you are not seriously ill from the amount of diet soda you drink each day and I just read every comment here and feel so sad for each of you.
Praying for you to not only conquer this addiction but for you to help others break free from the seriousness of what you and they are doing to their bodies.
Drink lots of water – add lemon and lime if you need flavor or Stevia which is a natural sweetner. If you have questions about health and how to eat things that will help you with your need for the sweet rush, check out my health blog http://www.breakingfreetruths.blogspot.com
In His amazing grace,
Jill
Thank you for the sincere and non-smugly-judgy part of this comment.
I don’t think that Loralee needs your pity, to be honest. Support and prayers are nice, suggestions to help might be good, but pity?
Totally unnecessary.
“WOW! That you are not seriously ill from the amount of diet soda you drink each day and I just read every comment here and feel so sad for each of you.”
Such encouraging words haven’t shined so brightly into my eyes and into my thoughts since my own stepfather gave me the strength to overcome all my obstacles in life by exclaiming how much he pitied my frailty and weaknesses and that I would never amount to anything if I kept in the direction I was heading.
If it wasn’t for him and his words of encouragement, I wouldn’t be here today, having kept going in that same direction, completely happy with a life fulfilled and dreams realized. I think all parents and friends should follow Poopdeck Pappy’s style of encouragement.
And leaving your blog link within the body of a comment is pretty douchey, FYI. The link attached to your comment is usually sufficient. Or, you know, a personal form of communication.
Perhaps she can drink the snake oil that you’re pandering on that blog of yours to quench her thirst…It’s tough to take seriously anyone who invokes the will of a deity in response to someone’s public desire to drink less water with carbon dioxide and artificial sweeteners in it. I find your condescension and lack of Christian meekness to be annoying and hypocritical. Doesn’t the book of Matthew (maybe around the 6th verse of the 6th chapter) say something about praying in secret? Few things are more annoying than bumper sticker religions…why not just save the ‘e-ink’ (lol…love that term) and tell loralee that every time she sips a DC Jesus kills a kitten!
I need to buy you a beer. From one Loralee guy fan who doesn’t put up with drama well either
Snort!
Came here from Loralee’s Facebook to read this comment. whoo whee did it take a long time to find. I had no idea my former classmate was such a well known and popular gal. I expected to be a bit offended but instead am nodding and laughing in agreement. Some people undermine the teachings of Christ and other people (in a bit of a rough way) point out how unhelpful they are being.
exactly. and anon did a great job of it. probably lost on them though. it always is
anon did a great job of it but it’s probably lost on them. it always is.
you had me at “bumper sticker religions”
Jesus kills a kitten? HA!
Sigh…I know…I should give it up too…but I can’t…and I don’t want to..one of these days…as soon as I come up with a suitable alternative addiction…like maybe to putting…in the mddle…of all my…sentences…
I don’t drink DC on a regular basis so I keep telling myself I can quit any time. We’ll see how long that lasts. I’ve had a few friends quit the stuff. It makes for very lonely drinking. But I truly wish you the best of luck–more power to you! You rock!
I quite smoking with no problem. The idea of no diet pepsi is very hard for me to fathom. Some days, I shiver with that first hit in the morning, it’s that delightful. I have started to replace a lot of my sodas with sparkling water and it does help. I need bubbles.
I wish you much success and I hope that maybe I can be inspired by you and your efforts :)
If none of that works, at least I have Jill doing her best Mr. T impression, “I pity the fool!” and maybe one of her prayers will be a beacon of light that banishes diet pepsi from my broken body.
*sigh* Wow. Preachy and self-righteous much? When I tell you I’ll pray for you… it is NOT in that way… just so you know. And you’re giving up Diet Coke??? Wow, girly. Good luck… you CAHN DOO EET! You really can. Although… it kinda takes the fun out of things.. so maybe you could just ease up on it? (Look at me, enabling your addiction…) :) Hugs to you, lady. You rock.
Never in a MILLION YEARS would I put you in the same category. You’ve never had an ounce of preachy with me, Sue. xo
Well first, I’m convinced if you can hurl yourself out of a perfectly good airplane, you can give up Diet Coke.
I gave up sugar. Sometimes I still wonder what I was thinking…HELLO! MARGARITAS!!!! Obviously, I didn’t think it through completely.
Day 1 was relatively easy – I was excited and charged about a new life decision.
Day 2 I was feeling headaches and irritation.
Days 3 and 4 I might have been described as satan’s mistress.
Now I’m out about 6 weeks and I’ve never felt better.
That’ll be you too! Fight the good fight!
Just watched your video…….AWESOME, AMAZING, so totally something I am not going to do! (I like to be on the ground (or the water – I surf)
Loralee, I LOVE Coke! No, I mean I really, really, really really love Coca Cola. I can’t drink Diet Coke because of the artificial sweeteners. They bring on massive migraines for me. So, imagine the calories I could take in in one day with Coke. I gave it up for Lent and although I didn’t really miss it because I, too, can do anything, I was happy when the 40 days was over. I felt your pain just reading your blog. Good luck. I do have to say that you should feel better when it is all said and done. That is, if you don’t lose your mind. If you don’t make it, well, there are worse vices.
How long do you have to give up Diet Coke before you are forced to give up your nifty favicon? That would be so sad! I love that little Diet Coke can (and the sassy potential trademark infringement that goes along with it!).
You can do it!!
I too have a soda fetish…Diet Pepsi. I too drink vats of it…every day since I was 14. I’m now 50. I started to hyperventilate a little as I read your blog. I know I will have to give up my addiction too one day. But I figured I should lose 40 lbs and run a marathon first. It’s goal #3. Best wishes! You’re a better woman than I am!