I’m not exactly sure when it happened – maybe when I started Weight Watchers – maybe it was before – but I completely fell off the wagon when it came to not drinking pop.
For those of you who have read this blog for a long time, I’ve cut soda from my life a few times. The last time I quit drinking soda, I was fully convinced I had the habit beat.
But I slipped. And then Walmart started selling cases of soda for $5, and so the price didn’t seem too bad. And then it got warm out. I started making a lot of excuses. I would say things like “It’s not like I’m doing crack.” or “This is better for me than stress eating.”
But the truth of the matter is, the return of my soda habit has put a dent in our budget and left me feeling physically lousy.
I need to kick this habit again. It really hit me when I accompanied my husband to the recycling center to turn in our 3-year old collection of pop cans for some cash.
In three years, we had collected 117 pounds of aluminum pop cans. And we walked away with $47.
How many thousands of dollars did we spend on that pop? And how much enjoyment did we get out of it?
The answers: Too much and not enough.
So, I’ll try again.
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When you think, “It’s getting warm out,” try not to think “soda.” I have read that soda (and probably lots of other beverages) don’t actually cool you off–they make your body work harder in order to process the carbonation. Consequently, they may even dehydrate you!
I’m with ya on the soda habit (Or “pop” as we call it “around here”). My self-justifacatio is, I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I don’t gamble…so let me enjoy a stinkin soda for pete’s sake! It’s like a treat for me. BUT.. when my case of “special treat pop” disappeared in a week, I re-thought things too. Good post Christina!
When I quit it took about a year to quit. I needed the caffiene and still do. So I swiched to teabags, and now drink it without suger and have one cup or glass a day. I don’t drink coffee anymore either. This took small steps for me but the budget, and health is better. Tammy
Hi Christina! I know your frustration–Marc got me hooked on Coke after a lifetime of not drinking soda. A few months ago I decided get back to lemonade (home squeezed) and iced tea (unsweetened) so I fought the craving demons for about two weeks. When I gave in after a really stressful day and water just wasn’t ‘gonna do it, I took one big gulp and YUCK!. It was so super sweet I couldn’t stand it. So here’s an idea (if you normally drink diet soda), switch to the regular stuff–don’t allow yourself the diet soda–and I’m sure you won’t be able drink much or for very long! Good luck :)
Oh how i feel for you… my vice is not soda (though i had that one years ago, diet coke every morning for 5 years straight or i i would DIE, or so i though.) Apparently this was a misconception because when i gave up the soda, guess what, well i am still very much here.
My vice is candy, sugar to be exact. I can’t stand chocolate. Imagine that, a female on this planet that hates chocolate. But not to worry, i more than make up for it with the candy. Sugary candy, the worse kind. Gumdrops, gummy bears, candy corn, circus peanuts, yum…yum…yum….
And i can’t eat just one, oh no. Give me a bag and i will eat the entire bag in one sitting (whether it is just a tiny 3 oz or jumbo 16 oz.).
So every once in awhile i try to give it up. And i usually succeed for, oh, maybe, 3 months or so. And then i fall off the wagon. And i eat and eat and eat…. until the next
new commitment. ugh…
I’d be afraid to switch to regular pop… If I fell off the wagon, I’d gain 10 pounds!
And I have horrible sweet tooth, too… chocolate is my weakness. Although if I don’t drink the diet soda, I don’t crave the sweets, so it’s good to kick the habit.
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