The power of Sugary Sodas in my life

You know I AM an addict. I told my husband this past week if Soda's were Alcohol I would be an Alcoholic! SERIOUSLY!

I have been sugar free (for the most part) since the week before Christmas, and I have never felt better! I have been sleeping better, waking up with more energy, not having "down" times during the day as I use to feel the need to nap.... no.. when I am "off" sugar I feel GREAT!

throughout this process I have always allowed a bit of a freeday every now and then. 3 years ago, when i started to rededicate myself to getting healthy, my Freeday was once a week. Since then I have gradually cut back on my freedays... lately .. well pretty much since the week before christmas my freeday has only been once every 4 to 6 weeks.

A few weeks ago I had a soda when my hubby and I went on a date ... It tasted good (as most sodas taste bad to me now)... I had a glass and a half... What is interesting is the next day.
The following day I found myself CRAVING a coke alllllll day! yes..., alll day.... I thought it was interested after not having soda for sooooooo long I could be "kicked" back to my old ways so easily. ...I also found I had NO energy, I slept awful and was very negative all day.

this weekend we were on the road and I decided to have a freeday.... I drank a coke and you know what happened? the next day I had the same thing happen..... craved it all day, headachy, and just wanting sugar alll day.

CRAZY how addiction works. You can be "clean" for soooo long and the boom... there it is again. That desire and "need" to feel good, to have energy,.......The self talk that starts telling yourself "you deserve a coke today" and "its just one more.. not big deal"...... I still believe they engineer this drink to be addictive.

So.... After a day (yesterday) of feeling bad...I resisted the desire to have yet another coke and stuck to my healthy lifestyle. I guess I have done this long enough to know that I feel SOOOOO much better OFF that stuff than on ! wooowhoo!!!!

Today... I was up at 530.. at track practice at 7 and still feeling good.
Yes, I am sodaholic.
As far as when i will have another sip of coke..... I am shoot for 6 month soda free before having another. ... I am so thankful it IS just sodas and not alcohol.

Its just not worth the side effects anymore! :)

woowhoo!

Comments

JRo said…
I SO hear ya. This is why I have not had ONE, not even a sip, since November of '08. Sounds insane to even write that. I even talked to a friend about how I will never have another one. They just don't have any hold on me anymore. I can now see the truly emotional influence they had. I don't feel like I will miss out on ANYTHING if I never have another Dr Pepper again, ever. (She is still convinced that life would be over if she never had another Sonic Coke again though! haha)

Congrats! It gets easier though, doesn't it!
suprchica said…
Ruthie, maybe it's the caffeine in it?? I'm not a soda drinker and I don't usually crave it, but I've cut back on coffee and get the same withdrawal effects as yours. I've been drinking fresh vegetable juices (carrots with pretty much anything green and apples to give it some sweetness) for the minerals and the nutrients that my body needs. By the way, I ran a half marathon yesterday, here in
Cincinnati, drank some "green" juice and it seems to help with recovery & energy. Just a thought.

Tamara :)
Josha said…
my name is Josha and I'm a macaholic
I got my new mac today!!!!! I'm so excited. I thought I would die without my mac, I neeeeeded another one. Just like you and soda. :)
Amy said…
I agree with you - I think they make that bad stuff addictive on purpose!