Soda... Support for addicts... Step 1, admitting the problem exists

Hello everyone.  ::stands up so everyone can see her clearly::  My name is mud (lately) and I am a Pepsi Addict who recently fell off the wagon.  

When I was a kid, I really did not like the taste of pop.  I could not even finish a 12 oz can before it was too much for me.  I barely touched sodas of any sort.  I was a good kid.  

Then in high school, I fell in with a bad crowd.  We started using daily.  Not just the fountain drinks, but bottles & cans of the stuff.  We would collect cups from different Kwikie Mart type places to get the best deals, drinking bigger and bigger amounts per day.  Until caffeine no longer held sway over us and we could down a 6 pack of Mt Dew right before bed without even blinking an eye.  

Or at least we thought it held no sway...  sugar rushes can be their own form of personal hell.  But life was good, we were young, we had all the possibilities in the world ahead of us.  Off we went to college.   Ahhhh college.  Back then there were no juice or water options in the vending machines.  Each floor had at least 2 pop machines and we worshipped them daily.  What better way to pull all nighters, both for partying and for studying, then to overload on harmless cola?  It can't be too bad, the schools themselves provide it nice and handy for us.   

But as with all bad addictions, eventually the ignored warning signs were turning into full fledged issues.  No longer walking across campus daily, my middle started to spread.  No longer working on my feet all day, the excessive caffiene in my system turned me into an insomniac.  I used to play hard and work even harder...  but somewhere along the line the fired up zip of a Pepsi turned into the constantly expected taste on my tongue.  It was the drink to have with everything, from waking up to passing out.  There was no cup of water by the bed, but instead the remains of a warming flat pop was often handy.  I would use a straw and pretty much chug soda down by the inch.   At my jobs, people knew which mug was mine and if I misplaced it, inevitably someone could tell me where it was located... they were so used to it being hooked to me at the hip.   

Ahhhh or another job situation thats deadly for me and feeds into this addiction...  working at a restaurant.   It did not matter if it was a fancy steak house, or a frat boy bar and pizza pub... when you work your cola is almost always free.   Weeeeee, hours and hours on the clock, usually working 2 jobs at about 50 - 65 hours a week, well hell of course we (thought) needed caffiene.   

I look back on this 20+ year pattern and I cringe.  Forget the money wasted on all that pure junk, what in the heck has it done to my body?  I am not a smoker, yet I have that carmel tint to my teeth that makes it look like I am.  My middle is plump enough to make a cannibal drool.   My stomach complains regularly about the heightened acid.  If I try to reduce my intake too swiftly, my head screams for more caffiene giving me throbbing headache pain that in turn makes me grind my teeth.  

I realize this might seem petty to some.  Its not cocaine or heroine.  Its not a hard core meth addiction... but to me it might as well be.   I was majorly sick recently and just to feel semi normal, I once again turned to my old friend... Pepsi.    Did I say friend?   A false friend, if anything.  It winds me up and messes with my sleeping patterns.  It cheats me out of good nutrition by sucking at my calcium levels.  It fakes me out into thinking that I am doing better and feeling grander then is really true.  And it leaves me craving yet another and another and another Pepsi fix.  

From the first week of January when I got ill, until today... Feb 21st, I have managed to go from no Pepsi each day up to 36 ounces today, even as much as 48 ounces somedays.   UGH!!!  Thats insane.  32 ounces of Pepsi is 400 empty calories!!!  

Does anyone else suffer from this addiction?  Am I alone in this fight against processed sugar and caffiene, wrapped up in a handy bottle of energy and syrup?  Pop machines are everywhere!  Why oh why cant I keep away from this stuff?  How many times in life am I going to have to ween myself off Pepsi to keep away from the headaches?  When am I going to be able to truly stop turning to caffiene when I do not feel good, seeking that artificial boost just to try and feel normal?  Am I always going to be an addict who can't even take a sip without ending up chugging Pepsi like it is oxygen?  

Someone tell me.  Just how weird am I?  Am I alone in this?  ~ Lost Artist
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Hey Lost.  You have taken the first step and admitted the problem.  Well done!!!   I commiserate with you.  I am a tea/coffee adict for the same reason.  Argggh.  Don't have any answers though.  Maybe others will have.  Now giving up Pepsi for Lent- THAT would be a sacrifice.

I am not positive of my source, but here goes on a quote...

"I can give up smoking anytime, I have done it 1000 times" 

I had managed to quit Pepsi, but am right back into it again. ::sighs:: ~ Lost Artist
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Pepsi --- nasty stuff

Coca-Cola Classic - ambrosia from the gods

I don't have a problem.  I refuse to give up my Cokes. 

I have had 3 cokes since Christmas and before that I had at least 3 every day.  The key for me is that I am not going to say that I can't have one.  If I really want one (or need one - nothing settles a nauseous stomach better for me) then I'll have it.  I make sure I count it in my calories for the day, so it means I'll have less for dinner.  So far, there really hasn't been a day that my ever present iced tea hasn't been enough. 

I'm definitely a caffeine addict and Coke is my preferred form.  I've adjusted my morning schedule so that I'm getting some caffeine and breakfast before the time I had my first Coke and it's helped a lot.

Have you tried Pepsi One?  I absolutely hate all the different Diet Cokes but did have Pepsi One at a party once and it wasn't great but wasn't as bad as most diet drinks.

Good luck with whatever you try.

Hey glad I found this meeting of Soda Drinkers Anonymous hehe....  Ok here goes...

Hi everyone... My name is Annie and I am a recovering soda addict.  Although my drug of choice was a 24 oz mountian dew 3 times a day I also enjoyed several cokes for an in between fix.  I was so bad at one point that I did not care if the soda was even refrigerated.  I would drink it warm straight from the bottle.  I would wake up in the middle of the night and have a soda next to my bed to chug instead of water.....  One night, I reached for it and my teeth hurt like hell when I drank it.....  I knew I had hit a new low...

I am now 2 months mountain dew and coke free.  Although I still have a diet coke one or 2 days a week, its just not the same as my old sugary friends...  I still think about them at times and miss all the fun we had together.... :P

Dang Lost, you could publish that! Beautiful writing.

Uh, anyhow. Slowly ween yourself off the stuff .I know you mentioned trying, but this is considered an addiction and you still experience withdrawl symptoms. Each week, lessen your intake a bit. If you do it all at once, your body WILL give you crap about it and whine.

Drink diet/zero/whatever doesn't have any calories if you really need a fix. I understand how an addiction must be hard to kick, but like they say, no pain no game. :) Good luck.

I used to have a terrible Pepsi addiction.  I would get worse especially during pregnancies.  Some how, some way i have stopped because I have to lose weight.  My body likes the water now and I allow myself the occasional Pepsi but its a waste of money.  It is now too sweet for me...or something.
If I ever get pregnant again we will see if I can stand the test.

Muttlover... that is one of the nicest things that has been said to me in 2007.  You just made my day.

I have to confess my Pepsi consumption is not reducing yet, but at least I can smile about my writing skills.  Thank you ~ Lost Artist
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48 oz of Pepsi today... ::sighs::  oh and I think diet things and regular coke taste terrible.  So rather try and drop this... once again... then to change to a lesser evil
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It distresses me to see the level of soda addiction in this thread.  Soda is one of the most evil things you can put in your body, and nothing in it (well, except for sugar) even approximates real food.  The long term affects are just as serious as any drug habit.  In my mind I equate soda with smoking, because it's addictive and has equally serious health affects.  Both smoking and soda strip the body of necessary nutrients AND leave detrimental deposits inside the body.  Years of drinking soda will cause diabetes and hypertension, not to mention obesity and a host of obesity-related illnesses. I guess what I'm saying is that I just want to be sure that everyone understands the extent of damage that soda will do.

This sounds stupid, but what first woke me up to the horrific nature of soda was that scene in Supersize Me where he interviews the guy in the hospital who said that he and his wife drank 2 gallons of soda EVERY DAY, and didn't realize that that might not be so good for you.  Then once I started to do some research on the subject it put me off soda for GOOD.  Perhaps you might try that technique?

::smiles and hugs Jenka::  I am glad for your input.  I am distressed too, hence my need for the string in the first place. 

I wanted to thank you for giving a more scientific approach that lends understanding so that I can improve, or help others improve, is always welcome. 

I realized much of what you said already and that is part of why I do say addiction.  Its hard core sometimes.  That sounds so rediculous to say, but the zippy feeling that the sugar and the caffiene give really leave me wanting more of that sensation.  Its gone from bad habit to daily obsession. 

If you or anyone has more info on how lousy this is for me, bring it on!   I really want to learn.  Heck, obviously my will power is not holding up?  Hmmm,  time to shake up my approach and forcefully think my way out of this situation?  Food for thought ~ Lost Artist

p.s... today was a *reduce alot and check for headaches tomorrow* pepsi day... ~ Lost Artist
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Well, admitting you have an addiction is the first step, right LA?  Hee hee! I think most everyone has something they don't think they can live without. 

Okay, well this may sound counterproductive, but you might try a replacement beverage.  Other beverages have caffeine in them to give you that kick you crave, but without all the chemicals in soda.  Tea especially has quite a bit of caffeine, as well as antioxidants that will actually kill the free radicals in your body created by the soda.  If you also need sweetness, use a sugar substitute like Splenda.  That way you will be getting hundreds fewer calories and chemicals.  The hitch is you would need to drink real (brewed or tea bag) tea, not the crap you get from a bottle of Lipton or Snapple -- those beverages use high fructose corn syrup  which is the real evil ingredient in soda which you are trying to avoid in the first place (also found in hundreds of other foods/drinks and which we should avoid at ALL costs)!

The idea is sort of the theory behind giving methodone to heroin addicts, then weaning them off the methodone, which is easier.  So you want the replacement beverage (whatever you choose) to be a weak approximation of soda so that it's easier to cut down on.  Good luck!

I was turning to hot green tea when I was sick.  I agree with you, it is time to substitute that again.  And as of today I went down for the second day to 24 ounces of Pepsi.  As of 6:30 pm, I have no headache.  I am glad.  I still want more of it, but so far I can go headache free at 24 ounces.  So thats a big first drop down in volume for me.

I was also thinking of doing some money math on this.
I figure I am wasting about $42 a month on Pepsi.  Thats alot on my budget.  Thats over $500 per year.  ::sighs::  way more then I can afford.  So I have another motivating reason to continue this work and quit. ~ Lost Artist
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There is some evidence to suggest that soda, coffee, and tea addiction are manifestations of a very basic human desire for bitter things mixed with sweet things.  There are alkaloids in all of the above things that resemble natural, healthy compounds that our bodies often cry out for. 

When an organism (such as a human being) considers what it needs to consume at a given moment in time, the brain offers up a list of dietary possibilities that would seem to satisfy the needs.  But since our diets are generally so poor, being particularly deficient in green vegetables which are the best source of bitter compounds we need, the only thing in "nutrient memory" the brain thinks of are these bitter drinks.

The unfortunate thing is that not only do these drinks fail to satisfy the bitter craving, and fail to provide any useable minerals (in fact sodas *leech* minerals), but the lack of satisfaction of the bitter craving leads to the brain demanding MORE of the substance to attempt to fill the need.  This is one explanation for the addictiveness of coffee, tea, and soda.  You'll never be satisfied, because you *can't* be satisfied.

If you look at primates -- particularly chimpanzees, our nearest relatives -- you see a lot of them taking alternate bites of greens and some sweet fruit like bananas.  This, I think, is the dietary model our brains are attempting to attach to when we end up desiring the bitter/sweet combination of soda.

In effect, my advice for quitting sodas completely:  up your dosage of bitter green things.  Your brain will be satisfied, and you'll finally be getting the mineral and vitamin content your body's been screaming for all this time.

Add one bunch of dark greens to your diet, whether it's in a salad or blended up in a smoothie with some sweet fruits, and I guarantee you will crave soda much less.

::chuckles:: sounds logical to this monkey and her diet thoughts, Venix.  Thank you.

admission time again, only 24 ounces today.  Tired and draggy, but not bad ~ Lost Artist
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Baby steps!  :)

Glad my thoughts make sense.  I happen to believe that humans have good instincts when it comes to food.  We just have trouble interpreting them, and we surround ourselves with "foods" that confuse them.

This may sound bizarre, but drinking some blended or juiced greens (blended with as much sweet fruit as you like to make it tasty) in the morning will help to an incredible degree with your energy level.  It'll also probably help with the headaches. 

I have a "green smoothie" almost every morning these days.  When I started doing so, I never intended to give up tea... but lo and behold, I just found I didn't want it as much.  I still like my mint and chamomile teas at night, but the black and green teas just don't hold much of a draw for me anymore.

My favorite so far:

1 bunch of black (or dinosaur) kale
2 bananas
a large handful of fresh mint
2 Tb raw cacao nibs (yes, raw chocolate)
2 Tb honey (or as sweet as I feel like)
a pinch of salt

Imagine drinking a mint chocolate smoothie every morning and having it make you feel awesome!

what helped me to quit the pop is to drink flavored waters especially carbonated flavored water i drink the store brand white grape and black cherry ones there like 2.00 for four and they have no caffine no calories no sugar and no carbs so theyre all around good for you it got me off the dew and i hope it can help you too!

what helped me to quit the pop is to drink flavored waters especially carbonated flavored water i drink the store brand white grape and black cherry ones there like 2.00 for four and they have no caffine no calories no sugar and no carbs so theyre all around good for you it got me off the dew and i hope it can help you too!

I was able to cut back for a few days, but yesterday and today I overdid the pepsi again.  ::standing up among the rows of silent soda addicts::  I know... knew and know that this will be hard.  But I can see that I am regaining.  I got to the point last night that I was drinking the pepsi, disliking the taste, and drinking more.

Ugh, I am seriously thinking salad.  I wish I had the money for a blender.  Maybe I can get some spinach growing this summer?  or pot some kale in indoor pots?  ~ Lost Artist
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I was able to cut back again.  Only 20 ounces of Pepsi today.  I was very happy with myself for that.  ::self hug:: but now I am tired earlier.  Not a surprise, I wont let this temporary effect drag me down.  ~ Lost Artist
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p.s.   I still want a salad.  Time to get out and shop.

Being self accountable.

Today I am trying to reinstitute an old rule for myself about Pepsi.  None after 4 pm.  So today I have had my 24 ounces and it is around 4:15.  Only green tea, for the rest of the day and night.  It has a much smaller effect caffiene wise, and does not load on the processed sugar. 

Maybe this has turned into a motivational string instead? Hmm?  ~ Lost Artist.

today I held down to 16 ounces of pepsi.  I slipped some on my work days, but when I am at home I am in more control.  Going to have to figure that out. 

I need a behavioral exercise to get myself out of the habits such as when I drink my pepsi.  three things get me wanting it... I like the taste, or I want a boost, or habits.  ~ Lost Artist
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