I have been struggling with a diet coke addiction for a long time...probably something like 15years.
It started innocently enough...at 16 - 17years old. Our High school got a pop machine and like many teenage girls, I was conscious of my weight. It was then that I started an unhealthy relationship with diet soft drinks-7up,coke, etc. My drug of choice quickly became Diet Coke. I know some of you may find it laughable to call Diet Coke a drug, or find this hardly represents a true addiciton. But its true. I submit these facts as evidence.
- I always make sure there is a supply in the house.
- I've been know to make a special trip out in the middle of the night to get pop if I happen to run out.
- I make certain to have cash with me when I go to work so that I can purchase Diet Coke from the vending machine. EVERY NIGHT
- I religiously have a can of Diet Coke immediately when I wake up in the morning.
- I used to believe that pop was only for lunch and after... now I drink it all the time.
- A 12 pack might last me 2 days...MAX.
- The idea dumping out a 2liter and not drinking it makes me teary-eyed.
- I won't let my children have diet coke coz I'm afraid they become addicted as well.
It is a problem for me. And a costly one at that. Lets say you find a sale like the one at the local grocery store this week 3/$10 on 12 packs of can (my personal preference) that's $3.34 for 1 12pack plus $1.20 for Bottle deposit which i get back when I redeem the cans so I'll omit that in my calculations here. That would be about $0.28 per can. I'm at about 6 to 8 cans a day so I'll low ball and used 6 cans. That alone over the course of a year comes to $102.20. And that doesn't even include the 2 pops each night I work at the vending machine at $0.50 each. That's a buck each night 5 nights a week 52 weeks a year... in a year that is another $260.00 so now we are at $362.20 and that still doesn't include pop at restaurants which is usually outrageously expensive in comparison at about $1.99 a glass (free refills but still) I must admit I never really added it up until now....it's pretty sad to look at....and I remind you...those are low estimates.
Right now it's been just over 24 hours since I last had Diet Coke and I'm feeling pretty crummy. I have a splitting headache and hubby says I'm "in a mood".
My short term goal: is to remove Diet Coke from my life and Diet pop in general. So for now, no Diet Coke, No diet pop of any kind and no dark cola type pops (Coke, Pepsi, Root Beer, Dr. Pepper). For right now I'll leave pops like sprite in my list of accepted beverages. But since I'm trying to lose weight too...They'll be minimal due to their high and empty calorie content.
Wish me luck!!
