The Great Diet Coke Experiment

I used to drink nothing but Caffeine Free Diet Coke. You know, because caffeine is so damn unhealthy for you. No really, I drank it because I hate drinking plain water, and Diet Coke comes in large flats at Costco. I'm all for the least amount of effort possible.

I have always enjoyed iced tea, but would only order it in restaurants. Have I mentioned the my fondess for laziness?

One day almost a year ago, Hubba-hubba bought me an iced tea maker (no, not for my birthday or our anniversary, just because). It was around that time when the big news was how unhealthy drinking diet colas was and all that, so I decided to switch cold turkey to drinking iced tea exclusively.

I experimented with different teas, finding new ones that I liked, and finding a few inedible clunkers as well. But, I at least had the choice of making different teas instead of the same old, same old.

I started feeling better. Not like "Wow! I feel like running a marathon now!" better, but just a bit less bloated and actually felt more hydrated. I would drink and drink those Diet Cokes like a fiend, and yet still find myself thirsty. Not so with the tea. I don't put sugar in my tea, either, so that was even better.

There was still a flat of Diet Cokes in the garage, though, in case of emergency. And for the last few days, while there hasn't been an emergency, I have been too lazy busy to make my own tea. It involved cleaning some things by hand, and my 21st century self was just not down with that. So I started digging into the Coke stash, and found myself drinking it for three days straight.

I'm really busy, ok?

But then I started to feel blah. A teensy big sluggish, a more than teensy bit bloated in the tummy, and like I could never get enough of it to drink to feel not thirsty.

So, I have taken this long to tell you that I really don't ever want to drink Diet Coke any more. That tea makes me feel better, and I will make sure not to lapse into such extreme busyness that I don't make my own again.

My friends, was it worth reading all of that for just a two sentence conclusin?

Nah, but it sure made me feel better.

Comments

Awesome Mom said…
You just wasted 60 seconds of my life! Lol! I am glad that you are feeling better. I never got the idea of diet caffeine free coke. It is coke with out all the good stuff. I can't stand the taste of the artificial sweetener that is used in diet sodas.
Anvilcloud said…
Traitor! Seriously ... good for you.
J said…
Oh diet coke, I wish I could quit you...I've done it, but the siren song always lures me back in. Sigh.
dgm said…
I used to love me my Diet Cokes (regular, not decaf). Then I went off caffeine entirely for a while, and I never really missed it. Occasionally I'll have some (my hubby drinks it), but rarely an entire can. When I do, all I can think of is how it's depleting my calcium supply. Not good.

I was just thinking I should try to embrace ice tea. I love iced coffee, and ice tea (sun tea) would be so easy to make. I guess I've resisted because it seems so southern. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Steph said…
Good for you! I keep trying to drop my Mountain Dews, but always come back to it. One day....
Autumn's Mom said…
I wished I liked tea more. I said I wasn't going to have any before the wedding (b/c of the bloating) and sadly, I'm sitting here reading your post and sipping a soda.
Have you tried Diet Dr. Pepper? ha ha. Just kidding.

I say kudos for you, but you are a better woman than I. I truly, truly, truly am addicted to caffeine and since I already get migraines, I'm afraid of stopping drinking my diet DP. And that is like my only vice. I don't drink coffee or alcohol or smoke but darn it, I gotta have my diet dp's....
Chris said…
Good for you. Anything diet is not so good. ;)
Suz Broughton said…
As a Diet Coke addict, I'm afraid I can't support your decision.
As a reader of your blog that wants you to feel good and not "Blah" I am happy for you.
Ortizzle said…
Try herbal teas, too, if you haven't. You will feel even better. :-)
Maternal Mirth said…
Just so you know, my ex husband was a Chicago cop and they used Diet Coke to clean blood off pavement. That's how not good it is for you ... sadly, I still drink pop. Only it's Diet Pepsi for me ...
Jess T said…
Okay, so what teas to you like? I'm always looking to try new things.
Ted said…
I was never addicted to soft drinks, but I'm married to someone who is. :-)

My problem is alcohol. Some switch flipped in my body and I can't drink too much anymore. When I do, I have a lot of trouble sleeping. I tried cutting back and I think I've found my limit: one drink -- if it's wine. The hard stuff? I can have up to three drinks and I'm good. After that, it's restless nights and a lot of tossing and turning.
Gina said…
I'm actually drinking green tea (thank you Costco for boxes with 200 tea bags!)

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