Only 12 days...

What is it that draws people to pop, especially diet sodas? Is there something in it that we just can’t get enough of? Is it the caffeine? The taste? The happiness that there are no extra calories when we drink diet soda?

I’ve gone without pop for 12 days now, and I’m not sure if I miss it. Sometimes I really do wish I could go out and get a liter of Diet Coke – but what is it that makes me want it? The carbination? Does it really make me feel full?

I think part of the appeal, at least for diet sodas, is that they don’t have any calories, so in some respects we look at it as an alternative to water. I don’t know about you, but I get sick of drinking plain water. There’s no real flavor, and unless it’s really cold, it doesn’t really quench my thirst.

It’s so common now-a-days to see people reach into a fridge and walk away with a soda. Lately I see more people grabbing a bottle of coke instead of a water bottle. In college, I see more people grabbing a can of coke in the morning instead of fresh juice. Going out to dinner, I’d say 80 percent of the people there are drinking pop instead of water or milk. How has our society become so dependent on pop?

What’s interesting is that last summer my roommate decided to give up pop. She, like me, was used to having a couple cans a day. There was no happy medium. So one day, she just gave it up. After that, though, she noticed she was sleeping much better. Another friend of mine recently gave up pop too, and he said he can already tell the positive affects it’s had on his life.

Like I said, it’s been 12 days since I’ve had my Diet Coke fix (and believe me, it’s been a struggle) but looking back, it almost seems easy to do without. I’ve been drinking much more water. When I go out to eat or even when I’m thirsty in the evenings, I reach for water. (I actually think it’s the Crystal Light packets that are saving me…) At times it was hard to make the switch, but I highly recommend it.

Or, you could do what a co-worker suggested. Before she has a diet coke, she drinks 20 ounces of water. That way you’re getting the best of both worlds. You’re getting your water requirement while still allowing yourself to indulge in a pop.

For now, though, I think I’ll just stick with water. When I head back to school, that’s when I’ll need the caffeine again…