I’ve been addicted to Coke for the past four years or so. Most days I’ll drink over two liters per day. On some days, my only form of liquid intake was Coke. What the hell was I thinking?
Answer: I wasn’t.
Now in this first week of my healthy lifestyle plan, I’ve decided to quit Coke cold turkey. You can see on the right-hand side bar of this blog that I’ve added a widget which shows how many days since my last soda (soft-drink). This is to help keep me accountable. At the time of writing this post, it’s been almost five days since my last Coke or soda drink of any kind.
I’m no longer prepared to let even a little bit of this poison into my body. I have decided to banish all sodas from my life. With an addiction you have to do that.
The Impact Of Soda Drinks On Your Health.
Coke, like all sodas, has absolutely no benefit for you. Absolutely none. Look at what drinking soda drinks can do to your body.
Dr. Moses Elisaf from the department of internal medicine at the University of Ioannina in Greece said: “We are consuming more soft drinks than ever before and a number of health issues have already been identified including tooth problems, bone demineralization and the development of metabolic syndrome and diabetes.” Source: Guardian.co.uk.
Basically, too much cola or other soda drinks has negative health consequences due to it containing lots of sugar, phosphorous and caffeine. We now know that constant sugar rushes are a major factor in the development of Type II diabetes. Evidence is starting to come out that high levels of sugar can even cause some neurological disorders.
What I’ve Replaced Soda Drinks With
Obviously, I have to get fluids from somewhere. I had several choices to replace Coke with: milk, fruit juice, coffee or tea, beer or wine and many others. In the end I chose the simplest and cheapest choice.
Water.
I’ve been drinking three liters of water per day since starting to kick my Coke habit. I haven’t had any withdrawal symptoms such as headaches or mood swings. I think this is because all my other habits during this first week of my healthy lifestyle design plan have remained the same. I didn’t try to change all my unhealthy habits at once. I plan to introduce only one or two new habits per week.
One Good Habit Gives Birth To Another.
One thing that’s worth mentioning is that for the past year or so I’ve been drinking the low calorie version of Coke. I preferred Coca Cola Zero. What I’ve found very interesting is now having replaced Coca Cola Zero with water, I’m no longer hungry later in the evenings. For years, I’ve had a habit where about three hours after dinner I would get hungry and have a bowl of instant noodles.
However, now that I’m only drinking water, I’ve cut out the late supper meal because I’m no longer hungry. Eating those empty calories so soon before going to bed would have definitely been a factor in my weight gain over the past few years. I remember reading somewhere that diet sodas contain an artificial sweetener, which, while being low in calories, can actually stimulate appetite. Whether this is true or not, I’m not sure.
So, by introducing one good habit into my life, I’ve found it very easy to introduce another good habit.
Try applying this to your life and see what happens. Good luck!
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G'day! I'm Gordie, founder and editor-in-chief of Lifestyle Design For You. I want to welcome you to the center of the universe when it comes to lifestyle design and personal development blogs. We're a team of ten writers providing you with articles to help nourish your mind and improve your life. Lifestyle design is about designing your life so you can do what you want when you want. 
{ 50 comments… read them below or add one }
Gordie,
I used to drink Dr. Pepper every day. When I decided to quit, thinking the caffine was causing my rapid heart rate, I experienced very bad head aches. I’m so glad you haven’t had to deal with that!!
Now I’ve learned I’m allergic to corn. That means regular soda is out of the question. High fructose corn syrup is in EVERYTHING and there is a LOT of it in soda. Now if I want something special to drink, I’ll either mix low sodium club soda with 100% juice concentrate, or I’ll purchase a Mexican soda as their are made with real cane sugar. Because neither is very convenient, I rarely drink them. But, it is nice to have a treat every so often.
Drink that water, man!!!
Erica Mueller’s last blog ..Scrapblog, the Digital Scrapbook Creator
Hi Erica,
In the past when I went on a health-kick, I tried to change everything at once and experienced headaches and mood swings. I’m glad this time, I have take a slower road. Yes, fructose corn syrup is evil stuff. The more natural I eat over time the less of it I’ll have.
Wow! That was some addiction. I love Coke, only the full fat version sadly, so I limit myself to a couple a week.
Water is the answer – it’s just so good for you. I invested in a water cooler for the kitchen a few years ago and we all drink gallons of the stuff, essential in such a hot climate.
Mike CJ’s last blog ..Sorry guys, but those are NOT membership sites
Hi Mike,
Yeah, a water cooler is great. When I move back to NZ I will hopefully get a water filter of some sort. I think tap water has too much chlorine and fluoride in it for my taste. In China here we have water delivered for our water cooler. It’s great.
I’m a former Coke addict myself! I quit cold turkey as you did, and I’m SO happy that I did it. Don’t you just feel better in general? I replaced my soda addiction with water and green tea.
Great to read more about the changes you are making in regards to your health! Good job.
Nate’s last blog ..Soap. Lather. Rinse. Repeat 鈥?The art of living free in the moment while naked in the shower
HI Nate,
Congratulations for kicking the habit too. I also think it’s going to save me a bit of money too.
I like the odd Coke Zero to quench a thirst when it is too early for a cryogenically chilled San Miguel. I also found if I drank more than 3 CZ’s I used to get a splitting headache so I am very careful how many cans I crack open.
Kevin Tea’s last blog ..Showdocument Makes A Pitch In E-Learning Sector
Moderation is the key if you’re not an addict.
I’ve been a water drinker for 17 years now; half of my life. I’ll have juice maybe once a week, the odd glass of milk, but 95% of my fluids are H2O.
It took a severe bout of dehydration – not being able to move and dry heaving for hours – for me to kick the coke/soda habit. My body thanks me for it.
Ryan’s last blog ..Ryan Biddulph Quotes: Hard Work
Wow, Ryan,
That sounds like a nasty case of dehydration. I also know that drinking soda can increase the chances of kidney stones. Painful stuff.
Soda is indeed not a healthy form of hydration. I fortunately do not have an addiction to soda, my vice is ice cream. My hubby on the other hand does have the soda addiction and it took the painful passing of 2 kidney stones to realize that he needs to change his habits.
I love your idea of the counter on your blog for holding yourself accountable.
Patty Reiser’s last blog ..Thursday’s 13: The book edition
Thanks Patty. I love ice-cream from time to time too. Thankfully it’s not an addiction for me. However, I will only have it on the rarest of occasions from now on.
I can surely relate to this. I loved coke, still do. Used to drink about 4 litres a day. Loved that tingle I got in my mouth after a ice cold coke.
But when money slowly dried out, had to learn to do with what we had. Now days, still like the odd, but don’t think I have a craving.
Robert Bravery’s last blog ..Don’t put me down.
You’ll have saved a packet of money cutting out four liters per day. Also, your body will be thanking you for it.
We used to go through two 2-liter coke bottles a day! Then we moved to Belize, and 2 liters are unheard of. They have the old-fashioned glass bottles that need an opener. It started being a special event to drink soda, and we’d do it about once a week. We started drinking water, too! And it started to feel weird without a lot of water. Well, we needed it in that hot climate, as well.
Ever notice that when you drink a lot of soda, you don’t even taste it anymore? We rarely drink soda anymore. And when we do, it doesn’t taste that great.
You’ll notice that with a lot of stuff if you eat more natural foods, and less processed. The real food tastes tons better! I love it.
Leighann Garber’s last blog ..Setting Down Your Roots
Hi Leighann,
Welcome to my blog. It’s great to see you here contributing.
That’s surprising Bilize doesn’t sell two liter bottles. Anyway, I always did feel that Coke tasted best cold out of a glass bottle.
Ginger ale has been my choice for many years, and I’ve not really been a heavy drinker of them, but soda is soda. After reading this article I’m going to cut back and drink even more water. The year is closing out and it’s a great time to get a new start on some better habits. Good inspiration.
Jimi Jones’s last blog ..Higher Education 鈥?The Continual Building of Yourself
Glad to hear you feel inspired by this post to create some new habits. No need to wait until New Year. Start developing them now.
Hi, my name is Daniel. I am a coke addict. I was clean for over a month now but fell for three good looking cans yesterday. I had them in the fridge and then my wife sent me a link to your article. And guess what? After reading your article, we all drank a can of coke. I’ll try to stay clean again. So Gordie, stay clean and resist the temptation
Great blog!
Daniel’s last blog ..Monster Cat?
Hi Daniel,
I hope it wasn’t my post that triggered you to drink. You slipped up, but you can get back on with being soda free. I also think if you can keep it out of the house, it will help reduce temptation a lot.
Hey Gordie, I’m behind you all the way!!!!
BTW: I am officially no longer calling you my Teddy Bear, OK? ; )
I actually have a B.S. in Nutrition so I can spout all kinds of advice to you. But if it’s one thing I’ve learn working with people and their diets/nutrition/loosing weight – you already know what to do. Most people do. It’s about changing habits and lifestyle.
It looks like you’re on the way by finding one of the BEST ways to control your weight – watch your liquids. I actually don’t drink sodas but only rarely, and don’t drink juices, either, since they are really calorie dense for the nutritional value. I do have wine often, so I guess that’s my Achilles heel.
Even us food and nutrition freaks have our downfalls.
More importantly, I’ve found you can eat almost anything if you exercise regularly. Here are my big three tips in order of importance for you, Gordie (free of charge – ha!):
1) Exercise as much as you possibly can – and then do more
2) Get a support system – friends, family, or even bloggers to give you positive feedback to change your habits (see…you’re already there with your blog!)
3) Stop eating crappy foods – yes you already know what they are
You can do this! It’s your life, Gordie! Take it back!
~xo
Lori’s last blog ..Proof: Extraterrestrial Life Exists
Hi Lori,
It’s great to have some qualified such as yourself to give me advice. And free advice at that!
Yes, because I’ve been so sedentary for so long, I’m going to start off with just light exercise for twenty minutes per day for the first week.
Crappy food is also being targeted for the chop.
Thank heavens you’re on the right track now. I do enjoy a bit of sparkling spring water of an evening (and the occasional glass of wine) but otherwise I don’t touch much soda. It’s vile. Especially the orange one. My pet hates is seeing parents give their kids coca cola. Really, why would anyone do that?
Hi Annabel,
I also dislike seeing parents giving their babies and very young kids junk food. In China many fathers still smoke right in front of their kids.
You are walking your talk. Keep it up!
Thanks, Boris.
Gordie,
That was a hell of a tagline to get our attention. Good for you for kicking the habit. I actually almost never drink soda because I can’t since I have IBS. Water is vital to our lives.
Srinivas Rao’s last blog ..Surfing, Zen, and Your Inner Child
Hi Srinivas,
I think I have a bit of IBS too when I drink soft drink. Maybe it’s a good weakness to have in someways as long as it doesn’t stop you from eating too many foods.
Hey Gordie.
This is solid material. That was a lot of coke that you were drinking. I haven’t drank soda for a few years now, and I won’t touch it. They do very good marketing to young folks though.
Nice switch you are making here. If enough people make this switch then garbage drink and food companies slowly go out of business, but I don’t expect that to happen.
I basically only drink water, but I still don’t drink enough. That could be my new habit to work on. If I drank a couple more cups a day, it would do quite a bit of good. Thanks for the reminder.
Armen Shirvanian’s last blog ..Motivation Related To Production
Hey Armen,
I wish many of those garbage food and drink companies did go out of business. Besides giving some people some jobs, what good are they doing for mankind? In my opinion they aren’t adding any value to us.
Drink more water, man. Flush your body clean.
Wow, there are so many coke addicts out there…
The only thing I find weird about coke is that I find it very filling when hunger strikes.
So Gordie? with 5days and 21hrs in, how has the switch-over been?
Feel any different? Feel refreshed?
Johnluffa’s last blog ..Personal Networking Can Benefit Your Blog [Part 1]
Hey John,
Feeling good. My stomach seems to feel better for it. I’m sleeping a bit better too. I suspect that is because I’m no longer taking in caffeine. Overall, it’s been a bit easier than I thought. I was worried that by going cold turkey I may get headaches or mood swings, but thankfully I haven’t.
hi!
wow, and I was feeling like a bit of a freak for being a Diet Coke addict – that junk is so hard to kick. It’s as much a mental addiction as a physical one I think. I’m torn between being relieved that I’m not the only one, and really sad that we’ve all been hooked on this crap. I think you’re right, cold turkey is gonna be the only way to start kicking it outta my system, weaning back just doesn’t work for me. And +++upping my water consumption at the same time. Thanks for the post Gordie!
Carrie’s last blog ..Christmas Craft Show at The Convention Centre
Hi Carrie,
Yeah, replace Coke with water, that way you at least will at least not feel thirsty. Not thirsty means less chance of grabbing a soda. Thanks.
I plan to follow your lead — I cut soft drinks out completely on a health kick a few years ago, and found it easy to get used to. Then I fell off the wagon, and need to find my way back. You’re right. There’s nothing in it good for you. Thanks for the inspiration.
TheWordWire’s last blog ..Wisdom of The Ham Sandwich Fixins
Get back on the wagon as soon as you can. Your health is at stake. Thanks for popping along.
Hello, My name is Jonny and I too am a Coke Addict
Jonny | thelifething.com’s last blog ..How To Be A Chocolate Coated, Sprinkle Covered, Irresistible Social Supermagnet
Hey Jonny,
How long to you plan to be one for?
You & I shared the same addiction. I gave up coke & only drink it when I have a migraine. Funny thing it helps my headache. Good luck on recovering. Maybe we should form a rehab group for cola addicts? lol
Rose´s last blog ..USB-powered boob warmer
Welcome, Rose!
That’s interesting that it helps your migraines. Is it possible that your migraines are caused by low blood sugar levels and that any other sweet thing would quickly get rid of the headache too?
My mother was a diabetic so I have to get my sugars checked once a year. Sugar levels are fine. I think the migraine is more a caffeine headache.
Rose´s last blog ..How do you Twitter- Twitter Tools
Hi Rose,
So, the caffeine in the Coke helps your headaches? Perhaps you’re experiencing caffeine withdrawal symptoms. Maybe you can try pushing through them for a couple more weeks and you might have successfully weened yourself off the caffeine by then.
Gordie,
Why don’t you try some non-caffeinated drinks. I know the substance is addictive same with coffee. Coke is really popular here in our country but I make sure we drink a glass at least twice a week only.
Rian´s last blog ..Gift Suggestion – Syma Radio Control Helicopter
Welcome, Rian!
I think the thing is for me to also cut out sugar. Sugar can be addictive as you get used to those sugar rushes. Water is probably better for me than sodas and juices.
I am experiencing caffeine withdrawal symptoms. The only time I drink a coke now is if I have a headache.
Rose´s last blog ..10 Christmas themes for Blogger
You may need to keep cutting down the amount you drink until you ween yourself completely off it. Good luck, Rose.
I only drink two a month. lol Caffeine headaches are caused by lack of caffeine. That includes coffee etc. I barely drink any caffeine now. A coffee about 3 times a week and the rest the time I drink tea which has less caffeine- some n caffeine.
Rose´s last blog ..10 Christmas themes for Blogger
Only two per month should be fine. Green tea is quite nice in the summer, too.
Hi Gordie
I found your blog via Far Beyond the Stars. Well done on quitting coke! Keep at it, you’ll notice the difference now in your waistline, but the real difference will be in later years when you’re old and healthy. When (if) ever you feel like slipping back into your old ways just drive past an old age home and look at all those bent over oldies hobbling around with their zimmer-frames. Treat your body kindly now and it will reward you tenfold in years to come.
Cheers, Angela
I don’t know if this is true buy my doctor said bubbles in coke make you hyper acidic? How come? But Gordie I think you should refrain form taking too much caffeine hehe.
Ricardo´s last blog ..What is Methodology Chapter? – Writing Your Methodology Page