Monday, July 14, 2008

Coca-Cola Challenge Update


With the exception of one day over the weekend, I've past the 2 week mark on my Coca-Cola Challenge. Saturday night I was having a really stressful time and began carving a nice cold Coke. I was home by myself and I knew my hubby and daughter wouldn't be home until after midnight.

As my anxiety kept creeping and creeping closer to the breaking point, I made up my mind I had to have a Coke or I was going to explode. So, I got in the car and drove one mile down the road to a little country store that has soda machines out front. I plunked $.50 in and nothing happened. In my frustration, I kicked the machine, and then plunked in another $.50. Success - out came a 12 oz. can of Coke, with only one problem. The can was hot, hot, hot!!! The cooling element must not have been working on the machine. But I didn't care, I had my drug and I was taking it home.

Once at home, I filled a glass to the brim with ice and poured the hot Coke over it. After the fizzle and foam died down, I finally took and nice big gulp - and nothing happened. For some reason the Coke just didn't taste the same. After 2 weeks of drinking lemonade, had my taste for Coke really changed? I'm not sure; maybe it was because the Coke was hot to begin with, I just don't know.

Anyway, after I finished the Coke I realized my anxiety was still there, so I took out a notebook and started writing down my thoughts. Within 20 minutes of writing, I was suddenly feeling better.

I think I learned a valuable lesson from my temporary fall off the wagon - Coke was not the cure for my depression and anxiety, it was just a crutch I had come to depend on. The writing helped better than anything. So, today my resolve is back in place and I'm drinking my lemonade like a good girl. This morning, I have no desire for a Coke, so my challenge continues.

3 comments:

EatPlayLove said...

You are doing a great job! Keep up the hard work, one day at a time right?!

Only One Heidi said...

good for you! I've gone about that long without soda also - except today. i had a sprite in a can because there was no water. it was a catered lunch. but i've been drinking a lot of water with the little crystal light on the go packets :)

Going Crunchy said...

I'm a former Coke and coffee junkie. Once I stopped drinking any kind of sodas, I found they tasted actually kinda nasty.

I now drink only one small coffee in the morning with soymilk. (That was hard, I used to hop it up with sugar). The rest of the time in the day I may drink 1-2 cups of green tea. I just got myself used to drinking it absolutely straight with nothing in it.

I find that now I'm not hopping myself up and down with the sugar and caffine, the green tea is an anti-oxidant and helps me feel good. My health and wellness has improved overall and I have much more energy.

So you go girl. Keep the junk in the can. Shan