Diet Coke is my vice.  I don’t drink a lot of it, really, but I do have at least one every single day.  I gave it up while I was pregnant (at least until I caught one of my doctors–a very pregnant doctor–enjoying her own Diet Coke).  And since I’m nursing Baby Blue, I have switched, for the most part, to caffeine-free–which is funny, because you’d think caffeine would be the reason I drink it in the first place. 

Sure, there are sleepy afternoons when I seek out a fully caffeinated DC as a pick-me-up.  But clearly, there are other reasons I like the stuff.  I enjoy the experience.  It’s cool and fizzy and sweet.  I have the crazy idea that a Diet Coke can cure a sucky day.  It can’t make me fat.  And like a fine wine, it goes well with certain foods. 

So why do I want to eliminate it? 

Let’s face it: a Diet Coke has absolutely no nutritional value.  There may actually be some rather unhealthy ingredients (the rumors about aspartame are not pretty).  Every DC I drink is one less glass of water.  It adds a couple bucks to every restaurant bill (not to mention the cost of my home stash). And those foods it goes well with?  None of them are good for me.  We’re talking popcorn (any salty snack, really), pizza, chocolate, pasta, tacos (need I go on?).  I can’t think of one fruit that tastes good with Diet Coke.  While it contibutes no calories on its own, the complementary calories are reason enough to eliminate it from my diet. 

So, like everything else in the plan, I’m going to do it gradually.  This week, I’ll go one day without soda.  Next week, I’ll go two.  Maybe one day, I’ll be able to have a Diet Coke once in a while. 

And maybe not.  I might get so healthy (and hot) that I don’t need that vice anymore.

Written by Cheryl on Wednesday, August 26th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
Filed under Cheryl.
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