Diet Coke

I can remember the day I took my first drink of Diet Coke. I was 18 and had been addicted to Coke but started a preventive migraine medicine. One of the weird side effects was that it made carbonated beverages taste different. Coke tasted horrible, so I figured I’d try Diet Coke, I was cutting the calories, right? That was 17 years ago. 

Before I recently quit, I loved Diet Coke. I drank up to 5 or 6 a day. Water always came second. It was such a treat to me and always what I needed in the morning – that taste of it burning down my throat and giving my the caffeine boost I needed to start my day. Then I’d get to work and have like 5 more. That burn in the morning and the feeling of “ahh, this day will be ok” is what I miss most. It’s almost making me want one right now, but I know if I took a sip it would let me down, it would taste badly and make me feel bloated and sick.

When I moved to Corpus Christi, I saw a new doctor. When he learned that I drank Diet Coke, he told me to stop. I didn’t. Next month (9 years later), I get to tell him that I’ve stopped after trying to stop that whole 9 years. Oh, yeah. I’ve tried before, always half-heartedly and never got anywhere past 2 weeks. But this time is different. I’m not going back. I have no reason to. 

All the findings of Diet Coke scare me: it’s linked to diabetes and heart disease. It’s also linked to depression and we all know I don’t need more of that 🙂 But seriously, it doesn’t cause weight loss, it’s not nutritious and there’s really no reason to drink it, besides it being delicious. And after quitting for a few days, it doesn’t even taste good anymore. I promise. 

It’s bittersweet writing this blog – a dumb blog about soda – but I think what makes me sad is there is no “treat” for me in the fridge anymore. Diet Coke became a comfort for me. I drink water and tea now but nothing can replace that feeling of grabbing a cold one at 3 p.m. when your kids are driving you crazy and you just need a pick-me-up until your husband comes up and helps you with your hot mess family. 

(And don’t even get my started on coffee – I tried it for weeks and nothing worked for me. You can’t convince me that any of it is good.)

Anyway, so long Diet Coke. You needed to go but that doesn’t mean I won’t miss our years together.