Recovering Pop addict

Hi my name is Erin and I am a Diet Pepsi-aholic

I have always been a diet pop drinker, it was always was in the house, I was always allowed to drink it in fact I never drank milk or juice always diet pop. All the way into my adulthood when I realized what an addiction it actually was. If I would go without a pop for several hours I would begin to get a headache, my co-workers would joke "uh oh Erin hasn't had her pop yet this morning, watch out!" It was a staple on my grocery list. I would have a swig of pop first thing in the morning, drink a whole 710 ml bottle by noon, have another one at lunch, one a dinner, and one or more in the evening till bed. In one day I was consuming up too 5 bottles in a day.

If anyone ever commented on my addiction I would answer that there were way worse things to be addicted too. It's not like anyone was ever arrested for driving under the influence of soda, I never missed work because of it and no one my family had staged and intervention. So there. It was a vice that wasn't really that bad. I loved the drink. But I made a decision to give it up. That sure it wasn't so bad but it was an addiction, I needed to stop. So despite my hatred for New year resolutions the date is pretty symbolic for changing something in your life, I chose to quit drinking pop.

I drank my last Diet Pepsi at 15 mins to midnight. I am now 20 days out. It wasn't easy. The first four days I had this fuzzy headache feeling. I was absolutely exhausted the first week, because I was also giving up caffeine since I don't like coffee. I was in bed by 9:30 pm each night since I could barely keep my eyes open. Luckily I didn't have too many mood swings so I wasn't unbearable to be around. What I have noticed is that since I got over the withdrawal my mood has generally stabilized no more highs and lows during the day. I have been going to bed at a normal time and having an easier time getting up in the morning. And I am saving money which is always a great motivator for me.

The slippery slope

Well What took me a year to lose took me six months to gain almost all of it back. The last six months have been one big disaster. Now there was no big trauma or life altering problem that shot me off track, It started off slow, I was very busy in July working two jobs. Even though this was short term it wiped me of energy. I stopped going to the Gym. But I would always start back tomorrow. Then in August there was a slew of birthday parties to attend, barbeques to go to sure I had gained 10 pounds but that could be fixed I would start tomorrow. I would always start tomorrow. Then 30 lbs had climbed back on my body and I was beginning to feel like a overstuffed sausage casing, I was feeling terrible, I couldn't face going to the gym, or even coming to read blogs I was exhausted all the time. But I would start next week back on track. Then in November I hurt my ankle really badly and was hardly able to walk on it for weeks, I said screw it I'll start in January. And here I am. I gained back 50 lbs in six months.