For most of our marriage, we didn't really buy soda. Sometimes, if there was a great sale, I'd pick up a 12-pack and it would last for a long time. We have so few other vices (no alcohol, no coffee, no drugs, etc...) that a diet soda in the afternoon felt like a relatively harmless treat. Over the years, we started buying (and drinking, obviously) more and more. Then, a few months ago, I realized that we were going through an average of 3-4 12-packs of soda each week. Eddie will readily admit that he drank the lion's share-- starting with Mountain Dew mixed with his orange juice at breakfast, and often slugged down 10 cans of Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper while watching college football on Saturdays. I rationed myself, and drank a single soda each day, ice cold, with a magazine, just after I put Maren down for a nap (one less person to share with).
After our air conditioner broke last week and we were left with a huge bill, Eddie suggested that we could tighten our belts by dropping out the soda habit. I was thrilled-- I've been wanting to break him of this vice of his for months. We ran out of soda on Friday, and when I went shopping on Saturday, I didn't buy any more. We've now been soda-free for four days. He's fine-- going merrily about his days drinking water and Crystal Light. I, on the other hand, am a mess. I've been substituting chocolate cake for Diet Coke, which is never a good idea, and really miss my early afternoon break from reality. Guess that just goes to show who the real addict is.
10 comments:
you forgot that subsitution principle eh?
As the shopper in our family, I really should stop supporting my dh's habit. But I just don't know what I would do without my "one-a-day" either!
Hi Shelah. I have to agree on the needing-a-vice thing. Come on, everything else is forbidden, can't I enjoy my dr. pepper each day? My hubby hates soda & that I'm a soda drinker, but I have to have some sort of break from reality, and that is the way I chose to do it.
Good luck with your soda-free existence. I know I should, but I can't see it happening any time soon.
BTW, I read your post on fem mormon housewives. It was really good. I didn't know you'd taught college english; one day when I grow up I want to have that as my profession.
I think it may be the fact that it's connected to your downtime--I always hold tight to my naptime rituals!!
I love Diet Coke and actually it's one of those things I just can't keep in the house.
we are trying to kick the soda habit too. It got really bad when I was pregnant, and Im having a super hard time now that I cant drink milk either. I cant convince my body what my mind knows- exactly how horrid it is for the body.
I had serious withdrawals when we sold the restaurant (no more free sodas every afternoon). But honestly, I feel so much better now. Good luck!
Tell me again, why exactly is one soda a day bad?
It's not bad. I just know that if I start buying it again, we'll quickly return to our four-packs a week habit. If I could keep him to drinking one a day, then I wouldn't have to break myself of it.
I stopped drinking soda in high school when I ran cross country. Since then I have never been able to drink more than a sip here or there. It just feels too sweet and syrupy. If you give it a few weeks maybe the urge will go away - I like chocolate cake better anyway.
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