Another day, another way to fool myself....

Yes-  I need other ways to fool myself into thinking I am not missing drinking diet pepsi-   pllleeeaaazzzzeeee..  Actually not that bad but I really need to explore other drinks.  I may really need to start loving red wine or some other healthy alcoholic beverage.

Physical report-  not much change yet.  My back is sore but that has always been typical.  My knees are not much better even though I still walk/run 45 minutes a day.  Going up stairs are the real pain in the ass!!

2+ weeks down!!!!

Never thought I wuld make it this far and still be upright.  Have had 3 people ask me what the hardest time of day is for me to not have a pop/diet pepsi.  No question about it, sometime around 7-8 p.m..  Watching TV, sports, etc.  Also found out that it is hard to find tea or other non-soda drinks in restaurants or fast food places.  Subway has a very good unsweetened tea drink- best I have had.

Had a bad headache last night due to some caffeine withdrawal.  Did not have any tea or anything Saturday and Sunday.  Feels better today but I also had some tea at noon. 

I may be feeling some relief in some of my joints and muscles.  Will try to keep note to track any improvements.

Some cravings returning!!! Leave me alone!!!!!

Very proud that I have done this for 12 days.  I have not waivered and not one sip of any kind of pop during that 12 day period.  But it is hard!!!   Damn, I wish I had more alternatives.  Just not the same going to a movie theater and having popcorn with WATER.  Yuck!  Being a diabetic, I can't/don't want the frozen slurpee drink or the lemonade.   I really am not having any headaches and I have "kicked" the habit but I really do lack alternative drinks.  With pop- you could even have varieties like lemondade or 7up.  For me, iced tea is number one, followed by ocean spray splenda drinks.  (Water is a given).

My knees are slightly improved, not significant yet.  My stomach comes and goes, definitely better,   Energy level is improving, there are times when Icould really use a hard shot of pop with caffeine.  Joints, slightly better.

I htink my wife is starting to look like a nicely chilled, shapely bottle of diet pepsi:)

WOW- Still going and it has been 11 days since I had a drink of pop.

I really am stunned that I have continued on this journey and have not slipped up once.  The challenges continue: finding suitable substitute drinks, resisiting the urge to grab a  pop when nothing else is around, the need to have something in my hand.  I have no headaches now, however, I do have 2 glasses of iced tea each day.  Otherwise, I have water and some juices.  Right now, the Ocean Spray diet juices with splenda are my favorite.  I am off aspartame and will trust splenda for these few glasses each day.

I am not feeling much yet with my muscle aches and pains.  They do feel better but not significant.  I still walk/run my 2.5 miles each day and that helps relieve some stress!!  I blamed alot of my knee/back/neck pains on too much pop (caffeine, aspartame, carbonation, etc.).  My stomach is feeling better.  People who know that I have quit are shocked that I did it so easily (it's really not easy but I did it so far).

My weight is slightly changed- down 2 pounds.  That could be anything though.  My hand nerve shakes- never bad- are now less noticeable.  I have been less anxious and no "panic attacks" in the past 11 days and that is great.  I'll see how long I can do this.  My end result?  Not sure.  Will I go back to drinking pop and just limit myself to 1-2 a day?  Will I just find alternatives?  Oh well, if it was easy, everybody would be doing it:)

5 days and counting- no Diet Ppesi or pop!!

For a quick recap-   I have been drinking 12-16 (or more) cans/bottles of diet pepsi for the last oh so many years.  I decided to just quit- cold turkey- and see what would happen.  I started my journey on Sunday and this is Friday.  Tuesday was my worst day and I have been getting better very day.  My stomach and throat feel better and the headaches are gone.  I still am a little lethargic but I still get on the treadmill for my 45 minutes every day.  My joints might be feeling  a little better but I am not jumping the gun just yet.  I don't expect great results in just 5-6 days so I am playing it cool.

My biggest struggle- to find a replacement drink(s).  As mentioned before, I am a diabetic so I have to be careful around the juices and other sugar filled drinks.  Right now, I have a glass of unsweetened tea at lunch and then fill in with water, reduced sugar lemonade, and a couple other liquids.  This will be the hard part, finding the replacements.

I am not taking any supplements, just staying on my regular stuff.  Let me tell you, even if it has only been 5-6 days.  If I can stop my addiction to diet pop and not be crawling the walls, anybody can.  If you think you are drinking too much and need to quit- try it!!!   You might surprise yourself!!!  Take an inventory:   drinking too much, joint and muscles hurt, trouble sleeping, stomach or heartburn problems, can't get going or do anything without a can, anxious, etc.  Follow my journey and see how it turns out.

Almost 70 hours Diet Pepsi and soda pop free!!!!!

Feeling better today, more alert and less foggy.  Yesterday was a bad day- tired, headache, stomachache, groggy, etc.  Not sleeping very well still but that might be for different reasons.  My stomach pain has lessened.  I think my stomach was so used to the carbonation that the lack of it causes some problems.  I still struggle and want to go grab a can of diet pepsi but find it  a little easier to control the temptation.  I really can't believe I have not had any pop for 70 hours.  First time for that in years and years.  I will be looking for any differences in joint pain, alertness, muscle pain, anxiety, etc.  I have been drinking water, some lemonade, snapple, iced tea.  I am not getting much caffeine (barely any at all) and that is a good thing!  

45 hours since my last Diet Pepsi (or any pop)

Trying to avoid any headaches, actually had a couple sips of coffee this morning- and I hate coffee.  I have gnawing ache in the back of my head and I feel a little tired.  I find myself reaching for a bottle or can all the time- and then catch myself.  I suppose this is the equivalent of smokers always wanting something in their hands.  I am truly finding out how addicted I am to Diet Pepsi, I don't know what to drink.  I drink water but I need other things.  Orange Juice, lemonade, cranberry juice, grape juice- I love them all but I am diabetic so that complicates things. 

My stomach and esophagus actually feel a little worse- like it needs the carbonation.  What are my feelings at this time?  First 24 hours went easier than I thought.  Second 24 hours a little tougher as I resort to old habits.   I will keep you updated!