I'm addicted and I need help!

[jaye944]

No, not crack, mary-jane or amp's

my drug of choice is POP (diet pop to be exact) and coffee.

so

1st POP>

I am a diet pop fiend, I can down 1 liter bottles easily in a day.
I've always had this more recently, I'm on some meds which make me very dehydrated, due to excreting excess sugar through urine, you guessed I'm also a diabetic, so with insulin I crave sugar/sweet stuff at times.

Though I must admit I don't get the same rush, satisfaction with a "sweetner" than say the real deal.

(My blood sugars are good and stable)

I'm also more concerned about that amount of acid coming into contact with teeth, (every 4 months I have a teeth descale and all is good there)

I have, tried, GOD how I have tried, but I can't ween myself off these chemicals. Then there is the things you here about sweetners being bad and causing blood sugar imbalances.

HOW DO I STOP, or at least reduce.

2> Coffee: HOW much is too much

So I have bad shifts, 5 days,, I'm up at 430am for work, finish at 230pm
I also have a late night radio show,

So to keep me functioning during the day, it's a mixture of Coffee and Red bull (sugar free) I would say 4 coffees and on my lat night show, a couple of red bulls, and maybe a few more depending.

I absolutely can not give up coffee, first drink of the day, and I stop by say 6pm


I understand no quick or easy fix, and my meds and illness are no doubt causing issues.

So thought I'd post here for any advice

thanks guys !

[Lups]

1. Shave your dog.
2. Figure out you have no coffee in the house.
3. Spend the day trying to figure out why exactly you can't go without a dog to buy coffee and the dog is just too ugly for sunlight.
4. Conclude you need coffee yo figure out a way out of your dilemma.
5. Go back to step two and read from that down over and over again.

[jaye944]

errrm ok

Originally Posted by Lups

1. Shave your dog.
2. Figure out you have no coffee in the house.
3. Spend the day trying to figure out why exactly you can't go without a dog to buy coffee and the dog is just too ugly for sunlight.
4. Conclude you need coffee yo figure out a way out of your dilemma.
5. Go back to step two and read from that down over and over again.

[Lups]

Originally Posted by jaye944

errrm ok

My kids trimmed my gs and she looks so bad I can't leave the house with her. That, and a sick kid and the combination keeps me from fetching coffee.

This could work for all addictions. Try it!

[1MOREMOD]

Yeah ignore her she has terrible ideas, try a stimulant drug habit instead

[F30inthe6ix]

I used to drink 5-6 cans of pop a day myself for years growing up. One day, I decided to replace pop in my life with water. Within a month I lost 20lbs and I haven't looked back.

Maybe try to slowly cut down at first instead of going cold turkey, but replacing the pop you drink with another fluid might be your best bet. Try carbonated water if you miss the bubbly feeling you get when you drink pop.

As for coffee, I still have no answer to that one myself

[minn19]

I don't know if there is a solution except for a lifestyle change. Sleep deprivation is a major problem and cause many other health problems both mentally and physically.

As for the diet pop/coffee. I guess I would try and phase out the diet pop for more coffee if you have to since it is at least a bit more of a natural drink than all of the chemicals in diet pop etc.

Good luck, I was in a similar situation about ten years ago and I had to give up one of my dreams for a healthier life for my family and myself. I regret not doing something I really wanted to do in my life, but I am much happier and healthier overall now.

[F30inthe6ix]

Also, not sure how you take your coffee, but I switched from 2 milk 2 sugar to straight black. That would help lower your sugar intake and make your excessive consumption habits slightly more healthy and sustainable...

[minn19]

Originally Posted by F30inthe6ix

Also, not sure how you take your coffee, but I switched from 2 milk 2 sugar to straight black. That would help lower your sugar intake and make your excessive consumption habits slightly more healthy and sustainable...

^This, I can't drink it straight up as I still use some cream, but I did cut out the sugar and artificial sweeteners in it though.

Good call on the water as well. I did the same thing to quit pop. It sucks and it takes will power, but it is obviously much much better for one's health. You also feel better when you cut your caffeine intake and chemical/artificial sweetener intake from diet pops. At least I did.

[F30inthe6ix]

If anything, you can add flavour drops to the water. Or get some BCAA powder and mix that in with it to give it some taste. Personally, I just stick to ice water...all year round.

[UncleWede]

I have been insulin-dependent for 37 years.

I had a mean caffeine habit. I had been in the hospital for a liver infection. They were giving me morphine. I was able to kick the caffeine habit.

During the Northridge earthquake, we had no gas/electric for several hours. By about 1pm I was curled up in a fetal position on the couch, and was ready to eat instant coffee crystals. My wife found a store that had a generator and was able to get me a cup of coffee. I decided enough was enough, but it is a serious withdrawal if you go cold turkey.

Now, I only allow the caf-feind on my back on Wednesdays. The rest of the days I drink decaf coffee. I certainly can't tell the difference based on flavor.

Diet Coke was my afternoon/night option for caffeine. Several years ago I switched to caffeine free DC, and went with diet orange and lemonade flavors. Jack really helps with all of those. I have tried the St Croix water/sodas, as well as Hansen's Diet. St Croix is the better of the 2 health-wise, but I just couldn't get onto the flavor wagon. I also tried the little green Perrier water cans, but still drinking at least 3-4 diet sodas a day.

Good luck!!

[xander_g]

I had a huge problem with pop and just carbonated drinks in general. I would suggest switching to perrier or san pellegrino water, it's still carbonated but isn't loaded with sugar. There is flavoured perrier as well so you don't have to go cold turkey.

As for the coffee, i would recommend getting an espresso machine and having one in the morning and one after lunch. That should be plenty. What I noticed is people that claim to be addicted to coffee typically drink brown sugar water. So your goal should be quality over quantity.

[The Chaddening]

As far as caffeine, start to try to space out the time in between coffees slowly and try to drop 1-2 coffees per day. The more caffeine you drink the less effect it has on you.

You can also try other things for energy:

Nootropics
Green tea extract
Black tea (highest caffeine hot tea <50mg per bag)

[EJT86]

Grind up the coffee then cut it with a lil stevia and snort it. OH YEAAAA

[AWSAWS]

You need to cut that junk out of your diet.

I'm not a slim guy but one thing I wont drink is pop. In the states it's probably worse with the high fructose syrup they use. There's no way I'll drink a diet drink. Sweeteners remind me of things like DDT. That crap isn't going in my body. The biggest issue with fizzy drinks is you just don't realise the number of calories you are consuming per gulp. Its too high for the body to register. Zero fibre means it's just slamming the blood stream.

[Captain Blood]

Supposedly diet coke is concocted along the lines of cigarettes: they put in chemicals to make it addictive.

[Captain Blood]

Originally Posted by Lups

1. Shave your dog.
2. Figure out you have no coffee in the house.
3. Spend the day trying to figure out why exactly you can't go without a dog to buy coffee and the dog is just too ugly for sunlight.
4. Conclude you need coffee yo figure out a way out of your dilemma.
5. Go back to step two and read from that down over and over again.

Would a cat or gerbil work? What if you have fish (even catfish)?

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by Real Dodger

Would a cat or gerbil work? What if you have fish (even catfish)?

Are you supposed to take the catfish FROM the market???

[GoRomeo]

whats POP? I am lost here...

[F30inthe6ix]

Originally Posted by GoRomeo

whats POP? I am lost here...

Soda, as Americans tend to call it.

[aozer]

coffee is healthy, nothing wrong with drinking it. even at 5-6 cups a day it shouldnt be an issue. just make sure you stay hydrated as it is a diuretic. there are plenty of studies that link coffee to lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, etc. plus, it contains good natural antioxidants.

[GoRomeo]

Originally Posted by F30inthe6ix

Soda, as Americans tend to call it.

I see.. thanks!


I used to be one but stopped ever since I realized how bad it really is for the body. Now, I tend to drink one or two a month just to kill the cravings. I drink Coke Zero.