addictions

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kenliesmom
kenliesmom Posts: 18
in Food and Nutrition
Wow okay so I have never been addicted to anything until now. I hate to admit it but I think I am addicted to Dr. Pepper. I have been doing pretty good and I have been drinking water and lemon water mostly now. I have been getting killer headaches on a daily basis.

The other day was when I think it became real to me. We were going out for a day trip in the car and we grabbed a bite to eat since it was a last minute plan. We went to sonic... where I would get a route 44 easy ice Dr. Pepper. I had my lemon water so I was good. It was weird though because I was at sonic I felt like I was doing something wrong by not getting my usual. Well we got our food and left and I stayed strong. However my husband got a limeaide or something which is not a temptation at all to me. But he got it in a route 44 cup and it was crazy how something as little as a cup could have such a power over me.

Does anyone have any tips that may have had addictions in the past or know about addictions.

I dont want to replace soda drinking with another addiction that just as bad for me.

Replies

  • flossicle
    flossicle Posts: 90
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    I went down from 12 + cups of coffee a day to 4.. and apparently i was a nightmare to live with, i had headaches, felt listless and was generally a grumpy cow till i got used to it! I would have sold my mother for more coffee but i got used to it, and @ weekends i do have more than 4, but no way near 12, i was chain drinking like a chain smoker would..empty 1 cup n put the kettle back on.. cutting it down did make me feel better and my skin is better too..but cripes i could still muder a coffee 1st thing instead of water :laugh: it is my addiction!
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
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    My best tip for kicking caffeine is to use Excedrin. Take notice of what time of day you're getting your headache the worst, then take the Excedrin about 30-45 minutes before that time. Excessive has a small bit of caffeine in it so it's the best painkiller out there for beating caffeine headaches. And if you take it before the headache actually sets in it should help you avoid the headache almost entirely.

    It's what I used when I kicked my soda habit a couple years back.
  • theidarisafa
    theidarisafa Posts: 46
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    I too really enjoy soda.

    So what I'd say is figure out how many calories the soda is and work it into your daily count.

    Weight loss and health is a journey, not a destination. Everything you did before brought you to where you are now. Everything new you're doing will bring you and keep you going in a direction where you want to be.

    For me, I love soda.

    I can go without cookies, ice cream, cake, sweets, chocolate, but soda is my vice.

    So I have about 8oz of soda with my dinner. About 100 calories worth.

    I do not sweat or cry or tell myself that I'm cheating. I just enjoy my little bit of soda and move on.

    But the more that I learn about the soda, the more that I know that my body doesn't really need it. If you're feeding your body the food that it needs, and you're working out, eating crappy food will make you feel sick.

    I've had that happen a few times on me, where I ate something that I used to eat all the time, and felt completely ill afterwards.

    But again, a little soda everyday isn't going to kill you, but isn't the best thing for you. In fact, they say that if you cut out soda, you can lose 15lbs a year.

    But to each his own. I'm sure that I'll have people saying that I shouldn't be encouraging people to drink soda. I'm not. I'm just saying that long term weight loss comes from exercise and making better food decisions. But to be permanant, it has to be doable. And if you NEVER get to enjoy any of the foods that you really enjoy and that aren't so good for you, you'll be craving those foods all the time.

    And then you may binge on those foods. And then really regret the binge. While eating a little something that you really enjoy each day and working it into your calorie count is a much better way to do so.

    But part of this is learning how food and exercise affects our bodies and educating yourself on doing better. So eventually, once you know how many calories it has, and how few nutrients, and how you feel after you eat it, you may in the end decide that you can ween yourself off of it.
  • kenliesmom
    kenliesmom Posts: 18
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    Thanks for the tips.. I dont really know when the headaches happen sometimes in the evening sometimes in the morning. Ideally I would love not to drink caleries... its to easy to do.
  • Amajoy
    Amajoy Posts: 140 Member
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    I would suggest switching to diet soda, zero calories and diet dr. pepper is actually REALLY good. I indulge in a diet soda every once in awhile (maybe once a week). I think the only thing in it is a little sodium, but I am always way under on my sodium so 100mg of sodium is no biggie to me... Good luck!
  • Peanutmanda
    Peanutmanda Posts: 103
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    Dr. Pepper, was my first love! (I wrote a poem about it in 6th grade!)

    I have been off soda for 1 month now, and the headaches are gone... thank goodness!

    I took alot of excedrin and promised to drink 12 bottles of water a day during that first week.. which helped me not want any more liquid lol.

    *but my boyfriend drinks dr. pepper still, its so hard watching him enjoy it! I know what your going threw. It is Deff VERY hard!

    GOOD LUCK!! : )

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