MISSING: LONG TIME FRIEND & COMPANION

I! AM! HAVING! WITHDRAWALS!

As part of this whole "Weight Loss" thing, I have to let the Cokes go. Sounds easy enough, right? Oh no, ma'am. You need to understand what a dilemma this is for me. My Grandmother set the tone for our family over 50 years ago. She had a "Coca-Cola" every morning with breakfast. Another one followed with lunch, and I can't remember if she had one at supper... It was in those small glass bottles back then, but it was still COKE. Apparently a Coke-addiction can be passed down genetically. Because I have it. And Sister has been known to throw a blow if you drink her last can, as well.

I couldn't make this stuff up, y'all.

Supposedly, they took out the real "coke" in it years and years ago. I think they left something else addicting in it, though. There's just no substituting for the "Real Thing."

Coke Zero? NOT.

Diet Coke? No thanks, I will pass on the aspartame, thank you!
So, you see, nothing can really compare to the taste or caffeine I get in a real Coca-Cola.

Several times in my life, I have had to quit drinking sodas. In boot camp, we couldn't have anything like that. I did, however, drink the carbonated fruit juice to still have something carbonated. Maybe I love the carbonation?? During our celebration meal after the 3 day "Crucible," (where we only ate 5 times in 3 days) I headed straight for the soda machine! Even after 13 weeks, I was still craving it! What does that tell you?!

I did cut down on the Coke while I was pregnant. I didn't cut it out completely, though. I still had one every now and then. (My kids are fine, they aren't ADHD because of it.) One time, a lady at church assumed I had cut out chocolate b/c it has caffeine in it. She decided to voice her opinion when I went to grab a piece of chocolate cake. I just stared at her like she was crazy.

You mean, I am supposed to house this baby for 9 months and give up caffeine too??? Nobody told me that!!

Now, I am all for a healthy diet, etc. while pregnant. Mommy has to give the baby a good start by eating healthy. But, I had a really hard time giving up the caffeine!

So, here we are again. At this awful crossroads where I must die to self and walk away from the empty calories and sugar! Hubby read a report that said drinking two sodas a day will add an extra 15 lbs/year to your weight! I would have to say that article is pretty darn accurate. In fact, they probably used me as the case-study and I didn't even know it!

Step one, no Cokes.

Step Two? We'll talk about that tomorrow, I am too weak from hunger to type any more....