OK, I admit it. I have a small addiction to Diet Coke. Between my husband and I, we were going through about five 12-packs a week. Yeah, I know...not good for me.
Believe it or not, giving up the Diet Coke was more of a concern to me than thinking about life without wheat products.
I can remember when Diet Coke first came out...1983...my senior year of high school (yes, I'm old.) As a diabetic, I had never been able to drink soft drinks with my friends. The only thing that had been available up to that point that I remember was Tab and Fresca, both of which were made with saccharin. When Diet Coke hit the market in a red and white can, it was like I was issued an invitation to join in a normal life. I can even remember when they switched from the white and red can to the silver and red can...at the time, I hated it. Who did they think they were switching anything with my favorite beverage of choice? Oh yeah, they owned the company...I guess they can do whatever they want.
I was a die-hard loyalist to the Coca-Cola brand. Their marketing people would have loved me. If hubby and I went out to eat and ordered a Diet Coke and the waitress piped up with, "We don't have Diet Coke, is Diet Pepsi ok?", we would turn up our noses and scoff at the thought that someone would even think Diet Pepsi was even comparable to the greatest soft drink ever invented.
It's not that I didn't like water. I did. I just would ALWAYS prefer a Diet Coke whenever I wanted something to drink. My children will tell you that I always have a can of Diet Coke next to me wherever I am. As a teacher, I have had students give me cases of Diet Coke for Christmas instead of the obligatory ABC ornament or Starbucks card. I have had neighbors call me at 11pm at night looking for a Diet Coke because they were "needing a fix" and they knew I would have one cold and chilled and ready for the top to be popped. When playing a "wish game" one Christmas with a crowd of friends, my wish was to have a Diet Coke tap installed at my house.
Life without Diet Coke seemed impossible to me a week ago.
Then, the Paleo Solution walked into my life. Darn that Robb Wolf and his logic!
On Day One, I had one Diet Coke. Then, I switched to unsweetened iced tea for the rest of the day. On Day Two, I began to explore the mysteries of this thing called water, but still succumbed to one Diet Coke that morning. On Day Three...I discovered that water was actually quenching my first and I was enjoying it! Yikes! All of the sudden, I wasn't even thinking about Diet Coke. Today, I have realized that perhaps I really don't need Diet Coke to survive! Who would have thought?
Water is clear, natural, quenching goodness in a glass. It's been there all along. God invented it millions of years ago and intended it for our bodies, but for some reason, society and culture had convinced me and my taste buds that I didn't really need it as long as I could pop a Diet Coke every couple of hours.
I am happy to say that I have rediscovered Nature's Very First Soft Drink...Water...and it is delicious and perfect.
Things are still looking good in my cave world! Life is good.
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