After 45 years, I gave up Cokes

[R1jake]

For the OP I have a question for ya, when I try to do this I tend to pretty much just dehydrate myself as I just really don't like water. It upsets my stomach and coke seems to fix it. Does this happen to you? Have you completely quit? And if so does the stomach get any better?? I find myself having to have a large coke full of ice in the mornings just to get some fluids in me. Otherwise I drink so little I don't even pee. Lol I feel like I'll just dehydrate without the stuff.

 

[R1jake]

Wow after reading this thread!! I'm amazed at the comments saying that the op better get himself checked out. The op says he's healthy with good teeth and barely overweight. Sounds pretty darn good to me at his age. If I even began to tell you my daily intake there would definitely be call an ambulance immediately comments. To the OP, hats off to you it's awesome you have beat this. I'm going to stop The coke and all the other sugars tomorrow and give it a week or 2 to see if my stomach adjust to it. I e been trying recently, even tried crystal light packets to try and add some flavor to help me want to drink something.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted by R1jake
Wow after reading this thread!! I'm amazed at the comments saying that the op better get himself checked out. The op says he's healthy with good teeth and barely overweight.


Constantly over loading the body with sugar can cause may different things to happen. Of course some people can handle it better than others, like anything in life.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/does-sugar-cause-diabetes#diabetes

"High blood sugar levels over a long period can lead to complications like an increased risk of heart disease, as well as nerve and kidney damage, so it is important to keep them in check."

 

[gfh77665]

Originally Posted by R1jake
Wow after reading this thread!! I'm amazed at the comments saying that the op better get himself checked out. The op says he's healthy with good teeth and barely overweight. Sounds pretty darn good to me at his age.


Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate them!

 

[gfh77665]

Originally Posted by gfh77665

For the OP I have a question for ya, when I try to do this I tend to pretty much just dehydrate myself as I just really don't like water. It upsets my stomach and coke seems to fix it. Does this happen to you? Have you completely quit? And if so does the stomach get any better?? I find myself having to have a large coke full of ice in the mornings just to get some fluids in me. Otherwise I drink so little I don't even pee. Lol I feel like I'll just dehydrate without the stuff.


I believe you can do this if I did, I bet we have the same challenge to deal with. I did not like water either, at first. Now, I like water more and more for sure. I believe you will develop a liking for it. It takes a little time. Get a small bottle of drinking water and keep it with you. Take just occasional sips through the day at first.

If you think quitting Cokes will be too tough to adjust to, try this: First day, eliminate your last Coke of the day, replace with water. Second day, eliminate the next latest Coke of the day replace with water. Third day, take out the next latest Coke of the day, Then, no Cokes after lunch, then, only one Coke in the morning, then, replace that one with OJ or some other juice you like. The tapering off approach might be the one for you, just commit hard to not backsliding. You can do it!

For me, I decided to quit all at once. The first week was terrible, I admit. I had a headache for a whole week and was very lethargic. It passed and now I feel great. Either way, choose to do it. Don't let the sugar filled Cokes beat you! Good luck!

 

[cjcride]

GFH, did you take aspirin for the headache? If so did it help?

 

[gfh77665]

I took Advil. It worked very well.

 

[stockrex]

Originally Posted by gfh77665
I am 56 now, Believe it or not, since about age 10, I have been drinking almost nothing but Cokes (Dr. Pepper, Pepsi, etc). I literally would go a month or more without drinking any water at all. I drank at least a 2 liter of Coke every day, sometimes 3L. The only other liquids I drank was maybe Gatorade on very hot days, or milk in my breakfast cereal, or an occasion sip of water from a drinking fountain.

Two weeks ago, I realized this simply had to stop. I suddenly stopped drinking Cokes and replaced them with water. It was tough. I have to get up at 3AM for work and I needed the Coke boost. I had headaches for at least a week and was lethargic, but I have moved past it for the most part.

My flawed rationale was "Since I don't drink alcohol, or smoke, never did any drugs, and I excercise, and my weight is not too bad, SO, it must be OK to drink so many Cokes. I was wrong. Drinking Cokes exclusivly for almost 50 years is BAD. Hopefully, its not too late to recover from it. I have drank more water in the past two weeks that I probabaly have in the past 10 years. Thats got to help, I have to believe.


Lack of Caffeine = lethargic
so add some plain black coffee first thing in the morning and you are good.

The amount of sugar in coke is alarming, should be illegal and it is a pubic health issue.

Op, Kudos! tell us if you are losing any weight?

I gave up all items with High Fructose Corn Syrup in it couple of years back and lost a lot of weight.

 

[pandus13]

Originally Posted by gfh77665
Originally Posted by gfh77665

For the OP I have a question for ya, when I try to do this I tend to pretty much just dehydrate myself as I just really don't like water. It upsets my stomach and coke seems to fix it. Does this happen to you? Have you completely quit? And if so does the stomach get any better?? I find myself having to have a large coke full of ice in the mornings just to get some fluids in me. Otherwise I drink so little I don't even pee. Lol I feel like I'll just dehydrate without the stuff.


I believe you can do this if I did, I bet we have the same challenge to deal with. I did not like water either, at first. Now, I like water more and more for sure. I believe you will develop a liking for it. It takes a little time. Get a small bottle of drinking water and keep it with you. Take just occasional sips through the day at first.

...


First congrats.

Now couple suggestions about water "taste" for R1jake:
-somebody here suggested in other threads to add a bit of pink/various minerals salt and baking soda
-go to the market and buy different types of spring water. try them and see the taste you like. this is regional based on springs/wells used so taste varies within the same offering/company
-install a filtering system at home. even try different filters for the fridge.
-make homemade lemonade/sweet tea to replace pop/coke and decrease the sweetener/sugar content.
-drink regular water and find a "thing" to act as an after-treat: for me it was cinnamon tea tree chewing sticks.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted by R1jake
Wow after reading this thread!! I'm amazed at the comments saying that the op better get himself checked out. The op says he's healthy with good teeth and barely overweight. Sounds pretty darn good to me at his age.

I'm just saying, if I had been heavily smoking (or loading myself with another poison) for 45 years, and decided to quit, I would be interested in getting myself checked out, just out of curiosity, even if I felt fine, just to see what damage (if any) has been done and if I could be doing something to reverse it or at least not make it worse. But it's OK if others don't feel the same way.

 

[gfh77665]

Originally Posted by stockrex

Lack of Caffeine = lethargic
so add some plain black coffee first thing in the morning and you are good.

Op, Kudos! tell us if you are losing any weight?


I won't be a coffee drinker, it just doesn't t appeal to me, but thanks for the suggestion. You are right, the caffeine make the difference.

As far as weight loss, I think I have. I don't have a scale, but my clothes fit a bit looser. After several months I will be able to tell for sure, when I weigh in at my annual physical.

 

[CincyDavid]

Originally Posted by Snagglefoot
We're getting too close to medical advice and a resulting lock.

I like Appleton Estate Signature Blend Rum.

I'm more of a Bacardi Ocho guy but Appleton is good too...and relatively cheap.

 

[Malo83]

Whoa!

 

[R1jake]

I believe you can do this if I did, I bet we have the same challenge to deal with. I did not like water either, at first. Now, I like water more and more for sure. I believe you will develop a liking for it. It takes a little time. Get a small bottle of drinking water and keep it with you. Take just occasional sips through the day at first.

If you think quitting Cokes will be too tough to adjust to, try this: First day, eliminate your last Coke of the day, replace with water. Second day, eliminate the next latest Coke of the day replace with water. Third day, take out the next latest Coke of the day, Then, no Cokes after lunch, then, only one Coke in the morning, then, replace that one with OJ or some other juice you like. The tapering off approach might be the one for you, just commit hard to not backsliding. You can do it!

For me, I decided to quit all at once. The first week was terrible, I admit. I had a headache for a whole week and was very lethargic. It passed and now I feel great. Either way, choose to do it. Don't let the sugar filled Cokes beat you! Good luck!
[/quote]

Ok so since I posted in this thread 9pmish 13th I've not picked up another coke. It's definitely tough but I've made it through 2 days of work now without a single coke or any drink with sugar for that matter. Wow it is making me hungry though. I had a couple spells already where I thought I wasn't going to be able to prepare food quick enough. I'm talking all of the sudden shakes, cold while sweating and super fatigue. Had to immediately drop what I was doing at work and get food. Today I did not have a spell like that so but I'm getting super hungry all of the sudden. To the op this thread inspired me, including the ones who said he better see a doctor, you all made me think a bit about this too. Just wanted to say thanks to the op and Everyone in this thread.

 

[02SE]

A business just opened a couple miles away, all they sell are soda drinks, and cookies. The line of cars is non-stop since it opened. Most sitting in their cars in line, appear to be seriously overweight...

Congrats OP on making a smart choice for your continued health.

 

[vavavroom]

Originally Posted by R1jake

Ok so since I posted in this thread 9pmish 13th I've not picked up another coke. It's definitely tough but I've made it through 2 days of work now without a single coke or any drink with sugar for that matter. Wow it is making me hungry though. I had a couple spells already where I thought I wasn't going to be able to prepare food quick enough. I'm talking all of the sudden shakes, cold while sweating and super fatigue. Had to immediately drop what I was doing at work and get food. Today I did not have a spell like that so but I'm getting super hungry all of the sudden. To the op this thread inspired me, including the ones who said he better see a doctor, you all made me think a bit about this too. Just wanted to say thanks to the op and Everyone in this thread.


You exhibit typical symptoms of hypoglycemia. That can make you pass out. Hypoglycemia can affect your thinking and perception. Driving and operating machinery would be dangerous. You might be mistaken for a drunk, thrown in the fish tank where you might die after falling silently nto a coma. See you doctor to make sure you are not suffering from potentially lethal hypoglycemia. No that's not doctors advice but advice from someone who has seen this sort of thing more than a few times.