Hello my name is Bandar, and I'm a soda addict.......

[CrownPrinceBandar]

I don't know if this is the right place to put this, but I guess its as good as any. And yes, this is on the level.

I am trying to quit drinking sodas and am on the eve of drinking the last one I have in my place. I admit I feel a sense of dread of downing that last can and putting it away for good.

I've been hooked on the sweet stuff ever since I was a kid. Back then my parents allowed me 2 12oz bottles of Coca-Cola a week, and while I was living at home it was never a prob. However as I left the nest I moved onto the harder stuff, Mountain Dew.

I have always been very conscious about my intake, and even now I try to limit myself to two sodas a day. But, I find myself worrying about adult-onset diabetes, chemicals within the drink itself and I know this shit is doing a number on my teeth even though I am pretty thorough about taking care of my choppers.

When I've tried to unsuccessfully quit before, I've had folks tell me to switch to iced tea as it would quell the caffeine cravings. But its not the caffeine I'm hooked on, its the sugar. And its the sugar that keeps me dragging myself back to the "Yellow Death", as I have named my particular shame. I have found the Dew is the hardest monkey I have ever tried to shed from my back.

Anyone have any advice on how to kick this stuff? Cold turkey hasn't worked in the past and I have little faith that this or any future attempts will be successful.

[KitchenWitch]

1. Hi Bandar

Perhaps switching to iced tea and keeping those little Halloween sized candy bars around (for the sugar) might help. You can then wean yourself off the little candy bars.

[petgoat]

2. I found dew quite compelling for a while. The caffeine jolt and

the sugar rush together make my mind work. Then you get a let-down and you have to drink
another. Then one day I found I weighed 25 pounds more than ever in my life. So I
quit the soda and started running. It's hell for the first couple of weeks, but once
you're in shape your endurance will amaze you and there's (almost) :evilgrin: no rush
in the world like that you get topping a long hill and reaching the breeze from the
other side.

I take a notepad in my pocket to record any thoughts I might have while running.

[Kire]

3. Wild Cherry Pepsi does it for me.

I could have four or five cans in a day. In the past year, I have had three crushed molars and at least one other cavity. I have a dentist appointment coming up to fix the third molar.

Advice? First step is admit you're powerless and that your life has become unmanagable. There are 11 more.