Apparition Posted October 12, 2015 Share Posted October 12, 2015 Since I was a child I have always loved soft drinks as well. I went through phases, though. At first, I was addicted to Irn Bru (Scottish drink) and then when my dentist told me there is like nine spoonfuls of sugar in it I switched to different kinds such as fanta, coke, pepsi, pepsi max, energy drinks etc. I just couldn't get into water because it has no taste. I am in good shape but there was a time my mental health wasn't. I had anxiety problems and depression and it would make me want to eat badly because I was too lazy to actually cook healthy food. So, I was basically feeding my depression + anxiety issues with the unhealthy food and drinks. I ended up drinking water between meals and now I just have a glass of sprite with my meals and I'll put a sliced lime in it with ice cubes. Sprite has no caffeine in it so I'd imagine it's better than diet coke and such but it's still not good for you. Diet sodas are worse than the regular because of aspartame, I've never been a person to drink diet sodas. It's not so bad if you just drink a soda with a meal. I agree with darkbloom, once you quit drinking soda completely you won't want to drink it again. I did it for a couple months and I felt good, however, I made the mistake of drinking one at a wedding and then I craved one again so I am back on them! : / 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Jame22 Posted October 12, 2015 Share Posted October 12, 2015 I had anxiety problems and depression and it would make me want to eat badly because I was too lazy to actually cook healthy food. So, I was basically feeding my depression + anxiety issues with the unhealthy food and drinks. Wow, this sounds exactly like what I'm going through right now. I keep telling myself I need to quit but it's like every single day my logic is that I'll start tomorrow. I agree with darkbloom, once you quit drinking soda completely you won't want to drink it again. I did it for a couple months and I felt good, however, I made the mistake of drinking one at a wedding and then I craved one again so I am back on them! : / I have absolutely no problem with soda, or any sugary drink for that matter but cheese, OMG cheese. A lot of health experts will try to tell you that moderation is key, but I really don't think this is the case. I think it's best to eliminate your problem foods completely. Any hint of dairy, especially ice cream and cheese flicks a switch on in my brain that says MORE RIGHT NOW, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD MORE! I've even been known to visit the grocery store, spur of the moment for cheese and or ice cream. When I was eating paleo, I do remember for a brief period of time when I had absolutely no craving for pizza. So there is hope. I'd never go back to full paleo because I still feel like beans, rice and potatoes are all great. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Author BC1980 Posted October 12, 2015 Author Share Posted October 12, 2015 A lot of health experts will try to tell you that moderation is key, but I really don't think this is the case. I think it's best to eliminate your problem foods completely. Any hint of dairy, especially ice cream and cheese flicks a switch on in my brain that says MORE RIGHT NOW, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD MORE! I've even been known to visit the grocery store, spur of the moment for cheese and or ice cream. I think that if it's a true addiction, moderation won't work. The more you have it, the more you crave it. With the Coke, I only need one can of Coke to feel satisfied. I don't feel any urge to drink a bunch of Cokes, but it's something about needing that one Coke in the morning. I don't drink Coke at any other time of the day, and I don't particularly want it. So I don't know what that is about. When it comes to diet drinks, having one makes me want more. It's like getting that taste makes me want more, and it makes me want a snack with it. So I can't see moderation working with the diet drinks in my case. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Jame22 Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 I think that if it's a true addiction, moderation won't work. The more you have it, the more you crave it. With the Coke, I only need one can of Coke to feel satisfied. I don't feel any urge to drink a bunch of Cokes, but it's something about needing that one Coke in the morning. I don't drink Coke at any other time of the day, and I don't particularly want it. So I don't know what that is about. When it comes to diet drinks, having one makes me want more. It's like getting that taste makes me want more, and it makes me want a snack with it. So I can't see moderation working with the diet drinks in my case. I think many of us, including yourself can make an argument for a true addiction. Even back in the day I would down 4-5 bowls of cereal in one sitting, eat whole large pizzas, and take multiple trips to the fridge just to grab a handfuls of shredded cheese. This is before I even realized I had a problem. I'm convinced that's it's an addiction and not an eating disorder. I have never tried diet drinks and I never will. So I may have dodged a bullet there. Link to post Share on other sites
Jame22 Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 Ideally, I want to go 90 days with no soft drinks, but I'm really scared that I can't do it. Otherwise, I am perfectly healthy. My weight is fine, and I am active. My blood sugar and cholesterol were great in April. Did you start yet? I'd be up for an accountability partner. I won't eat dairy If you don't drink soft drinks. I'm getting desperate and looking for any kind of solution. Link to post Share on other sites
lchf Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 Did you start yet? I'd be up for an accountability partner. I won't eat dairy If you don't drink soft drinks. I'm getting desperate and looking for any kind of solution. What's the issue with dairy? Link to post Share on other sites
Jame22 Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 What's the issue with dairy? I think I'm addicted to it, particularly Ice Cream and Cheese. I'm starting to think it would be best to cut it out of my diet completely. Link to post Share on other sites
lchf Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 I think I'm addicted to it, particularly Ice Cream and Cheese. I'm starting to think it would be best to cut it out of my diet completely. Ah I see. What kind of cheese? Like processed Kraft crap? Also most commerical ice cream have a load of sugar in it. You could be addicted to sugar as well. Link to post Share on other sites
Jame22 Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 Ah I see. What kind of cheese? Like processed Kraft crap? Also most commerical ice cream have a load of sugar in it. You could be addicted to sugar as well. I actually have been eating a lot of raw and organic cheddar lately. Very expensive as you can imagine. I actually don't eat too much overly processed cheese. I'm pretty sure it's the natural casomorphines. They're more concentrated in cheese and Ice cream which explains why I have so much trouble with them. The sugar doesn't help, but I don't think it's the main issue, nor do I think I'm addicted to it. Link to post Share on other sites
Author BC1980 Posted October 14, 2015 Author Share Posted October 14, 2015 (edited) I'm convinced that's it's an addiction and not an eating disorder. I agree with you. I have read several books that equate an eating disorder with addiction. They make compelling arguments, and I can see the addictive qualities of food in my own life. I feel that over the years, dieting has also served as some type of addiction for me. Things kind of clicked for me after I read these books. A lot of what I had dealt with in my life made sense for the first time. So my current thinking is that an eating disorder falls under the umbrella of addiction. I wonder if there is something in my DNA that brings out these addictive issues. My mom said that as a child, she had to stop me from eating too much. Even as a baby, she said that I would cry and cry until I was fed. I realize that many babies do that, but I just wonder about it sometimes. I can remember being a little kid and wanting to eat too much. I remember getting really upset when my parents would restrict what I was eating. I never really became overweight because I was so active. I ended up going on a diet when I was 13, and I got very skinny. I was underweight for years and completely obsessed with my intake. My parents took me to doctors to try to figure out why I wouldn't eat, and I was slapped with the eating disorder label (which was correct). After that, I felt my identity was solely based on my eating disorder, and I've struggled since then to make sense of my complicated relationship with food. There are some people who can practice moderation with regards to what they eat. My sister is an example. The more I look at my patterns of eating, the more I realize that eating some foods in moderation is not an option for me. Drinking diet drinks in moderation is not an option for me because I feel that I am addicted to aspartame or something else that's in those drinks. Edited October 14, 2015 by BC1980 Link to post Share on other sites
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