Diet Soda Almost Killed Me

It was likely going to be the death of me if I didn’t give it up.

Diet soda and all of the “chemicals” it contains in order to “sweeten” your beverage wreaks havoc on the body (and brain).

It’s been about 6 weeks since I had my last diet soda and I feel like a different person.

Like clock work, I’d have a diet soda at 3pm (sometimes sooner) in order to function for the remainder of my work day.

Now, I’ll occasionally have a coffee if I’m having a particularly rough time and need caffeine.

Since kicking the diet-soda habit, here’s what’s changed for me:

1. My joint pain has decreased — I had dull achy pain in my right foot for a year or so

2. I sleep a lot better at night

3. My “brain fog” is almost non-existent

4. My short-term memory has improved

5. My headaches have decreased considerably

6. I’m less irritable

7. I have more energy (surprisingly, I do pretty well in the afternoons)

8. I am able to focus more (for a while, I thought I might have ADD)

9. My body doesn’t crave sugar like it used to

10. I lost a bit of my stomach fat

11. I’ve become more conscious of my food intake and eat less

12. I am drinking more water (and saving money not having to supply my diet soda habit)

Usually, kicking a bad habit is tough for me.  Kicking it cold turkey is even more difficult. However, this diet soda habit was fairly easy to overcome.  I’m not sure why.

I’ve noticed it’s getting tougher as I get older (I’m turning the big 4-0 this year).  Losing weight is tough, getting active is rough…you get the idea.

I figured getting rid of the poison I was drinking was the first step I could take in getting myself healthier as I enter into a new chapter in my life.

Have you kicked the diet soda habit?