I Gave Up Soda, Sorta (Not Really)

I used to drink about three liters of soda a day. Now I'm down to about 16 to 20 ounces a day.

For a long time, the only thing I really drank was soda. Coke Zero was my soda of choice. At work I would go through a 12 pack every couple days. I would dring a couple cans in the morning, another can with lunch, a couple cans in the after noon, and then when I would get home I would have about half a two liter bottle between dinner and whatever else I was doing.

But, then I started reading and hearing about how researchers were correlating artificial sweetners with increased appitite. They were speculating that the sweetners were making your body think that sugar was coming and then when no actual sugar arrived it made you hungrier.

I am hungry all the time. I often find it frustrating. So, after hearing this I thought it might be an interesting thing to try and see what happens. But, there was one major issue—caffine.

I had given up soda before and I knew that I was dependent on that caffine. I also knew that if I went cold turkey, I could expect a two week long headache from the caffine withdrawal. I was not looking forward to that.

Then I had an idea. I could take caffine pills!

I looked up how much caffine was in my soda. Then, how much was in coffee that I see other people drinking. And, I decided that a 200mg pill of caffine in the morning would be fine. And then if I wanted I could have another one in the afternoon.

I would argue that this is about the same as a couple strong cups of coffee. And, I certainly see plunty of people having those.

I've been doing this for four or five months now. The caffine pills are doing their job. No headaches, and they give me the boost I'm looking for in the morning and early afternoon. I don't take them every day at this point. Just if I'm feeling a bit sleepy.

As for modifying my appetite—it didn't really work. I'm still hungy most of the time. Oh well.