Confessions of a Coca-Cola Addict

I am twenty-nine years old, a husband and a dad. And I am a Coke addict -- the drink, not the drugs. I have been an addict for most of life. And I am trying to change. I've been trying to earlier, but I always go back to my old ways. I hope that by sharing this with you, I can cope and finally kick the habit.

The earliest time I remember having my first coke was when I was seven years old. I was in school with my mom during the end of the semester to get my report card. After getting it, we went to the canteen in the ground floor of the main building. There, my mom bought me a coke and a brownie. Can't remember the how much the brownie was, but the coke was only one peso and fifty cents. Ever since, I have always bought and drank coke.

I am always drinking Coke. When I'm relaxing. When I'm studying. When I'm playing and having fun with the Family Computer (the original NES). It may have contributed to my weight gain. But I didn't mind. I didn't care what the others think. To me, what's important was (1) I'm doing great in school, and (2) I'm enjoying my Coke.

Despite the fact that my family has a very bad history -- my mother and all of her siblings have diabetes, and my father and all of his siblings have high blood -- I didn't care much. I didn't care much that I have a greater risk of getting diabetes or any heart condition.

At some point, when I was already working, I tried to stop. But because of the extended travel times and still managing a normal weight, I succummed again to coke. It was a refreshing way to end the day. I'd drop by our local bakery and buy one 8oz coke and a star bread (or putok). Nothing beats an ice-cold coke after a very perspiring evening going home. It had again and again. I tried to stop. But a month later, I'd buy Coke again.

At the office, I used to keep the pins of the Coke in can -- this is the one that's available at work. In about a year, I had more than enough pins to fill several paperclip boxes. I imagine I could have donated all of that to have one whole wheelchair. A rather disturbing realization for me: for one, I wasted a lot of money for all of that coke; also, I drank soooooo many coke.

Then we moved to Singapore. Not sure whether it's the weather, the water, or the convenience in general -- faster travelcprobably. We're all getting heavier. But that didn't stop me from drinking coke. If there was something better than drinking an ice-cold refreshing Coke after a perspiring evening going home, it's drinking an ice-cold refreshing Coke after a relaxed evening going home.

But there is progress of some sort. During college and well into my career, I could drink a 1.5 liter Coke all by myself in one meryenda session. But through the years, I think my taste buds are changing. I don't like just any coke. I don't like half-cold coke. It has to be freezing cold. I wouldn't take any less. Aside from that, I want coke in a glass with ice cubes. Somehow, it tasted better for me if it was watered down a bit.

Whatever the case, I'm consciously trying to stop my Coke intake. Now, I'm just one Coke in can everyday. Trust me, it may not seem much but it was worse before. I could drink up to three Cokes a day -- one for each meal.

It's like smoking. You can't simply cut it out. It's a process. Where my dad confesssed that there were times before when he would salivate at the back of his mouth if he did not get a stick of cigarette, I was the same for me -- withdrawal symptoms.

Anyway, now I'm trying to kick it for good, slowly and steadily. Keywords are slowly and steadily. If I just suddenly stop, I'll just relapse. Been there, done that, maybe a hundred times.

Now I'd like to progress. Reduce it further. Maybe one can every two days. Give it a month. And drink much more water. Which means we need more pitchers. If the water's not cold, I wouldn't like it so I might as well just buy an ice-cold coke. Uh-uh. Must have ice-cold drinking water all the time. Must reduce weight so lower Coke intake is a must. Also heard that drinking one glass of water before meals really help stem food intake. Which hopefully leads to reduced weight. Everyone good.

I hope this works. For my and my family's sake.