I just ate an entire pizza, i feel guilty.

But the insidious thing about coke, specifically, is it's addictive qualities. It seems to me that the people I know who drink coke find it very hard to maintain moderation of consumption. They always have a bottle in the fridge. I just think it's a really worrying trend... not pointing the finger at any individual. It has become more than an occasional drink for too many people to almost a weekly shopping staple. And I don't buy the "but at least I don't drink 10 coffees a day" false comparison... the stuff is really bad and I worry about children who grow up in families that ALWAYS, I mean, always have a bottle of coke in the fridge. Sorry to lecture in your thread Anila... and I don't condemn you, honestly darl... I'm purely talking in terms of societal trends. Coca cola have created a monster... and they should be disgusted with themselves... I know you can't start telling people what they can and can't eat and drink... but I think there needs to be at least a public education campaign to actually make people aware of what a cola habit does to you, and the cost to the health system.

I wouldn't worry one iota about eating a whole pizza... at least your body will get some nutrition from it... a bottle of coke however :(

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I wouldn't worry one iota about eating a whole pizza... at least your body will get some nutrition from it... a bottle of coke however :(

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i guess like everything, it comes down to moderation. there ARE people that are addicted to soft drink (of many variations - not just coke) - they need to learn to drink it in moderation... same as anything, moderation is the key

i am one person that always has softdrink and cordial in my house - i'll happily admit it - but it doesn't mean i drink it all the time. i would prefer water most of the time - and i find having the softdrink there means i DON'T crave or binge on it - but that's ME. i think we all have to learn our own limits, note when we've messed up (like binging on pizza or whatever else), learn and move on from it. most of our soft drink is in cans - it limits the amount you drink (how many people open a large bottle of softdrink and then just HAVE to drink it so it doesn't go flat) - large bottles are just there in flavours that we share with others when they're here...

i also ALWAYS have lollies and chocolate in my house - doesn't mean i eat them all the time - but they are here to stop that craving and binge response...

Yes, moderation, but I think that when it comes to soft drink there needs to be a public campaign to actually say what is and what is not drinking it in moderation. Many people would say that drinking just one can a day is "moderate"... but I don't. So what is the definition of "moderation"? Personally I would say about 2 drinks per month... for coke... because it's that toxic. The word 'moderation' is just too vague. Public health authorities see fit to tell us how much alcohol is safe to drink per day and I say they should also include soft drink (especially the colas). Y'know, I would hazard a guess and say that the cost to the public purse with people consuming the current levels of coke that they do would be comparable to that of fatty food. We are always having it drilled into us to avoid saturated fats (because it can lead to heart disease etc) well what about the health cost of soft drink derived sugar? Consider all the (is it type 2?) diabetics who contracted their condition from drinking too much soft drink? And the cost of obesity. And the cost of dental health (I know dentistry isn't covered by Medicare but there still is a large public (tax) funded dental scheme for welfare recipients... think of all the cavities that we are paying to be filled due to daily soft drink consumption? And there is evidence to suggest that dental decay also leads to heart disease (something to do with bacteria entering the bloodstream).

Really sorry for my soapbox attitude on this one... hope I have been fair and tactful, whilst still passionate about education on the harm of drinking too much coke.

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Many people would say that drinking just one can a day is "moderate"... but I don't. So what is the definition of "moderation"? Personally I would say about 2 drinks per month... for coke... because it's that toxic.


We are always having it drilled into us to avoid saturated fats (because it can lead to heart disease etc) well what about the health cost of soft drink derived sugar? Consider all the (is it type 2?) diabetics who contracted their condition from drinking too much soft drink? And the cost of obesity. And the cost of dental health (I know dentistry isn't covered by Medicare but there still is a large public (tax) funded dental scheme for welfare recipients... think of all the cavities that we are paying to be filled due to daily soft drink consumption? And there is evidence to suggest that dental decay also leads to heart disease (something to do with bacteria entering the bloodstream).

Really sorry for my soapbox attitude on this one... hope I have been fair and tactful, whilst still passionate about education on the harm of drinking too much coke.

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i think the problem isn't SOLELY softdrink - it's about balancing your whole dietary approach. i can't see a can of coke a day as a problem IF it's something you balance out with other healthy alternatives. i drink 3L of water (minimum) a day - if i drink coke, i add double the volume of water for that day (so one can of coke means one pump bottle of water extra) - i have a very low GI diet, rarely eat things like pizza (no offence to the OP!) and if i do, i get it from a shop that has a thin crust and most of the pizza is vegatable toppings rather than a chain store (pizza hut, dominos) as i find that they make me ill from the level of oil in the base alone. i have never had a filling due to tooth decay - and as i mentioned, i was recommended this approach by a neurosurgeon, so it's not just something i decided i'd do on my own. for ME, this works, for others, it wouldn't. i think you have to look at so much more than JUST the consumption of coke (or any other softdrink) - ooh, and i'd drink coke over diet anytime cos i've seen the impacts of artificial sweeteners on people in my life - not good

lol LISA your funny.

i used to do that aswell

im finding more and more the last few weeks i have become and emotional eater with all teh bad stuff happening i cant help but eat bad food.
i stock teh house up with healthy stuff but when im at work i duck out adn grab chips instead of my sandwhich which i made that morning,

dont worry, i am stuck with you in the coke this.
we keep coke in our house as hubby likes it with his bourbon, he has maybe 3 or 4 a week on a big week otherwise its 1 on sat night.
the kids arent allowed coke, only on special occasions, its either lemonade, fruit juice or water, mainly water.
we have more bottles of water in teh fridge than anything else lol its kinda funny really.

dont worry about 1 pizza.

start with me today on the no unhealthy food for a month.
im also going to go for a jog in the morning before hubby goes to work and see how i feel after that i need to shed some kg's aswell im feel frumpy again lol

next time im up your way we will go and haev a nice healthy lunch and shopping spree for those new clothes we will need after we loose all our weight lol :D

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Anila - any lifestyle change needs to be done over a period of time or you're never going to be able to sustain it. going from eating junk and drinking coke to salad and water overnight - your body won't be able to cope with it

cutting down and gradually replacing bad with good is far easier to do and will help you to reach new eating habits that are ultimately more sustainable and better for you. if you go the path you've tried (cold turkey) you'll have major issues - caffeine withdrawals, sugar withdrawals etc - and it's going to make you ill and mean you won't end up sustaining the changes.

FWIW - i can't eat "just" a salad - i HAVE to have protein with my salad (either egg or chicken) - salad veg is just not enough to sustain me. take a look at low GI eating habits and use those - dont' try changing to some ideal healthy straight away - it won't work

as to the coke and sugar etc - you need to wean yourself off them, replace a portion of the sugar for a period of time (cordial rather than coke if need be) - otherwise your body is going to suffer big time (as you noticed yesterday) and that's not a healthy thing at all. it's about gradual change, not sudden...

:hug: Well done on deciding to make a change Anila!!! :D You can do this! I find that replacement is the key when you want to eliminate a certain food/drink from your daily diet. And like BG said you have to kind of ease into it. So... instead of having the coke how about replacing each glass with say, an icy pole. Ok, yes still alot of sugar... but not as much (unlike Coke they don't need to add anti-nausea chemicals to icy poles to stop you from vomiting due to the high sugar content ). So... maybe go and buy a box of plain icy poles and have one when you get home (or before) that school walk? It would be a start. How do you feel about taking a pain killer for the headaches that you might get for a few days?

So proud of you at least making the decision to quit the coke habit. You WILL notice a difference!

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Yep, just continue substituting for a few days so that you can finally crack this coke habit. I would seriously consider pouring any coke that you have in the house down the sink. Your DH will just have to have another drink instead or buy his rum and coke at the pub.

I agree... the worst of all your junk food habits is the coke... by FAR. I would even consider some hypnotherapy to imbed a firm psychological distaste for the stuff deep into your subconscience. On this theme I would actually screw up your face in disgust when pouring it down the sink... and even re-affirm it with a verbal "good riddance evil liquid!". When you are reading the paper and come across a coke advert also screw up your nose. I read somewhere that our physical reactions translate into feelings. eg if you make your face smile the muscles involved lead to triggering happy brain chemicals. So try the opposite strategy with your Coke kicking ambition. You really need to start hating the stuff with a passion. I mean, look at what it's done to you... but now that's going to stop! :clap: