My little drop in the ocean - no more Coca-Cola

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

Lame, I know. But the first thing I could think of.

I am (or used to be) a heavy Coke drinker. There's something addictive in that stuff, I tells ya. I decided not to send any more money to Atlanta, so now it's fruit juices or sodas made by Brazilian factories only. That also rules out the secondary Coca-Cola sodas like Fanta, and also Pepsi, 7-Up etc. But they suck anyway, so it's no big deal.

It should be noticed that I got CRAVINGS for Coca-Cola when I stopped. Cravings! Can you believe it?

Even if I sometimes am weak and fall back, I'm still spending less money on the brand, so I'm happy with my choice.

And it'll be a cold day in Hell before I set foot on an American chain fast-food or pizza joint again. Hot dogs and barbecue sticks from the corner stand are tastier.

I never miss a chance to narrate in detail the nasty effects a slice of Domino's pizza once had on my stomach. Never again. :hurts:

[kayell]

1. Great start!

Now see if next week you can think of something else to elimate or a buying habit to change.

Getting off the consumption express does not happen overnight for most people. Every single seemingly small step you take is a move in the right direction.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

2. I'm entertaining the idea of ditching cable

They added FOX "News", and I don't have the choice of not having it since is one of the "base" channels my operator carries. :puke: (Cable in Brazil is not as "a la carte" as in the USA)

[Lorien]

4. You won't miss it

especially since you have the internet too! :-)

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

5. I'm not the problem

My children are. They're seriously addicted to Discovery Kids.

[HuskerDem]

11. With cable television I think you really have to weigh the pro/com

If you feel your children are receiving great benefit, then you should weigh that accordingly.

I would encourage you however to spend one hour watching television with them - armed with a notepad. Keep track of the quantity and content of the advertising that is being aimed at your children. How many of them are for high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt nutritionally void foods?

Best of luck to you. All of our choices are personal and sometimes complicated. This is doubly true when one has a family to care for.

[Lorien]

3. Coka-cola IS addictive!

It's my one weakness; I've "quit" more often than many people I know have quit smoking or gone on a diet, but I always end up sucking that stuff down when I'm trying to meet deadlines. I have chronic fatigue symptom and Fibromyalgia, so I'm sure that if Speed were legal, I'd have an addiction to that too!

[miss_kitty]

6. excellent

the caloric reduction with be a side benefit. Try seltzer or fizzy mineral water for the fizz fix, and tea or coffee for the caffeine. Or try Hansen's.. I think it's organic and stuff-they carry it in my co-op.
and don't worry if you break down and have to have one. it happens!

Congrats! one step at a time!

On Edit: I just realised you are in Brazil-don't know if they have Hansens there.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

8. I think it's more of a fizzles + harsh flavor fix

I'm going with tonic water by Antarctica - BIG Brazilian beverage company. Has a joint venture with Belgians nowadays. They get my thumbs up.

[miss_kitty]

9. I like tonic with a little lime too

i can pretend I'm Drinking!

:beer: (closest smily in the bunch)

[fudge stripe cookays]

16. Yep, I"ve done this too.

I've dieted a few times, and have to go cold turkey on the Coke. I'm seriously addicted too.

I switch to Lime flavored-Perrier. I get the flavor, and also the fizz fix too.

I'm trying to switch over to natural sodas, tonic water, and flavored waters. And I love Martinelli's sparkling cider. Anyone know anything about them?

Hansen's is yummy too.
FSC

[Dora]

7. Blue Sky is a good soda alternative, lots of flavors.

But you might have a hard time finding it. I think their Ginseng Cola tastes better than their regular Cola, but it definitely has to be well chilled. Their sodas are much lower in sugars than the other sodas are. After drinking Blue Sky for a while you'll be able tell the difference if you should happen to have a Coke or Pepsi.

Jones Soda Co. is another alternative brand. Don't know about their corporate policies or politics, though.

On Edit: Brazil! Brazil? What're you doing drinking Coke in Brazil?! Sheesh! Good luck finding Blue Sky or Jones!

[K8-EEE]

12. Thank You!

Blue Sky, I will see if my girls will go for that one. Certainly I've been throwing lots of Coke replacements out. They do like lemonade which we make at home (we're drowning in lemons!) but they adore their Diet Coke. Maybe it's the caffeine, an eddiction, although they haven't liked the other caffeinated stuff I've bought.

[JaneDoughnut]

10. Another option

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x2061721

[Mandate My Ass]

13. Not lame at all. Bravo!

You're so right about it being addicting. My addiction years ago was Pepsi, then diet Pepsi. I would go out at 3:00 AM if I was still up and ran out of that garbage because the cravings were that strong. And Coca Cola Co. is one of the evil corporations, so double plus good for giving it up. You will be surprised at how much better you feel after you get that crap out of your system.

Now I drink Jarritos' soda made in Mexico. Grapefruit is my fave but I drink only about one a week. Water is my new addiction.

[PretzelWarrior]

14. it's not how big the drop is..but how many drops there are.

so if you do that and I do this and we spread the word so others realize their little seemingly insignificant decisions add up in the aggregate to big results....we can make a difference.

[buycottJoe]

15. Cola usually has caffeine

So if you miss the caffeine you can always go with coffee or tea or find a locally made brand of cola. I don't know if most areas of the country have a local brand, but the Detroit area does. The plant is within Detroit. The company is no longer locally owned, but at least it is still locally made. It's owned by some company out of state but it's not some giant corporation.