I plan on spending one week without soda or juice. I drink soda and juice on a daily basis—about six to eight times a week, maybe even more. I can practically hear my body crying out in agony, hating me. I drink water less than I do soda. I’ve heard that water extremely helps your body. Soda and juice contain high amounts of sugar. In my opinion, soda contains enough sugar to almost be considered a drug. A regular can of coke carries 39 grams of sugar or high fructose corn syrup, and a 20 oz bottle contains 65 grams of sugar. You know that quote “Your body is a temple”? Well, mine is more like a kid’s sixth birthday at Chuck E Cheese’s or like a McDonald’s bathroom. Sad—yes, I know. I expect the temptation to drink soda to be strong, and I eat out a good two to four times a week with friends after work. Soda is usually my drink of choice, Dr. Pepper specifically. I honestly don’t really know how much soda impacts my mood and health right now. I don’t know if I’ll get moody or easily ticked off, if I’ll feel more lazy or more energetic. Will my body feel sick or better overall? Sad as it is, soda and juice make me feel more replenished after drinking them than water does.

Day One

Before today, I had a last hurrah for my sad, little, unhealthy body and had some soda and juice. I feel really dehydrated, partly because I’m sick and because I haven’t been drinking healthy liquids. My body feels slow, and waking up this morning was not pleasurable at all. I need to step up and start drinking more water if I want to keep myself hydrated. I went to Chipotle today after work with my friend. I accidentally took a tiny sip of her diet coke and I was extremely disappointed in myself. The first day and I already messed up. It was only a tiny sip. I gave my friend hell for offering it to me. I didn’t eat Chipotle, by the way, I had Chipotle last Friday. So I made my friend take me to Five Guys. Didn’t get a soda, pat on the back for me. Drank water with my burger and it sucked. Room temperature water is hell. Water doesn’t go well with a burger for me. I’m a good-old-burger-with-fries-and-a-soda type of girl, and water just isn’t cutting it. Dropped a couple of ice cubes in there and it got better but still wasn’t liking it. Filled my water bottle and set it on the fridge ready for tomorrow morning.

Day Two

Ready to leave the house, I grabbed my very cold water bottle. I drink water mostly at school because I don’t really have options . I’m sure they sell drinks for lunch, but I’ve never bothered to check. So, I’m left with water. I did a little better today in drinking more water and trying to finish the bottle before school ends and refill it with water at school. That’s one of my goals for this week. Ate a PB&J for lunch with water. Food really sucks when all you have is water to wash it down with. People who only drink water are real superstars because it’s been really hard to find it satisfying. Worked after school and I remember exactly how many sips of water I took from my bottle. Three. Only three sips of water. I really need to force myself to start drinking more water. I can feel my dehydration taking a toll and it’s not good. Went to Chipotle again after work, resisted the urge to drink soda. The temptation is actually really strong as someone who drinks soda and juice pretty often. Got home around 8, wasn’t until 9:30 that I realized I didn’t bring my bottle home and I left it at work. I don’t have work on Wednesdays. That’s tomorrow. Do you see my problem? I need to get myself in check. I guess I’ll be using plastic bottles until I get mine back. Maybe I ’ll actually be able to finish a water bottle now. It’s going to be really sad if I don’t finish it, let me tell you that much. I need sodaholics anonymous. Is that a real thing? Cause if it is, you can find me there.

Day Three

So, I don’t have my regular water bottle with me. I brought a plastic bottle. We got the water from Safeway, I know because it’s labeled market essentials. Haven’t opened it yet. Sitting right in front of me and I still haven’t opened it yet. Alas! I’ve opened my water bottle, I may have taken the tiniest sip possible but at least I’ve opened it. The impact of wanting soda hasn’t really hit me yet—I’m sure it will in a couple days. It’s a bigger temptation when I’m physically near it . Getting soda and juice out of your life completely is easier when you don’t have it around. Leave only the option for water at your house… unless It’s milk or something. When you are going out to eat, only take enough money to buy the meal and not a drink with it. That’s definitely helped me. If you don’t trust yourself, go out with someone you trust and make them order for you.

Day Four

I finally got my water bottle back. And then I left it in my friend’s car. Of course I would. Sometimes I wonder what’s going through my head when these things happen. The craving for soda is still bad. It’s actually ridiculous how much I want to drink soda. As I’m trying to give up soda, I’m realizing how much it actually impacted my life. When I wasn’t trying to give up soda, I obviously didn’t think too much about how much soda I consumed, but as I’m giving it up and only committing to water, its a pain in the butt. I honestly don’t think a fast food-induced body could physically give up soda. I need a substitute or something.

Day Five

Cesar Chavez Day! Anyways, no school today and I have plans for breakfast and the beach. Can’t drink orange or apple juice for breakfast which really sucks because breakfast is my thing and I can’t enjoy IHOP’s cup of juice, it’s a shame. Either way breakfast was fine. When I go to the beach, I like the usual sandwich with chips and a drink and I have to go with water again. I’m getting real tired of always drinking water. Its boring. Went to Pacifica, got offered a soda at a person’s house and I was chilling, stuck with my water. Reading this, it may seem like an exaggeration but if you drink soda on the regular and it’s a part of your everyday, and you just cut it like that from your life, you’re gonna have withdrawals and feel shitty cause soda is like a drug. Soda and juice are offered almost everywhere. Anywhere you go—maybe not at school, but, cross the street, and you’ll find about more than 10 places you can get some. In some places water costs more than soda. Now I get paid a good amount of money, but let me say one thing: I am cheap with my money—I don’t like spending too much(yet I go out to eat very often) and I’d rather buy a 99 cent soda than a $1.45 water bottle. That extra 45 cents really makes that decision for me. Went to the beach, super nice, windy as hell. Sandwich sure would’ve been good with a juice or something. Oh well. Started work, and, luckily, I did not leave my water bottle behind again. Thanks to the weather I’ll be getting more dehydrated: summer is right around the corner and the heat is already here.

Day Six

So I left my water bottle in my friends car and I don’t have a water bottle again. I don’t have any planned today for today so it’s not a big temptation for soda or juice. Staying at home makes it easier to resist anything sugary and thirst-quenching.  I only work today and that’s the most wildest thing I’m doing. I guess one can call me a party animal. Went to work, took a water bottle. I didn’t finish my water; honestly, I didn’t even get halfway through it. Spent the rest of the day at home watching Netflix. 13 Reasons Why. Watch it. Anyways , there’s just something about sitting under a hot blanket and being lazy that really makes you dehydrated. At this point, I’ve just really been craving soda, and, when this is over, i’m definitely going to cave. Trying to go these days without soda and juice has really made me think about my eating habits. I’ll admit that only drinking water sucks, and it’s definitely something you have to ease into—especially if you drink an insane amount of soda.