Cut-off from cola

My friend, A, posted this vintage ad in a Facebook album the other day, and I thought it was hilarious.

I've been a cola addict since high school. At that time, I drank only the real stuff and I was active enough that it did not have any effect on my weight. I was always really thin. In my last year of university, I lived off campus with a friend who was diabetic. She always had diet coke in the fridge, and I often ended up dipping into her coke when mine ran out, especially during those long nights of thesis writing. Just me, the mice in the cupboards, and a bottle of coke...and our cat, Rufus. I quickly became hooked on diet coke and that addiction followed me here to Korea, where it is also widely available. Most recently, I've been drinking a lot of Coke Zero. A friend's Facebook status update about quitting the cola inspired me to do some online reading about diet cola. I was shocked to read about all the harmful side effects of the ingredient aspartame. I had heard things here and there, but I blocked it all out because I so loved drinking cola.

These days I have taken more interest in my health, and I thought that I, too, should kick the habit. So, I haven't had any diet cola or Coke Zero for around six weeks. I weaned myself onto regular coke for a while. I guess I drank that for about month, but I started to worry about gaining more weight, so I stopped that about two weeks ago. I don't intend to ban myself from cola. I will probably still have a glass if I'm out at a restaurant or at a get-together on a hot day, but I will not have it in the house on a daily basis anymore.

Also regarding my health, I think it's time to finally lose the last 15 pounds of baby weight I've been hanging on to. I purchased some small dumbbells from gmarket and I've got the 30 Day Shred all set up and ready to go. I've been wanting to start it for a long time, but I've been waiting for the right time.