This will be the last post in the mini series I have created going back to the beginning of this year.  If you want to catch up on those posts before continuing with this one, they can be found by clicking on the following:

1. You Must Finish Strong
2. I Need to Win at Diabetes
3. Clean Diabetic Diet and Exercise
4. My 2010 Challenge

Let me reiterate that I’m not a doctor and I don’t have any scientific data that explains what I am about to say.  I have neither collected data nor can guarantee these results.  As always, consult your physician before changing anything in your diet. 

Back in September when I fell off of my diet wagon and began eating and drinking soda like it was going out of style, my blood sugars were high.  In the morning I had a very difficult time keeping my sugar below 200 between breakfast and lunch.  At bed time, my sugars were always pretty high probably from an oversized dinner.  During this period from September through the end of December, I was drinking one thing constantly; Diet Mountain Dew.

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I would have a sugar free Monster or Rockstar drink in the morning and then drink Diet Mountain Dew all day long until dinner when I would stop for the evening.  By days end, I would probably come close to 2 liters per day.  It is very hard to tell, but I noticed that when I stopped drinking so much caffeine my sugars seemed to level out.  Granted, I also changed my diet shortly after, but the caffeine had multiple negative effects on the body.

1. By drinking so much soda, I was drinking nearly zero water each day 
2. All of the caffeine was keeping me going during the day, but seriously crashing at night

When I was diagnosed I had a very easy time transitioning to diet soda because that’s really what I drank anyways.  I have heard from many diabetics and I think the general consensus is that you would have to pry the diet soda out of my cold, dead hands for me to give it up.  Up until now, I would have agreed. 

I am going to say it right here and quite frankly; I think diet soda (not caffeine free) is one of the most detrimental things that a diabetic can consume outside of doing pure sugar shots.  I’m talking about the typical day to day things someone would eat or drink.  Sure there are other things that are hazardous, but you know what I’m talking about.  Also, I’m not talking about one diet soda here and there; I am talking about someone like me that obviously had a problem.  I will be the first to admit it.  I was addicted to Diet Mountain Dew.

One of the reasons I think drinking diet soda all day long, maybe at work, is such a problem is what happens afterwards.  When you need the energy to do something beneficial for yourself like exercise or spend time with the family, you have no energy.  The crash from no caffeine was so bad, that most nights I wanted to crawl into bed at 7:30 when we started to put our girls down for the evening.  Now with much more energy I might even sneak in a 45 minute workout at 11:00 at night.

I still haven’t completely given up caffeine. In the morning I am still drinking a Monster energy drink, but it’s all about baby steps, right?  The difference is that I am drinking at least a gallon of plain water each day after my morning jolt.  I feel energized and have a lot more motivation to workout at night instead of A) snacking and watching TV or B) going to bed from just being tired.

If you want to feel better, have more motivation and help your body stay clean, give up the soda for a glass or two of water.  It’s better for your kidneys, your skin and will help you out in the long term.  I’m not a doctor, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.