I once walked through a work/life loft where the kitchen was stocked with diet coke, purified water, soy milk, tangerines, blood oranges, nature valley bars, tomato soup and cous cous from Trader Joes.
The only thing I ever took were the tangerines and blood oranges. And I often helped myself to the water. On occasion, I would eat a bar, but I wasn’t severely attached. Ever since I started to instill in myself a philosophy of food moderation, food rarely holds a weight.
The reason that I am willing to buy a $3 cone from Bi-Rite Creamery vs. a $4 gallon of ice cream from Sun Valley is simply that. By spending money, I feel less inclined to spend more. And by having just a taste–even if it’s barely a physical experience that lasts 5 minutes, it’s the emotional experience that stays.
Of course though, if you happen to give me a 5 lb bag of gummy worms, we all know how long that will last in my presence.
On another note, why do people drink so much soda? Why diet coke?
There’s something about the harsh carbonation of soda that gets addictive over time. Diet Coke and Diet Dr. Pepper are the two diet sodas that I think taste even remotely good… all others are crap!
I agree with Sam. I thought it was the caffeine I was addicted to, but I dropped caffeine without much trouble (after a 5-6 Diet Coke a day habit). Unfortunately, it was the Diet Coke, not the caffeine because I drink nearly as much Caffeine Free Diet Coke now instead. Bummer.
“By spending money, I feel less inclined to spend more.”
That has to be an oxymoron or a paradox or something.
I don’t get the whole soda thing though. I guess it just depends on your upbringing. There was never any in the house, so the only times I drink it ever is with pizza or at a family gathering or something.