Diet Soda

I’m that really annoying diabetic who will get mad at you for telling me I can’t eat a bowl of Mac n’ cheese and then make sure I’m drinking diet soda.

People always seem to assume I’m trying to make some point when I do this. But that’s not the case!! Let me explain:

To me, carb counting is second nature. I could (and probably do) count carbs in my sleep, bolus with my eyes closed and most times be a-okay. Buuuuuuut I, personally, don’t do as well when we’re talking sugar sugar foods/drinks. I’ve gotten a lot better at counting cuppycakes (a favorite of mine!) or a brownie but the whole syrup/soda thing? Yeeaaaaah no. Not my forte man.

I think part of it is that when I was diagnosed nearly 20 years ago – that stuff wasn’t an option. I remember getting the carb counting booklet, a list of “no’s”  and a list of “free foods”.

Do y’all remember that?! It was literally a list of foods that were thought (at that time) to not effect blood sugar.

BAHAHAHAHAHA

1. As if ANY food doesn’t consistently NOT effect blood sugar 2. As if those foods would be the same for everyone

Oh well. Obviously we all learned from that…. and truth be told – there are some foods on that list that really are “free foods” for me! Lettuce, Cucumbers, peppers… but things like carrots, salsa and ice pops? Not so much.

I remember being told “absolutely not” to the things I let myself indulge in today, like the occasional cuppycake. But that diet soda? That’s always been allowed.

I’m not a huge soda person anyway. I’ll take water or seltzer over soda almost any day of the week. Buuuuuut there are days when I really want an ice cold Coke Zero (or whatever the heck they’re calling it now) to wash down some wings or pizza.

And I know I get crazy looks when I’m ordering 2 slices of pizza for myself and then a sugar free soda. I’ve heard the whispers, “what’s the point in a sugar free soda after eating that?!”. And ya know? To be honest, I’ve enjoyed the looks I get when I backfire to some rude remark about getting a diet drink.

“You don’t need diet. You’re an okay weight.” “Why, gee thanks sir. But today doesn’t seem like a good day to die.”

Yeah, I may get a little dramatic with it but like I said – I know I suck at counting for regular soda so why risk it? Especially when I truly enjoy my diet drinks.

So while I know to some it seems contradictory – I think I’ll keep doing what I’m doing for now with that. I’ll keep my carbs and occasional sweet treats, and leave the sugar-full soda, syrups and other Not-Bean-Friendly-Carb-Counting out.

So keep on staring people, while I order my 2 (or 3) slices of pizza and a medium Diet Coke – I like my carbs countable!

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