Diet Coke, the Wall Street Journal and Good Morning America

Hi guys. I’ve neglected this blog, again. I can’t seem to find the right balance of parenting and blogging. Parenting will always win though, especially since my 2 and 4-year-old can say “Get off the computer, mama!” Blogging was much easier when they both napped every day, giving me 2-3 hours of sweet serenity. Now? Not so much.

My days are spent wrestling them to get dressed in the morning to arrive at preschool on time and then spend 2.5 hours rushing to get errands run and workouts finished. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t trade this insanity for anything but I do miss being able to open up my laptop and write about life.

Remember how I told you guys about quitting Diet Coke back in August? I tweeted how good I felt since quitting after drinking it for almost 30 years and a few days later I got an email from a reporter at the Wall Street Journal asking if he could interview me about kicking the habit. That took place about a month ago but the article was published in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal. I believe you have to be a WSJ subscriber to read the entire article, but here’s the intro:

Joanna Stepka is the soda industry’s new nightmare.

The 33-year-old Rhode Island resident began drinking Diet Coke in kindergarten, graduating to three cans a day by adulthood. She quit in August after her gym trainer told her artificial sweeteners are unhealthy and make people fat even if they don’t have calories.

“I thought it was a win-win, but after learning about the chemicals, definitely not,” says Mrs. Stepka, a parenting lifestyle blogger. (WSJ.com)

Some of the comments from my friends were awesome. Including my favorite from Beth-Ann:

She is awesome. Anyways, I am a little embarrassed that I’ve drunk diet coke my entire life but it is what it is. I had pretty much forgotten about the Wall Street Journal interview until the reporter sent it to me yesterday morning when it was published. Throughout the day, I got a few text messages from friends letting me know they saw the article and congrats on kicking the habit. Another normal day as a suburban housewife who happened to get a tweet picked up by a newspaper.

Next thing I know I’m just finishing up preparing a huge, messy meal for the family while trying to make Sidney happy (who is now suffering from a cold and is the most miserable 2-year-old ever) when I get a phone call from a 212 area code. The last time I got a call on my cell from an unknown number was the fraud department at my credit card letting me know someone in China was buying surfing gear. So instead of letting it go to voicemail and having to call someone back, I answered the phone with a screaming toddler on my hip.

Between her cries for a binky and chocolate milk I heard the man on the other end as if I was the Joanna featured in the Wall Street Journal for quitting diet coke. I laughed and said yes, then he asked me if he could send a crew to my house to interview me for Good Morning America. IN TWO HOURS. Mind you, my house has two small children living in it who destroy things like it’s their job and I was still in gym clothes from my workout hours earlier.

Sure, why not. How often is it you get interview by Good Morning America, right? Somehow I got the house presentable, kids fed and put to bed and was able to get a shower before they arrived a few hours later. (Huge thanks to my friend Kelly who had some wardrobe options available for me and for my husband helping with the kids and house) The crew and entire staff at GMA were very nice and I have no idea how they manage to put together an entire 2 hour show every day while I can barely manage to get my small children out of the house fully clothed. Props to tv production crews!

There was a small blurb on Good Morning America this morning about why I quit diet coke but if you blinked, you probably missed it.  Thanks to everyone who texted or emailed, I appreciate it. It always amazes me how the internet works and I’m so grateful for the network of wonderful people I’ve found on this journey.

PS. Mom, sorry to throw you under the bus for letting me drink diet coke at a young age and possibly supplying them with the featured picture. I do wish you would kick the habit too, though! Love you.