Is giving up diet soda really worth it?

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Replies

  • skinnybearlyndsay
    skinnybearlyndsay Posts: 798 Member
    I'll have one once, maybe twice, a week. Usually on Fridays when I'm nauseous from a medication I take weekly. I was drinking Diet Sprite, but it wasn't helping too well. I recently discovered Zevia ginger ale. Much better!! And zero calories as it's sweetened with Stevia.
  • Nicktheicequeen
    Nicktheicequeen Posts: 34
    I drink diet coke once in a while.
    But it's mostly all water and coffee for me.
  • nlewis22
    nlewis22 Posts: 107 Member
    My husband is ADDICTED to Diet Pepsi. and he got me on the wagon. I have been soda free for about a week, but I still always have my morning coffee, so I'm doing fine. I do still want it, but I feel so much less bloated than before, and the first 2 days I swear I peed 20 times a day! I would just switch to tea or coffee, but not the Starbucks sugar filled coffee, just normal, brew at home/office coffee.
  • ksy1969
    ksy1969 Posts: 700 Member
    I have diet soda.. I need something to put my alcohol in..

    This^^^

    I thought about quitting diet pop but then remembered I needed it to mix my Bacardi in so figured what is the point of only quitting when it doesn't have alcohol. :drinker:
  • southerndream24
    southerndream24 Posts: 303 Member
    I grew up drinking regular soda. Everything under the sun from Mountain Dew, Coke, Pepsi, Sprite, you name it. In HS i got migraines so intense my neurologist and parents made me give it up. In college I would mainly drink diet soda. I gave up soda completely about four years ago and now I don't understand how anyone can drink it. It tastes like pure poison going into my body.

    That is me though. It just depends on your goals and what you want for your body/health. I won't drink it because I try to limit artificial things going into my body. What's good for me isn't necessarily good for you. It was worth it for me though.
  • TheRunningGuppy
    TheRunningGuppy Posts: 651 Member
    For me, it was worth it. But I have not cut it completely out, I will have one every couple of weeks. I know you said that won't work for you, but it does for me. The reason I decided to cut way back was I had constant migraine headaches, and limiting my intake of artificial sweeteners really cut those back. I use stevia and real sugar (limited amounts) now.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    I used to have about 5 cans a day for, oh, the past 15 years. Today is day 12 cold turkey. I am irritable, unfocused, and kind of a witch to be honest. No, I can't have like, one a week or whatever the same way someone could probably not have just "a little" crack cocaine. Could someone please tell me that they felt better after giving up soda? I know all of the articles that are like "diet soda is the devil and ruins your bones and gives you cancer etc." but I'm looking for someone who experienced readily identifiable benefits of giving up this diet carbonated nectar of the gods and not just "I abstractly reduced my chance of cancer and a heart attack"

    Thanks!

    If you want to give it up then do it. Do you have reasons for wanting to give it up? It sounds like you gave it up for exactly the abstract reasons you dont want to hear. If you stick with it you will eventually start to feel better or just replace it with something else. You will probably join the countless others that will say they feel much better without it in their lives. Just as there are countless people saying they feel just fine having it many time per day. Until you find out for yourself it really doesnt matter what others feel about it.
  • booncey
    booncey Posts: 75 Member
    I drink coke zero maybe 1 or 2 a day and the rest of the day...water. I think I drink so much water that I flush out the bad stuff in the coke zero. I used to be a Mountain Dew Addict and I had to cut those out completely. I know I can't cut them out completely, so I justify a long-term solution for myself. Of course you have to figure out what you can maintain long term. Now, when I quit smoking 13 years ago...I knew I could never pick up 1 because I would fall off the wagon with it. Nobody knows you better than you...but if you are homicidal...put down the knife and pick up a diet coke!!! Good luck, it's hard to cut out things we love completely.
  • harleygroomer
    harleygroomer Posts: 373 Member
    YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
  • chelstakencharge
    chelstakencharge Posts: 1,021 Member
    I quit cold turkey too.....4 years ago and have never regretted it. That is just poison into your body.
  • erikkmcvay
    erikkmcvay Posts: 238 Member
    i wonder how many who've lost over 30 lbs this year still drink the stuff regularly?

    I've lost almost 50lbs (27 since started using MFP) and only drink it once a week when I play darts and then in moderation.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    i wonder how many who've lost over 30 lbs this year still drink the stuff regularly?

    I've lost almost 50lbs (27 since started using MFP) and only drink it once a week when I play darts and then in moderation.

    I haven't lost 30 lbs this year but I drink several cans a day.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    i wonder how many who've lost over 30 lbs this year still drink the stuff regularly?

    I've lost almost 50lbs (27 since started using MFP) and only drink it once a week when I play darts and then in moderation.

    I haven't lost 30 lbs this year but I drink several cans a day.

    I drink several cans every day also. Drank it all through my weight loss and have been maintaining for over a year with it also.
  • karenertl
    karenertl Posts: 271 Member
    I've tried quitting soda a few times. At this point in time, it seems to drain more energy than it gives me so I'm trying to quit the stuff yet again. I've heard that the carmel color they use in the dark sodas is really bad for us.
  • howardheilweil
    howardheilweil Posts: 604 Member
    It's not clear to me whether the OP gave up all sources of caffeine or just diet soda. If she went cold turkey on all caffeine, then I certainly can understand the physical effects! I was never a soda drinker, but a heavy coffee drinker. I would routinely (until about six weeks ago) consume at least 3 - 4 cups of caffeinated coffee per day. I am not down to one cup of coffee in the early am and then a couple of cups of green tea during the day. I know that green tea is caffeinated, but not nearly as much as coffee and my plan is to taper that as well, though there are very positive health benefits to green tea.
  • DavidC1857
    DavidC1857 Posts: 149 Member
    I lost well over 130 pounds all while drinking diet soda. Not every day, but a can or two occasionally through the week, and a 32 ouncer refilled multiple times during dinner out on Monday and Friday evenings. I have maintained now since the beginning of February, and am working on losing a bit more, and I will continue to drink my diet soda.
  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
    Yes. I switched to iced tea instead and like it much better. I had a coke zero at the movies yesterday, and I ended up throwing most of it away. It tasted nasty and made me feel bloated.

    I used to drink diet soda every day for years. I feel much better now. Replacing the caffeine is important, switch to iced tea or coffee for a while so your withdrawals are reduced.
  • erikkmcvay
    erikkmcvay Posts: 238 Member
    And to answer the question:

    I'm a guy and never gave much thought to my skin until I quit drinking the diet soda, then something strange happened: It wasn't so dry anymore!

    I had dry elbows and feet but that started to go away after I quit drinking so much diet soda -- went completely away wen I stopped my diuretic I took for High BP.

    I used to have foot cramps too....gave up the diet soda and gee whiz, the cramps stopped.

    I was 280+lbs and while giving up the diet soda only seemed to help me lose 10 or 20 of those I kept them off for a long time and only overeating seemed to put them back...but today at 233 I can say that I'm certain NOT drinking diet soda regularly has benefited me in many ways not the least of which is financially.

    Watch the movie "Hungry for Change" and perhaps you'll understand why the stuff IS NOT the best thing you can drink during the day ;)
  • ames105
    ames105 Posts: 288 Member
    I quit the diet soda. I didn't go cold turkey but I did wean myself off of it slowly. It didn't matter, I still had the worst caffiene withdrawl symptoms. It was terrible to go through. And, I didn't lose a single pound from getting off the pop, I still had to struggle through and be careful with my diet and exercise.

    Still, I kept telling myself that eating clean meant reducing the amount of chemicals I was putting in my body. Diet pop is nothing but water mixed with chemicals. When I finally go to the other side of the withdrawl, I have to say I felt a lot better.

    Hang in there, its worth it.
  • JulieGirl58
    JulieGirl58 Posts: 158 Member
    Congratulations! You just did something really good for yourself. I had a six pack a day Dr. Pepper habit that I quit cold turkey 15 years ago. it is poison in your body for more reasons than you can count. I felt terrible and had headaches for about two weeks. But I have never regretted giving it up. I drink more water now which is essential for healthy skin and organs. Soda of either kind is just terrible for you for so many reasons. Read more about the dangers of carbonated drinks and you will be glad you gave it up.
  • harphy
    harphy Posts: 290 Member
    I have read an article that people gain up to 20lbs per year just because they drink soft drinks and "healthy" fruit juices. Not to mention what this no-good does to your body from stomach, liver to teeth, cardivascular system...
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    it is poison in your body for more reasons than you can count.

    I dunno, but I can count higher than 0.

    I've always been really good at math, though. I won state competitions in high school and stuff. I know not everyone is as talented as I am.
  • ChangingAmanda
    ChangingAmanda Posts: 486 Member
    Cutting out the soda and increasing my water intake has really cleared up my skin. I also noticed my skin wasn't as dry this winter but I'm not sure how much of that was because of the increased water and how much because we had a much milder winter than the past couple years.

    I wasn't able to quit cold turkey, I went down to one a day (from somewhere around 6+ and I drank diet and regular) for about a week and then one every couple days for a week. If I was craving soda, I always waited at least an hour and drank at least 8oz of water before I had the soda. I also worked the calories into my budget.

    The lack of caffeine could be causing your irritability. Have you tried coffee or tea (iced or hot)?

    I had my last soda on Thanksgiving. It didn't taste right and didn't feel right. Now I drink only water throughout the day and have milk, almond milk or OJ in my breakfast smoothie. Every now and again if I'm eating out and know the restaurant's water tastes awful, I'll have lemonade.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    It is worth it. Yes, you will be miserable for a short while, but you'll get over it.
  • graceire
    graceire Posts: 323 Member
    If someone tried to get between me and my one Diet Pepsi a day, they better be prepared for me to attempt to rip their face off...:noway:
  • jaksmom060567
    jaksmom060567 Posts: 26 Member
    I am a diet coke junkie. It can't be diet pepsi or diet RC or any other diet colas. It has to be diet coke. I would drink it morning, noon and night.. I am pretty sure I drank it in my sleep. So my nutrienalist told me to cut back don't cut it out all together just cut back. So this is what I have been able to do. I have a bout 6 oz in the morning (its my coffee, which i don't drink) and 6 oz in the afternoon. Then I switch to water with crystal light and it has been helping to cut the soda intake. I am enjoying the crystal light more and more every day so I may become diet coke free some day.
  • shannashannabobana
    shannashannabobana Posts: 625 Member
    Could someone please tell me that they felt better after giving up soda?
    I was never a diet soda fiend (yuk!) but I gave up coke's a few years ago and in addition to losing weight, I noticed that I lost most of the acid reflux I was having. Fascinating.

    I usually don't miss it but every once in a while I'll have bit. Last time the reflux was back, so that will teach me :)

    I didn't have any weird withdrawl symptoms, though. I sort of eased out of it (and I hadn't been drinking 5 cans a day to begin with) by starting off saying I will only have a coke on friday. And eventually, I didn't need it on friday or I forgot or it just didn't matter. So that worked for me.
  • Opha30
    Opha30 Posts: 15 Member
    I'm still drinking caffeine (mainly homemade iced tea) and I love carbonation so I drink a lot of seltzer (and get that jolt of happiness from hearing the sound of a can crack or bottle open because my god did/do I love diet coke).

    I just feel SO ridiculous and downtrodden over a beverage that I can't help but think sometimes "Why am I doing this to myself? I can deal with abstract concerns if it means I can be happy immediately" :-)
  • harphy
    harphy Posts: 290 Member
    Maybe mixing soda with water would help? Gradually you add more and more water and finally quit.
  • MsEndomorph
    MsEndomorph Posts: 604 Member
    12-24 cans of coke a day since i was about 7 until last year when i only did so much and now none. best thing i have ever done for my health
    Hmmm. Like those people that drank 8 cans of redbull, die, and then blame everything on the redbull on how it's "so dangerous."

    Zombie lawsuits?

    OP - anything that you're THIS miserable without has been controlling you. Don't be controlled by soda...be in charge of your own health. Your teeth, bones, brain, waistline, and god knows what else will thank you endlessly.

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