A question for people who have stopped drinking diet drinks

lioooba

It'll make you gain weight even if its low in calories.

That all I have to say. But you can do that!

PepperWorm

It'll make you gain weight even if its low in calories.

That all I have to say. But you can do that!

First post and it's epic wrongness.

Drinking a diet drink doesn't make you gain. Overeating does.

jenna808

I used to drink a lot of diet sodas, mostly diet coke. Once I started making changes in my eating and drinking more water I started to cut down on the diet drinks, as I would just drink them all day long. I slowly cut back and now I rarely have one and don't miss it at all. I stopped getting heartburn like symptoms, and felt much less bloated, both of those things I think were from the carbonation. Last time I had a diet coke it made my throat and belly hurt, funny that I used to drink them all day long.

jenjen828

It'll make you gain weight even if its low in calories.

That all I have to say. But you can do that!

First post and it's epic wrongness.

Drinking a diet drink doesn't make you gain. Overeating does.

That is just symantics---Calorie wise it may not make you gain...but the chemical combo that is in it will make your body crave sweets until you finally eat something with sugar. Best thing is to cut out as much artifical sweetner that you can. I do no diet sodas, sugar free deserts, or anything with nutrasweet, equal, or sweet n low. If I am at home, I drink tea sweetened with stevia. I have given it up for 8 weeks--no cravings for soda or sweets. I did not have the headaches either. I just replaced it with water...lots of water.

Since giving it up, I have NO cravings for sweets, I have had no binges, and I have lost 27.4 pounds. I changed my diet, but without having sweet cravings, it is so much easier to eat healthier. Studies have shown that America's obesity problem has increased since the introduction of the Sugar Free drinks and food. No wonder, since the sweet taste makes your body release insulin--expecting glucose in the bloodstream. When the body does not get the glucose, your body craves sugar to level out the insulin.

Start looking for the artificial sweetners, and avoid it. Crystal light and many of the water flavorings have it in them too. If you want to cut it out, flavor with lemon, orange, or any fruit juice. At least it is natural, and your body gets something that it can use and is good for it than the poisionous crap that will make you have cravings.

carrie1610

An update: since starting this thread last week, I have managed to cut down my diet coke consumption to just one can per day! I am pleased with this, as it means I've only had 7 cans in the last week instead of 21 - 28 so that's a big improvement.

However, I need to try to cut back further. I've been getting headaches when I've gone over 24 hours without a diet coke and as soon as I have one I feel fine again - worrying how addictive it is! I don't drink coffee or tea (except fruit ones) so that's the only caffeine I have.

The plan for the next week is to leave longer gaps between them and hopefully have a few diet drink free days - I'm going to try anyway!

duckymoo

Carrie1610: Well done on cutting down. I used to drink 4 or 5 cans a day and I know how hard it is. Lots of water and fruit teas (but especially water) will help with the headaches. I still have them if I'm out, but only 3 or 4 a week and hopefully will cut down more. Keep it up!

Since I have cut down, I noticed I almost never get heartburn any more (but cutting down on fat and sugar helped with this too), and I don't know if any one else experienced this but I feel a lot calmer and happier. I used to be very moody, snappy and got bad headaches when I drank a lot of coke, bt this was probably down to not drinking enough water and bad diet as well.

Also better skin, definitely less spotty around my chin and mouth, and it used to be quite bad.

carrie1610

Duckymoo: I'm drinking lots of chilled sparkling mineral water as well as plain water which helps a lot.

So far I've not really noticed any difference in how I feel, except maybe I'm a little less bloated.

RunningRichelle

I stopped drinking soda regularly years ago. Before I started MFP I would have a very occasional (maybe like 1-2 a month) diet drink.

Now I drink kombucha every day. It tastes amazing, has probiotics, and doesn't have many calories. You can buy it at a growing number of grocery stores (expensive, like $3-$4 a bottle) or make your own, which I think is really fun, and cheaper than commercially-bought bottled anything.

If you end up making your own kombucha- http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-kombucha-tea-at-home-173858

carrie1610

RuningRichel: that's the first time I've heard of kombucha - I've just googled it to find out more.

Have you noticed any health benefits due to stopping the diet soda?

abeach1

I was a hardcord Diet Coke drinker...8-10 cans per day! I initially started kicking the habit by drinking one can then one bottle of water. I didn't allow myself the next can until the water was gone. I then did one can and two bottles of water in between, etc. I haven't had a Diet Coke since 4/25/2012. I cut caffeine completely. When I stopped cold that day, I had a massive headache for three days. Took some Aleve and went to bed at 7pm each of those nights. I haven't looked back and don't miss it. I lost 20 pounds within the first two months. My skin is SO much healthier...not so dry. I am less hungry between meals and have had zero heartburn.

It was tough but it was the best decision I ever made!

musicboxes

Personally I have always just liked coke, but switched to diet when my husband & I started cutting down on sugar. Since I'm trying to drink more water daily, I realized I don't drink coke as often, nor do I want it, but I do still drink them occasionally. I saw a Martha S show where she added different fruits each day to water, so I tried some. My fav water is with strawberry chunks, which I sometimes add to my water bottle. The last few weeks, I found a detox apple cinnamon water drink which I love & it seemed to have immediate results..I don't feel as bloated & it keeps my weight from flip-flopping. So try out your own & find your favs, as it has worked for me.

Brige2269

I use to drink diet coke everyday, 2 to 3 cans a day about 5 years ago. I needed a change for my weight, so I cut it down little by little. I replaced it with iced tea, so I had one soda and drank iced tea. Then I stopped the soda and only had iced tea. I have now cut all drinks but coffee and water. I felt much better, wasnt bloated and started losing weight. The artifical sweetners in it is really bad for you. You can do it, just cut down the amount week by week, you not miss it. Trust me.

greenmm25

I had to just say NO more. Cold turkey, I am so addicted to it (or i was) that If i had one I wanted more I went all of 2012 without one soda then 2013 I thought I could get it back but just a few here or there but it turned out to be just as bad as it was before. I didn't want to drink anything but Diet Coke, no water to really speak of. So Jun 1 st I just stopped again no more soda at all not a year forever if I have to. I really liked it but it makes me feel awful. So, now three months and no soda and counting. I just Have to make it an all or nothing thing. I hope this helps.

rainbowbow

the only effect was a loss of a general "bloat" and gassy feeling.


but, hey, wasn't big enough for me to WANT to stop drinking diet sodas.

*sips diet root beer*

julieharrell1

I was in a plateau for probably 4 years. I would get down to a certain weight and just couldn't go down any further no matter what I did. I kept reading reports that artifical sweetners were linked to obesity. I always I thought " okay your study concluded that fat people drink diet pop. No ****, Sherlock" Well, I gave up all artifical sweetners. I had been drinking Sweet-n-Low in my coffee every day for 30 years. I didn't think I could stand coffee without it, but I can. It took a few days, but now I drink 3 cups a day black. I love it. If I get a taste of an artifical sweetner, I can't stand it. It's disgusting to me. I was below my " glass floor" weight within a week of stopping.

rabblerabble

For a long time (before dieting) I started off the day with lots of coffee (with loads of flavored Coffeemate) and then the rest of the day would just be lots of non-caffeine diet soda. Now it's black coffee in the morning and then nothing but plain water. Helps a lot if it is iced cold.

I try to avoid any artificial sweeteners of any kind and any sugar-free products. Would much rather put in real sugar or honey (and count the calories) when a recipe calls for it.

dibasketcase

I'm not a cold turkey fan in any way shape or form, so like some of the others here I have cut back significantly on the old diet soda. I don't particularly like coffee, so the DC was always my morning caffeine from my local fast food joint that sells them for $1.00. I still will do one in the morning, and then I switch to flavored water, fruit infused water or just plain water throughout the day.

I also used to order a DC every time I went out to eat. That has pretty much stopped. It's really helped the wallet!

As for benefits, less bloating and greater weight loss so far...definitely worth the sacrifice and change in lifestyle!

Hunnib23

When I switched to diet soda a few years ago I thought I was doing something healthy. Now I don't drink any soda.

I feel a lot better, my stomach is flatter, I don't get the same headaches I used to, I don't have a caffeine crash (I still have a cup of coffee in the morning but I use Stevia as a sweetener).

Also the artificial sweeteners are linked to causing increased appetite and cravings for carbs, and stimulate fat storage and weight gain.

NonnyMary

I really want to stop drinking diet coke, but it's just so hard to do! I've been drinking it regularly for the last 20+ years and usually have 3-4 cans a day. I'm looking for motivation to stop drinking it altogether - those chemicals can't be good for me and I hate being so addicted to a drink!

So, my question is what effect on health/weight loss has stopping drinking diet drinks had for you? How do you feel you have benefited?

The BEST benefit is that I am no longer addicted to Classic Coke, which I personally beleive it is addicting. I know because when i used to drink 2 a day - when i was very hot and sweaty, that Coke was so dang refreshing, and I craved it.

It took about 2 weeks with no Coke and that's how long it took to remove the craving. I think going cold-turkey is the best quickest way to destroy the hold of an addiction like that.. but you'd have to see how it works for your own self. Yours could be quicker or slower, i dont know. But wouldn't it be fun to try and see what you could do if you tried to lay it aside?

RunningRichelle

RuningRichel: that's the first time I've heard of kombucha - I've just googled it to find out more.

Have you noticed any health benefits due to stopping the diet soda?

Definitely health benefits from not drinking diet soda- the biggest being that I crave less sugar. On the days when i would have a soda, I would invariably either eat some form of sugary 'treat,' or have to battle through intensely craving one.

Also, less stomach upset from the absence of the carbonation. That one may be more specific to me, though!