Kicking the Diet Coke Habit

_Schatzi_

I was just updating my profile from last year and I realized I actually achieved one of my goals- to stop drinking diet coke. Or really any diet soda. I was drinking about 2-3 cans of diet coke a day. I didn't drink coffee, and I found myself needed it desperately to get through the day- even though, it really is disgusting and didn't make me feel good.

I managed to kick the habit by a combination of two things- an alternate caffeine source and and alternate fizzy drink source.

I started trying to find something else to drink in the mornings. I started with chai tea with a tbs of spiced latte coffeemate. I still have that sometimes, but now I have one cup of coffee with girl scout cookie coffeemate. I'm very sensitive to caffiene, and having it in the mornings has been great- I get the focus I need, but I'm not having it past noon, so I'm sleeping much better. Before I would try not to have diet coke after 4 or 5, which was just way to late and causing all kinds of sleeping problems.

Secondly- the fizzy drink. I found that what I really liked about diet coke was the texture more than the taste. Something cold and fizzy. I found Perrier Citron- a fizzy mineral water with a lemon taste was the perfect replacement. It's only after I swallow that I realize it's not diet coke, and by then I feel good because it's water and not chemicals. Now I'm more hydrated and can have this all day long.

My brother (we were raised in a soda house) also kicked the habit. His advice is to not have it in the house. When you first start- not having it in the house takes care of probably 70% of your consumption. Next, your work place, and finally when you are out at other places. It really does work. I found when I was at home and desperate, and there was no diet coke but there was perrier, I would take it.

I hope this helps other people who are struggling to kick the habit. It is possible! Good luck!

Hornsby

I find the enjoyment of diet soda outweighs the minimal to 0 negative impact it has on my body.

jennycina93

I just started going without diet soda a few days ago. It's rough but I know water is so much healthier.

seltzermint555

Great idea for a post. I would also like to suggest La Croix as another carbonated water alternative to soda. It comes in lots of yummy flavors (my favorite is grapefruit but the peach-raspberry is good too). They sell it plenty of places I am sure, but I used to get it from Target in cans (I think it was an eight or ten pack).

I actually still drink a few (typically 1-4) cans of diet soda each week, and I don't think it's pure evil or anything -- but in the past I was a 3 cans a day and NO water kind of person (in college I was shaking by 10 am if I hadn't had a 20 oz of Diet Pepsi) and that is definitely a bad choice!

FitMama2013

Not having it in the house is key - after I had my son 14 months ago, I didn't do the grocery shopping for awhile, so my husband just didn't buy any. I was at home for a few months and just got out of the habit. After not tasting it for awhile, I had a sip and was amazed that I ever had a diet coke habit.

RachEB93

Well I'd firstly like to say well done! And secondly, thanks for this post!
My diet coke consumption is, honestly, excessive, and it's pretty much all I drink most days. Cutting down is something I occasionally think about as I know I probably should, but I also know it'll be a challenge due to how much I seem to rely on it. Hearing how you did it and also how much better you're feeling as a result gives me more encouragement to do it!

_Schatzi_

I totally hear ya. In the beginning I felt I really needed diet soda because it felt like you were getting 'something' even though it was 0 calories. There have been studies saying that diet soda makes you crave sweets because the artificial sweeteners inflate your desire for the super sweet and get you used to having something sweet all day. I don't know if that's really true.

For me it was just really bad habit, and I'm pretty sure was causing stomach problems. When looking at my eating and drinking habits, this one definitely fell into the 'unhealthy' category. I still have one occasionally. I'll buy a 20 oz bottle maybe once a week, and now I find I don't even finish it. It's just enough to remind me that even though I might have a craving, it really is kinda gross, lol.