Diet drinks -- need help

kcmurray

I am addicted to pepsi/coke and I am finding that if I could take those out of my diet, I think I'd be able to easily stay within 1200 calories a day. However, I drink approx. 400-600 calories a day by drinking regular sodas. I know that the healthy answer is to get rid of carbonated drinks and drink water, BUT ... I've tried water, all kinds of water mixes, carbonated water, club soda, etc. I can drink some, but not at every meal. So, I think if I could find a way to drink diet drinks, I'd be doing myself a favor. I know they aren't healthy, and I LOATHE them. Any tips though on making the switch from regular to diet sodas?

dls06

Stop making excuses and stop drinking the soda. End of story. Drink water. You answered your own question when you said you were addicted. Sugar and caffine are like a drug, It will take time but if you stick with it you will do it.

akgrl1020

Have you checked out SodaStream products?

guppygirl322

I'd put more energy into switching to water. Honestly, drinking the 8 glasses a day is hard for me, but I've heard that drinking diet soda is just as bad as regular, because your body doesn't know the difference between regular and 'fake' sugar. It thinks it is getting sugar, but isn't, so you end up over eating because the body is looking for the calories it didn't get. Maybe if you dilute some 100% fruit juice with water it would go down easier? It would certainly have less calories and chemicals than regular soda.

Aross83

they do make organic sodas.. but even those are still full of sugar and carbs.. My suggestion is to really just make yourself do water..
I make my own green tea with stivia natural sweetner.. eventually u can change that habit and not even miss ya sodas..

jimennis

Painful but true.."YOU HAVE TO JUST QUIT THE REGULAR SODAS" Make other things work. I drank 3 20oz Dr Peppers a day faithfully. 6 weeks ago I just stopped and said no more. It's all about how bad you want it.

LorinaLynn

I found it was easier to switch from regular to diet sodas by drinking different flavors. Diet Dr Pepper, Diet Mt Dew, Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi, ones with lemon, lime, or vanilla flavors, etc. Straight up diet tasted weird at first. Now that I'm used to the flavor, regular tastes sickly sweet and syrupy.

I used to drink nothing but sodas, and now drink it once a day (Breakfast of Champions!) unless I go out to eat or something, and chugalug Crystal Light mixes all day.

princessrebs

Some diet sodas taste better than others. Coke Zero and Pepsi Max taste almost like regular soda. Diet Dr. Pepper is pretty good IMO. Also, sometimes you can find Diet Cherry Coke which isn't too bad. Also Diet Sprite is okay.

But, really, just stop drinking soda. Drink plain club soda instead. Add a splash of pure cranberry juice if you want some flavor. Just stop making excuses and do what you know is best for your health.

dfarrell04

Diet sodas are bad for you also because one of the ingredients in them actually prevent you from losing weight. End of stoy is to drink water. Have you tried vitamin waters or propel flavored waters? Also, try drinking your water when it is ice cold, rather than room temp esp. if you don't like water. Ice cold water tastes better, plus it burns an extra 100 calories because your body has to work to heat it up to your body temp.

sccamero

When I first made the switch from regular to diet I went to Diet Rite. Which is amazing but later just switched to coke zero since it tastes just like regular coke. I personally try to stay away from soda but lately drink Powerade ion4 that puts in what I lose through sweat. Another good idea is to do flavored water for awhile. They have packets in stores all over. That would help any soda cravings.

skinnypigeon

Giving up soda was one of the hardest things I have done. I was actually drinking diet so the calories were a non issue, it was a health issue. When I learned all the horrid things soda does to your body, robbing it of calcium, leading to osteoporosis and broken bones. It just had to go. I stopped buying it and kept it out of the house. If there is only water to drink, then that is what you drink...I sometimes make iced tea as a treat. You can do it, its a matter of wanting it for your health!

Kjandcuttysmom

I don't drink any soda right now but years ago when I was trying to quit Pepsi and try diet I had to quit the soda altogether. Pepsi and I had an unhealthy relationship and I had to break it off. Then after a few months I tried a diet Rite and it wasn't so bad. Trying to go from a regular to a diet with no in between kind of sucks. I've been there. I also tried the sparkling water because a lot of the times I just wanted the "fizz" when I ate. Good luck.
shine

Cricket6382

Do it gradually. Quit 'cold turkey' and your gonna go back. change one drink a day to water, diet soda, etc. for one week...next week change out another one...next week change out another one.....pretty soon you'll be completely changed over and on your way Hang in there-you can do it. Oh, and you could try the splenda sweetened soda...I think they taste better than aspartame, and supposedly better for you, but of course, nothing beats good ole water

jlanphear78

Have you tried Mio? It's delicious. I am not a big water drinker but this has helped big time!

coderchris

Give up the regular soda, they are pure sugar.....I personally like diet soda but I only have them once in awhile. You need to drink plenty of water, a slice of lemon in the bottom of your glass of water is really tasty too.

MarieNevada

Ask yourself one thing. What is more important to you? If you don't give up the coke and pepsi, you've decided, either consciously or subconsciously, that the soda's more important than the weight loss and your health. If someone put a gun to your head and said drink water instead of coke, you'd give up the coke easy enough.

I gave up a 1 gallon a day of diet coke habit. It took me several times because the withdrawals are horrid. But two weeks ago I woke up and thought "I want water". havent had anything but water to drink since then. I've done so much else to lose weight, I guess I finally decided it was more important than the fizzy brown stuff.

I'm sure you do everything you can to lose weight. You watch what you eat, you exercise, you make conscious decisions every minute of the day about what you put into your body and how you use your body to obtain your goals. Make one more decision because your goal is more important than some brown fizzy stuff. Brown fizzy stuff, by the way, that nobody knows is made with what. Coke's secret recipe? What exactly are we putting into our bodies when we drink that stuff. I choose to eat and drink healthy things that promote my well-being. Make that choice. Do everything you need to do to obtain your goal, because it is *that* important to you.

CraftyGirl4

I think you have the right idea. Using diet soda as a step down from regular soda is a good idea. However, I'm sure you know, diet soda isn't very good for you either. I hope your ultimate goal is to kick the soda habit for good, but that's for another time. :-)

I think the best thing is to try out a few different kinds and see what you like. There are some pretty good tasting diet sodas out there. There are even stevia sweetened ones at my local Whole Foods. I have the orange flavor one in my house as a treat to myself once in awhile. Also, when I want something sweet to drink without a ton of calories, I use the Crystal Light Pure (a little sugar and stevia). There are a couple of flavors now, but I only have the lemonade. And man, it's good! I had that on Friday when someone was tempting me with a regular soda. Stevia doesn't give me the kind of bloat that those artifical sweeteners do.

CoachMaritova

i, too, was addicted to sodas, and I quit. now i only drink water. I made up my mind that the six pack in the fridge was my last. when it was gone i was done, and it worked. 3 months later, i don't even miss it! i drink lots of waster, which i used to loathe, but now i love it! set your mind to it and just quit. decide why you are doing it and determine you will, because you are worth it! Then quit. plain and simple... no more sodas.

hydrosmak

Take it step by step. Start by cutting out one soda serving every week or two. If you were to stop cold turkey you could actually experience withdrawal (I have before and it sucks). Also I went to purifying my tap water and using a steel water bottle. This made water refreshing and great tasting for me. I went from at least 2-4 servings of soda a day to maybe one or two a week. Most weeks I don't drink any.

lindeelil624

I was right there with you. I could drink 6 to 8 20 oz bottles diet cherry pepsi a day....granted i wasn't getting the calories, but soda in general is just horrible for you. I have given up soda many times until I finally said no more! I feel 100% better! You can do it! Totally agree with skinnypigeon.

getitgohard

Yeah, sorry to say... You're going to have to learn to love water. In order to be healthy you definitely need to drink 8-10 8oz glasses of the stuff. At least. It's nice if you just squeeze a little bit of lemon in it, or chill it in the fridge with ether cucumber or strawberry slices and ice. You have to convince yourself to drink a lot of water or you'll never really get healthy or lose a lot of weight. Best of luck! xo