kick the habit! Say "no" to diet coke challenge

miasuperstar

So I just finished reading all the responses to Amy's post in Weight Loss and Dieting about drinking diet coke (below) and it sounds like there may be enough folks interested in starting a thread for breaking the diet soda addiction. I'm inspired from all the responses to give this a serious shot! I drink several 12 oz. cans a day but also love water. Any one want to join me?? I will start tomorrow, though it may be tough since its the weekend and I've got a whole case in my fridge. We can share how long its been since our last diet soda and how much more H2O we've drank instead! Challengers??



"I thought about posting this in nutrition but since there is no value in diet coke, I thought better of it.

I sincerely believe I am addicted to diet coke. I also am quite sure it is a major contributing factor to eating bad foods. I've read about the conection between artificial sweetners and the brain craving actual sweets and that may be part of it but also, it's one of my comfort food companions. Pizza, spaghetti, any form of junk food, pretty much anything with a high GI must be eaten with diet coke. There are days when 100% of my hydration comes from diet coke. I also think it's making my skin look icky, just tired.

I have started drinking more water and everyday I try not to drink diet coke, though I always end up with a killer headache and cave. I've tried tea to compensate for the caffiene, no luck. I don't like coffee.

Have any of you had this experience? Any tips on how to break this habit?

TIA
Amy"

miasuperstar

So I just finished reading all the responses to Amy's post in Weight Loss and Dieting about drinking diet coke (below) and it sounds like there may be enough folks interested in starting a thread for breaking the diet soda addiction. I'm inspired from all the responses to give this a serious shot! I drink several 12 oz. cans a day but also love water. Any one want to join me?? I will start tomorrow, though it may be tough since its the weekend and I've got a whole case in my fridge. We can share how long its been since our last diet soda and how much more H2O we've drank instead! Challengers??



"I thought about posting this in nutrition but since there is no value in diet coke, I thought better of it.

I sincerely believe I am addicted to diet coke. I also am quite sure it is a major contributing factor to eating bad foods. I've read about the conection between artificial sweetners and the brain craving actual sweets and that may be part of it but also, it's one of my comfort food companions. Pizza, spaghetti, any form of junk food, pretty much anything with a high GI must be eaten with diet coke. There are days when 100% of my hydration comes from diet coke. I also think it's making my skin look icky, just tired.

I have started drinking more water and everyday I try not to drink diet coke, though I always end up with a killer headache and cave. I've tried tea to compensate for the caffiene, no luck. I don't like coffee.

Have any of you had this experience? Any tips on how to break this habit?

TIA
Amy"

katiegrace318

I will def take the challenge! My husband has been on me for not drinking enough water. He said drink 8 glasses of water in one day just for him to see what happened. And he was right! I lost a lb in one day simply from drinking the recommended water...Who knew?!

As far as the headaches are concerned. Don't do it cold turkey. Take your self down slowly from D. Coke. I love coffee, so it's not so bad for me. But I have had the withdrawal headaches. Gradually cut it down until you get to half a can a day and you should feel better. Plus a little tylenol wouldn't be a bad idea. Why suffer?!

Good Luck!

Dave198lbs

take aspirin for the headaches
an aspirin every day is suggested by many health sites

GIBride01

I had to step down slowly from caffiene. What worked for me was alternating a caffiene drink with water, decaf tea etc. Your body does become dependent on the caffiene if you are taking in high levels routinely, and it will take a while to wean yourself down. That and asprin, or even Excedrin which has a small amount of caffiene in it. I still have my coffee in the am, but only drink diet soda maybe 1-2 x week now. Good luck!

ladyofivy

Okay, I'll say "no" to the diet coke challenge.

:laugh:

Seriously, I think this is a wonderful challenge, but I don't think I'll be participating, because I don't have a problem with diet soda....

I can quit anytime I want!

.....

I just don't want to right now.

July

This is tough - I know it's bad for me, but is the chocolate bar I'm craving worse?
I'm joining. Let's see if I can at least cut down - drink it only when I've got to have it.

miasuperstar

It is tough, and i was actually thinking maybe i've made a mistake like "i can't do this. its crazy, I love Diet Coke and I'm already on a stinkin' diet" but.....I think i realized that this change MUST include diet coke for it to be real. I also drink a lot of coffee and am not worried about the headaches or caffeine, just the caramelized fake sugary stuff.

Today, I'm allotting myself 2 12 oz. cans, which is a little more than half of what i normally have. I 'm gald i have company to do this. Less is better for a start.

star139

I'm IN!! i'm fairly new to the site though, how do I follow a thread and keep up to date with this challenge?

I LOVE soda and was addicted to caffeine, so when i tried to stop i got the WORST headaches ever. like someone else mentioned, i just slowly started going off of it and trading in for decaf tea and eventually just water all the time. i sometimes pack a diet coke for lunch but i would love to cut soda out completely. it seems pretty useless.

Good luck to me and everyone else doing this challenge!

miasuperstar

Awesome! I guess the best way to follow the thread is just look for the title everyday. We can all post everyday how successful we've been, changes we may feel etc. and that will keep it going. Open to any other ideas. I will probably post in the evening after i know how the day went. I know my water intake will increase and i'm hoping my junk food craving go down since these two things go hand-in-hand. I guess we'll see:drinker:

I'm IN!! i'm fairly new to the site though, how do I follow a thread and keep up to date with this challenge?

I LOVE soda and was addicted to caffeine, so when i tried to stop i got the WORST headaches ever. like someone else mentioned, i just slowly started going off of it and trading in for decaf tea and eventually just water all the time. i sometimes pack a diet coke for lunch but i would love to cut soda out completely. it seems pretty useless.

Good luck to me and everyone else doing this challenge!

ttoombs

I reward myself one diet pop on Fridays for doing good the rest of the week. This way I don't completely deny myself one pleasure. It helped me get away from drinking pop every day. :happy:

kak1018

I switched to Green Tea, been 28 days off the diet coke, sad I know. My skin looks a lot better, and my abs are more defined so it is true even diet soda bloats you. I can't say I will abstain forever but it is worth cutting back.

songbyrdsweet

If the headaches get bad, take an Excedrin, drink some tea, or even try a caffeine pill. Most people who get headaches from 'withdrawal' are really just experiencing caffeine withdrawal. Caffeine is addictive and withdrawal causes headaches, whether it's from coke or coffee.

miasuperstar

I switched to Green Tea, been 28 days off the diet coke, sad I know. My skin looks a lot better, and my abs are more defined so it is true even diet soda bloats you. I can't say I will abstain forever but it is worth cutting back.

that's awesome! Well, yesterday i had 2 cans which is better than normal. Today i will try to do better!

Kimono

Oh Yippy-so glad we have a support group now! Day 3 for me! I am even going to try some tea.

katiegrace318

I have been soda free for 5 days now and am just as happy with my morning coffee. If I am in the mood for something fizzy, I drink Canada Dry Cranberry Ginger Ale. It's caffeine free and very yummy!

but other than that, I have been drinking my 8 glasses of water for the past 3 days, it has cut down my sweet tooth and appetite! I wish I had listened to the doctors years ago!!!

lizabean89

I'm in! Great challenge. I am new to the site but this is a bad habit for me. I love diet sodas. I know it sabatoges my efforts. It can only help.

Shadowpaws

I'm on day four of no diet coke!

It's kinda rough to not go for one in the fridge, but so far so good. Only green tea and water for me thus far!

Jennnnnnnny

i like diet coke..and diet ginger ale. its good...i mean i guess you shouldn't drink it everyday for all your meals but i see nothing wrong with it... its better than high carb juices i think

Kimono

I am on day 4-really wanted one yesterday but made it through the day. Can't believe how much plain water I am drinking now.

Kimono

How is everyone hanging in there? It is harder than I thought, but not giving up. I had some Diet coke in the fridge and I used it to make the Diet Pop Cake from another post. Works well, kids loved it.

aymie24

I just saw this thread, I am so in!!! I have been off again/on again since my post. I got sick and kicked the habit for a few days but a few days seems to be the longest I can make it. I nearly cried at work when I failed at talking myself out of going to the vending machine last week. :sad:

I have to disagree with those who are insisting there's nothing in diet coke aside from caffeine that could be causing withdrawls. I started drinking a ton of tea, and it has not helped with the withdrawl symptoms. It's not just headaches either. I get very edgey when I don't have diet coke. :explode:

I am drinking a minimum of 70 oz of water, which I've actually found really easy to do and I have started including at least two cups of tea, or a huge glass of unsweetened iced tea, as well as some herbal teas in my daily routine. I have not had more than one 12 oz can per day on the days that I have caved, and that's a huge improvement but it's not quitting, and that's my goal.

aymie24

i like diet coke..and diet ginger ale. its good...i mean i guess you shouldn't drink it everyday for all your meals but i see nothing wrong with it... its better than high carb juices i think

If you can drink it once a day, I don't think it's such an issue but for me, and I believe others, I can't do that. One leads to eight...and a plate of pasta or half a pizza and a snickers bar, lol. It def. triggers bad carb cravings for me. I have been eating SO much better since I've limited my intake of diet coke. And the ONLY times I've really cheated, have been the times I caved on the diet coke cravings.

I accept that all of that may be in my head and the relationship between carbs and diet coke may very well be my own doing, be it old habits, comfort foods, whatever but for me, the relationship exists and it's unhealthy.

I don't buy processed foods as a general rule, artificial colors and flavors are a big no no on my shopping list, diet coke has always been my exception to that rule and it seems to cause me to allow other exceptions.

beyondchowhound

I am totally addicted to diet pepsi. I stopped it for 2 weeks but didn't notice any difference in weight gain or loss and went back on it. I know it's crap though so I will try and quit also.

miasuperstar

its been hard. I've had 2 12 oz cans each day. I'm nervous about the jump to none. I'll keep trying this maybe until it feel "normal" and then consider going to one a day. Keep up the good work everyone!! and drink your water:drinker:

Iceprincessk25

I'm down to one a day. :bigsmile:

Kimono

I have been trying to drink tea, but I just don't like it. Tried to have green tea this morning, tasted like dirty water to me.

star139

I have been trying to drink tea, but I just don't like it. Tried to have green tea this morning, tasted like dirty water to me.

hahahahahhaa:laugh: i'm not a fan of green tea either, I just can't get into it. Sadly, I caved and head a diet coke last night!! it's only my second in about 2 1/2 weeks but i'm sad i couldn't resist. My dinner was just SO bland and I was mad so I went for the soda to make up for it. :blushing:

aymie24

I have been trying to drink tea, but I just don't like it. Tried to have green tea this morning, tasted like dirty water to me.

What about Chai? I have Meijer Organics Chai tea most mornings, mmm good. I'm a huge Chai fan (Panera's iced chai coffee used to be my favorite ) but I didn't care at all for Trader Joe's green Chai.

I love Lipton Tuscan Lemon and Vanilla Caramel Truffle as well as Tazo's line, I haven't tried anything of their's that I did not like.

Kimono

I will have to try Chai next.

Kimono

They need to make a patch for this.