Ex diet soda drinkers...

Mommawarrior

When I don't drink soda, my weight loss is quicker and maintained. When I put soda back in different cravings come back. It is crazy, I can't explain it, I just know it is true. I have been through periods of drinking 4 to 5 diet cokes a day and periods of just maybe 1 a day and periods of no soda period. It is always the no soda periods that I feel the best, eat the healthiest and am in a steady good mood.

dollienj

I cut it out completely the first month. I don't know if it's helped with the weight loss (I think my nutrition and exercise overhaul has really done more for that), but I believe that when I had soda during my work day (probably had 1-2 20 oz. bottles a day, almost every day), I felt the urge to snack more, usually salty snacks.

I have a Diet Coke on occasion now. I actually -enjoy- the taste of the soda again when I have one.

Darrknys

I like to drink Sparkling Lemon Lime water. I've come to love it more than diet soda. When I do have diet soda I can taste the fake sugars and it's kinda gross. Plus I can use my flavored water to make whiskey sevens when I want one every so often and feel less guilty about it.

Sunscreenandsweat

Oh yeah when I quit drinking it I lost a lot of weight fast. The sodium artificial sweeteners and chemicals are so bad for you.
I gave it up cold turkey and I was grouchy and had bad headaches at first but I feel a lot better in general.

kayleesays

I stopped drinking soda at the beginning of using MFP, and that included diet soda. Artificial sweeteners (aspartame in particular) make me so sick! They give me migraines and make me incredibly irritable. So I'm off both. It's just easier to get hooked on 100% juice or water, that way few to none of my daily calories come from drinks. After a month of cutting it out, I have almost no craving for soda at all whereas before, I would down 1-2 cold Dr. Peppers and Mountain Dews in a heartbeat.

fittocycle

The major reason I gave up drinking soft drinks is because of health concerns. Soft drinks (diet or otherwise) *can* contribute to osteoporosis and kidney issues. I'm sure it's not a problem for everyone but it was a concern for me, especially since I'm short and have a small build. :ohwell:

Gwenski

Hmm.. why not try it for a few days and see how you feel. If you find it really helps you not be tempted to eat, then I doubt 1 or 2 a day will make a huge difference,. I stopped drinking all beverages with food (and I only drank 1 diet coke a day with supper)..so, it naturally happened that I didn't bother with diet coke again.. it sits in the fridge.. 9 weeks later, flat as anything!
I have seriously found such a satisfied full feeling between meals simply by not drinking with meals.. I wait an hour, and then back to good old water...
If you experiment, do come back and tell us what you find.

tibbitts10

I have been trying to cut calories and lose weight for a while and I exercise about 5 days a week. I only lost weight in the past 6 weeks and only after cutting out diet Coke and Crystal Lite. By eliminating them, I don't have cravings for chips, fast food, and other processed foods. I do have a diet coke every week or so, but I notice on those days I also make other poor food choices. I am convinced that it is related. Since the change I have lost 14 pounds.

shellgirl144

I stopped drinking all carbonated beverages in May 2007. I did not notice any weight loss.

Captain_Tightpants

I drink too much diet soda. I try to stay away from those sweetened with aspartame and go for the sucrose sweetened ones instead. But yeah, it's a habit I've yet to get out of. It doesn't seem to be adversely affecting my weight loss though.

meggiewes

I found that soda made me thirsty and I would mistake that thirst for hunger. Then I would eat more. It was a viscous cycle. Now I only have soda every once in a while (read mostly on holidays) and only one at a time. I am really trying to drink more water now and I normally have tea.

Edited because I can't spell...

Kimmy2676

I stopped drinking the ones with aspartame because I had more headaches when I drank those regularly. I now drink only diet rite. And for those with the sodium argument, diet rite does not have any sodium. It also is without the caffeine... if that is of concern. I say if you aren't ready to give them up... don't for now, but later on you may feel ready.

honeydoozy

I can't seem to tolerate artificial sweeteners at all. Aspartame seems to cause crazy migraines, and to be honest... I really don't like the taste of any zero-calorie sweetener. At all.

There's *no* nutritive value in diet soft drinks. They don't taste *that* great, unless you like that sort of chemical taste. I DO strongly believe that aspartame has addictive properties that, someday, will be well known.

But all that aside, there's something else that just keeps nagging at me. I have lost several friends/family this past year, to a few different kinds of cancer. The *ONE* thing, that every single one of them had in common, was their love (obsession?) with diet soft drinks (particularly diet Coke). Coincidence? Maybe. But that kind of loss (over and over) plants all kinds of seeds of doubt/concern over the "safety" of the stuff. :huh:

Bpothik13

I generally have one diet soda per day; I started drinking flavored seltzer water to help keep that down to one soda per day. Although it is somewhat of an acquired taste, I like the fizz and the light flavor that is a bit like soda--not to mention that it helps on my water itake. Canada Dry has some pretty good flavors, as well.

croofner01

The main thing I noticed when I quit drinking it was that instead of craving greasy fast foods I actually started craving healthy foods. But everyone is so different so maybe it's just me. Good luck :0)

marcenepea

I think you have nothing to worry about if you are drinking 1-2 cans per day, as long as you are enjoying them, and as long as you are not one of the people who react adversly to the addititives

I have cut out diet soda's at this point, and I think it is helping me reduce the cravings, but I was drinking 8 cans per day, and doing it between meals, and always had a strong urge to eat afterwards (yes I became one of those dreaded people who ate a chocolate bar with a diet soda!).

I am thinking of starting drinking them again, though as a substitute for beer (which is my major source of empty calories) and only with a meal.

I gave them up as well, but I did notice I drink more beer now. I might also try an occasional diet soda instead of a beer or drink and see how that goes. Alot less calories thats for sure, and if its only occasionally it might work. Thanks for the idea

weaverfit

I generally have one diet soda per day; I started drinking flavored seltzer water to help keep that down to one soda per day. Although it is somewhat of an acquired taste, I like the fizz and the light flavor that is a bit like soda--not to mention that it helps on my water itake. Canada Dry has some pretty good flavors, as well.

I'm 34 days "clean" from Diet Coke now and have started drinking flavored sparkling mineral water. It's a huge help in the adjustment phase.

PeaceCorpsKat

I used to drink a lot of diet sodas and lots of sweetners. I never touch them anymore. I think it's a crutch. I have lost over 100 pounds before and gained it right back. The sweetners are like cheating.

I think I need to find the discipline to get rid of the bad stuff, and that includes the artificially sweetened drinks. If you don't you are just faking it. When you start to make wise decisions about the things you consume it starts to work.

nickyrobinson

I drink about 1 can of diet dr pepper a day, plus all my water.

I stopped drinking it for 2 weeks - no difference to how I felt, how much weight I lost, or anything. Except, I missed drinking it. So I went back. Still no difference.

Shrug.

c_gilmore

Hi everyone, my name is Crystal and I'm a dietcokeaholic. When I started MFP at the beginning of January, I drank a whopping 9-12 cans a day. I weaned myself down and now enjoy a diet coke about once a week. I now drink 8-12 glasses of water a day instead. I didn't necessarily notice a change one way or another in the weight loss, but my wallet is alot heavier now :-)