Help!!! I can't kick diet soda!

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  • BJPCraig
    BJPCraig Posts: 417 Member
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    First of all, try cutting back, rather than going cold turkey. Try some of the healthier sodas out there (out of curiosity, I tried Zevia--a zero-calorie soda sweetened with stevia--cola and it was pretty good; I haven't tried their Dr. Pepper analog yet, though). You also might try making your own soda with seltzer and Mio.

    Good luck!
  • rmac18
    rmac18 Posts: 185 Member
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    I believe it is an addiction and should be treated as such. It's not all that different IMHO than quitting smoking or other known addictive substances. I was a diet soda addict and for me the only way to quit was to go cold turkey. I read something over a year ago on the subject and it said something along the lines of it would take 45 days to break the addiction and the first 25 days would be the toughest. So I just decided to do it and it was hard. Especially the first few weeks and then it started to get a little easier. I've been off the stuff for over a year now and haven't really craved soda after that 45 days. Other people say just drink a little less and step down over time and I had tried that but I'd always eventually end up back where I started. So for me at least the only way I could do it was to quit cold turkey and then just gut it out, it's very hard and you'll need support from friends/family as it may impact your mood and you may get headaches from the withdrawal (I did) but if you can stick to it for 25 days it will get easier and in 45 days you will break it. Good luck.
  • calitravelingal
    calitravelingal Posts: 53
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    Don't buy sodas for your home but allow yourself to have a soda when you go out. This way you have what you enjoy but in moderation so your body doesn't feel like it is being deprived. The first day or two that you quit soda, you will most likely get bad headaches but just keep powering through and you won't have to deal with the withdrawal for very long.


    This is how i cut my soda addiction down to nothing. I didn't tell myself I couldn't have it but rather that I could only have it at special ocassion or when dining out (which I rarely do). As for drinking more H2O. I use the crystal light or other brand mix ins. I bought a reuseable, dishwasher safe water bottle. My goal is to drink 3 of them a day. I put a different flavor in each time. The calories are negligable 0-15 per serving. The flavored teas are my favorite.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    I'm a heavy duty tea drinker (probably too much of a good thing). Almost all tea I drink is unsweetened, but I didn't start out that way.

    Make a 2 Qt pitcher of iced tea ..... add (maybe) 1/4 C. sugar. Not bad for 64 oz. Every week or two, add 1 Tbl. less sugar ..... keep stepping it down. You will acquire a taste for unsweetened tea.

    Flavored tea bags keep it interesting and calorie free.

    To brew 2 Qts of iced tea - use 6 individual bags, or 1 "Family Sized" bag plus 2 individual ones. I like to make some of the tea bags flavored.
  • k8ermarie
    k8ermarie Posts: 204
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    I say one a day for diet soda isn't bad. I use to love soda. I have one maybe once a week now. Especially in the summer sometimes I just want an ice cold Coke or Root beer or something fizzy to settle my crave. I had to ween myself off. BUT diet soda that is low in sugar and 0 calories I don't think you need to be too concerned, but I would kick it to one a day.

    Suggestions?:
    -Drink it with a straw so you dont drink as much as one time
    -Get bottles instead of cans (if you don't already), and don't drink it all at once. Drink 1/4 of it, put it back in the fridge for a few hours. Drink on it throughout the day.
    -Drink water before you want to drink it. Then, your no longer thirsty and you won't drink as much because after the thirsty feeling is gone really, you just want the taste.
    -If you do to a restaurant, don't keep refilling diet coke. Get one, and then ask for water after that!

    Hope this helps! :smile:

    Great Response!! I am definitely gonna take note of your suggestions! Thanks a lot! :)
  • k8ermarie
    k8ermarie Posts: 204
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    Get carbonated water and squeeze fresh fruit juice into it !! It still has carbonation so it'll almost be like diet pop, and the fruit will give it a nice flavour !!! Good luck !! and Good choice!!! :D

    Great idea! Will give a try!!! My Mom suggested Water with Mandarin Oranges! Thanks!
  • brandyla78
    brandyla78 Posts: 18
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    Red Diamond tea sweetend with Splenda; Zero Calorie Vitamin Water, Fruit 2 O are a few of my "go to options" when regular water isn't what I want...however you have to make up your mind to change it...just like any addiction nothing anyone says can make a bit of difference until you set your mind to it. You do need more plain water.....just for your health if nothing else.
  • jc86
    jc86 Posts: 151
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    I drink so much but I'm not ready to give that up. Hopefully down the line I will be able to for health reasons but right now I'm just working on getting my food intake under control and exercising.
  • k8ermarie
    k8ermarie Posts: 204
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    i have a SERIOUS diet dr pepper addiction. like i can down a sonic route 44 in 15 minutes. and then fill it up. twice.

    here's what i tell myself: for every one i drink, i have to have two glasses of water (or one bottle). now, i like water, but sometimes this isn't easy. if i really don't want the water, i chug it. grab a straw and down that puppy. i've been filling up a nalgene bottle with water (32 ounces!) and throwing in some lime wedges. i put it in the fridge overnight so it's super cold when i drink it and i can drink like half the thing in a few gulps.

    honestly, some days i end up throwing out some of my ddp can because i drank so much more water that i didn't need anything else.

    i think a big part of it for me is also coupling ddp with a snack which i know is terrible. something salty with my delicious cold drink. it's a terrible habit, but i have told myself to cut down rather than stop all together. i gotta have some pleasures.

    We definitely have a lot in common when it comes to snacks and cold soda!!! Thanks a lot for your honest comment! I will def try some of your suggestions! Good luck to you as well!
  • jiggermalou
    jiggermalou Posts: 5 Member
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    I loved soda, diet or regular, it didn't matter. I asked myself: "why am I drinking this for?". The answer is that soft drink makers hooked me with their marketing, sugar and caffeine... they care 0 about my well being (and 0 about yours) and 100% about money and profits. January one I said no more and it's been 6 months now and I FINALLY don't crave it anymore. I actually almost find it repulsive. Not that I find soda evil or anything but I remember what the good Book says..."the love of money is the root of all evil" Now sit down, stop, and think about it... YOU CAN kick the soda!
  • k8ermarie
    k8ermarie Posts: 204
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    Might I suggest trying diluting juice in water? That way it will be sweeter and tastier than plain old water and there are plenty of brands that have no Aspartame in them? I used to be a huge diet coke drinker however I now tend to drink water during the day at work and at night however allow myself a glass of diet coke with my dinner. One thing that I did notice when I have a diet drink now is that I am so bloated so it just goes to show that if you can drink water even with diluting juice in it then that's your best bet!

    Very good idea! Will try that. I love Apple/Cranberry Juice! Just don't like to drink my calories! :) Thanks!
  • k8ermarie
    k8ermarie Posts: 204
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    Yes you can.

    I have been off it since 2nd Jan.


    I now drink water with a splash of fresh lime juice and ice. It's fantastic!

    Sounds great! Thanks for the motivation!
  • k8ermarie
    k8ermarie Posts: 204
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    Have you tried tea with stevia or truvia ? I know it has an aftertaste but you get use to it, trust me, just like you get use to aftertaste of aspartame in diet drinks. I like to brew a mixture of regular tea and my favorite flavored tea ( usually raspberry ), even my hubby will drink it this way with stevia :) When I want something unhealthy I always think of what it does to my body.
    1. Diet sodas contain aspartame, a very toxic substance. Aspartame is considered neurotixin, it kills your brain cells, can contribute to cancer, and is very addictive so I say stay away.
    2. Regular sodas are sweetened with HFCS that is also terrible for you. It is one of the main causes of obesity in United States, plus it contains mercury, a very toxic heavy metal.

    If you like the fizz in your drinks I suggest la Croix , it has many great flavors. I like Plain La Croix with a splash of cranberry juice and lime ( but be careful with the amount of cranberry juice because of the sugar content, not more than 1 oz ) I love lemon, grapefruit, and coconut flavors. Hope this will help :) Remember you don't need to drink plain water all the time, there are always healthy options :)
    Hope this can help !

    Very insightful comment! :) I didn't know all of that about sodas. Thanks!

    I have never heard of La Croix but will definitely look into it!!!
  • k8ermarie
    k8ermarie Posts: 204
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    I was always the 5-6 a day Dr. Pepper drinker! ALWAYS!!! So switching to diet sodas was the first change I made in my life to be a little healthier 2 years ago but held onto my Sweet Tea habit! I haven't had a reg soda since!! And even if I wanted to I couldn't drink one because they are way to syrupy now!!

    In April I got real serious about weight loss and I even gave up SWEET TEA!!!! Haven't had any sugary drink since. Now, these seem like good things. However, I don't drink anything other than diet soda and only when I need it after a really hard workout, WATER. I don't drink milk, juice, beer, etc. So I maybe get a glass of water per day that I workout. I hate this. I have tried to kick diet sodas. I tried to drink water with Mi0. I feel like the diet sodas being in my life is adding too much Sodium and I don't want to end up having issues since I only put fluids containing Aspartame in my system. My boss even provides Coke Zero for us at work!

    Please help with ideas for kicking the soda habit! I enjoy water...just not plain. And since Sweet Tea was my thing, I can't stand Unsweet.

    I feel like this is holding me back in my weight loss and I truly want to kick it or knock it down to 1 a day. It's not good to have diet soda as my only fluid intake. I know this!

    Thanks in advance for all your comments, criticism and advice! :)

    Just slowly decrease the number of diet sodas, and get used to drinking water AND coffee/tea. Diet soda has caffeine, so if you just try and replace it with water it won't work. Both coffee and tea have been shown to have health benefits. However, they're acquired tastes, so they might take some getting used to. But soon you'll like them.

    Thanks for you advice! I do notice that when I try to cut out caffeine completely, I get a headache. So I def don't want to do that. I like coffee drinks like Starbucks Fraps but have stayed away from them due to high sugar/cals. I would prob enjoy reg coffee with creamer and lo cal sweetener, but I never found the way I like it. Would have to be experimental and I wish I could enjoy unsweet tea. I do like Flavored tea. (peach, raspberry)

    Thanks again!
  • k8ermarie
    k8ermarie Posts: 204
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    I have a serious Diet Sun Drop addiction. If you're not from the South...you may not know what this is...but it's basically liquid gold. I've tried to kick this little habit...and just can't seem to. I have cut down though...and just drink one a day...and drink water and Vitamin Water the rest of the day. It's just so skinkin good!!!

    I am from Texas!!! :) So I have. Isn't this the drink where the guys dances to, "Too much booty in the pants?" LOL! Never tried it! :) Not tried the Vitamin Waters yet either. Thanks! :)
  • k8ermarie
    k8ermarie Posts: 204
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    girl, i hear you. i have had SUCH a hard time giving up my diet coke. but the facts are simple- it was hindering my weight loss. now, i allow myself 1 diet soda a week, as a treat. and it's usually on a sunday. during the week i drink a lot of sparkling water with different things mixed in-- mint, lemons, cucumbers, etc. la croix sparkling cans are also great because it's drinking out of a can which makes me feel like i'm drinking pop. but honestly, it just comes down to you just STOPPING. you know you need/want to. so set the can down!! :)

    Thanks for the comparable understanding! :) I never thought of cucumbers in my water...but I am a veggie fanatic and that sounds awesome! :)
  • k8ermarie
    k8ermarie Posts: 204
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    I have no idea if its in your budget - but my sodastream has saved my sanity. I fizz up water and then squeeze some fruit in there. . Or /something/ - I don't know, I haven't touched actual 'pop' in forever and I used go constantly guzzle diet coke. They even have flavors for water and you can look at some stuff in store. I used that stuff after pop and then slowly got myself off of that to just fizzy water with fruit in it.

    I haven't thought about that but my radio station promotes this thing all the time. Will have to look into it. Thanks!
  • k8ermarie
    k8ermarie Posts: 204
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    I had the exact same problem. My mom started buying Diet Pepsi for me by the caseload when I was 8 or 9 years old. I had a 5 or 6 can a day habit until I was about 26. I would go through terrible withdrawals whenever I would try to stop drinking it, so I never did. Coffee and other caffeinated drinks didn't help.

    Only one think could stop my coke habit, and now I drink it religiously: Carbonated Water. Like woah. I prefer Poland Springs Sparkling Water in Lime, but Trader Joes has a good one, too. Don't drink any that has sugar or sweeteners in them.

    Good luck!

    Thanks much for the product suggestions!!! Taking notes! :)
  • k8ermarie
    k8ermarie Posts: 204
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    I was up to about a 2-liter of Caffiene free Diet Pepsi a day before I started here on MFP back in January. I am down to drinking 10-12 cups of plain water a day & maybe a glass of my diet pepsi a day.. I used the wylers pink lemonade flavor pouches in the beginning to help me get used to water.. I feel so much better since cutting way back.. I drink plain water now & there are days I don't have any diet pepsi.. I used to be thirsty all the time & am not now... You do get used to the water after awhile.. I use a kozy cooler thing from the freezer to keep my water bottles in & that helps me alot.. Some of my friends drink it room temp, but I prefer ice cold.. Good luck...

    Thanks for sharing how you did it! :) I def agree that I like water ice cold! :)
  • k8ermarie
    k8ermarie Posts: 204
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    Try Seltzer water. It takes a bit of time to get used to it, but it provides the bubbles that you maybe looking for when drinking, but without all the chemicals. Flavored seltzers are hit and miss, but black cherry is my favorite. My advice is to not get the generic store brand either, spend the extra $$$ on name brands, they seem to be bubblier and taste better. I drink the occasional diet pepsi/coke when out to dinner, but most of the time it's seltzer.

    Is Seltzer water the same as Sparkling water? Thanks for the suggestion and honesty on quality of drinks.

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