Tips and Tricks for going Cold Turkey on Diet Sodas??

Options
petitegreek
petitegreek Posts: 144 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am a diet soda junkie. I probably drink 1-2 cans per day. My long-term goal is to go cold turkey on it, but I've heard that you have to gradually wean yourself off of it. I keep thinking how I am going to get so tired of drinking coffee, water, and tea all the time.

Has anybody gone cold turkey on drinking diet (or regular) soda? What were your tricks?
«13

Replies

  • Zomoniac
    Zomoniac Posts: 1,169 Member
    Options
    I went from 2 litres of Diet Coke a day to stopping overnight. Now I just have the occasional one. There wasn't really a magic method to it, I just stopped doing it. Just drink lots of water and get used to it. If you really need some variety get some no added sugar fruit cordial mixer.
  • petitegreek
    petitegreek Posts: 144 Member
    Options
    Wow, good for you! I have completely cut out drinking lattes. I was drinking those about 1-2 times per week, but now I will only have one every couple months. That was a big milestone for me. Now I am just trying to work on cutting out the pop. I've heard that the Crystal Light packets are good. Maybe I should try those :)
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    Options
    Mmmm, leftover Thanksgiving turkey sandwiches.
  • JasonDetwiler
    JasonDetwiler Posts: 364 Member
    Options
    Mmmm, leftover Thanksgiving turkey sandwiches.

    I was about to post the same...4 more weeks.
  • fitmama419
    fitmama419 Posts: 24
    Options
    I was a 3-can-a-day Mountain Dew drinker. I stopped cold turkey. It was hell for a few days, but it was well worth it!
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    Options
    I am a diet soda junkie. I probably drink 1-2 cans per day. My long-term goal is to go cold turkey on it, but I've heard that you have to gradually wean yourself off of it. I keep thinking how I am going to get so tired of drinking coffee, water, and tea all the time.

    Has anybody gone cold turkey on drinking diet (or regular) soda? What were your tricks?

    Get sick of drinking coffee and tea all the time? I sure haven't had that problem! There are tons of varieties of tea and coffee out there, and they're good for you too.
  • joytron
    joytron Posts: 104 Member
    Options
    I used to mindlessly drink two or three beers every evening just chilling out doing work at home or whatever, then started replacing it with green tea on ice or water with lemon and lime on ice. Worked grand!
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    Options
    1-2 cans is a junkie? Damn son, I drink a gallon of diet soda a day.


    I've quit before, but then thought: Why?
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    Options
    I am a diet soda junkie. I probably drink 1-2 cans per day. My long-term goal is to go cold turkey on it, but I've heard that you have to gradually wean yourself off of it. I keep thinking how I am going to get so tired of drinking coffee, water, and tea all the time.

    Has anybody gone cold turkey on drinking diet (or regular) soda? What were your tricks?

    I quit drinking regular pop. I never did like diet. It didn't bother me at all. I just simply quit drinking them.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Options
    I quite regular soda cold turkey - I just quit buying them. I started drinking iced tea with lemon instead, and now even that is rare - I mostly drink water. But I dumped the soda several years ago, and I don't miss them at all. You can do it!
  • awetherell
    awetherell Posts: 62 Member
    Options
    You could always buy sparkling water and stick a couple of lemon slices or mint in it. It's not entirely the same perhaps, but really fresh. It might add a little variety too. Otherwise, I agree with ahamm002 - there are so many different types of tea - it'll probably take you a while to get bored! Good luck.
  • deniseblossoms
    deniseblossoms Posts: 373 Member
    Options
    I've never heard of weaning off of diet soda like it's a drug. I just stopped. I drink water and usually have one (huge) glass of green tea a day.
  • meadowmail77
    meadowmail77 Posts: 64 Member
    Options
    When I gave up regular soda I added fresh squeezed lemon juice to my water for a few weeks. I had a headache for the first 2 days or. I can't say what exactly about the lemon helped but it did help me. I don't really enjoy the way lemon tastes but it didn't bother me in the water.
  • Mathguy1
    Mathguy1 Posts: 207 Member
    Options
    For me, drinking diet soda makes be bloated (not pregnant bloated, but bloated none the less). I was able to go from 1 large glass/ evening to none at all (I'll still drink one at the movies or on the rare occasion that I have pizza).

    Think of it like quitting smoking. For a week, cut the multiple drinks down to fewer and each week, cut out one glass/day. Eventually, after getting down to one glass/day, drop it to one every other day, etc until you get down to 1/week. Once you get down to once/week quitting entirely will be far easier.

    Also, drink more water and over time, you'll crave it less and less.
  • TasteMeNot
    TasteMeNot Posts: 4
    Options
    I was not able to drop diet soda cold turkey, it gave me a headache trying. so over the course of 3 weeks I went from 1 (or more) a day to one every other day, to 2 a week, and then none, which worked well for me. I don't even miss it.

    I drink lots of water and some tea. But mainly water with strawberry, lemon, lime, or orange slices. Mint & cumber water is also good
  • tinad120
    tinad120 Posts: 267 Member
    Options
    I quite regular soda cold turkey - I just quit buying them.

    This is what I did when I stopped cold turkey. It was easier on my teeth, exercises, and wallet doing so. I now only have the occasional one, but it's far & few between. Drink water- think of how much more your scale will go down, lol.
  • msrootitooti
    msrootitooti Posts: 253 Member
    Options
    I just stopped recently and also had 1-2 cans a day. I used to drink it just to have something different than water. I have switched to tea instead, usually hot green tea. I haven't really missed it.
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    Options
    Yup.

    Flavored seltzer made all the difference for me when I was craving something fizzy, but I still drink it less frequently than I drink water. Keep yourself satiated by forcing yourself to drink more water than you normally would. It really does help to make a glass of water the first thing you ingest in the morning. I don't even want soda anymore, someone poured me a glass of coke last night at a friend's house and I couldn't drink it. Way too sweet.
  • camilla73
    camilla73 Posts: 2
    Options
    I went cold turkey. I got off of cold drinks on February 11, 2011. I have not had another since. I did have withdrawals from it. It was not easy. You will have headaches. I read where one person said it's like coming off of a drug. Well they are telling the truth. All I can say is that my body feels so much better without all of the sugar. I drink water alot and I drink one 16oz bottle of grape juice a day. You can do it, just put your mind to it.
  • reneepugh
    reneepugh Posts: 522 Member
    Options
    Try drinking tea instead for a little while. That will give you some caffeine without the withdrawal symptoms and it's better for you.

Categories