I LOVE DIET COKE!!!
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KellyUVA
Posts: 255 Member
There, I said it. I am 100% on board with the primal lifestyle, but I just can't seem to give up the diet coke. That said, since going primal, I have cut it down dramatically - I used to drink several a day, and now I just have one at lunch.
If this is my only SAD indulgence, how bad is it? Thoughts? Anyone else in the closet about their cola love?
If this is my only SAD indulgence, how bad is it? Thoughts? Anyone else in the closet about their cola love?
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I'm right there with you sister! I was a 4 can a day person but when i started primal on jan 1, i cut down to 1 a day for breakfast. Its my "coffee" as i dont drink actual coffee. Cutting down really helped settle my stomach and cut down on my cravings for sweets. I still have to have that one though or I may end up sticking a letter opener in my co-workers ear for no apparent reason.. no reason to risk that. LOL!!!!:huh:0
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Oh not so bad I think! fits in with my 80/20 thinking. I just read about one way to cut back if you want to is to slowly add more soda water (like bottled seltzer or club soda) to slightly dilute it. As the days go on you'll get more used to it and eventually wean yourself off.
Every coupla days I have one too, you are not alone. :drinker:0 -
I like diet coke infact much prefer it to regular coke but I'll choose unsweetened ice tea (and any sweetener they have there, yep can't be bothered to take packets of stevia with me) as my beverage of choice going out. I didn't have diet coke often before so wouldnt miss it plus I don't like the feeling you get after carbonated drinks. IMO any change for the better is good even if you take baby steps. You've cut down a lot and thats great! That means not as much artificial stuff in your system.
You might notice its too sweet down the line and might cut it back naturally. Either way, take it slow, see how you go and gradually reduce it. I like the 90/10 rule.0 -
Going from 4 to 1 a day is huge!!!! thats a major step, I am paleo 95% I do have a diet gingerale every now and then
the diet gingerale usually has crown royal in it though :laugh:0 -
I haven't had a soda, that wasn't in a mixed drink, in probably 3 years now.
Have you given sparkling water a fair try? My wife (then-gf) introduced me to it. I thought it was ridiculous at first but now I drink more than a liter of the stuff every day (even bought ourselves a Sodastream to make it ourselves).
I've also converted a number of friends and family to it too and most put their noses up at it when they first saw me drinking it.
I'd guess having 1 diet Coke per day won't kill you, but I'd argue that your health would definitely benefit by ditching the habit altogether.0 -
Nerd warning!!!
So, I will drink a diet soda once in a while as part of the 80/20, but there was one point that I craved it. It was really weird. I looked in to the possible reasons why I would. Come to find out, phenylalanine, a production of aspartame metabolism, messes with your neurotransmitters. It is an essential amino acid and is used to produce tyrosine, dopamine, norepinephrine, and a few others. Once I made that connection, I realized why I craved it. If you ever want to try and kick the diet coke habit (not saying you should, but if you do) look into make supplementing with DLPA (D,L-phenylalaine) to help kick the craving.0 -
Wow, I thought I could avoid this kind of topic in this group. This group is my one refuge lol.
There's lots of evidence that it is unhealthy, and there is evidence that it is perfectly safe. Depends what you want to "believe" and how honest one is in how they use their critical thinking ability. Personally, I can't comprehend why anyone would want to consume this stuff. Even worse, is that children are consuming it in large amounts before they even have the ability to exercise "choice".
If you want to have it, have it. Maybe yell about how much you love it in the general forum instead. Thanks.0 -
so did i! i was drinking 3-4 large mcdonalds ones a day up to the end of last year. i stopped cold turkey on jan 2nd, and once the withdrawal headaches had gone, 3 solid days that not even ibuprofen would mask, i've been fine since and really don't miss it. went to see a film last weekend and got one while there and i honestly can't remember what i liked about it before. i never thought i'd say that!
the only problem i have now is that my water intake hasn't increased enough to compensate for the loss of coke fluids. and there's always the chance i'll slide back, after all i consider myself a 'recovering addict' and this is the 3rd time i've quit, but i'll just keep going for now.
well done for getting down to 1 can, there's no way i could stop after 1...0 -
I used to drink two or three or four Pepsi's a day. I first cut back on that amount, then completely replaced it with Snapple. I then quit that completely and just started drinking water.
Water, the occasional bourbon on the rocks, and even-more-occasional beer, are the only things I ever drink now.
Now, I get kind of nauseous just thinking about ingesting such insanely sweet and sugary substances as soda and juice.0 -
I love the fact you had the guts to talk about this! When we first went primal that was the one thing I refused to give up. I had a huge diet pepsi addiction. January 1st, I just randomly decided to stop drinking it. So far, I haven't had a soda of any kind in 2013. Not saying I wont, but now I'm curious to see how long I can go without. We all have something non paleo/primal that we have a hard time giving up. Thanks for being so honest...obviously there are a lot of us!
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I'm not even that healthy with my fluid intake. I literally survive of coffee and the occasional herbal tea. My husband used to be addicted to fruit punch and now the only thing he drinks is water. I don't think I have what it takes to do that!0
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Lol, you gotta' do what you gotta' do. Honestly, though, fake sugar is HORRIBLE for you. Going from 4 to 1 is a great accomishment, though!
And I thought this post was fine in this forum...if we all only wanted to talk about how perfectly paleo/primal we were, why would we need or want support?0 -
There, I said it. I am 100% on board with the primal lifestyle, but I just can't seem to give up the diet coke. That said, since going primal, I have cut it down dramatically - I used to drink several a day, and now I just have one at lunch.
If this is my only SAD indulgence, how bad is it? Thoughts? Anyone else in the closet about their cola love?
Good job cutting it down to just one per day. I'd say the next step would be to have one every other day.
I, like Tim Ferriss, am a total Diet Coke *kitten*. However, my fat loss these past few weeks when I've had maybe one soda a week have been tremendous. Eliminating the fake sugars makes a huge difference.0 -
I also enjoy a diet coke when out and sometimes even at home. But usually it's 1 a day at least. And I appreciate it when people open up about not being so perfect on Paleo. It is what it is and that may change for you at some point also. Thanks for opening up on this forum it gives others room to not be perfect also. Which I think is a good thing.0
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I haven't had a soda, that wasn't in a mixed drink, in probably 3 years now.
Have you given sparkling water a fair try? My wife (then-gf) introduced me to it. I thought it was ridiculous at first but now I drink more than a liter of the stuff every day (even bought ourselves a Sodastream to make it ourselves).
I've also converted a number of friends and family to it too and most put their noses up at it when they first saw me drinking it.
I'd guess having 1 diet Coke per day won't kill you, but I'd argue that your health would definitely benefit by ditching the habit altogether.
If you look around you can find some websites that will help you exactly re-create different sparkling waters (San Pellegrino) with your Sodastream. Some of the ingredients are pretty odd though. I remember one having Plaster of Paris and epsom salts in it.0 -
I also enjoy a diet coke when out and sometimes even at home. But usually it's 1 a day at least. And I appreciate it when people open up about not being so perfect on Paleo. It is what it is and that may change for you at some point also. Thanks for opening up on this forum it gives others room to not be perfect also. Which I think is a good thing.
I go more towards Primal, which is a bit less restrictive. www.marksdailyapple.com is the go-to site for that. His overriding rule is the 80/20 rule. Try to get on diet 80% of the time, don't worry if you "cheat" on occassion.
I find the more I stay on diet, the less I enjoy going off it. My body can really tell the difference and usually that's not a positive thing and I can't wait to get back on plan.0 -
Here's probably everything you'd want to know about diet soda: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/diet-soda-healthy/
My personal opinion is that you should wean yourself from it as soon as you are able to. One of the primary reasons we eat a hunter/gatherer dietary path (like Paleo or Primal) is to minimize the insulin response that a carb-heavy diet (grains and sugars) provokes. While artificial sweeteners do not have any calories, the body still responds as though it was sugar - provoking an insulin response and stimulating a desire for more sweetness.
Artificial sugars should be avoided entirely.
Natural sugars should be avoided unless they have a fruit wrapped around them.0 -
Thanks all. I am definitely more primal than paleo but am getting better each day. And if offended anyone with my diet coke confession, those people should definitely avoid my food diary today, which reveals I ate a valentine's themed snack M&M . . . :happy:0
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I've been primal since september and have lost 50 lbs. For the first 3 months, I only drank water and coffee. Since Christmas, I have been less concerned about being perfect and more concerned with making this a lifelong way of life. And part of that for me is having a soda if I want one.
I am a Diet Dr. Pepper Guy. I have one with my lunch basically every day.
I just consider it part of my 80/20.
I know that it would probably be better if I only drank water but for now I will continue to drink a diet soda within reason.
However, I will say that I find myself hungrier after I have had a soda. So, If you are having trouble controlling how much you eat, then giving up diet soda will probably help.0 -
Here's probably everything you'd want to know about diet soda: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/diet-soda-healthy/
My personal opinion is that you should wean yourself from it as soon as you are able to. One of the primary reasons we eat a hunter/gatherer dietary path (like Paleo or Primal) is to minimize the insulin response that a carb-heavy diet (grains and sugars) provokes. While artificial sweeteners do not have any calories, the body still responds as though it was sugar - provoking an insulin response and stimulating a desire for more sweetness.
Artificial sugars should be avoided entirely.
Natural sugars should be avoided unless they have a fruit wrapped around them.
I agree with monkeydharma on this one. I used to be addicted to diet coke when I was in university, couldn't go a day without it. I had to cut it out cold turkey, even having one can would make me cave and have another. Now I understand why and it's just like monkeydharma says. Even though it's an artificial sugar with no calories, your body does respond the same way. Once you ween yourself off of it (if you choose to ) and haven't had any in awhile, you will likely find that it's not quite as good as you remember it being when you do have it. Our taste buds definitely change as sugar is removed from the diet. 0
