Coke Zero Withdrawal

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SlimmingSarah2012
SlimmingSarah2012 Posts: 53
in Food and Nutrition
Anyone have any advice on getting over my coke zero addiction? Yep, it's a real thing! I'm hooked to the caffeine, artificial sweeteners and those bubbles.

I tried a few months ago to go cold turkey and ended up having the worst headache of my life, the shakes, nausea and chills/sweating. It was no joke withdrawals, after only 12 hours. But, I'm a hard core drinker (like 6 - 12 oz cans a day).

Monday night I started a detox where I'm drinking an obscene amount of water and eating clean and limiting my coke zeros to no more than 3 a day (I've got to be able to function at work).

Any advice is appreciated!

I drank regular coke for the longest time and then switched to Coke Zero about 5 years ago. I know all soda is bad and I need to kick the habit.
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Replies

  • amandamotley
    amandamotley Posts: 63
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    Some people will disagree with me, but I'd recommend black coffee if you like it (I don't like it hot, but love it iced) to help take the edge of the caffeine withdrawals. Baby steps...first less, then either none or very little. I love zevia btw - it's sweetened with stevia and comes in lots of flavors.
  • agentkate
    agentkate Posts: 10
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    I drank Diet Coke every day for 5 years. I blame my addiction on call center jobs (lol)... I ended up drinking around 40 to 60 oz per day. I FINALLY was successful in kicking the habit in January, so I'm going on 4 months without it. This is the only way that has worked!! I had to trick my body by "switching:"

    1. Slowly decreased my intake from 2 20 oz bottles down to 1, then down to 1 can a day. I did this over 3 weeks. It was tough, but I at least had the one to look forward to.
    2. Switched to regular Coke, since I'm certain now it was the aspartame more than the caffeine. I drank one can a day for a week.
    3. Switched to Sprite, and took an energy supplement called Mito2Max to help with the caffeine withdrawal. It's available from doTERRA (they sell mostly essential oils, but their supplements are amazing, too!! I highly recommend this one, I don't think I could've done it without it). 1 can of Sprite per day for a week
    4. Switched to V8 Splash Sparkling drinks, 1 per day. No sugar, but still that carbonation I craved.

    I still drink the V8 Splash Sparkling every now and then, but my body now craves just WATER. It's amazing. I feel so much more energetic, I've lost 5 lbs, and my head feels clearer.

    Good luck, I've been where you are, and you can do it!! It might take a few weeks but your body will thank you for stopping the artificial sweeteners. They are toxic!
  • lobo_a_gogo
    lobo_a_gogo Posts: 265 Member
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    It's likely the caffeine. As a stimulant the effects and withdrawals are similar to that of nicotine and cocaine (though, there's a continuum of strength of the effects and withdrawals). Try substituting with fruit flavored green tea and stevia. I'm a diet coke addict, and I've gone from drinking 12/day to drinking 3-4 or so (two with lunch two with dinner) by having tea whenever I'm craving one.
  • Omgsitsmanda
    Omgsitsmanda Posts: 20
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    I wish you luck!

    After watching loads of documentaries, I learned that diet soda contains a deadly combination of caffeine + aspartame, which literally kills brain cells. (Plus, aspartame puts PLAQUE on your brain, eww!) -- it gives a sort of high, and it actually is addictive. After learning that I kind of... dropped anything 'diet' cold turkey. I used to drink this diet energy drink called Xyience. Haven't had one since... and to be honest, I would drink a Xyience a day and diet soda all day out of the soda fountain at my job, and since I've stopped I've noticed my memory better. (It would get so bad sometimes that I'd stop mid-sentence 'uhh what was a I saying?")

    Just decrease it daily until you're down to none! Trust me, it isn't so bad, now all I ever drink is water. With the occasional juice.

    EVERY now and then I do crave a soda -- they are all BAD, but I'd much rather go for a soda with calories that I have to count than a soda that's going to make me stupid.
  • SlimmingSarah2012
    SlimmingSarah2012 Posts: 53
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    I should have mentioned that I don't like the taste of coffee or tea. Yuck!

    I was thinking of a schedule something like this...
    Week 1 - 3 - 12oz cans of coke zero
    Week 2 - 2 - 12oz cans of coke zero and 1 can of fresca/diet root beer (without caffeine)
    Week 3 - 1 - 12oz can of coke zero and 2 cans of non-caffeine diet soda
    Week 4 - 3 - 12 oz cans of non-caffeinated diet soda
    Week 5 - 2 - 12 oz cans of non caffeinated diet soda
    Week 6 - 1- 12 oz can of non-caffeinated diet soda
    Forever after - 1 carbonated beverage a week

    I'm not a believer in drinking my calories, so juice is a no go...oh and then there's the occasional margarita (I live in Texas after all).
  • Omgsitsmanda
    Omgsitsmanda Posts: 20
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    You got this :)
  • Bakkasan
    Bakkasan Posts: 1,027 Member
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    AS much as I advocate if you like it drink it, I cut way back on my soda intake. 3-2 a week now vs 3-4 a day
  • SlimmingSarah2012
    SlimmingSarah2012 Posts: 53
    Options
    I drank Diet Coke every day for 5 years. I blame my addiction on call center jobs (lol)... I ended up drinking around 40 to 60 oz per day. I FINALLY was successful in kicking the habit in January, so I'm going on 4 months without it. This is the only way that has worked!! I had to trick my body by "switching:"

    1. Slowly decreased my intake from 2 20 oz bottles down to 1, then down to 1 can a day. I did this over 3 weeks. It was tough, but I at least had the one to look forward to.
    2. Switched to regular Coke, since I'm certain now it was the aspartame more than the caffeine. I drank one can a day for a week.
    3. Switched to Sprite, and took an energy supplement called Mito2Max to help with the caffeine withdrawal. It's available from doTERRA (they sell mostly essential oils, but their supplements are amazing, too!! I highly recommend this one, I don't think I could've done it without it). 1 can of Sprite per day for a week
    4. Switched to V8 Splash Sparkling drinks, 1 per day. No sugar, but still that carbonation I craved.

    I still drink the V8 Splash Sparkling every now and then, but my body now craves just WATER. It's amazing. I feel so much more energetic, I've lost 5 lbs, and my head feels clearer.

    Good luck, I've been where you are, and you can do it!! It might take a few weeks but your body will thank you for stopping the artificial sweeteners. They are toxic!
    I hear ya, I'm a secretary and I blame my overweightness on the job for sure. Thanks for the tips and encouragement!
  • SlimmingSarah2012
    SlimmingSarah2012 Posts: 53
    Options
    I wish you luck!

    After watching loads of documentaries, I learned that diet soda contains a deadly combination of caffeine + aspartame, which literally kills brain cells. (Plus, aspartame puts PLAQUE on your brain, eww!) -- it gives a sort of high, and it actually is addictive. After learning that I kind of... dropped anything 'diet' cold turkey. I used to drink this diet energy drink called Xyience. Haven't had one since... and to be honest, I would drink a Xyience a day and diet soda all day out of the soda fountain at my job, and since I've stopped I've noticed my memory better. (It would get so bad sometimes that I'd stop mid-sentence 'uhh what was a I saying?")

    Just decrease it daily until you're down to none! Trust me, it isn't so bad, now all I ever drink is water. With the occasional juice.

    EVERY now and then I do crave a soda -- they are all BAD, but I'd much rather go for a soda with calories that I have to count than a soda that's going to make me stupid.
    I know what you mean, I read this book called "Skinny *****" and they referred to soda as liquid satan. Eeek! Contains stuff I definitely don't want in my body and I've had such a slow progress with weight loss and I think changing this one habit could make a ton of difference. Thanks for the encouragement!
  • Sonic_1971
    Sonic_1971 Posts: 19
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    Just wanted to say hi as I am in the process of trying to stop my diet pepsi addiction - I was drinking upwards of 7 or 8 cans per day :(

    At the moment im down to 3 or 4 cans per day but am struggling to find something else to drink that I like. I already drink 1-2 litres of water per day and I don't like tea/coffee. I don't want to use my food calories for drink either.

    I feel ok so far but its early days and ive only been cutting back since last week. Im hoping to be down to 2 or 3 per day next week and the week after 1 or 2... good luck , I never realised it would be this hard !!
  • Omgsitsmanda
    Omgsitsmanda Posts: 20
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    I know what you mean, I read this book called "Skinny *****" and they referred to soda as liquid satan. Eeek! Contains stuff I definitely don't want in my body and I've had such a slow progress with weight loss and I think changing this one habit could make a ton of difference. Thanks for the encouragement!

    Trust me, it will make a lot of difference! The first 30lbs I lost last year were definitely because of SODA and diet soda! They are eeeevil. Not to mention, aspartame also makes you crave sugar sugar sugar.
  • Annerk1
    Annerk1 Posts: 372 Member
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    Substitute black tea (no sugar but a bit of fat free milk is OK) and you'll get the caffeine with antioxidants!

    Taper down the soda until you drink NONE. Not one a week, but NONE. It's like an alcoholic having a drink. You can't say just one. It's none or don't bother until you get to the point that you just don't like it anymore--which will happen as your body adjusts to healthy eating.
  • agooddaytodiesoft
    agooddaytodiesoft Posts: 58
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    I also had a serious coke zero addiction, i couldnt function like a human being without 3 bottles of coke zero, everytime i craved coke, i just chugged water, the first week was horrible, but i hardly want any sodas these days, it's been 2 months since i had my last sip of any kind of soda.
  • SlimmingSarah2012
    SlimmingSarah2012 Posts: 53
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    Okay, week 1 complete! Starting Week 2 :)
  • kirkor
    kirkor Posts: 2,530 Member
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    How about caffeine pills?
  • annahlotr
    annahlotr Posts: 23 Member
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    Substitute black tea (no sugar but a bit of fat free milk is OK) and you'll get the caffeine with antioxidants!

    Taper down the soda until you drink NONE. Not one a week, but NONE. It's like an alcoholic having a drink. You can't say just one. It's none or don't bother until you get to the point that you just don't like it anymore--which will happen as your body adjusts to healthy eating.

    I think needing to cut it out completely may depend on the person and the reason for addiction. I drank two cans of diet soda (either diet mountain dew or diet pepsi) for two years. I liked the caffeine, but I think it was more of a psychological dependence than a physical one. When I was stressed, I drank them. When I had a headache, I drank them. They were my form of taking a break and destressing. When I got too stressed, I grabbed a diet soda.

    Then I found out I have early bone loss (most likely unrelated to the diet soda) and I was told to cut out carbonated drinks. I went down to one can a day for two weeks, then one can a week. I drink a cup of hot tea in the morning to get my caffeine. That was two years ago, and I learned that I can't maintain the no diet soda ever. I'd get stressed out and go buy a two liter and go through most of it in a couple of days. I allow myself one can a week, and put it in the refrigerator. Just knowing it's there if I need it calms the cravings and obsession. Most weeks, I don't drink that can. But if it isn't there, I know I would run out and binge.

    But like I said, I was kicking a psychological addiction, not a physical addiction, so that may be the difference.
  • SlimmingSarah2012
    SlimmingSarah2012 Posts: 53
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    On week 3 of my plan, so far so good. No headaches! I'm down to 1 coke zero a day and 2 caffeine free/diet drinks a day.
  • Lb4graff
    Lb4graff Posts: 1
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    hello-
    I just did a google search looking for a recipe for coke zero with doterra oils. Im a doterra oil user, have been since last May. If anyone wants info on how to use them let me know. I drink citrus oils everyday to detox the toxins and have replaced ALL soda.
  • epursey
    epursey Posts: 36 Member
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    I was addicted to Coke Zero for 10 years. Before that I drank regular. I started slowly reducing one can a day then two and so on. I introduced hot tea (I know you said ick - what about herbal fruity with splenda?) and regular sprite. Now I only drink hot tea with an occasion coffee in winter and iced tea in the summer. I also started drinking more water.

    I've relapsed two times. Every day I don't drink a coke zero is a good day.

    You're doing a great thing for your body!!
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    I had a serious Diet Dr. Pepper addiction. I haven't had any soda in 2014. I had a serious headache for about 2 weeks. I drink one cup of coffee every day though to keep the headaches away. Hmmmm - just realized I'll be on vacation next week and away from my Keurig and will be really going caffeine free! Eeek!

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