Help! Trying to limit diet drinks and drink more water

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I drink about 2-3 diet drinks a day and very little water, I get tired so easily of just plain water. I have tried to lower my diet drinks but get a bad headache which I know is from detoxing off of it. Any suggestions on how to lower my diet drinks and water alternatives?

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  • 4lafz
    4lafz Posts: 1,078 Member
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    I like:

    Propel
    Arizona Green Tea Pomegranate flavor (in the tubs that makes 1/2 gallon)

    I used to be a HUGE soda drinker and Propel is what really got me off. It is not carbonated, however, my sister likes carbonated flavored waters. You just have to test several things to se what satisfies.
  • ltwitchell07
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    I buy the crystal light packets to put in my water. There is about 10 calories in one but for me I feel that is a better alternative to any carbonation or just plain water all the time and they taste really good. I buy a couple of different flavors at one time so I have some options.
  • tcam70455
    tcam70455 Posts: 128 Member
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    Try doing a slower step down to avoid the caffeine headaches. Maybe drop to 2/day then 1/day. I have been doing well with plain ice water. I sometimes drink tea, and rarely treat myself to the diet drinks anymore. I do like the flavored waters, too. Sometimes I chew gum to get my mind off of wanting caffeine.
  • CGerman
    CGerman Posts: 539
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    I can sympathize, I used to drink more than that myself. I had to wean myself off by cutting back, otherwise I always got nasty headaches. It helps I still get caffeine from my morning coffee. Just try cutting out one a day for week, then 2 day a day, etc. To "trick" myself into drinking more water I got the individual drink mixes. Plenty of variety and not too many calories or sugar. After about a week of that I just went to straight water, now the drink mixes are too sweet to have all the time.

    I used to drink 4-6 diet sodas a day - and now I haven't had a soda in 4 weeks! It's amazing how much better I feel.
  • NykkieC
    NykkieC Posts: 622 Member
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    I love diet pop too and am trying to cut down - one thing that helps me is Sobe Lifewater - it has 0 calories (it does have a few carbs) and no artificial sweeteners. It's very yummy!
  • Sumatra
    Sumatra Posts: 181
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    I used to drink a LOT of diet Coke. When I wanted to stop, I sort of weaned myself off of it. I told myself that I had to drink one glass of water before I could drink a Coke. I would just chug the water to be done with it. Then, I gradually increased the amount of water I would drink between cokes and I started decreasing the amount of coke I could drink. Now, I don't drink sodas at all, I haven't in many years. Water is my favorite beverage and I drink between 1 and 1 1/2 gallons of it every day!!!

    I do usually put a little lemon or lime in my water, either fresh or from a bottle.

    Good luck! I know it's hard, but you can do it, you just have to find the solution that works for you!
  • a1schwei
    a1schwei Posts: 617 Member
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    i am also a diet addict...my drink of choice is diet pepsi...i haven't been able to completely eliminate my daily diet pepsi, but i have been able to limit it to just one :) work yourself down slowly from 3 to 2 to 1....i've found that adding flavor to my water helps make it more appealing...i'm a big fan of crystal light in my water...i put 1 packet into my 32oz water bottle and the flavor is still awesome! my favorite is the skin essentials pomegranate lemonade...yummy! cuting up lemon and putting it in a water bottle is really good too...good luck!!!
  • jabdye
    jabdye Posts: 4,059 Member
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    One thing that might help you kick the habit -- look up asparatame -- which is the artificial sweetener used in most diet sodas. In particular check out the part about it turning to formaldehyde....and that it can cause symptoms similar to MS. I just found out this information 3 weeks ago and haven't had a diet soda since. Kind of scared me straight! Good luck -- I know it's not an easy habit to break -- but the effects are mind boggling!

    You can do it!
    Good luck!
  • bubblington
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    If you are into your fizzy drinks (i used to drink 4 cans a day) try drinking fizzy mineral water and adding some either natural fruit juice or no added sugar sqaush.

    I'm now only drinking 1 can a day but still feel like i'm getting my full quota of fizz

    Hpoe this helps
  • rose1617
    rose1617 Posts: 469 Member
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    I couldn't do just plain ol' water either for almost 2 months. I had diet drinks sometimes twice/day. I cut them to once/day to start.
    At work, I'd drink water with crystal light.
    Once you cut the diet drinks, your body will start to not want it anymore.
    Gradually wean yourself off. Go from once/day to once every other day and then to once/week.
    Right now I'll only have them when we go out to dinner/lunch.

    Just last week I was finally able to drink water without Crystal Light. Now I'm drinking over 16 glasses of just plain ol' water per day.
    You can do it! But it will take time.
  • Lilliesmom2010
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    For me it's the fizz that I really crave, so I like the carbonated flavor waters at Walmart, or crystal light is always a good change. Also have tried the great value instant teas kinda like crystal light. Or add fresh lemon wedges to your water. I have found that I am actually looking for water rather then sodas or tea. :) It just takes time to adjust to the change, but you CAN DO IT!! I know you can.
  • Ryhenblue
    Ryhenblue Posts: 390 Member
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    For me it's the fizz that I really crave, so I like the carbonated flavor waters

    This is me as well. I don't drink the one's with sweeteners. I like the ones that have only carbonated water. I try and find the ones with no sodium but sometimes I can only find the ones with 10mg per serving.
  • maddox22
    maddox22 Posts: 91
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    It's probably the caffeine withdrawal that's giving you a headache; as others have suggested, just wean yourself off of it slowly. If you do want to get rid of the artificial sweeteners, try replacing soda with unsweetened caffeinated coffee or tea (iced or hot), which still contains caffeine and so should help reduce your headaches.

    If you find plain water boring, try adding lemon juice, lime juice, or other juices. Use just a little so you don't end up with too much sugar, but do have flavor.

    In the summer, unsweetened iced tea or iced coffee is one of my all-time favorite drinks. There are lots of different flavors of tea out there, and any of them can be used for iced tea. (Don't be fooled into spending more money for "special" bags for iced tea. They're completely unnecessary.) There are two ways to do it: brew the tea the "regular" way and then chill it, or just throw the teabag(s) into a jar of water and stick in the fridge overnight.
  • sifu33
    sifu33 Posts: 34
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    i was a big fan of full fat coke. u cant beat it, however, i was shocked one day to read that i was nowhere near my water requirement for a day. I hated water, disgusting taste and no rush and just a nasty business, however, i forced myself to cuit everything out except tea, and drank loads of water. yes i had headaches but i knew why, i had two-three days of discomfort and then my magic happened, i found the water refreshing and i began to desire to drink it. I find it easy to drink in pubs and im not ashamed of it. My partner was in the same position and after three days she was exactly the same, so I reckon, give it a go you will like it.
  • kschwarten
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    I started buying the Propel packs to put in my water - I keep a water bottle in my gym bag, one at home, and one at my office and at least 3 packs of various flavors of Propel in each place so that I can always refil it. As a result, the only time I drink soda now is if I'm out at a restaurant (usually sprite) or out at a bar (vodka/sprite). I also managed to get my boyfriend hooked on Propel, so now we don't even keep soda in the house! If you're looking for a carbonated option, I really like store brand white grape carbonated water. Good luck!
  • theprices
    theprices Posts: 97 Member
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    I no longer drink soda of any kind. I drink about 80-100 ounces of water a day thanks to Crystal Light Pure Fitness Packets. They have NO artificial sweetners (which give me headaches and are terrible for you!). Just 15 calories per serving.