So I finally kicked the diet soda habit... Need help

How would removing a zero calorie drink help you loose weight? X - 0 = X every time. But, if you want to allot for the calories and sugar in "sports" drinks, it's all up to you.

I quit diet Pepsi just like you about a year and a half ago. Since then I have been drinking Arizona diet decaf green tea. I really like the taste and it has no artificial flavorings. Since I stopped the caffeine ( I also drink decaf coffee) I no longer get headaches like I used to. I hope this helps you.

Try herbal tea. There are lots of flavors available in the regular grocery store, and they are healthy. I drink mine hot or iced. Add a little honey if you like.

It's not the caffeine in diet drinks that is the suspected long-term problem, it's the artificial sweeteners (even the evidence there is a bit iffy). Unless you consume very large amounts, or have a hypertension or sleep issue, most studies suggest caffeine is probably good for you, with benefits to both brain function and weight loss ( when consumed right before a workout). So my suggestion is don't give up that part of your beverage consumption. Drink black coffee and unsweetened teas. Coffee and teas have other benefits as well. Both are high in anti-oxidants which should be part of a fitness routine given that recent studies show that high intensity exercise causes increased production of free radicals and oxidative damage.

I'd like to offer up a humble observation for you (and I say this with all kindness, because I've been there!): This diet soda "habit" that you think you've kicked? You actually haven't. If you are this desperate to find something to satisfy some kind of "drink craving" that appears to be plaguing you (otherwise you wouldn't have posted this thread), then you still are practicing the habit. All you're doing is substituting different substances for your former drink.

It's the same thing as the folks who give up desserts and then search and search for low-cal substitutes like fat-free frozen yogurt, etc. It's not just the food you're looking to get the 'hit' from, it's the behavior. What many people don't realize is that Behaviors can be even bigger habits/addictions than food! What ends up happening to most folks who try to substitute stuff for their former habitual (read: trigger) foods and drinks, is they end up going back to the original food or drink and getting hooked on it worse than before. It's because these "substitute" foods and behaviors leave them wanting, compared to their old stuff. Eventually, they cave to the craving because of the pressure of hanging on by their fingernails.

My suggestion would be to first learn to let go of "having to have" something besides water to drink. Purge and cleanse your body ENTIRELY with water for a couple weeks. Learn to stop "needing" something to "satisfy" you. Let your mind relax and let go - stop feeding the mental/emotional cravings for awhile. Detox. Let the cravings subside. You just might find out you really don't need other types of juices and stuff to satiate you anymore.

Will be 2 years off diet soda and all artificial sweeteners on January 1st. I'm here to tell you that the first 8 months or so was pretty difficult. I literally had withdrawals. Not necessarily to diet soda, but the rituals that surrounded it in my life. Once I had gone through each phase without diet soda and began my new life without it. For instance every day I'd have 2 cans of caffeine free diet coke poured over a large cup of ice, which I drank while waiting for my kids to get out of school. When I went camping I had bought a folding small table specifically for me to set my diet coke on while at the camp fire. I didn't like it sitting on the ground. Many more examples of that occurred in my life. I just had to get past them. So, glad I did.

As for other things to drink I didn't like tea. I won't drink juice. I was committed to no soda. I drank water. And more water. And more water. It was getting so tedious. I tried carbonated water with a splash of juice, but I just don't like drink calories. Once I got past the one year mark water seemed more the norm. I stopped saying I "can't" drink soda to I "don't" drink soda. Then my daughter asked me to sample tea with her in a Teavana store. We fell in love with Youthberry. I bought some and nearly fainted at the price. DD reminded me that it really came out to 64 cents a cup. OK I can live with that. I realized I needed to experiment with tea and find ones I liked. One doesn't need to go to Teavana, but I would suggest experimenting and find some you like. Some combine well to make great tastes. I drink it hot and I drink it cold. Never in a million years thought I'd be a tea drinker.

Throw couple of herbal tea bags in a pitcher of cold water and put in fridge. Let steep few hours then pull out bags. Fresh, fruity and sweet.

Losing the zero calories drink to help lose weight goes with the new studies that drinking diet soda causes our bodies to crave sugar and eat more.... Also the obvious high levels of sodium in each soda thus causing water retention.

Please may we have links to these studies?

I'd like to offer up a humble observation for you (and I say this with all kindness, because I've been there!): This diet soda "habit" that you think you've kicked? You actually haven't. If you are this desperate to find something to satisfy some kind of "drink craving" that appears to be plaguing you (otherwise you wouldn't have posted this thread), then you still are practicing the habit. All you're doing is substituting different substances for your former drink.

It's the same thing as the folks who give up desserts and then search and search for low-cal substitutes like fat-free frozen yogurt, etc. It's not just the food you're looking to get the 'hit' from, it's the behavior. What many people don't realize is that Behaviors can be even bigger habits/addictions than food! What ends up happening to most folks who try to substitute stuff for their former habitual (read: trigger) foods and drinks, is they end up going back to the original food or drink and getting hooked on it worse than before. It's because these "substitute" foods and behaviors leave them wanting, compared to their old stuff. Eventually, they cave to the craving because of the pressure of hanging on by their fingernails.

My suggestion would be to first learn to let go of "having to have" something besides water to drink. Purge and cleanse your body ENTIRELY with water for a couple weeks. Learn to stop "needing" something to "satisfy" you. Let your mind relax and let go - stop feeding the mental/emotional cravings for awhile. Detox. Let the cravings subside. You just might find out you really don't need other types of juices and stuff to satiate you anymore.

I will humbly offer that I think much of this comment is a crock. A person isn't addicted just because he or she likes some flavor in a beverage. You don't need flavor to survive, but it's hardly a personality flaw or addiction to want some. He probably would be better off with just getting used to drinking some more water and it may take some time to get used to doing so, but I wouldn't call that 'detoxing' or even suggest it has to be all or nothing. Whenever I hear 'detox' my BS detectors go off. Pretty much every detox program is just someone's get rich scheme. There are some real ways to get rid of toxic substances from a body. Iodine tablets can help remove radioactive elements in the same column of the periodic table. If you somehow have the right info on food sources you could perhaps consume less PCBs, mercury or arsenic and your body burden of those would decline over time, but those activities are from what most people claim as a detox. Soaking cucumbers in some water or drinking the juice of the latest strange fruit doesn't detox anything. I have also never heard of anyone succeed in long term weight loss via some week or two long detox program.

If the OP is really having some severe cravings for sweet things, then the first logical place to look for issues is whether he/she is overdoing the calorie cutting, especially the reduction in carbs/fats. Consuming too few carbs/fats can really amp up cravings.

I'd like to offer up a humble observation for you (and I say this with all kindness, because I've been there!): This diet soda "habit" that you think you've kicked? You actually haven't. If you are this desperate to find something to satisfy some kind of "drink craving" that appears to be plaguing you (otherwise you wouldn't have posted this thread), then you still are practicing the habit. All you're doing is substituting different substances for your former drink.

It's the same thing as the folks who give up desserts and then search and search for low-cal substitutes like fat-free frozen yogurt, etc. It's not just the food you're looking to get the 'hit' from, it's the behavior. What many people don't realize is that Behaviors can be even bigger habits/addictions than food! What ends up happening to most folks who try to substitute stuff for their former habitual (read: trigger) foods and drinks, is they end up going back to the original food or drink and getting hooked on it worse than before. It's because these "substitute" foods and behaviors leave them wanting, compared to their old stuff. Eventually, they cave to the craving because of the pressure of hanging on by their fingernails.

My suggestion would be to first learn to let go of "having to have" something besides water to drink. Purge and cleanse your body ENTIRELY with water for a couple weeks. Learn to stop "needing" something to "satisfy" you. Let your mind relax and let go - stop feeding the mental/emotional cravings for awhile. Detox. Let the cravings subside. You just might find out you really don't need other types of juices and stuff to satiate you anymore.

Maybe she is just dehydrated.

I'd like to offer up a humble observation for you (and I say this with all kindness, because I've been there!): This diet soda "habit" that you think you've kicked? You actually haven't. If you are this desperate to find something to satisfy some kind of "drink craving" that appears to be plaguing you (otherwise you wouldn't have posted this thread), then you still are practicing the habit. All you're doing is substituting different substances for your former drink.

It's the same thing as the folks who give up desserts and then search and search for low-cal substitutes like fat-free frozen yogurt, etc. It's not just the food you're looking to get the 'hit' from, it's the behavior. What many people don't realize is that Behaviors can be even bigger habits/addictions than food! What ends up happening to most folks who try to substitute stuff for their former habitual (read: trigger) foods and drinks, is they end up going back to the original food or drink and getting hooked on it worse than before. It's because these "substitute" foods and behaviors leave them wanting, compared to their old stuff. Eventually, they cave to the craving because of the pressure of hanging on by their fingernails.

My suggestion would be to first learn to let go of "having to have" something besides water to drink. Purge and cleanse your body ENTIRELY with water for a couple weeks. Learn to stop "needing" something to "satisfy" you. Let your mind relax and let go - stop feeding the mental/emotional cravings for awhile. Detox. Let the cravings subside. You just might find out you really don't need other types of juices and stuff to satiate you anymore.

I will humbly offer that I think much of this comment is a crock. A person isn't addicted just because he or she likes some flavor in a beverage. You don't need flavor to survive, but it's hardly a personality flaw or addiction to want some. He probably would be better off with just getting used to drinking some more water and it may take some time to get used to doing so, but I wouldn't call that 'detoxing' or even suggest it has to be all or nothing. Whenever I hear 'detox' my BS detectors go off. Pretty much every detox program is just someone's get rich scheme. There are some real ways to get rid of toxic substances from a body. Iodine tablets can help remove radioactive elements in the same column of the periodic table. If you somehow have the right info on food sources you could perhaps consume less PCBs, mercury or arsenic and your body burden of those would decline over time, but those activities are from what most people claim as a detox. Soaking cucumbers in some water or drinking the juice of the latest strange fruit doesn't detox anything. I have also never heard of anyone succeed in long term weight loss via some week or two long detox program.

If the OP is really having some severe cravings for sweet things, then the first logical place to look for issues is whether he/she is overdoing the calorie cutting, especially the reduction in carbs/fats. Consuming too few carbs/fats can really amp up cravings.

And I will humbly offer that you're more than welcome to offer your opinion that my opinion is a crock. However, I'm offering some solid advice here, which applies to many people, whether or not it actually relates to the OP. I'm throwing it out there in case something resonates w/the OP (or someone else who might identify). And I'll leave that to the OP to decide for him/herself on that score.

That being said, I want to clarify several misrepresentations you've offered up:

1.) I never said this person had personality flaws. To be honest, I'm actually a little offended you suggested this!

2.) I did not make some radical suggestion for this person to join some kind of get-rich-scheme/detox program. I simply suggested they try drinking only water and go without other types of flavored bevs for awhile, lol. No "BS" here, no cucumbers soaked in water (where'd *that* come from? lol - did you think I meant only drink water and don't eat anything, perhaps? If so, please read my post again, I never said anything of the sort). Mine was just a simple suggestion that has worked for who knows how many people.

3.) I used the word "detox" as nothing but a simple, descriptive word meaning, "to get some distance" from the behavior of "needing" a a substitute for a thing that was obviously a crutch to them at one time. They wouldn't be proud of "kicking the habit" if they didn't consider soda a "problem" - thus, my warning to be careful of substituting other beverages for that problem beverage. I have counseled countless people about this very issue - this is why I'm sensitive to it.

4.) I never suggested drinking water and not other flavored bevs would help this person lose weight. What I'm talking about has nothing to do with losing weight. It has to do with them losing the cravings for drinking soda (and again, I emphasize the behavior over the particular substance/substitute). For many people (myself included), getting some distance from a particular behavior or substance gave us clarity of mind and got us to stop "needing" that behavior or substance. I'm just saying that if this is what the OP is actually struggling with, then it would be a good idea to just go for the water for awhile and give it a try.

All that being said - If I am completely off base with this particular person, I don't mind. It's worth suggesting in case I'm right because it could spare them some trouble in the future. Or someone else who reads this thread and identifies with it. For every guy like yourself who thinks I'm full of it, I get 10 private emails saying, "you were spot on and I have this problem". So, I'm not overly concerned with your opinion, I just want to make sure the OP understands much of what *you* claimed that *I* said was...well....an *actual* crock.

I personally gave up full-sugar soda a few years ago, but I, too, had to give up diet sodas once I heard about the effects certain chemicals and additives had on the bones. Also, the aftertaste of many diet drinks is pretty gross. I do use Purevia/Stevia at home in my coffee or Splenda when I am getting a small coffee. I still drink caffeine, but in controlled amounts.

I would think drinking 100% fruit juice and maybe watering it down would be a good alternative to Gatorade powder. However, I also don't drink fruit juice because of it being concentrated. I believe it is better to eat the fruit and get the fiber than to just drink the juice. Plus, if you drink more than an 8oz/1 cup serving your getting more sugar than you would (even though its from a fruit) if you just ate the fruit. Fructose is still a simple sugar, but when you eat the fruit and get the fiber with it, it slows down absorption time of the sugar in the GI, preventing blood sugar spikes.

I drink tea, with milk, coffee, black tea, water with lime juice in and coconut water and wine!. Coconut water does have some sugar in it but I find it very thirst quenching and great after a gym session. I used to love diet coke but hate the taste now! Agree with the poster who said try water for a few weeks and then bring back in some fruit juice diluted and herbal teas….

the obvious high levels of sodium in each soda

lulz

It's a shame I came on here for some advice. I thought this was what a forum was for. Some of you take this opportunity to talk down and belittle people. Most people post on here to get information from folks that have already went through their issue. Not to be ridiculed, etc. FYI for all of you. I lost 106 pounds doing insanity and eating well. I did this while drinking diet soda. However I wanted to get off caffeine as I was drinking way too much diet soda. I was drinking 3-4 24 oz bottles a day with very little water. That's what my original post said. I was trying to quit that due to the levels of caffeine as well as the artificial sweeteners in there. My mother just passed away last year and she was diagnosed with cancer previous. The uncertainty about what these artificial sweeteners cause scares me. The caffeine doesn't scare me as much as the sweeteners. However, drinking calories is not something I want to do.

Not to belittle people, but to belittle incorrect facts and poor ideas.

Soda has a very small amount of sodium. Cutting out caffeine will have no effect on weight loss (if cutting caffeine has any effect, it will actually be to slow down weight loss). Your mother's cancer was not caused by artificial sweeteners.

Caffeine may actually have some significant protective effects on the heart, BTW.

Avoid them if you want. That's fine. But if you stick around here get used to the fact that false information and opinions that are counter to established science quickly get shot down.