Don't know how/if I can give up my diet sodas

daddyratty · February 2011

I've been really good for 2 weeks now at limiting portions. I have resisted extra treats, evening snacking, even made it through a Sunday trip to Costco without eating a single sample (opting instead for the chicken caesar salad with only half the dressing packet provided).

But I don't think I can give up my diet soda. It's mostly Diet Pepsi, but occasionally some Coke Zero or Diet Dr. Pepper.

At the same time I would love to be rid of this vice. Has anyone else successfully broken this addiction and how did you do it?

Randee75 · February 2011

I stopped cold turkey.....I was a huge Diet Pepsi/Diet Dr. Pepper freak. I stopped cold turkey and every time I wanted one told myself it made me feel bloated and it was terrible for me. I felt so much better when I gave up the diet soda and trust me you will too. I stopped smoking the same way..........Now I don't even crave pop. Good luck!!

jamie1888 · February 2011

How about starting out by setting a mini-goal of some sort... go all week without one and reward yourself with one on Friday night. Or something like that! Good luck!

julwills · February 2011

I used to have a can (or more) of diet coke just about every single day. I stopped drinking it cold turkey and replaced it with water and I feel so much better! I used to be exhausted by the end of the day every day but now I'm energized and I feel great. It gets easier as time goes on and occassionally I do have one but it's only when I feel like it and not NEARLY as often as I used to. Maybe one every 2 weeks at most. I feel so much better and if you give it up I bet you will too!

bethvandenberg · February 2011

I was a Diet Coke fanatic. I gave it up cold turkey. I substituted seltzer water with lemon etc. It's amazing how icky it tastes now. Yuck. And when I say addict I mean it. I had at least one 44 oz big gulp every day.

Just have to bite the bullet and do it. The chemicals in the soda is just horrible.

fitniknik · February 2011

Dont psych yourself out about it! I didnt think I could give it up, well ok, I still dont think I can give it up completly (I like my captin diets). I used to drink a can a day. I have noticed (after 3 months) that I dont crave it nearly as much anymore! It takes me forever to drink a can even! So in the last lets say 5 days, Ive had 2 cans of pop. Im guessing in the next few months that will be reduced even more.
Good luck!

katschi · February 2011

I quit pop easily enough but I was hooked on Crystal LIght.
I just gave it up cold turkey on Monday.

I don't do well with moderation. I need to eliminate certain problem foods/drinks in order to lose the taste for them.

Good Luck with this!

CakeFit21 · February 2011

I gave it up cold turkey too. Just stopped. Can't remember the last time I had a soda. Sometimes I'll have a sip of someones just to see how it is and it tastes so horrible to me.

My husband is/was a HUGE soda addict. He started drinking these carbonated waters, La Croix. No sugar, no sweetener of any kind. Just carbonated water and fruit flavor. He said it has really helped. He found he was actually craving the fizz of the soda, especially with a meal. This has helped greatly.

Randee75 · February 2011

I stopped cold turkey.....I was a huge Diet Pepsi/Diet Dr. Pepper freak. I stopped cold turkey and every time I wanted one told myself it made me feel bloated and it was terrible for me. I felt so much better when I gave up the diet soda and trust me you will too. I stopped smoking the same way..........Now I don't even crave pop. Good luck!!

I should add I drank at least 4-5 cans a day!

elcyclista · February 2011

Have less and less servings per week until you're at a point where transition between diet sodas and nothing but water becomes seamless.

Ride a bicycle at 20 mph for extended amounts of time and you will want nothing but water afterwards. XD

dawnna76 · February 2011

I just stopped buying it for at home. I only get a diet soda now if we eat out, which is like only once or twice a month. I love the bubbles and the taste so its a special treat. Its actually been nice not having it at home cause I was drinking that over water and it was costing us lots of $$

daddyratty · February 2011

Ah ... thanks Randee. That's me, too (3-5 a day).

Thanks for the tips, everyone. If nothing else, y'all got my back!

jahnlaw · February 2011

I used to drink "diet" coke 3-4+ 20oz bottles a day but rarely drink any now. I didn't stop cold turkey becaused it seemed that this was it was how I hydrated and that I was addicted to the caffeine.

I didn't tell myself id never have it again but promised myself that id always have a big glass of water before a soda. More often than not I didn't crave the soda after I drank the water. Next I promised no soda with meals and stuck with water or tea. Finally I upped my consumption of coffee and tea to replace the cafeine addiction.

I rarely drink sodas but enjoy a full calorie coke on special occaisions. Unlike DC, the real thing satiates. Btw I put "diet" in quotes because it seemed to hinder my weight loss

ginnyroxx · February 2011

i still love diet coke, but like the others quit cold turkey.

now i like to use them as rewards. when i lost 10 pounds - i got a Large diet coke from McDonalds. (my fave)

funny thing is now...they don't taste so good $:\$

hroush · February 2011

I used to drink 4-5 cans of regular coke / pepsi daily. I stopped cold turkey because I realized that I'd rather drink free, 0 calorie water (notice I put free first), than spend the money on pop. I had already started losing weight at this time and decided drinking 500+ calories a day (calories that could come from good food) is something I could do without. The funny part about this story is I was still living at home at the time and it took my mom a month to figure out I wasn't drinking the pop she was buying me :laugh: .

Unknown · February 2011

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derbygirl90 · February 2011

I don't drink soda, but maybe when you open a can pour some out frist so you don't drink it all.

Iceskatefanrn · February 2011

I am an RN, worked the night shift for years and years, and simply couldn't get through a 12 or 16 or 18 hour night shift without several Diet Cokes! However I've been off nights for the last 2 years, and recently started a M-F office-type job.

I decided last year to get off the Diet Coke. Before, when I was drinking 8-32 oz/day, I used to HAVE TO HAVE a few Tums in my pocket AT ALL TIMES for my occasional "heartburn". I was probably chewing a Tums 3-4 times EVERY DAY. Well, guess what? No Diet Coke = NO HEARTBURN! Can't remember the last time I even chewed a Tums for relief - it completely went away when I got off Diet Coke!

I will admit I occasionally drink one for a treat, maybe twice a month. But even then I have to watch the volume, it simply upsets my stomach now if I drink too much! I drink water and tea - mostly black Chai--type tea bags but have found some terrific Chai Green tea that I really love. (Again, tea BAGS, not the "mix", don't like those!) I also love the carbonated water and fresh lime - yummy!

If you decide to stop altogether, you can expect to expience headaches caused by caffeine-withdrawl. Take some Motrin to treat the headaches as needed, they'll go away after 2-3 days.

I have a small fridge in my office, and I have ONE CAN of Diet Coke in there. Every afternoon when I think I want it, I just say, hmmm, you know, I think I'll save that for tomorrow. It's been there for a month..... :-)

Good luck! :drinker:

Ice

mikeyml · February 2011

Why do you want to give it up completely? Just curious.

I used to drink 3-4 a day like you and I wasn't getting enough water. For the past two months I have averaged 1 12 oz can of caffeine free diet coke every day. It's kind of like a treat for me after dinner. I drink milk in the morning, 4-6 cups of water while at work, 1 iced tea for lunch, 1 can of soda after dinner, and 2-4 more cups of water in the evening. I don't see a reason to cut the one soda out at all personally. I think if you drink it in moderation then you will be fine. Oh and I don't log it and I've still lost 13 pounds in 6 1/2 weeks.

happyhaunt · February 2011

I want to give up Diet Coke. I have about 2 cans a day. I struggle because I'm teetotal, so if I go out I always end up ordering a Diet Coke!
I have about 4 cans left in my fridge and I'm not buying anymore. I'm just going to try and stick to water but it's going to be hard.

ace175 · February 2011

Try getting some fizzy water (I forget what it is called at the moment, but its carbonate) and add spritz of lime juice, or a sliced lime/lemon, mint leaf(ves) or any other flavor....it'll feel like you're drinking soda!

p_cakes · February 2011

Instead of diet it was regular cokes for me, with the occasional Coke Zero just to make myself feel better.
I would have up to 5 cokes a day, sometimes a bottle sometimes a can. I would get headaches without them! I eventually decided that it wasn't helping me lose weight and it started messing up my stomach. I'd spend a whole day in the bathroom from one day of drinking coke. I hated that!
I have now not had a coke since last Saturday, and even that day it was one of those mini cans, and that was it! I will occasionally have one on the weekend, but not often. I've found that I like water much more! AND with the different flavors I can add to water I can have different types. I love the strawberry crystal light and have that on a daily basis. Since I've given up the amount of coke I don't have headaches, I feel better, and I have lost weight (not only from the coke though, lol) I didn't cut it out of my life completely because I know that would drive me crazy since I've been drinking it since I can remember!

Just try to cut back to one a day a week. Or if it's bad, one a day, then one every other day, up to one a week!

jaybaileys · February 2011

Have you tried iced t? It is much better and I like the taste. I dont need to add sweeteners either. But other than that i drink water, so when we go out an ice t is a nice treat. Im not a big fan of green tea, but I do take 500mg of green tea extract a day. It supposedly helps your metabolism. But the black teas are very tasty, I think so anyway. Maybe it's something you could try.

Don't know how/if I can give up my diet sodas

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