How about diet soda?

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BflSaberfan
BflSaberfan Posts: 1,272
in Food and Nutrition
I saw the thread on regular soda. I am a VERY heavy diet pepsi drinker. I'm shamed to admit to how much of the stuff I drink. Easily 6-7 cans per day. Its like my coffee. No calories and no sugar. I know I could be drinking healthier things (water) but the caffeine withdrawal literally keeps me in bed with a migraine/vomiting.

Any suggestions? The headaches just aren't worth it. Any go cold turkey with a caffeine withdrawal how long did it last? I certainly cant miss work because I'm puking with a headache because I dont want to drink a diet pop.

I have had great weight loss results even with drinking the diet soda, so what other reasons would one have to quit? Other than the expense, which the pop does add quite a bit to our food budget every week.

Replies

  • BaronessBlixen
    BaronessBlixen Posts: 56 Member
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    Green tea, green tea, green tea. Granted, it won't have as *much* caffeine as soda, but it will perk you up, and the health benefits are too great to ignore. Also - no calories and nothing artificial! You can even get flavored varieties if the taste bothers you (I love Celestial Seasonings green tea with a hint of raspberry).

    Also, your headaches could be caused (at least in part) by all the aspartame you're consuming. I know that whenever I drank diet soda (which has since ceased altogether), I would come down with a massive headache.
  • heatherfrancis
    heatherfrancis Posts: 100
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    I drink that same amount of Diet Coke. I know its not the best option for me but, I feel so good when I have it, sometimes when I am hungry a diet coke will solve that until my next meal or snack. I wish water was something I craved and I know if I made the concious effort to stop I would want water more, but I cant convince myself to do that. I think you have to actually WANT to stop. I can easily stop when I am pregnant, but never when I am not.
  • Nbean24
    Nbean24 Posts: 14
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    I've read in some places that the carbonation isn't good for your bones. Also, consuming any type of fake sugar makes you crave more sweets, so sometimes you can eat other bad stuff because your body isn't getting the actual sugar it wants.

    Have you tried slowly weaning yourself off? So if you normally drink 6 cans a day, try to drink only 5/day for a few weeks, then 4, then 3 etc...

    I still drink diet soda myself - but I try to limit myself to 1 can a day if I absolutely need the caffeine to get me through the afternoon at work. I'm not a coffee drinker either, so sometimes I definitely need that extra something to get through the day! :tongue:
  • cbs1974
    cbs1974 Posts: 98 Member
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    guilty

    i like my diet cherry coke / diet coke with lime !!

    on an average day ive got myself down to 1 can : )
    at a weekend 3 or 4 cans of this crap i drink!!!
    it has NOT effected my goals mind you!
    a good trick to avoid it is not to buy it in and drink water instead!!
    with a slice of lime : )
  • BflSaberfan
    BflSaberfan Posts: 1,272
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    Green tea, green tea, green tea. Granted, it won't have as *much* caffeine as soda, but it will perk you up, and the health benefits are too great to ignore. Also - no calories and nothing artificial! You can even get flavored varieties if the taste bothers you (I love Celestial Seasonings green tea with a hint of raspberry).

    Also, your headaches could be caused (at least in part) by all the aspartame you're consuming. I know that whenever I drank diet soda (which has since ceased altogether), I would come down with a massive headache.

    I dont get headaches now. Just when I've tried quitting.
  • redefiningmyself
    redefiningmyself Posts: 476 Member
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    I used to drink a lot of diet coke, and when I first tried to quit cold turkey I got awful headaches as well. I tried to white-knuckle through it and I just couldn't do it.

    What worked for me was to cut it down to 1 can a day for a couple of weeks, then I cut it down to 1 mini can a day for a couple of weeks, then 1 mini can every other day for a couple of weeks. then 1 mini can every 2-3 days for a week or so. Then done.

    I'm happy to report that I've been totally off diet coke for a couple of years now and I don't even miss it. The best part is - on the rare occasions I try one (maybe 1-2 times a year, it doesn't even taste good anymore. :)

    So that's what I would suggest, slowly cut back so its not such a shock to your system until you are totally off it.

    Best wishes. :)
  • blakejohn
    blakejohn Posts: 1,129 Member
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    took me about 4 days and after I was off the caffeine I've never felt better although some morning when I have to wake at 3 or 4 I will have coffee but not a habit any longer.

    check out the link http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diet-soda/AN01732
  • rklein88
    rklein88 Posts: 71 Member
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    i stop drinking caffience slowly a few times a year (once i notice i'm drinking 3-4 diet pops a day). i start to quit by waiting longer in the morning before i have my first one, and cut out 1 per day for a week or two (until i no longer have headaches. then i cut out another one and maintain that number for a few weeks. doing this slowly does help with headaches. go slow, and substitute with other caffiene if you decide to.

    I have now cut out all caffience except for one diet pop per week (and an energy drink occasionally, only during finals for grad school)

    You can do it :)

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