Trying to quit diet soda habit

skinnygirldc
skinnygirldc Posts: 30 Member
edited November 20 in Food and Nutrition
Any advice? I don't really care for iced tea or sparkling water but I crave that ice cold soda can. Mmmmm. How long will it take to lose that craving? I'd love some tips.
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Replies

  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,646 Member
    can be the shmuck that suggest just working regular into your macros? Because I want to be that guy in this thread.

  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    What's wrong with having a can of diet soda? Can you just do one a day? It's not going to affect your weight loss either way, but if you feel like you should cut down, then do it. Diet soda in moderation will not hurt you. If you don't suffer from an increase in appetite or any other side effects, why do you feel the need to cut it out completely?
  • Mycophilia
    Mycophilia Posts: 1,225 Member
    Why not just enjoy your diet soda? I know I am.
  • Azexas
    Azexas Posts: 4,334 Member
    If you like diet soda and wish to continue drinking it, there is nothing wrong with that. Moderation is key.

    However, if you truly want to cut it out (watch your caffeine intake, you may get headaches if you go cold turkey) what about using mio in seltzer water? Still get the bubbly of soda.
  • skinnygirldc
    skinnygirldc Posts: 30 Member
    I think cutting back to one soda a day would be great. Right now I'm drinking three cans, which is kinda excessive. My reasons are partly health-related (aspartame), but also cost, and setting a positive example for my young kids.
  • Azexas
    Azexas Posts: 4,334 Member
    I can totally understand cost. That adds up a bit.

    But about Aspartame, you may want to check this thread out: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1308408/why-aspartame-isnt-scary/p1
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,255 Member
    I've started drinking diet decaf iced tea instead. I still drink some diet soda, just much less often. I don't care about the artificial sweeteners, I like them. But The carbonation in diet sodas bloats me and the phosphorous leeches calcium from you bones, which for me as an older woman with osteoporosis running in the family is my main concern. The phosphorous is also very bad for your tooth enamel.

    You could also try Crystal Light. I like the lemonade especially.
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    skinnygirldc wrote: »
    I think cutting back to one soda a day would be great. Right now I'm drinking three cans, which is kinda excessive. My reasons are partly health-related (aspartame), but also cost, and setting a positive example for my young kids.

    No reason to worry about aspartame. There are no real health effects associated with it (apart from people with PKU, or people whose migraines are triggered by it). It's probably the single most-studied food additive out there. Not to mention it's made up of two naturally occurring amino acids that we take in every day anyway. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1308408/why-aspartame-isnt-scary/p1

    Yeah, diet soda is expensive. I usually don't buy it for my house unless there is a big sale on it at my Publix or I just really want it. I save it for when I'm eating out, or occasionally buy it in the checkout line at the grocery store. Diet Cherry Dr. Pepper and Diet Mug Root Beer are my favorites. :smile:
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    Fear-mongering is so annoying. Ice cold Diet Coke Zero is not going to hurt me.
  • skinnygirldc
    skinnygirldc Posts: 30 Member
    I'm not seriously worried about the aspartame, but I have other health reasons to cut back:
    - It erodes tooth enamel and has yellowed my teeth
    - It interferes with calcium absorption
    - It causes me to drink less water and get kinda dehydrated

    I think one diet soda per day would be a realistic goal for me. Any other tips on cutting back?
  • FatOldManMN
    FatOldManMN Posts: 1,116 Member
    It will rot your stomach
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    FatOldManMN wrote: »
    It will rot your stomach

    Yeah, mine is just a gangrenous hole in my abdomen right now.

    What does that even mean?
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    skinnygirldc wrote: »
    I'm not seriously worried about the aspartame, but I have other health reasons to cut back:
    - It erodes tooth enamel and has yellowed my teeth
    - It interferes with calcium absorption
    - It causes me to drink less water and get kinda dehydrated

    I think one diet soda per day would be a realistic goal for me. Any other tips on cutting back?

    As troutsy mentioned upthread, maybe try Mio or another flavor enhancer in seltzer water? Try drinking tea (unsweetened) and flavored waters. I don't particular like using fruit to flavor my water (eww, chunks), but that's always an option.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Iced tea is great. Brew your own. There are lots of flavored tea bags out there. Lipton Pyramid Bavarian Berry...yum. I don't use sweetener. That may be an acquired taste, but start with a little sugar and step it down if you have to.
  • amgreenwell
    amgreenwell Posts: 1,267 Member
    From experience, it is hard to quit... it is actually addictive. So, just take your time cutting it out and eventually you won't want one. Also, read up on asperatame and you won't put another diet anything in your body.
  • Azexas
    Azexas Posts: 4,334 Member
    FatOldManMN wrote: »
    It will rot your stomach

    I was wondering where that huge hole in my abdomen came from. :|

    OP: If you are drinking 3 cans a day, drop down to 2 cans a day for a week and then drop down again to 1 can. That may prevent some of the caffeine headaches. ( This is what I did with my coffee)

  • jessicapk
    jessicapk Posts: 574 Member
    I agree with Troutsy. Taper off how much you're drinking until you're at one can or a half a can a day (yeah, it feels stupid to toss a half a can but it won't bother you after a while). The main reasons I quit were dental, hydration, and the caffeine reliance. If I didn't have caffeine in the morning, I would have a raging headache by mid-day. I started using tea to taper off my caffeine and then swapped to an herbal / black tea blend. Now, if I don't have that morning caffeine, I can still live a normal life. So, more than anything else, it was simple reliance that bothered me. That and my teeth. And, on that note, Mio, Crystal Light, and other water enhancers also are very acidic and can also stain your teeth. If you rinse after drinking them, you should be fine but it's just not worth it to me any more. I can find water any where, for free in most cases, and it has no side effects of any kind.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    amgreenwell wrote: »
    From experience, it is hard to quit... it is actually addictive. So, just take your time cutting it out and eventually you won't want one. Also, read up on asperatame and you won't put another diet anything in your body.

    Here's a good place to start.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1308408/why-aspartame-isnt-scary/p1
  • UnicornAmanda
    UnicornAmanda Posts: 294 Member
    I was a soda fiend... I was concerned with high fructose corn syrup in regular soda and aspartame in diets. I switched to maine root beer which is fair trade and doesn't have any of those chemicals...
  • Azexas
    Azexas Posts: 4,334 Member
    RGv2 wrote: »
    amgreenwell wrote: »
    From experience, it is hard to quit... it is actually addictive. So, just take your time cutting it out and eventually you won't want one. Also, read up on asperatame and you won't put another diet anything in your body.

    Here's a good place to start.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1308408/why-aspartame-isnt-scary/p1

    Want to play the game of how many times can we post this link in this thread? :D
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    Troutsy wrote: »
    RGv2 wrote: »
    amgreenwell wrote: »
    From experience, it is hard to quit... it is actually addictive. So, just take your time cutting it out and eventually you won't want one. Also, read up on asperatame and you won't put another diet anything in your body.

    Here's a good place to start.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1308408/why-aspartame-isnt-scary/p1

    Want to play the game of how many times can we post this link in this thread? :D

    LOL I didn't even realize that you had posted the link when I posted the link. I had even read your post and it's like my eyes chose to ignore it.

    Well maybe redundancy is what some people reading this thread need.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt wrote: »
    Troutsy wrote: »
    RGv2 wrote: »
    amgreenwell wrote: »
    From experience, it is hard to quit... it is actually addictive. So, just take your time cutting it out and eventually you won't want one. Also, read up on asperatame and you won't put another diet anything in your body.

    Here's a good place to start.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1308408/why-aspartame-isnt-scary/p1

    Want to play the game of how many times can we post this link in this thread? :D

    LOL I didn't even realize that you had posted the link when I posted the link. I had even read your post and it's like my eyes chose to ignore it.

    Well maybe redundancy is what some people reading this thread need.

    I'll guess once for every person who comes it to do an aspartame is bad drive by.
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    RGv2 wrote: »
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt wrote: »
    Troutsy wrote: »
    RGv2 wrote: »
    amgreenwell wrote: »
    From experience, it is hard to quit... it is actually addictive. So, just take your time cutting it out and eventually you won't want one. Also, read up on asperatame and you won't put another diet anything in your body.

    Here's a good place to start.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1308408/why-aspartame-isnt-scary/p1

    Want to play the game of how many times can we post this link in this thread? :D

    LOL I didn't even realize that you had posted the link when I posted the link. I had even read your post and it's like my eyes chose to ignore it.

    Well maybe redundancy is what some people reading this thread need.

    I'll guess once for every person who comes it to do an aspartame is bad drive by.

    It'd probably be even more effective coupled with this gif:

    tumblr_mardbiyWZG1rv0rj7o1_500.gif
  • Hypsibius
    Hypsibius Posts: 207 Member
    Seltzer and juice. I love it. I usually do Seltzer water on ice with a splash of orange-pineapple or cranberry.

    Kills the craving for pop and will hydrate ya, too!
  • mygrl4meee
    mygrl4meee Posts: 943 Member
    I was drinking a 2 liter plus then some a day. I cut down a bit for a week and 4 days ago I quit cold turkey. It's been hard.. slight headache, no energy and I am a grouch.. plus I am thinking about it a lot. Having lots of ice cold water and.flavored water.helps some.
  • sarahkeedwell
    sarahkeedwell Posts: 18 Member
    I still have my diet soda but even I don't do one can a day. I am satisfied with 2 sips but thats just me.
  • daniwilford
    daniwilford Posts: 1,030 Member
    I can not do moderation with Pepsi/Diet Pepsi. I have to do cold turkey. After a week I do not miss it as much. I the hot summer I get tired of drinking water, so I have added some flavoring.
  • techgal128
    techgal128 Posts: 719 Member
    The only thing soda hurts is your teeth (you have to drink a lot of it too).
  • AsISmile
    AsISmile Posts: 1,004 Member
    jessicapk wrote: »
    I agree with Troutsy. Taper off how much you're drinking until you're at one can or a half a can a day (yeah, it feels stupid to toss a half a can but it won't bother you after a while).

    So why won't you just buy a bottle and fill up a glass with half a can worth of soda?

  • techgal128
    techgal128 Posts: 719 Member
    AsISmile wrote: »
    jessicapk wrote: »
    I agree with Troutsy. Taper off how much you're drinking until you're at one can or a half a can a day (yeah, it feels stupid to toss a half a can but it won't bother you after a while).

    So why won't you just buy a bottle and fill up a glass with half a can worth of soda?

    Get your dirty logic out of here!
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