Kicking the diet soda habit - how long?

The long n short of it is I only drink water now and I don't miss soda any more (and I hated naked water before) I've amazed myself

I used to drink a lot of coke zero, pepsi max, diet coke if I had to. I just wanted to wean myself off of craving "sweet". it wasn't the diet drinks, it was the other sweet and "carby" foods that went with the diet drinks - pizza, fried, salty carbs, etc.

I don't know, a week or two?

For motivation: more $$$

I'll have one from time to time - but I'll consciously reach for a water vs. diet drink now. They're A LOT cheaper - go to a restaurant, and a diet drink is $2. Family of four - $10 in drinks (including tip). Whereas, the server does the same work for water, which is FREE. Family eating out can save $100 in a month, if you can convince/dictate them to drink water vs. Sweet Tea/Sodas. Don't even get me started on beer. Or buying them at the grocery store, I was looking for deals, like buy 2 12 packs, get 3 free so it "only" costs $.25/12 oz. If you "only" drink 4/day @ .25 (pretty cheap) your habit is costing you $365/year or more.

Im including my drink tracking chart. It's an eye test - but green is zero, red is >0.




As the Water Boy said ... "You Can Do It!!!"

https://youtu.be/VZ2HcRl4wSk

If it's the caffeine you're after, how about treating yourself to a coffee every so often? I'm not aware of that affecting teeth or bones although, as with anything, moderation is key.

Clawsal wrote: »

I have been drinking coke zero every day for 5 years and it has taken a toll on my teeth (I had cavities!) and I am worried about my bones in the future too.

I quit cold turkey and two weeks later I still want to drink coke.

So for those of you who have quit: how long until the "cravings" stopped?
What was helpful?
And for motivation, what were some benefits of quitting?

Why are you worried about your bones? And people get cavities usually because of poor oral hygiene.

Personally I've drank diet soda for over 25+ years and neither cavities or weak bones have been an issue due to good oral hygiene and good stress on my bones so they stay strong.

However if you want a good benefit from quitting it, you save money on buying it and................well that's about all I can think of.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

ninerbuff wrote: »

Clawsal wrote: »

I have been drinking coke zero every day for 5 years and it has taken a toll on my teeth (I had cavities!) and I am worried about my bones in the future too.

I quit cold turkey and two weeks later I still want to drink coke.

So for those of you who have quit: how long until the "cravings" stopped?
What was helpful?
And for motivation, what were some benefits of quitting?

Why are you worried about your bones? And people get cavities usually because of poor oral hygiene.

Personally I've drank diet soda for over 25+ years and neither cavities or weak bones have been an issue due to good oral hygiene and good stress on my bones so they stay strong.

However if you want a good benefit from quitting it, you save money on buying it and................well that's about all I can think of.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I've always been on 'team diet soda' over here, but even though I practice good oral hygiene, I'm going in next week to get my 4th crown done (and need to have 2 more done after that sigh...). Those buggers cost $975 a piece. And pretty much all my teeth except front ones have fillings in them. I blame it on growing up with well water, poor dental care as a child because we only went into the dentist for problems/no cleanings (many of the fillings were done as a kid and then those have progressed into needing new/bigger fillings and now crowns), and then yes drinking soda in one form or another since I was a kid, (I have pictures of me as a toddler holding a bottle filled with pop). I've also had more and more sensitivity in my teeth.

OP- I get where you're coming from. Maybe it's not the soda causing teeth issues, but there's no harm in cutting it out. I've actually just started drinking coffee and I'll be reducing my 4-5 cans a day of diet soda, to just one at lunch. This morning was the first time since I was probably a kid, that I didn't start the day with a can of soda. To my shock, the world didn't end

And oh my goodness-I was going through several 12pk cans of Coke brand diet soda every week, which are $4-$5 a case. Last night I bought my first canister of coffee and a 200 serving was $6! I'm going to save millions by switching lol.

AllOutof_Bubblegum wrote: »

I'm pretty sure diet soda had little to no impact on your cavities. Cavities are caused by bacteria which live off the sugar residue of what you eat in your mouth.

SODA DESTROYS TEETH. I'm now missing several teeth because my parents let me drink soda all my childhood and teens. It's the acidity. Now if you're having Mountain Dew (the WORST) it's coupled with acid and insane amounts of sugar, you may as well plan for dentures at 30 if you drink Dew. Juice will do it too.
Also, you're wrong. Brushing immediately after eating is very damaging to your teeth. I once believed in the myth too, and brushed after, accelerating decay. (After you eat your enamel becomes softer. Wait at least an hour to brush. Light flossing is okay.)

To answer OP, I stopped drinking regular soda 10 years ago (and lost 30lbs in a few months without trying!) I switched to diet, but stopped drinking that 5 years ago.
How did I quit my beloved Diet Cherry Dr. Pepper? Gradually and unintended! As I became more health conscious, I opted more for an occasional Propel (flavored water) or Vitamin Water. I started drinking those more and more and realised I just didn't care for soda anymore; I'd tried it again and it tasted like nasty syrup.

When I realised I'd quit without even trying, I noticed that I felt a Hell of a lot better. I wasn't sluggish, I had more energy than I knew what to do with.
Your tastebuds will literally change after you've been eating right for a while. Find something healthier and slowly incorporate it more and more into your diet and you may just find you no longer desire it!
If you don't... Don't worry. My grandmother is 80 and still drinks her Diet Pepsi and she's in better shape than my mother because she eats right. Some people like soda (Diet [is] feasible) some folks like coffee. If the majority of your diet is healthy, then a few cans of diet pop a week aren't going to kill you

Also, don't beat yourself up. Everyone needs a certain amount of happiness to make life worth living. So drink your damn soda if it makes you happy! All the best ♥

CynthiasChoice wrote: »

For motivation: I've read that diet drinks devastate your gut's microbiome, leading to all kinds of problems.
I've also read that the artificial sweetener can spike your blood sugar. That makes no scientific sense initially, but evidently there's something to it.

I quit last Fall, and it took at least a month to get over it and begin to really like the taste of water. Now I enjoy drinking water with my meals, and even after my meal, while I'm waiting for the family to stop eating.

Buy yourself a variety of nice glasses to drink from. For me, it really makes a difference if I like my glass.

Based on how many people chug diet soda all day long, yet manage to remain relatively healthy, I highly doubt it has any type of devastating effect on anything. It does not spike blood sugar. Blood sugar spikes are not something to be afraid of anyways unless you're diabetic.

Clawsal wrote: »

Thank you for your input! Actually it is not the sugar but the acidity that is the most problematic in soda. So it makes sense that diet would have just the same impact as regular. I see a lot of people are drinking vinegar these days for weight loss . I wonder if doing this long term also has an effect on their teeth.

Right now I am just dealing with the habit - tired, thirsty? - I want to reach for a coke. Surprisingly I had no withdrawal symptoms such as headaches.

ETA: My dentist also warned me against my diet soda drinking habits. My mum is at risk for osteoporosis and her doctor also warned her about drinking soda.

Just a comment. I started drinking Diet Coke when it came out. Yeah...that long ago. I'm old. I have never "given it up". I did stop drinking it at work, I drink water now, and have for a couple of years. I still drink DC at home, and if I go out to eat (which is rare). I have the normal amount of dental work, for being 61, I think. My dentist has never said anything about drinking diet soda. Ever. Also, I just had a bone density test and I have excellent bones. So....I think you are worrying needlessly. Just brush your teeth regularly. But drinking water is always a good thing!