How to deal with (diet) soda cravings?
EatingAndKnitting
Posts: 531 Member
I have a bad diet coke habit. I've been drinking it practically since it was unveiled here in the US (seriously, my dad was diagnosed as diabetic in 1984 and I remember seeing a commercial for diet coke and thinking "oh good, now dad doesn't have to give up soda". I was five).
If left to my own devices I'll drink 10-12 two liters a week. And then a liter or two of water on top of that. (My psych drugs cause dry mouth, which causes me to drink a ton)
This much soda leaves me bloated and uncomfortable like crazy. Today I have felt overstuffed alllllllll day. I tried riding my bike, which usually works when I've had too much to eat, it just made me feel worse.
It's expensive (compared to water) and I steal money from the household food budget for my habit. I go to the store every day after my husband leaves for work to buy coke without him knowing it. And I hide the bottle if I haven't finished it when he comes home. He knows I do this, it's hard to not notice the bottles in the trash, but the cravings are so strong!
How do I quit? This is the one thing I can't moderate. If I have it in my house, I'll drink it. If I don't have it, I'll crave it like mad. It gets to the point where it's unbearable almost.
I can't stand tea. I drink a cup or two of coffee a day, and it's not just the caffeine because even caffeine free diet coke will do for my "fix". I don't like crystal lite or those flavored water additives for the most part, I drink them, but they aren't the same. I like plain water, but how do I stop the intense craving for soda?
I've gone cold turkey for several weeks at a time, but the cravings were still there.
If left to my own devices I'll drink 10-12 two liters a week. And then a liter or two of water on top of that. (My psych drugs cause dry mouth, which causes me to drink a ton)
This much soda leaves me bloated and uncomfortable like crazy. Today I have felt overstuffed alllllllll day. I tried riding my bike, which usually works when I've had too much to eat, it just made me feel worse.
It's expensive (compared to water) and I steal money from the household food budget for my habit. I go to the store every day after my husband leaves for work to buy coke without him knowing it. And I hide the bottle if I haven't finished it when he comes home. He knows I do this, it's hard to not notice the bottles in the trash, but the cravings are so strong!
How do I quit? This is the one thing I can't moderate. If I have it in my house, I'll drink it. If I don't have it, I'll crave it like mad. It gets to the point where it's unbearable almost.
I can't stand tea. I drink a cup or two of coffee a day, and it's not just the caffeine because even caffeine free diet coke will do for my "fix". I don't like crystal lite or those flavored water additives for the most part, I drink them, but they aren't the same. I like plain water, but how do I stop the intense craving for soda?
I've gone cold turkey for several weeks at a time, but the cravings were still there.
13
Replies
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I cut back to one or two cans per day and no more. Maybe you need to talk to your therapist about your impulse. Obviously if you are hiding it from a spouse you feel it's wrong. Have you talked with him about it?9
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I plan to bring it up with my therapist next week. I asked here to see if anyone else had insight into how they dealt with a similar issue, even if it wasn't diet coke specifically. Therapy is good, but sometimes personal experience is better.
I have talked to him. I even told him I was going to quit. The very next day I went to the store and bought some coke. He's the sort that just decides not do something and then doesn't do it anymore. Very frustrating.
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Cravings are annoying, and they can feel overwhelming, but they don't kill you. You just have to learn to tolerate the cravings. Find ways to talk soothing to yourself, and just experience the craving, feel that it's harmless, that it passes, that it can't make you do anything you don't want to do.
If you buy one bottle per week, you can still get the enjoyment. Drinking it like water takes away the specialness. Not buying it will not be a loss. Maybe you can drink it whenever it's offered, for free, like at parties.10 -
You obviously aren't like him though. Maybe he can help you at least reduce how much you are consuming. Maybe he puts two cans in the fridge and that's all you get for the day. He keeps the 12 pack hidden and you get 2 more the next day.
I personally decide to "earn" my cans of Diet Mt. Dew. I get one when I finish my workout and I get one with dinner if I've logged all of my food for the day. They're easy goals to reach, so I know I will be having them. If I want a third I have to go for a run before I get it.10 -
You have a few disordered habits. Hiding the evidence is a bad sign. Resolving to go cold turkey just intensifies the craving.
Here’s some free resources and worksheets to work through disordered habits around food.
http://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/resources/infopax.cfm?Info_ID=48
A few things to try.
- Every time you drink a soda tell yourself that you are choosing to drink it. This paradoxically puts you back in charge of your behaviour.
- Any thing to slow down your consumption will help.
- Drink from a shot glass, chasing each shot with a glass of water.
- When you are uncomfortably full imagine a stop sign in your head, put your hand out and say “stop”
- Decide to wait ten minutes to take your next drink. Set the timer if you need to. This trains you to accept deferred reward.
See if you can stop the shame cycle. Be open about this. Have a clear recycle bag or container for the empties and a place in the fridge for the half fulls. Get this out in to the light of day.25 -
I gave up diet soda but just going down to having it at home on Fridays when we have pizza night or when I went out to eat. no I have dropped the at home Friday pizza one and we almost never eat out so when we do I still have one and then water after that0
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i was you about 8 years ago. i would drink a min of 2 litres of diet coke per day and would panic if i was runing low. i honestly thought that i would never kick the habit and i did not really have any intentions to quit. it really is an addiction and i understand that. i had to temporarily start taking a prescription for a medical condition. i was warned that anything i drink that is carbonated would taste terrible. about 1 hour after my first dose, i took a swig and it was like drinking gasoline. beleive me i was beside myself because of my addiction. i made a few more attempts over the next few days but the taste was getting worse. i immediately started drinking water with a sprinkle of lemon crystal light full of ice. it honestly didn't take long b4 i was over my addiction. albeit, i was taking this drug that made it horrible....so i kinda had no choice. a few months after, i dropped the crystal light (they stopped making the lemon) and i switched to water. soon after, i started craving water. i have been off that medicine for over 6 years. i never went back and i prolly don't even have 3 glasses of diet coke a year...1
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I used to drink close to two 2 liters a day of diet soda as well...for years. My biggest problem was that I just wasn't a plain water fan. I gave up the soda, but to get my caffeine, I drink coffee in the morning, early afternoon. During the evening, I usually drink the Nestle Splash flavored waters. Zero calories, zero caffeine. I wish I was one of those people that could just drink plain water all the time, but I tried, and I just can't.
So, for me, it was about finding suitable replacements.
As far as economics go, coffee is very cheap, as long as you don't go the K cup route. We have free coffee at work, so no cost to me except on weekends I get the flavored water pretty cheap at Walmart too. 0 -
I have a bad diet coke habit. I've been drinking it practically since it was unveiled here in the US (seriously, my dad was diagnosed as diabetic in 1984 and I remember seeing a commercial for diet coke and thinking "oh good, now dad doesn't have to give up soda". I was five).
If left to my own devices I'll drink 10-12 two liters a week. And then a liter or two of water on top of that. (My psych drugs cause dry mouth, which causes me to drink a ton)
This much soda leaves me bloated and uncomfortable like crazy. Today I have felt overstuffed alllllllll day. I tried riding my bike, which usually works when I've had too much to eat, it just made me feel worse.
It's expensive (compared to water) and I steal money from the household food budget for my habit. I go to the store every day after my husband leaves for work to buy coke without him knowing it. And I hide the bottle if I haven't finished it when he comes home. He knows I do this, it's hard to not notice the bottles in the trash, but the cravings are so strong!
How do I quit? This is the one thing I can't moderate. If I have it in my house, I'll drink it. If I don't have it, I'll crave it like mad. It gets to the point where it's unbearable almost.
I can't stand tea. I drink a cup or two of coffee a day, and it's not just the caffeine because even caffeine free diet coke will do for my "fix". I don't like crystal lite or those flavored water additives for the most part, I drink them, but they aren't the same. I like plain water, but how do I stop the intense craving for soda?
I've gone cold turkey for several weeks at a time, but the cravings were still there.
Check this out - A number of folks I know who have been dealing with cravings have found "urge-surfing" helpful. https://www.mindfulness.org.au/urge-surfing7 -
Wow I love that urge surfing! This jives with my experience with mindfulness exercises.0
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Don't drink them and you will get over them in time!4
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For 2 weeks, log every glass, time of day, mood, feeling, situation, etc
Next 2 weeks, continue logging, and list 3 alternative things you could do for 10 minutes instead of drink. You can drink at will AFTER logging and planning.
Day 29 is cold turkey day. With your partner throw bottle, glass, opener, and anything associated with your ritual...maybe even the chair you sit to drink...and plan how you both will celebrate 24 hours free. At the 24 hour celebration, plan how you both will celebrate 48 more hours free, then 96 hours and so on.
This method helped me with 2 pack/day cigarette habit 30 years ago. During your logging periods look for behavior triggers associated and have a distraction planned. A 10 minute distraction is long enough for the craving to pass.
Good Luck. You can take charge of your habits.7 -
Even diet drinks make you CRAVE sugar. The artificial sweeteners are even worse than sugar for stimulating the cravings. Have you considered buying a soda stream or buying carbonated waters. There are several that have no sugar and no salt - some are flavored, some aren't. You will find that once you can change to these waters and then just water - your thirst will be quenched so much better. Right now you aren't actually quenching your thirst - these drinks are making you even more thirsty. For every glass of soda that you drink - commit to drinking 1 glass of water (or carbonated water) first. You are brave to admit this addiction - I am sure that is your first step. Best of Luck to You. Yes You CAN!!!!!!41
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Have you ever heard of Zevia? It's a natural soda that has many flavours and no calories made with the natural sweetener, Stevia. It might be a good alternative. Ask your local grocery store if they carry it. If not, I'm pretty sure Whole Food will. Hope this helps. Stay encouraged!0
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Even diet drinks make you CRAVE sugar. The artificial sweeteners are even worse than sugar for stimulating the cravings. Have you considered buying a soda stream or buying carbonated waters. There are several that have no sugar and no salt - some are flavored, some aren't. You will find that once you can change to these waters and then just water - your thirst will be quenched so much better. Right now you aren't actually quenching your thirst - these drinks are making you even more thirsty. For every glass of soda that you drink - commit to drinking 1 glass of water (or carbonated water) first. You are brave to admit this addiction - I am sure that is your first step. Best of Luck to You. Yes You CAN!!!!!!
You need to add to your post "In my opinion". Drinking diet coke does not make me crave sugar and the artificial sweeteners aren't any worse for stimulating cravings. Diet coke does quench thirst. It is hydrating just as much as water.18 -
I like carbonated water, not soda. I will mix it with a small amount of something, usually suja strawberry. Sometimes just lemon. Coke itself grosses me out, so cannot help. Maybe try to see if it’s just the carbonation you like, and mix it with some alternative that you like too, juice, citrus, herbs, fruit, whatever.1
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Personally for myself I find I crave things for a few days after I give it up but then the cravings go away. This is how it is for nearly any craving I have .
You may need to experiment with what works for you. Try weaning yourself off , or try rewarding yourself with one for making it a day or two without it, or try earning it before allowing yourself to have one, like make yourself climb a flight of stairs or walk a mile before you let yourself have one.
You may need to try a few ideas before you figure out what works for you and in the mean time try and figure out how to enjoy drinking water instead. I use to not really like water but I found that I did like it when it was ice cold. Some people find they like it room temperature, or cool ( but not ice cold ).
I think you may need to try and stay hydrated and drink water even if you don't feel thirsty yet. Being hydrated may help.
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You have a few disordered habits. Hiding the evidence is a bad sign. Resolving to go cold turkey just intensifies the craving.
Here’s some free resources and worksheets to work through disordered habits around food.
http://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/resources/infopax.cfm?Info_ID=48
A few things to try.
- Every time you drink a soda tell yourself that you are choosing to drink it. This paradoxically puts you back in charge of your behaviour.
- Any thing to slow down your consumption will help.
- Drink from a shot glass, chasing each shot with a glass of water.
- When you are uncomfortably full imagine a stop sign in your head, put your hand out and say “stop”
- Decide to wait ten minutes to take your next drink. Set the timer if you need to. This trains you to accept deferred reward.
See if you can stop the shame cycle. Be open about this. Have a clear recycle bag or container for the empties and a place in the fridge for the half fulls. Get this out in to the light of day.
This is exactly what I was looking for! Thank you @jgnatca!
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Personally for myself I find I crave things for a few days after I give it up but then the cravings go away. This is how it is for nearly any craving I have .
You may need to experiment with what works for you. Try weaning yourself off , or try rewarding yourself with one for making it a day or two without it, or try earning it before allowing yourself to have one, like make yourself climb a flight of stairs or walk a mile before you let yourself have one.
I have tried ignoring the cravings. It works fine for all my other cravings. The earning it and rewards are good ideas! Thanks! I drink about half a gallon of water a day, on top of the two liters of coke. I'm plenty hydrated.I like carbonated water, not soda. I will mix it with a small amount of something, usually suja strawberry. Sometimes just lemon. Coke itself grosses me out, so cannot help. Maybe try to see if it’s just the carbonation you like, and mix it with some alternative that you like too, juice, citrus, herbs, fruit, whatever.
I wish I liked carbonated water. It just tastes salty to me.
Even diet drinks make you CRAVE sugar. The artificial sweeteners are even worse than sugar for stimulating the cravings. Have you considered buying a soda stream or buying carbonated waters. There are several that have no sugar and no salt - some are flavored, some aren't. You will find that once you can change to these waters and then just water - your thirst will be quenched so much better. Right now you aren't actually quenching your thirst - these drinks are making you even more thirsty. For every glass of soda that you drink - commit to drinking 1 glass of water (or carbonated water) first. You are brave to admit this addiction - I am sure that is your first step. Best of Luck to You. Yes You CAN!!!!!!
No. Just no. That's not how it works for most people. Soda is 99% water, of course it hydrates. I crave sugar LESS when I have a diet coke.For 2 weeks, log every glass, time of day, mood, feeling, situation, etc
Next 2 weeks, continue logging, and list 3 alternative things you could do for 10 minutes instead of drink. You can drink at will AFTER logging and planning.
Day 29 is cold turkey day. With your partner throw bottle, glass, opener, and anything associated with your ritual...maybe even the chair you sit to drink...and plan how you both will celebrate 24 hours free. At the 24 hour celebration, plan how you both will celebrate 48 more hours free, then 96 hours and so on.
This method helped me with 2 pack/day cigarette habit 30 years ago. During your logging periods look for behavior triggers associated and have a distraction planned. A 10 minute distraction is long enough for the craving to pass.
Good Luck. You can take charge of your habits.
@hroderick this is an amazing idea. Thank you. I'll start doing this.1
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