How to deal with (diet) soda cravings?
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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!!!!!!
Everyone woo'd this, but it's backed up by hard science. Some artificial sweeteners have been proven to stimulate insulin secretion. Insulin is meant to move sugar out of your bloodstream. When there's nothing for it to do, you crave sugar. For a normal, healthy person this is a minor and unnoticeable thing. The OP, however, is a diabetic.
OP, have you tried drinking soda at different times and with different foods? There might be some combination which would work with the existing food you're eating and keep you from craving more.37 -
I never drank anywhere near that much soda, but I did drink it regularly, and giving it up was really hard until I figured out my trigger which was bubbles. All the flavored waters in the world didn't do a thing, but bubbles with some natural flavor and I was good to go.
Try the Perrier with Orange or I find the Arrowhead mixed berry pretty okay too (and a bit more budget friendly).0 -
rheddmobile wrote: »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!!!!!!
Everyone woo'd this, but it's backed up by hard science. Some artificial sweeteners have been proven to stimulate insulin secretion. Insulin is meant to move sugar out of your bloodstream. When there's nothing for it to do, you crave sugar. For a normal, healthy person this is a minor and unnoticeable thing. The OP, however, is a diabetic.
OP, have you tried drinking soda at different times and with different foods? There might be some combination which would work with the existing food you're eating and keep you from craving more.
I must have missed where she said SHE was diabetic, the original post mentions her fathers diabetes.3 -
Another thing you might try is in addition to having your husband dispense the cans of coke for you, is giving him your debit card/cash when he leaves the house so you can't just follow behind him 10 minutes later.1
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rheddmobile wrote: »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!!!!!!
Everyone woo'd this, but it's backed up by hard science. Some artificial sweeteners have been proven to stimulate insulin secretion. Insulin is meant to move sugar out of your bloodstream. When there's nothing for it to do, you crave sugar. For a normal, healthy person this is a minor and unnoticeable thing. The OP, however, is a diabetic.
OP, have you tried drinking soda at different times and with different foods? There might be some combination which would work with the existing food you're eating and keep you from craving more.
As a former diabetic now in remission I can say with confidence you are dead wrong. If artificial sweeteners could stimulate the insulin response people would be fainting from insulin shock all over the place.
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I gave up diet sodas cold-turkey 22 years ago, and have only had about 3 sips since then--all accidentally when I reached for my water and got hubby's diet sprite! Somehow the cold-turkey thing worked for me, but maybe because that was about when I discovered coffee. Cutting back just never worked for me.
I haven't read all the entries here, but I do wish you luck with your goal! It can be done!1 -
If people can give up hard core addictions like Alcohol, Heroin and cigarettes, you can give up soda. You have to be stronger than the cravings, it will get easier every day!
Good luck
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Chase it with a shot of vinegar, that out to cure the habit!
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I drink diet pop, I make sure I drink plenty of water in between pop. I like the clear american flavored water & mixing crystal light lemon tea into my water, because I can't drink all my water plain.0
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I had a horrible, horrible diet soda habit for the longest time. When I did Whole30 that was one of the hardest changes for me to make. I learned which flavors of La Croix worked for me. I used to hate La Croix but after cutting out a lot of other sugars it started to appeal to me. Good luck! I know how hard it is, but you can do it!6
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rheddmobile wrote: »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!!!!!!
Everyone woo'd this, but it's backed up by hard science. Some artificial sweeteners have been proven to stimulate insulin secretion. Insulin is meant to move sugar out of your bloodstream. When there's nothing for it to do, you crave sugar. For a normal, healthy person this is a minor and unnoticeable thing. The OP, however, is a diabetic.
OP, have you tried drinking soda at different times and with different foods? There might be some combination which would work with the existing food you're eating and keep you from craving more.
Artificial sweeteners do not change the insulin production in the body. If they did they wouldn't be suitable for diabetics!
Do you know what happens to a diabetic that takes too much insulin? Hypoglycemia. That is an incredibly dangerous state to be in, left untreated you can die.
Diabetics, who already take medication to control their sugars, would go into hypoglycemia frequently after drinking diet soda, not crave sugar, and that never happens as a result of drinking diet soda. Even normal people would go into hypoglycemia if artificial sweeteners caused overproduction of insulin.
Your argument makes no logical sense if you understand the role of insulin in the body. Thus, woo.10 -
You may find this answer to be overly simple and therefore not of use but honest truth is you get over a habit same way you get over any habit, you ween yourself off of it. Commit yourself to drinking exactly one drink less a week week after week until you are off of it.2
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I have a habit of drinking too much diet mountain dew. However, it is my one an only "vice". I'm not convinced diet soda is bad for me, so I have no intention of stopping this habit. I've lost 75 pounds and have kept it off for about 6 months now. Drinking diet soda allows me a zero calorie enjoyment which I have no desire to stop.
My doctor said he isn't going to argue with success and has not advised me to stop. I think all the hype over diet soda being bad is just that, hype. No real hard scientific data exists that I've seen that suggest diet soda causes any specific harm to the body.
I'm in the best shape of my life and probably drink 6 or 7 cans of diet mountain dew per day.7 -
rheddmobile wrote: »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!!!!!!
Everyone woo'd this, but it's backed up by hard science. Some artificial sweeteners have been proven to stimulate insulin secretion. Insulin is meant to move sugar out of your bloodstream. When there's nothing for it to do, you crave sugar. For a normal, healthy person this is a minor and unnoticeable thing. The OP, however, is a diabetic.
OP, have you tried drinking soda at different times and with different foods? There might be some combination which would work with the existing food you're eating and keep you from craving more.
Artificial sweeteners do not change the insulin production in the body. If they did they wouldn't be suitable for diabetics!
Do you know what happens to a diabetic that takes too much insulin? Hypoglycemia. That is an incredibly dangerous state to be in, left untreated you can die.
Diabetics, who already take medication to control their sugars, would go into hypoglycemia frequently after drinking diet soda, not crave sugar, and that never happens as a result of drinking diet soda. Even normal people would go into hypoglycemia if artificial sweeteners caused overproduction of insulin.
Your argument makes no logical sense if you understand the role of insulin in the body. Thus, woo.
The thing about science is it works even if you don't believe in it. Do some reading about the effects of aspartame on blood glucose. There's strong disagreement about whether artificial sweeteners are suitable for diabetics. Some have more of an effect than others.
Diabetics go hypo all the time - how many of them know exactly why they miscalculated this time?
Normal people have livers which release glycogen when they start to go low. Metformin prevents this.
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I wish I liked carbonated water. It just tastes salty to me.
I hope you've realized there are different types? Perhaps they do all taste salty for you, but the type makes a taste difference for me.
Oversimplifying the types:
Club soda usually contain some kind of sodium compound and these can have a slight salt taste to me (specific sodium compound may make a taste difference).
Sparkling water (sometimes under other names) is just water with carbon dioxide in it, and the taste will depend mostly on the water itself. Some of the common brands just taste like plain still water to me, but pleasantly fizzy. (Science seems to say CO2 has a slight sour flavor, though).
Naturally carbonated or fizzy mineral water varies widely in flavor depending on the specific mineral content.1 -
I wish I liked carbonated water. It just tastes salty to me.
I hope you've realized there are different types? Perhaps they do all taste salty for you, but the type makes a taste difference for me.
Oversimplifying the types:
Club soda usually contain some kind of sodium compound and these can have a slight salt taste to me (specific sodium compound may make a taste difference).
Sparkling water (sometimes under other names) is just water with carbon dioxide in it, and the taste will depend mostly on the water itself. Some of the common brands just taste like plain still water to me, but pleasantly fizzy. (Science seems to say CO2 has a slight sour flavor, though).
Naturally carbonated or fizzy mineral water varies widely in flavor depending on the specific mineral content.
What I'll do(as I mix up my drinking throughout the day, is if water is beginning to taste a little flat, I'll pick up some crystal light packs and when I get through about 3/4 liter of the still water, I'll add a crystal light single and then mix in the sparkling water(If you don't, you'll just end up wearing the sparkling water) I like the lemonade because the "16 oz sleeve" is more than enough for a liter of water.0 -
Instead of giving it up completely why not just try cutting back? Treat it like any other food, moderation. I have one diet coke a day so I know if I'm having pizza or something I usually drink soda with I'll save it for that meal and have water the rest of the day. I just had a diet coke with my lunch now so I know I have to drink water for dinner.1
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I gave up diet soda for a year and the first two weeks of going cold turkey SUCKED! But after two weeks I barely missed it. My first diet soda after cutting it out was on my wedding day and OMG it was delish! So now I limit myself to one diet soda a day at lunch and consider it my treat for the day.1
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rheddmobile wrote: »rheddmobile wrote: »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!!!!!!
Everyone woo'd this, but it's backed up by hard science. Some artificial sweeteners have been proven to stimulate insulin secretion. Insulin is meant to move sugar out of your bloodstream. When there's nothing for it to do, you crave sugar. For a normal, healthy person this is a minor and unnoticeable thing. The OP, however, is a diabetic.
OP, have you tried drinking soda at different times and with different foods? There might be some combination which would work with the existing food you're eating and keep you from craving more.
Artificial sweeteners do not change the insulin production in the body. If they did they wouldn't be suitable for diabetics!
Do you know what happens to a diabetic that takes too much insulin? Hypoglycemia. That is an incredibly dangerous state to be in, left untreated you can die.
Diabetics, who already take medication to control their sugars, would go into hypoglycemia frequently after drinking diet soda, not crave sugar, and that never happens as a result of drinking diet soda. Even normal people would go into hypoglycemia if artificial sweeteners caused overproduction of insulin.
Your argument makes no logical sense if you understand the role of insulin in the body. Thus, woo.
The thing about science is it works even if you don't believe in it. Do some reading about the effects of aspartame on blood glucose. There's strong disagreement about whether artificial sweeteners are suitable for diabetics. Some have more of an effect than others.
Diabetics go hypo all the time - how many of them know exactly why they miscalculated this time?
Normal people have livers which release glycogen when they start to go low. Metformin prevents this.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2900484/
https://examine.com/nutrition/do-artificial-sweeteners-spike-insulin/7 -
I gave up soda for new years and haven't had one since. I was a hardcore diet mt. dew. I probably drank at least 2 litres a day of it!
I figured out my craving is for the carbonation. I've gotten used to the taste of plain water, but now I also buy a drink called Topo Chico...it's carbonated mineral water and it gives me the same feeling drinking a diet soda did.0
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