Coke Addiction . . .

Personal decision. I was really badly addicted to diet sodas (my favorite is diet mt dew) - to the point where it was all that I drank all day long and if I didn't get enough I felt physically ill. (headaches, fatigue, etc) So for me it became obvious that it was a problem. I dropped it cold-turkey for one month (only had 2 the entire month, a couple of days that I had headaches, b/c the caffeine helps). Then I started adding them back in (b/c I really do honestly enjoy them) and now I allow myself 1 or 2 a day but don't feel like I 'have' to have it. Now I can just enjoy it w/o feeling like I'm getting my fix. LOL Some people say it's really awful for you and no one should drink any at all, some people say it's no big deal. Like I said, personal decision. :-)

I am so addicted to Coke, have been since I was a kid. My dad used to drink it like water, he's been drinking it since he was 2 or 3. No joke, his sister gave him Coke because he didn't like milk and their parents owned a grocery store so it was easy to get. As of today his stomach is ruined, he's on serious meds to combat the pain. It hurts to even swollow foods.

I'm trying to combat my Coke addiction but its hard when you're exhausted in the afternoon and all you want is the sugar and caffinee combo pick me up....

what about tea?

You are correct - the diet pop has no calories, so should not be going against your dieting. However, I remember reading somewhere they the aspartame in them actually make you hungry, where water would make you feel full.

I used to drink 2 diet drinks a day as well (coke, root beer, etc...), but decided that it's not healthy for me (saw a study that proves aspartame does not elave your body). Therefore, I slowly cut myself back to a couple of diet pops a week. And I do the opposite thatn you do - without the meals. I will allow myself a pop on a Friday night while watching a movie and having a snack, etc...

If you do want to cut it out, just try to cut it slowly.... one meal at a time. I know how difficult it is, but I can say that I crave it less and less each week. And I still get it now and then as a treat! ; )

As for a substitute, I honestly believe that you either need to have water or other calories (milk, fruit juice, etc...). If you just substitute it for another unsweetend drink (like Crystal Light), what's the purpose? You may as well just stay with the pop...

Good Luck!

One year I gave up sodas for Lent, and by the end I didn't really miss them. I try not to drink sodas much at all anymore...every once in a while I backslide and have them more often (mostly when I'm feeling lazy), but I definitely try to limit myself to 1 per day. Diet or not, sodas still aren't good for you...whether it's all the artificial stuff going into your body, or the acid that eats away at your teeth.

For other sugar-free drinks, you could try Crystal Light (or somethign similar). Some flavors have more artificial sugar aftertaste than others, but I really like them and they are super convenient...just mix a packet with water and you're ready to go!

You are correct - the diet pop has no calories, so should not be going against your dieting. However, I remember reading somewhere they the aspartame in them actually make you hungry, where water would make you feel full.

I used to drink 2 diet drinks a day as well (coke, root beer, etc...), but decided that it's not healthy for me (saw a study that proves aspartame does not elave your body). Therefore, I slowly cut myself back to a couple of diet pops a week. And I do the opposite thatn you do - without the meals. I will allow myself a pop on a Friday night while watching a movie and having a snack, etc...

If you do want to cut it out, just try to cut it slowly.... one meal at a time. I know how difficult it is, but I can say that I crave it less and less each week. And I still get it now and then as a treat! ; )

As for a substitute, I honestly believe that you either need to have water or other calories (milk, fruit juice, etc...). If you just substitute it for another unsweetend drink (like Crystal Light), what's the purpose? You may as well just stay with the pop...

Good Luck!

I replaced my ridiculous diet mt. dew habit with water flavored with stuff made by Archer Farms that's sweetened with Stevia. I just like that stuff better than Crystal Light, but it's the same 'type' of thing. And I guess in my mind it's better that Stevia is more natural than aspartame, so in my head it feels good that I'm cutting back on the aspartame. The main purpose is that it's not loaded with caffeine like the diet mt. dew was, so I'm not caffiene-addicted like I used to be. Plus I really hate plain water. This is the only way I can make myself drink it.

Haha Not that kind. . . I am struggling to give up diet cokes. I have about 3 a day, normally with my meals. I tend to take spells where I want the cokes at meal time and then spells where I could care less. Right now, I want them. I allow only one can per meal. And only at meal times.

The cokes are calorie free. So what's the big deal of having a coke? Do I really need to limit myself more or give them up completely? If I do give them up, what is a good substitue besides water. I am a diabetic. So I really don't have sweet tea unless it made with "fake" sugar. My doctor has not said anything about limiting cokes . . . yet.

But the other kind is way more fun to talk about.

Drinking pop is just not good for you. A natural path once told me Diet pop was the worst! I also went to a class on improving your metabolism and was told there Diet Pop is poison and both of these people told me you will not be able to lose weight while diet pop is still in your diet. Try water with lemon juice or make some cold green tea and sweeten with stevia or agave necter. Just get off the coke roller coaster!

I used to drink coke very, very often. I used to drink diet coke daily, then I got sick of it and then started drinking ordinary coke just as much. Clearly that didn't do too well for my health and weight.

Since I've joined MFP I have noticed how bad it is for me and that I shouldn't really drink anything apart from water/tea/coffee - so that's where I get my caffeine from nowadays.

I still have a coke occasionally because I still love the taste, but now it's once a week or once every two weeks if my allowance that day is good. It's surprising how easy it is to just stop. I've also switched to 175ml cans instead of a whole 600ml if I do have one, so I don't need to have so much!

If you are not ready to let go of the whole dc with each meal maybe try cutting it down a little. Instead of having a whole can have half, pour the rest down the sink so you wont be tempted to go back and have the other half. Or even more scary dont have any in the house for one meal and test yourself. Good Luck I know it is tough, I used to have 2 cans a day, loved it. Never thought I would stop, now I have it maybe twice a month :flowerforyou:

I used to drink a LOT of diet coke, in fact while I was losing the first 20 kilos I used it as a sort of crutch (instead of food). Then I plateau'd really badly and gave up the Diet Coke to see if it would help get over the plateau and it did. Now I have them if I'm out, but I made a little rule for myself - try only have diet coke when I am out with friends and must drink 'something' and if we buy it for home i get caffeine and sugar free CANS, not bottles - as I can drink my way through a big bottle, but will stop after one can.

Depends if you are an 'in moderation' kind of person or not. I am most certainly not.

I still have Diet Coke occasionally, but I have it as an alternative to alcohol if I am in a bar or club and either driving home or not wanting to drink. Sometimes I have it in a restaurant with a meal.

Personally I don't see anything wrong with it in moderation but some people worry about too much sweetner being dangerous. I don't know to be honest, I am sure one or two a day (if you feel to drinki it daily) can't be that bad..it's drinking gallons of the stuff that is definitely harmful/unhealthy.

I said no to Coke twice yesterday and I so needed the pick me up because I was sooooo tired..... Drank my coffee instead and that didn't even give me jolt of energy.

I too was addicted to diet sodas. It was a personal decision to give it up. I gave it up cold turkey and was falling asleep everywhere for a week...LOL The sweetener in diet sodas is horrible for your body and I have cleaned up my diet tremendously. I had a craving for the carbonation in soda so when I had that craving I drank some pellegrino which is the less salty of mineral waters and put a little pomegranate juice in it. Not as flavorful as soda but it got me through. I now just drink water but I am sure I will add tea and coffee back in in moderation. Just a personal preference to drink water instead of anything else cause my caffeine addiction was very high.

I have lost a total of 9lbs since I started on October 30th

Although it may not work for everyone, based on my experience with a Coke addiction, that for me it was best to quit cold turkey.

Once I quit I would have bad caffeine withdrawal for a day or two (migraines all day), but was fine after that... Until I went back to soda and got hooked immediately. The cycle just kept repeating itself. I feel it is a lot harder to try and drink it responsibly than it is to just not drink it at all.

Now I don't drink it at all (going on about 3-4 wks). I get a craving every once in a while, but I just have to do my best and ignore it.

Good Luck!!