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marci_r2010
marci_r2010 Posts: 61 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
but, I need to break up with Diet Coke. I know it needs done, but we've been together for a long time. Diet Coke consumes too much of my time and makes me more hungry than I need to be. Plus, when I really think about what diet coke is capable of doing to my insides (stomach, bones, teeth, etc), I get really skeeved out.

So, can anyone recommend a good way to break up? I drink more than I will admit and I am afraid of cold turkey.. the headache pain sounds awful.... is there a way to taper?

I think this will help rev up my weight loss even more... thanks!

Marci

Replies

  • havingitall
    havingitall Posts: 3,728 Member
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    Start cutting back by 1 can/glass per day. Take a couple of days for each step. That is how I got off coffee. I went from 2 large cups to one then to a half and then off. I had no headaches, no withdrawal and I have been caffeine free for almost 9 months now
  • JJ48Fan
    JJ48Fan Posts: 50
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    I am right there with you, I could consume almost a 2 liter at night and 3-4 cans of diet coke during the day. I have slowly started weening myself off now I am down to 3 cans per day and maybe one can at night. I started making small steps by drinking more water and making sure I had 3 water bottles between my diet cokes during the day. When you are drinking that much water Diet Coke starts to taste kindof yucky. It's making me slowly realize that in all honesty pop doesn't taste very good!. My goal next week is to drink only 3 pops per day, then 2 pops, then 1, to finally become an only water drinker!
  • mdb120776
    mdb120776 Posts: 34 Member
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    It is such a hard task to do, but it can be done. I was drinking at least 4 diet pepsis in a day. It was my "water" and of course I did not drink any water except at night. Like most have said, just cut back one at a time. This will help but after you still go one a day and then cut back, there is no escaping a headache. Excedrine helps a lot though. That first day that you go without, take a n Excedrine for the headache. Even if you feel like it is little because it will get worse. Excedrine is great for this cause because it does have caffeine in it.
    Good luck. You can do it and you will feel better afterwards.
  • vhuber
    vhuber Posts: 8,779 Member
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    Start cutting back by 1 can/glass per day. Take a couple of days for each step. That is how I got off coffee. I went from 2 large cups to one then to a half and then off. I had no headaches, no withdrawal and I have been caffeine free for almost 9 months now
    I rarely drink soda/pop but I do love my coffee! I quit like you all caffeine about five years ago for approx 5 mo. but winter hit then I started back to coffee. I did not feel any different quitting the coffee so I thought what the heck I am cold so I drank!!! I also smoked 20 years ago, the cig's and the soda/pop were a hand in hand thing so when I ditched the smokes I also ditched the pop and they are history!! Pop is very bad: regular and diet! I know people lose weight AFTER dropping both!! Best wishes on quitting!!!
  • Wecandothis
    Wecandothis Posts: 1,083 Member
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    Got bless you guys on this endeavor. I read your posts and I know that I need to do this too - but I love my Coke zero and I'm not where you guys are yet.

    I only drink 2 or 3 a week, I've cut WAY back but I don't want to give it up. Perhaps I will in the future. I salute all of you for this though!!! I know you're right!
  • PureAndHealthy
    PureAndHealthy Posts: 539
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    I accidentally stumbled into a pop-free life. When I started with weight watchers I had to get 6 glasses of water in a day so i started drinking it with meals and it's what I *wanted* after a workout because it's more hydrating and refreshing when you're really THIRSTY. So I guess my best recommendation is ALWAYS have a glass of water with your meals. If you still need a diet coke afterwards, have one as you're weaning off of them. I just got to where I didn't want them. I *really, REALLY* enjoy coffee so it's my "special" beverage of choice, but other than that I'm water water water with an occasional cup of hot tea or some soymilk. :drinker:
  • Wecandothis
    Wecandothis Posts: 1,083 Member
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    Coke Zero is my coffee. I do not like coffee at all.
  • marci_r2010
    marci_r2010 Posts: 61 Member
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    Thanks for all the replies and strategies...I absolutely know it will make a difference since diet coke often makes us crave sweets and makes our bodies feel like its more hungry than it is. It's just hard breaking up with an old "friend"... ;)

    Marci
  • PureAndHealthy
    PureAndHealthy Posts: 539
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    Ps. If you drink coffee, don't sweeten if with aspartame (equal) or you might as well be drinking the diet coke. Go for stevia (one brand is "truvia") or just use sugar and count the calories.
  • astridfeline
    astridfeline Posts: 1,200 Member
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    Thanks for all the replies and strategies...I absolutely know it will make a difference since diet coke often makes us crave sweets and makes our bodies feel like its more hungry than it is. It's just hard breaking up with an old "friend"... ;)

    Marci
    With "friends" like that who needs enemies right? I gave up soda 20-25 yrs ago b/c I was always thirstier after drinking it than before. You will feel so much better once you have broken up with that "friend". Good luck to you! :flowerforyou:
  • ilike2moveit
    ilike2moveit Posts: 776 Member
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    I'm not a pop drinker, but I love sweet tea, and once read to drink a glass of water before you reach for your beverage of choice and that most of the time when you are done drinking the water you won't want to drink anything else. I tried this to wean myself off of the tea and it actually worked for me. Good Luck. :drinker:
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    I MUST drink 8 oz of water before I am allowed to have my tea.

    I have read that your body does not know the difference between real sugar and most artificial sweeteners. It reacts the same way.

    This made me change to stevia for my 1 cup of 1/2 decaf in the morning.

    Small changes work for me. Trade out 1 water for 1 diet and so forth.
  • supafly
    supafly Posts: 36
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    I used to be hooked on them as well. :3
    I'm not sure my coffee addiction is any better through.
    G'luck with it though, it can be done.
  • SaritaChiquita
    SaritaChiquita Posts: 25 Member
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    I have been an avid Diet soda drinker for at least 4 years now. It used to be all that I would drink. I couldn't get up in the morning without a cup of it, and I couldn't stay awake in the afternoon without it.
    I used to substitute diet sodas for water! There was a time in my life where I don't think that I drank a single cup of water for weeks, only soda.

    I was fed up with being so dependant on it and decided to give up soda about 5 weeks ago. I stopped cold turkey. It took about 2-3 weeks for the headaches to stop.... but afterwards, I feel great! I no longer have trouble getting up in the morning. I'm drinking a ton of water, and lessened the grasp that artificial sweeteners had on me!

    All-in-all, dropping the diet soda/caffeine habit is very difficult. Excedrin migraine will become your friend (because there's some caffeine in the pill). But it's worth it! Believe me, I feel so much better!

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  • gannette
    gannette Posts: 1 Member
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    I broke up with Diet Coke in August by reducing number of drinks and timeline each week over 3 weeks. Once I was down to only one first thing in the morning with my "rule" of none after 9am, then I was able to let go. Best of luck breaking up with your "friend".:flowerforyou:
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
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    You could cut back to 1 can/ day for a week, and then go from there. I recommend cold turkey though. :smile:
  • lanteik
    lanteik Posts: 25
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    I was an avid diet coke drinker as well. For years I drank diet cokes and in May I decided to cut them out cold turkey. I just thought no part of drinking this diet coke is good for me. If you go online and read about what a can of "coke" can do, it will may you think about putting it into your body.

    I also cut it out because I had read somewhere that the aspartame actually causes you to crave carbs / sweets. I feel so much better since I cut it out. I sleep better and feel a lot better.

    I cut it out cold turkey and had to take an excederin one day. I did not have as bad of a headache as I thought I would. And I won't lie at first I was always tired, but over a few weeks the tiredness faded.

    Just think... the headaches are just a temporary thing and you will feel a lot better once you are off of them. I wish you all the best :flowerforyou:
  • BiloxiBelle
    BiloxiBelle Posts: 680 Member
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    I can soooo relate to this thread. I love diet coke & coke zero equally as much. Before June of this year I was drinking, I don't even know, 4-6 cans a day maybe more? Then I started P90x & it strongly suggested no diet coke. So I started by only allowing myself a diet coke with lunch and 1 with dinner. I then moved the diet coke to the garage so that I would have to make more of an effort to reach for one. That got me to one a day. Now I just don't buy them so that they are not in my house. So, really diet coke is the "treat" I get at the movies. I used to eat candy at the movies, now my hubby & I share a big diet coke. Could be just as bad for me as candy, but at least its less calories & fat I guess. Luckily, we go to the movies about once a week!

    Good luck to everyone going cold turkey. That's tough!!!!!!!!!!!! It will be a life-long battle for me I think.

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