Diet Soda (for those who gave it up)

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  • abigailmariecs
    abigailmariecs Posts: 192 Member
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    I used diet soda to kick my regular soda habit. Bad idea I ended up hooked on diet. Now I keep diet soda in the house but for the most part I only have it less then once a week. I get terrible migraines (not from the diet soda), I take Imatrex and my doctor suggested popping a pill followed by a can of soda or a cup of coffee (diet or regular as long as it had caffeine) to help speed the delivery of the medication.
  • now_or_never12
    now_or_never12 Posts: 849 Member
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    I don't drink it as often as I did (just because I keep forgetting to buy a case of it at the store) but I still drink it and always will until there's some actual scientific proof that it's harmful.

    Personally I don't find it increases my appetite, makes me crave sugars, etc. It actually helps me avoid other "bad" foods like a chocolate bar. I will have a diet pop and I'm good.

    I drink diet pop or coffee when I take sinus pain meds since it helps it work faster. Diet pop or artificial sweeteners have never caused problems for me.

    Zevia is an alternative however it's expensive here ($0.99 a can) and only one store carries it.
  • crzyone
    crzyone Posts: 872 Member
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    I gave up REAL soft drinks. It never bothered me with headaches or any other symptoms other than the feeling of "I REALLY wish I had something good to drink!!" I don't regret it...but I do wish I had something really good to drink sometimes.
  • whodatlixxie
    whodatlixxie Posts: 32
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    Gave up diet drinks and took about 95% of the artificial sweeteners I was using out of my diet. It's been 2 and 1/2 years and I have never felt better! After about 6 weeks I noticed definite changes. One of the best being my sweet taste changing. Now a little bit of something sweet (even fruit often) will cut my sweet cravings. Before it would take massive amounts of really really sweet stuff.

    Once I got serious about dieting the weight is coming off steadier and faster than any other time in the last 15 years. I firmly believe it is the fact that my body is handling sugar appropriately now that I am off of the artificial stuff.
  • Katbaran
    Katbaran Posts: 605 Member
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    I gave up all sodas, not for the calories of either one or lack thereof, I just seemed to have swollen feet all the time a couple summers ago. Even though I'm fat, I have bony feet and ankles. They were really swollen and I started to eliminate things to find out what it was. I quit salt, processed meats, salty junk food and candy. No help. I quit soda and they were back to normal in a day and a half. I still have a diet soda once in a while, but usually only if there isn't any water available or any safe to drink water.

    To answer your question: I feel MUCH better since my feet don't swell anymore.
  • Gorgeous222
    Gorgeous222 Posts: 19 Member
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    I have been OBSESSED with Diet Coke for years.....I originally gave it up for Lent one year, and while it was torture at first, I slowly got used to not drinking it. I don't tell myself I can never have it, and allow myself to drink it on occasion, but I find that if I do open a can to have with a meal, I take a few sips and don't even want to finish it. I remember reading posts and forums where people said they gave up diet soda and now they don't even miss it, and I thougt I could NEVER do that! lol But I never found that Diet Coke made me crave any sugary snacks, nor have I ever gotten headaches from drinking or not drinking it. I just loved the taste of Diet Coke. Damn, now talking about it is making me want one! lol
  • lucywantstoloseit
    lucywantstoloseit Posts: 26
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    I have literally only just decided to give up diet pop (soda). I do actually suffer from headaches and i find that when I cut down on the diet coke/pepsi then they seem to go. I really could drink cans and cans in a day though. Plus, have you ever woke up and the first thing you have had has been a diet coke? I have and the feeling I get in my stomach as if I can feel it fizzing up is enough to knock me sick.

    I'm hoping that cutting it out will mean that I'll drink more water. Also, I'm going to be starting out with protein shakes soon as i've started to incorporate strength training in with workouts. I have just discovered my love of peppermint tea too, and completely caffeine free!
  • albinogorilla
    albinogorilla Posts: 1,056 Member
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    I drink 1-2 artificially sweetened beverages a day, most days. Diet soda, crystal light, etc. When I am craving something sweet it fits the bill with very little impact if any on calories. Or i grab a diet coke instead of a beer. I also never have any side effects, either from consuming, or from stopping consuming things like this either. It is just a low-no calorie alternative for me.
  • TRISTAR
    TRISTAR Posts: 105 Member
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    I've always had sugar free lemonade and always will. I hate water. Never had a headache from sugar free lemonade.
  • hipslikecinders
    hipslikecinders Posts: 40 Member
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    sounds like the headaches are due to caffeine withdrawal? I used to get that once I stopped drinking coffee every day!
  • TRISTAR
    TRISTAR Posts: 105 Member
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    That's what I was thinking, for people who might drink caffeinated coke's. I don't drink caffeine at all. I like tea, but I have decaff tea
    sounds like the headaches are due to caffeine withdrawal? I used to get that once I stopped drinking coffee every day!
  • DollyMiel
    DollyMiel Posts: 377 Member
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    A lot of people I've seen around seem to equate drinking diet soda with drinking the blood of children. Happy to see there are lots of people in this thread who aren't that swift to rush to judgment about diet soda drinkers.

    I doubt it's excellent for your health if you down it like a maniac, but imo it's a great alternative to regular soda, and the first step to weaning yourself off of it entirely (if you even choose to). I don't think a soda here and there has killed anyone. Enjoy yourself.

    Personally, I was drinking nothing but water the week before last, then when I had a soda again, the most noticeable effect was that I had to pee way more often. But I haven't noticed the apparent appetite increase a lot of people report. It differs among individuals, and that's no surprise.
  • usagii
    usagii Posts: 5
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    My stomach has gotten a lot nicer. Even though I gained a little bit weight after cutting it out, I can clearly see my abs a lot better now. I couldn't that at all before!! And it is not much like a balloon anymore xD
    I crave more candy now, but I can limit the intake.
  • Fieldsy
    Fieldsy Posts: 1,105 Member
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    Im gonna give it up for 30 days to see how I feel without it. I love it and its causing me no problems. I am just doing it to try it out. I am giving up most artificial things as well (no more splenda in coffee).

    If I notice positive changes, I will say goodbye to it, if I feel the same, I will go back to it. (one can a day)
  • hopeandlove91
    hopeandlove91 Posts: 40 Member
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    I gave up diet soda, but I do still drink one occasionally (like once a week). I was drinking about 3 cans a day. I was having some sharp pains in my side and I was tired. I was getting headaches as well. I refused to believe that any of these things were the result of diet soda, but now that I have really cut back all of those things have stopped. So maybe it was the soda, maybe it wasn't but overall I have felt a lot better since I quit drinking it on a daily basis.
  • chazsucks
    chazsucks Posts: 170
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    Probably the only one but I feel much better days I drink coke zero - I eat less, I eat less junk in particular, I have more energy.

    I wish I DID have problems like headaches because I know its not good for you really but I just feel great when I drink it
  • Fieldsy
    Fieldsy Posts: 1,105 Member
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    Probably the only one but I feel much better days I drink coke zero - I eat less, I eat less junk in particular, I have more energy.

    I wish I DID have problems like headaches because I know its not good for you really but I just feel great when I drink it

    I don't think anyone would wish to have headaches lol.

    I know people who get headaches frequently and I feel really bad for them.
  • fervc60
    fervc60 Posts: 70
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    M seriously addicted to diet soda and get the headaches, probably from the caffeine withdrawals. I need to try and wean myself off I guess.
  • KatiD83
    KatiD83 Posts: 152 Member
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    I gave it up when I had some wisdom teeth pulled. It was only then that I realized my acid reflux was 90% gone. I cant drink anything fizzy now because it gives me very painful indigestion.
  • cassuccino
    cassuccino Posts: 702 Member
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    A lot of people give up diet soda for all the headaches, others, the chemicals. I love diet soda...it is a good alternative to water for me. I still drink a ton of water a day. I am drinking about 2 cans a day, not a huge amount, but still a decent amount.

    My question is for the people who have given it up (I want people who to respond with no headache issues from diet soda). How do you feel now? Do you feel the same?

    I know diet soda can trick some people into craving more food.....I was never like this either.

    You should try Zevia!! It's more natural and tastes great!! =)

    So, I do drink Zevia but other than that, no soda for this gal. It has been about 6 months since my last Coke Zero (which I loved!!) but the last time I had one (about six months ago) it literally felt like it was burning my mouth!! I don't think it was just the carbonation, so it must have been the chemicals or whatever. Then, for about 2 weeks after drinking it, my mouth felt soooo dry!! And for a week it had left the feeling you get when you burn your tongue from super hot coffee... except that feeling lasted an entire week!! After experiencing those 2 weeks after drinking the Coke Zero, I will never drink the stuff again. Granted, I still liked the taste of it but it wasn't worth the burnt mouth feeling and the extreme dry mouth. I seriously contemplated going to the doctor because of the dry mouth!! I knew he'd just say to drink more water, so that's all I could really do. Before my last Coke Zero, it had probably been about a year since I had last had a diet soda. I don't know if my reaction to it was so extreme because of the year without or what exactly but I will never ever drink any again (unless it's Zevia because for some reason, that doesn't have that effect on me!!)

    As for how I feel without soda, I don't know if it's because of the soda or because I've been eating better but I feel a lot more energetic and I no longer feel the need to take near daily naps. =) I hope that helps!! =)

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