Help!!! I can't kick diet soda!

k8ermarie · June 2012

I was always the 5-6 a day Dr. Pepper drinker! ALWAYS!!! So switching to diet sodas was the first change I made in my life to be a little healthier 2 years ago but held onto my Sweet Tea habit! I haven't had a reg soda since!! And even if I wanted to I couldn't drink one because they are way to syrupy now!!

In April I got real serious about weight loss and I even gave up SWEET TEA!!!! Haven't had any sugary drink since. Now, these seem like good things. However, I don't drink anything other than diet soda and only when I need it after a really hard workout, WATER. I don't drink milk, juice, beer, etc. So I maybe get a glass of water per day that I workout. I hate this. I have tried to kick diet sodas. I tried to drink water with Mi0. I feel like the diet sodas being in my life is adding too much Sodium and I don't want to end up having issues since I only put fluids containing Aspartame in my system. My boss even provides Coke Zero for us at work!

Please help with ideas for kicking the soda habit! I enjoy water...just not plain. And since Sweet Tea was my thing, I can't stand Unsweet.

I feel like this is holding me back in my weight loss and I truly want to kick it or knock it down to 1 a day. It's not good to have diet soda as my only fluid intake. I know this!

Thanks in advance for all your comments, criticism and advice!

Pedal_Pusher · June 2012

It's all within your power. You gotta make a choice. Period.

k8ermarie · June 2012

It's all within your power. You gotta make a choice. Period.

Thank you for the straight to it motivation! I think my biggest hurdle is not wanting to drink my calories! Really just looking for alternative choices!

krystyleee · June 2012

I say one a day for diet soda isn't bad. I use to love soda. I have one maybe once a week now. Especially in the summer sometimes I just want an ice cold Coke or Root beer or something fizzy to settle my crave. I had to ween myself off. BUT diet soda that is low in sugar and 0 calories I don't think you need to be too concerned, but I would kick it to one a day.

Suggestions?:
-Drink it with a straw so you dont drink as much as one time
-Get bottles instead of cans (if you don't already), and don't drink it all at once. Drink 1/4 of it, put it back in the fridge for a few hours. Drink on it throughout the day.
-Drink water before you want to drink it. Then, your no longer thirsty and you won't drink as much because after the thirsty feeling is gone really, you just want the taste.
-If you do to a restaurant, don't keep refilling diet coke. Get one, and then ask for water after that!

Hope this helps!

13inchestogo · June 2012

Get carbonated water and squeeze fresh fruit juice into it !! It still has carbonation so it'll almost be like diet pop, and the fruit will give it a nice flavour !!! Good luck !! and Good choice!!!

elliott82 · June 2012

i have a SERIOUS diet dr pepper addiction. like i can down a sonic route 44 in 15 minutes. and then fill it up. twice.

here's what i tell myself: for every one i drink, i have to have two glasses of water (or one bottle). now, i like water, but sometimes this isn't easy. if i really don't want the water, i chug it. grab a straw and down that puppy. i've been filling up a nalgene bottle with water (32 ounces!) and throwing in some lime wedges. i put it in the fridge overnight so it's super cold when i drink it and i can drink like half the thing in a few gulps.

honestly, some days i end up throwing out some of my ddp can because i drank so much more water that i didn't need anything else.

i think a big part of it for me is also coupling ddp with a snack which i know is terrible. something salty with my delicious cold drink. it's a terrible habit, but i have told myself to cut down rather than stop all together. i gotta have some pleasures.

ksm1976 · June 2012

Might I suggest trying diluting juice in water? That way it will be sweeter and tastier than plain old water and there are plenty of brands that have no Aspartame in them? I used to be a huge diet coke drinker however I now tend to drink water during the day at work and at night however allow myself a glass of diet coke with my dinner. One thing that I did notice when I have a diet drink now is that I am so bloated so it just goes to show that if you can drink water even with diluting juice in it then that's your best bet!

larkiedeek · June 2012

Yes you can.

I have been off it since 2nd Jan.

I now drink water with a splash of fresh lime juice and ice. It's fantastic!

ktunnell · June 2012

Have you tried tea with stevia or truvia ? I know it has an aftertaste but you get use to it, trust me, just like you get use to aftertaste of aspartame in diet drinks. I like to brew a mixture of regular tea and my favorite flavored tea ( usually raspberry ), even my hubby will drink it this way with stevia

When I want something unhealthy I always think of what it does to my body.
1. Diet sodas contain aspartame, a very toxic substance. Aspartame is considered neurotixin, it kills your brain cells, can contribute to cancer, and is very addictive so I say stay away.
2. Regular sodas are sweetened with HFCS that is also terrible for you. It is one of the main causes of obesity in United States, plus it contains mercury, a very toxic heavy metal.

If you like the fizz in your drinks I suggest la Croix , it has many great flavors. I like Plain La Croix with a splash of cranberry juice and lime ( but be careful with the amount of cranberry juice because of the sugar content, not more than 1 oz ) I love lemon, grapefruit, and coconut flavors. Hope this will help

Remember you don't need to drink plain water all the time, there are always healthy options

Hope this can help !

ahamm002 · June 2012

I was always the 5-6 a day Dr. Pepper drinker! ALWAYS!!! So switching to diet sodas was the first change I made in my life to be a little healthier 2 years ago but held onto my Sweet Tea habit! I haven't had a reg soda since!! And even if I wanted to I couldn't drink one because they are way to syrupy now!!

In April I got real serious about weight loss and I even gave up SWEET TEA!!!! Haven't had any sugary drink since. Now, these seem like good things. However, I don't drink anything other than diet soda and only when I need it after a really hard workout, WATER. I don't drink milk, juice, beer, etc. So I maybe get a glass of water per day that I workout. I hate this. I have tried to kick diet sodas. I tried to drink water with Mi0. I feel like the diet sodas being in my life is adding too much Sodium and I don't want to end up having issues since I only put fluids containing Aspartame in my system. My boss even provides Coke Zero for us at work!

Please help with ideas for kicking the soda habit! I enjoy water...just not plain. And since Sweet Tea was my thing, I can't stand Unsweet.

I feel like this is holding me back in my weight loss and I truly want to kick it or knock it down to 1 a day. It's not good to have diet soda as my only fluid intake. I know this!

Thanks in advance for all your comments, criticism and advice!

Just slowly decrease the number of diet sodas, and get used to drinking water AND coffee/tea. Diet soda has caffeine, so if you just try and replace it with water it won't work. Both coffee and tea have been shown to have health benefits. However, they're acquired tastes, so they might take some getting used to. But soon you'll like them.

Leslie85 · June 2012

I have a serious Diet Sun Drop addiction. If you're not from the South...you may not know what this is...but it's basically liquid gold. I've tried to kick this little habit...and just can't seem to. I have cut down though...and just drink one a day...and drink water and Vitamin Water the rest of the day. It's just so skinkin good!!!

jeawashko · June 2012

girl, i hear you. i have had SUCH a hard time giving up my diet coke. but the facts are simple- it was hindering my weight loss. now, i allow myself 1 diet soda a week, as a treat. and it's usually on a sunday. during the week i drink a lot of sparkling water with different things mixed in-- mint, lemons, cucumbers, etc. la croix sparkling cans are also great because it's drinking out of a can which makes me feel like i'm drinking pop. but honestly, it just comes down to you just STOPPING. you know you need/want to. so set the can down!!

dyskras · June 2012

I have no idea if its in your budget - but my sodastream has saved my sanity. I fizz up water and then squeeze some fruit in there. . Or /something/ - I don't know, I haven't touched actual 'pop' in forever and I used go constantly guzzle diet coke. They even have flavors for water and you can look at some stuff in store. I used that stuff after pop and then slowly got myself off of that to just fizzy water with fruit in it.

ToddlersRunning · June 2012

I had the exact same problem. My mom started buying Diet Pepsi for me by the caseload when I was 8 or 9 years old. I had a 5 or 6 can a day habit until I was about 26. I would go through terrible withdrawals whenever I would try to stop drinking it, so I never did. Coffee and other caffeinated drinks didn't help.

Only one think could stop my coke habit, and now I drink it religiously: Carbonated Water. Like woah. I prefer Poland Springs Sparkling Water in Lime, but Trader Joes has a good one, too. Don't drink any that has sugar or sweeteners in them.

Good luck!

marylouise123 · June 2012

I was up to about a 2-liter of Caffiene free Diet Pepsi a day before I started here on MFP back in January. I am down to drinking 10-12 cups of plain water a day & maybe a glass of my diet pepsi a day.. I used the wylers pink lemonade flavor pouches in the beginning to help me get used to water.. I feel so much better since cutting way back.. I drink plain water now & there are days I don't have any diet pepsi.. I used to be thirsty all the time & am not now... You do get used to the water after awhile.. I use a kozy cooler thing from the freezer to keep my water bottles in & that helps me alot.. Some of my friends drink it room temp, but I prefer ice cold.. Good luck...

NewtonsApple · June 2012

Try Seltzer water. It takes a bit of time to get used to it, but it provides the bubbles that you maybe looking for when drinking, but without all the chemicals. Flavored seltzers are hit and miss, but black cherry is my favorite. My advice is to not get the generic store brand either, spend the extra $$$ on name brands, they seem to be bubblier and taste better. I drink the occasional diet pepsi/coke when out to dinner, but most of the time it's seltzer.

Discoveri · June 2012

Don't buy sodas for your home but allow yourself to have a soda when you go out. This way you have what you enjoy but in moderation so your body doesn't feel like it is being deprived. The first day or two that you quit soda, you will most likely get bad headaches but just keep powering through and you won't have to deal with the withdrawal for very long.

jakki_brown · June 2012

i have a SERIOUS diet dr pepper addiction. like i can down a sonic route 44 in 15 minutes. and then fill it up. twice.

here's what i tell myself: for every one i drink, i have to have two glasses of water (or one bottle). now, i like water, but sometimes this isn't easy. if i really don't want the water, i chug it. grab a straw and down that puppy. i've been filling up a nalgene bottle with water (32 ounces!) and throwing in some lime wedges. i put it in the fridge overnight so it's super cold when i drink it and i can drink like half the thing in a few gulps.

honestly, some days i end up throwing out some of my ddp can because i drank so much more water that i didn't need anything else.

i think a big part of it for me is also coupling ddp with a snack which i know is terrible. something salty with my delicious cold drink. it's a terrible habit, but i have told myself to cut down rather than stop all together. i gotta have some pleasures.

I completely understand this. I, too, am addicted to Diet Dr. Pepper. And I am a firm believer in diet sodas being more addictive than regular sodas. I also make myself drink 16 oz of water to every 12 oz can I drink. And you're right, you spend so much time drinking the water you actually don't feel like you need the soda. I prefer to drink a soda with meals, but that's probably psychological that I pair the two so they both mess with my reward system.

The best advice I can give the poster is to just limit it. I know you aren't going to want to give it up, but the best thing you can do is enforce it. It's like beginning a diet. You don't want to give up horrible foods and it's a big challenge to do it, but if you do your body will stop craving them as much later down the road.

scottkoz20 · June 2012

something that I could not do is go cold turkey with it... you will need to gradual with it... I had to do this as I was getting "headaches" from the lack of caffeine.

Also, when you go shopping.. don't buy any! If it's out of sight, it starts to become out of mind.

rpoupard99 · June 2012

Your idea to get off diet soda is a really good one. I gave it up "cold turkey" several months ago and the best advantage for me is that I don't crave sweets like I used to! What a benefit!! One thing I do make for myself is sun tea made out of Good Earth Original Sweet and Spicy Herbal Tea Blend. It does not have any sugar or sweetener in it but if you make it strong it really does taste sweet. It helps me get my liquid quota for the day. Good luck with your effort. It will be worth it and SO much better for your body!

KrystieNye · June 2012

Try cutting down on diet soda by drinking 1 less every day (or couple of days) and replacing it with something else. If you drink 6 a day, drink 5 a day + a glass of flavored water...then 4 a day + 2 glasses of water and so on. I find it easier to get rid of something from my diet if I phase it out and replace it with something healthy, as opposed to just stopping it all at once. Good luck! :drinker:

Help!!! I can't kick diet soda!

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