My Goal: Quit drinking Diet Soda

J

JT

Cathlete
After knowing for years how bad it is, it is my goal to get rid of my addiction. The aspertine and other chemicals are evil. I can't quit cold turkey but I think I can succeed one step at a time. With knowledge that milk is a deterent, I am lactose intolerent so soy milk is a consideration. My stomach is proof that aspertiene is bad although I do eat a healthy diet.

Any suggestions or ideas that might help will be greatly appreciated.

TIA.

JT
 
Drink lots of cold water and get a Sigg (or other BPA-free) bottle to keep with you at all times!

I am a Diet Dr. Pepper FIEND. When I was giving up the diet soda, I found that always having lots of cold water available, and drinking a lot of it all the time so I never got thirsty, made it really easy. If I let myself get thirsty, my willpower crumbles like a scone in the rain.
 
I drink sparkling water. I used to drink about 4 cans of Cherry Coke Zero most days. I still have one once in awhile. I think it's the fizz I crave most of the time.
~~Debbie~~
 
I second having plenty of cold water available. If you don't like plain water, try adding lemon juice. There are actually packets of crystalized lemon you can buy (True Lemon-also comes in Lime and Orange) that I have added to tap water that has questionable taste and it helps immensely.
 
I understand where you are coming from - for years and years I would start drinking Diet Pepsi the second I got out of bed to the moment I went to bed at night. 1 can in the am + 3-571 ml bottles at work + 4 to 6 cans at night...:eek:. I drank nothing else.

I know you say you can't but I suggest quitting cold turkey and have water by your side all the time. It's just like quitting smoking which I've also done. Better to get all the nasty addictive stuff out of your system at once (yes, the cravings are there but it gets easier and easier after a few weeks). I quit 2 years ago and I haven't had a drop of pop since...don't miss it.

You can do it!!!

Your tummy will thank you.
 
Have you tried a Stevia sweetened soda? Aspartame is horrible stuff (I believe thats how I ended up with this PCOS). How about Splenda as a bridge away?

A healthy substitute is soda water with a little bit of real juice in a water bottle or glass. Get it cold and its got a similar fizz without the other stuff.

I think you should gradually ween your self off, I think the cold turkey idea is much too sudden/harsh. Reduce by 12 oz. / day if possible. I don't know how much you drink, but I was a serious Diet Coke addict in my teens, I drank a case per week. No kidding. :eek:
 
I'll join JT on quitting diet soda. I really need to give up drinking diet coke. I drink way too much of it. It's not good for me at all.
 
Sparkling water with some cranberry juice and a twist of lemon? I think a sparkling water with a little clean juice and some lemon is the way to go. And yes I am going to support the cold turkey method. That is what I did to quit smoking many years ago and it worked. Get the crap out of your body and after maybe a week or so the craving will lessen or even disappear. One day at a time. Today I am not going to drink even one diet soda.
 
I agree that cold turkey is the only way to go! I substituted lots of water and also green tea and unsweetened iced tea. I tried to wean myself off by having one every other day, or small doses, etc, but the minute I had some, I kept craving it and wanting more. It's better to just be done with it, and after a few weeks it won't be that bad and you won't want it any more. I can't stand the taste of it now. Don't know why I ever liked/craved it!

Good luck to you!
 
I did cold turkey on caffeine

I have high blood pressure, & quit caffeine on my doctor's advice - I just cold-turkey quit green tea with splenda & high octane coffee just like that. When you're health is at stake, you can do anything. I drink only water now, with a little decaf in the morning. The only thing that was hard was when I tried to quit coffee altogether in the morning, but decaf does the trick.
 
I agree that cold water with lemon juice in it does the trick for me. A splash of juice in the water is nice too, but out of habit I usually just do lemon juice. I don't use sparkling water because it makes me burp a lot! I still have diet coke a few times a week, but I really want to stop because I know it's bad stuff. Water with lemon has helped me cut down from a daily diet coke habit, though.
 
I was addicted to Diet Pepsi Max. I haven't had one in about 6 months. I now drink only water with an unsweet tea with my cheat meal. It was hard but I know that my body appreciates not having all the chemicals in it! I quit cold turkey but that is how I have to quit something. If I just "slow down", it does equal the same in my brain as not being able to have it. I hope that makes sense. If you need to do it slowly, then do it that way because quitting cold turkey for some isn't the way, but it was the way I did it.
 
Good for you:) Drink lots of sparkling water! Here in Germany we mix sparkling water with real apple juice! It's very popular here in Europe! It's called an Apfelschole;) Love that stuff! Here in Germany you can buy it already mixed!
 
I did it cold turkey last spring. Talked about with some relatives on Palm Sunday at brunch, decided I was going to quite. Went and bought a case as my last hurrah, drank about 2 cans, and tossed the rest out. Yeah, I know, I wasted it.

I used to drink 2-3 cans a day and could easily knock out a 2 liter in a day on the weekends. I drink lots of water and tea now, and coffee in the morning, but I've always been a coffee drinker. I just didn't want to drink all those funky chemical anymore.

Water does get boring, especially all day at work, so I drink tea at home. I keep a good stash of black, green, and herbal flavored tea around. Brew it up w/ 2 bags - good and strong - pour it over a big glass of ice, and you have iced tea in 5 mins.

You can do it!!!

Nan
 
Thank you for the GREAT feedback. I'm glad to find out I'm not alone. My goal is to be completely off in two or three weeks. With tea and water, I should be fine. Plus, I visit my physician over my vacation in just over one week to find out what he thinks. The problem is that I have low blood sugar (anemic) and what to do when it drops fast. Know myself, I don't have the strength to do it cold turkey.
Thanks again for all the great ideas, I have written them all down.
 
I stopped drinking diet anything along time ago, I drink the regular coke, pepsi etc. I limit myself to 2 sodas a day and the rest of the time it's tea or water.
 
Today, I allowed myself one Diet Pepsi. Already, the taste has changed for me. I am now enjoying white/green tea with rasberry. It is helping with the sugar issue. Also, my green tea was pretty good. My weakness might be my upcoming vacation.
 
JT said:
Thank you for the GREAT feedback. I'm glad to find out I'm not alone. My goal is to be completely off in two or three weeks. With tea and water, I should be fine. Plus, I visit my physician over my vacation in just over one week to find out what he thinks. The problem is that I have low blood sugar (anemic) and what to do when it drops fast. Know myself, I don't have the strength to do it cold turkey.
Thanks again for all the great ideas, I have written them all down.
Click to expand...

With low blood sugar a little bit of dried fruit (not sulphured) works great to boost your sugar without the chemicals or nuts. Roasted almonds work for me, I don't know if you can eat those.
 
Love roasted almonds. First day of work, success. My system is reacting fast to the change which didn't expect. The tea does help.
 
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