Really trying to quit diet coke

[Anonymous]

I drink way too much diet soda and always have, from childhood. It is a terrible habit and I hate it and can never seem to quit. I am trying to start today to cut back majorly. I haven't decided if cold turkey is the goal or something like 1-2 a week.

I was distressed by this article: https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/05/health/diet-and-sugary-drinks-atrial-fibrillation-wellness/index.html

I also want to quit for many other reasons:

-It reduces my water consumption
-Terrible example for my teen daughter
-I eat more when I eat alongside drinking diet coke
-It is expensive and really adds up - prices have really exploded the past few years
-I hate how stores try to force you to buy like 5 six packs at a time
-I feel bad about myself when I drink it

Anyone else want to join and try to keep each other accountable? Tips?

[Anonymous]

If you are using the caffeinated Diet Coke, you should probably taper to avoid a headache. Can you calculated how many ounces you drink daily? I would start with cutting back 25%-50% to start. While you are doing this, increase water. Stay at the reduced amount for a few weeks and then, reduce again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are using the caffeinated Diet Coke, you should probably taper to avoid a headache. Can you calculated how many ounces you drink daily? I would start with cutting back 25%-50% to start. While you are doing this, increase water. Stay at the reduced amount for a few weeks and then, reduce again.

Yes I drink caffeinated. Should have mentioned that as another issue - I get caffeine withdrawal headaches any day I don't drink enough caffeine at this point.

I am increasing water and making sure I get at least one cup of coffee a day to try to reduce the headaches.

I just find it too addictive to taper down, to be honest.

[Anonymous]

Go cold turkey over the weekend and take Aleve throughout the weekend to stave off the headache.

I need to quit, too.

I only drink a can a day, but apparently that’s going to kill me ;0)

[Anonymous]

I quit soda as a New Year’s resolution over 15 years ago and have maybe 5 a year. Each time I think how did I ever drink this all the time.

[Anonymous]

How about switching to iced tea? You can control the amount of sugar (if any) and add lemon/fruit/whatever.

[Anonymous]

Carbonated water helped me quit soda entirely. I just missed the carbonation. I still drink black coffee for the caffeine, though.

[Anonymous]

I quit five years ago cold Turkey - and I was a super user. 6-8 12 ounce cans a day.

I switched around and finally settled on Spindrift sparkling water. Not quite as good. But I'll have 1-2 a day when I want a little zing. Mostly I drink water. It tastes better now. I also have 1-2 6 ounce Coke's a week when I want that taste. It's such a stronger and sweeter taste that I don't ever want to drink more. Oh and I drink tea in the winter. Not a coffee person.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

OP, I feel your pain. I never liked diet coke but have often struggled with an addiction to regular coke. For the past couple of weeks I have been able to stay away because DH and I are dieting together. One thing that has helped is switching to a high fat high protein diet and really cutting down on most carbs. What helps about this is I don't feel as desperately hungry between meals. Oftentimes I would feel hungry and then get a coke to fill me up.

[Anonymous]

I quit years ago. I went cold turkey in conjunction with overhauling my whole diet.

You can have coffee (no sugar!) to offset caffeine withdrawal.

It’s so bad for you! I applaud your commitment. I do have Diet Coke occasionally at a restaurant, but have never even been tempted to drink more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I drink way too much diet soda and always have, from childhood. It is a terrible habit and I hate it and can never seem to quit. I am trying to start today to cut back majorly. I haven't decided if cold turkey is the goal or something like 1-2 a week.

I was distressed by this article: https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/05/health/diet-and-sugary-drinks-atrial-fibrillation-wellness/index.html

I also want to quit for many other reasons:

-It reduces my water consumption
-Terrible example for my teen daughter
-I eat more when I eat alongside drinking diet coke
-It is expensive and really adds up - prices have really exploded the past few years
-I hate how stores try to force you to buy like 5 six packs at a time
-I feel bad about myself when I drink it

Anyone else want to join and try to keep each other accountable? Tips?

I have it up many years ago. I switched to unsweet tea and my husband switched to seltzer water. It is a habit and so I just needed something to sip on all day or order at a restaurant.

For caffeine I do have one Starbucks refresher each day - tall. Not really saving money but it is something. I don’t like coffee.

[Anonymous]

I did it by going cold turkey.

I was sitting with my dad as he was in the hospital getting chemo and we were creating a menu for healthy food to support him through the treatment.
I decided right then and there to quit - why was I choosing every day to put chemicals into my body?
It was hard the first week - but after you get through the withdrawal (aspartame and caffeine) I had absolutely no interest in drinking it again. I prefer to have a full sugar Coke to a diet beverage.
I also stopped all artificial sweeteners.

Swapping out a coffee for the caffeine in the morning - and taking 2 advil for a week will help you with the withdrawal headaches.

Congratulations!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are using the caffeinated Diet Coke, you should probably taper to avoid a headache. Can you calculated how many ounces you drink daily? I would start with cutting back 25%-50% to start. While you are doing this, increase water. Stay at the reduced amount for a few weeks and then, reduce again.

Yes I drink caffeinated. Should have mentioned that as another issue - I get caffeine withdrawal headaches any day I don't drink enough caffeine at this point.

I am increasing water and making sure I get at least one cup of coffee a day to try to reduce the headaches.

I just find it too addictive to taper down, to be honest.

Note that caffeine takes 72 hours to wear itself out of your system. If you drink caffeine enough to get withdrawal symptoms (heachaches), then it will take 72 hours without adding more caffeine to get out of the cycles. The best way is to wean down. Decrease your daily consumption roughly 1/3 at a time and you should be able to wean yourself off in 3 days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I drink way too much diet soda and always have, from childhood. It is a terrible habit and I hate it and can never seem to quit. I am trying to start today to cut back majorly. I haven't decided if cold turkey is the goal or something like 1-2 a week.

I was distressed by this article: https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/05/health/diet-and-sugary-drinks-atrial-fibrillation-wellness/index.html

I also want to quit for many other reasons:

-It reduces my water consumption
-Terrible example for my teen daughter
-I eat more when I eat alongside drinking diet coke
-It is expensive and really adds up - prices have really exploded the past few years
-I hate how stores try to force you to buy like 5 six packs at a time
-I feel bad about myself when I drink it

Anyone else want to join and try to keep each other accountable? Tips?

I quit in 2017. I switched to iced green tea, which helped. I just gave myself a date to start on (January 1st, 2017), bought an iced tea maker, and that was that. It was challenging at first (I really loved that first sip of Diet Coke), but it passed pretty quickly. I no longer crave it -- but I do treat it like quitting cigarettes (meaning, I will never drink it again out of fear the habit will come back). If I am at a place where I cannot get water or tea, I will get a small root beer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I drink way too much diet soda and always have, from childhood. It is a terrible habit and I hate it and can never seem to quit. I am trying to start today to cut back majorly. I haven't decided if cold turkey is the goal or something like 1-2 a week.

I was distressed by this article: https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/05/health/diet-and-sugary-drinks-atrial-fibrillation-wellness/index.html

I also want to quit for many other reasons:

-It reduces my water consumption
-Terrible example for my teen daughter
-I eat more when I eat alongside drinking diet coke
-It is expensive and really adds up - prices have really exploded the past few years
-I hate how stores try to force you to buy like 5 six packs at a time
-I feel bad about myself when I drink it

Anyone else want to join and try to keep each other accountable? Tips?

I quit in 2017. I switched to *iced green tea, which helped. I just gave myself a date to start on (January 1st, 2017), bought an iced tea maker, and that was that. It was challenging at first (I really loved that first sip of Diet Coke), but it passed pretty quickly. I no longer crave it -- but I do treat it like quitting cigarettes (meaning, I will never drink it again out of fear the habit will come back). If I am at a place where I cannot get water or tea, I will get a small root beer.

*unsweetened tea