Are you a parent? Has it occured to you that it might be a good idea to kick bad habits for hte sake of your kids? Simply modeling good, healthy habits?

Do you give your kids soda?

You might save yourself from leukemia...coke has benzene in it and that chemical is directly attributed to the cancer. You'll also be supporting people worldwide who are negatively affected by Coca-Cola Co.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why you wouldn't try to give it up. At best, it is not beneficial and at worst, it's harmful. It may be refreshing, but I bet seltzer would have the same effect. A shot of espresso could provide you with the caffeine without the chemicals as you transition.

Yeah, I love a burger and fries and espresso!

A cold beer would be way better with a burger and fries than a diet coke.

I kicked the habit after being a huge diet coke fiend for about a decade. At times when I would have grabbed a Diet Coke, I got to where I drank tea or even the occasional Sprite as that was preferable to sipping on aspartame. I think it's worth kicking. I used to also put Splenda in my coffee and I kicked that as well and just put milk.

I do buy a Diet Coke when I'm really craving it, but the cravings are very occasional; I've probably had three 20 oz bottles of diet coke in the past 8 months.

Have you read the studies about problems with artifical sweeteners? Kick the habit, diet drinks are not good for you!

Hi OP, I have an inspiring story for you. I am 36. I started drinking Diet Coke (switched over from regular in order to save calories) when I was 14 years old. I had the Diet Coke habit for 20+ years. It has only been in the past few years that I really started wanting to give it up. The first time I went any prolonged period without it was when I was pregnant (5 years ago now), because I was already so burpy from pregnancy that I couldn't handle the carbonation. Then toward the end of the pregnancy I started drinking it again. Same pattern with pregnancies 2 and 3, except that at some point in there Diet Coke stopped tasting good to me and I was all about Diet Dr. Pepper only (used to drink both).

After my second child was born, I was down to 1 can a day, and that felt like an improvement to me since I had probably had more like 2-3 on average for most of the time I had been drinking diet soda. But then after my third was born, I got a renewed urge to kick the habit. I just got to the point where I knew it was harmful, I hated feeling like a drug addict (and it really did feel like that to me, like I needed my fix, just like people who smoke after meals), and I decided I was really going to quit. This was last year.

My time when I craved soda was in the morning after breakfast (because that is when I had my 1 can -- I drink slowly so that 12 oz. would last me two hours, and often I didn't even finish it). So I switched to drinking a glass of iced tea, but being from the South, I had never drunk unsweetened iced tea really and didn't like it. So I would lightly sweeten my tea -- I experimented with using real sugar, but usually used 1/2 packet of artificial sweetener per glass of tea. I didn't really like either of those alternatives because I felt like using artificial sweetener was cheating -- because it was a large part of the reason I wanted to give up Diet Dr. Pepper. And I didn't really want the calories of sugar in my tea, even the small amount I was using. So I finally decided I was going to get used to unsweetened tea and during the holidays this year I stopped using any sweetener. I made myself drink it, not really enjoying it, and it took three weeks, and by then I liked it. It has been four months on unsweetened tea and another four before that without a daily soda. In the past 4 months I have had exactly 2 Diet Dr. Peppers (both on a road trip, I think because I was bored) and I actually felt sick to my stomach after each one. Most of the time I am not even tempted anymore. When I go to Chick-fil-A (they have Diet Dr. Pepper on tap) I am not tempted to order a soda, I just get my tea. I am also not tempted to sweeten the tea at all -- it tastes good to me unsweetened now. I feel GREAT about having conquered an addiction that dogged me for so many years.

Anyway, there is a new book out about the science of habits, and it backs up what I did -- you need to figure out what it is you are craving and come up with a suitable alternative to drinking a Diet Coke. It takes some time to cement a new habit, so just commit to doing it for a month. I won't say that I will never have another diet soda, but it will probably be rare if ever because it honestly does not taste that good to me anymore. I used tea, but you could use water with lemon or club soda or something. I liked the fact that it was cold and refreshing, not so much the carbonation, so iced tea fulfills that same desire in a much healthier way.

Good luck, OP -- you can do it! If I did, anyone can.

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why you wouldn't try to give it up. At best, it is not beneficial and at worst, it's harmful. It may be refreshing, but I bet seltzer would have the same effect. A shot of espresso could provide you with the caffeine without the chemicals as you transition.

Yeah, I love a burger and fries and espresso!

I don't understand why you wouldn't try to give it up. At best, it is not beneficial and at worst, it's harmful. It may be refreshing, but I bet seltzer would have the same effect. A shot of espresso could provide you with the caffeine without the chemicals as you transition.

Good grief a naturopath goes to medical school and can prescribe all the same things your MD does. The difference is they try the least invasive option before hopping you up on medications you may not need. They find the root of the problem, not slap a band aid on the symptom. Educate yourself.

Ugh. I'm with you, OP. Before my husband and I started dating, I drank almost exclusively water, and hated Diet Coke. My husband drank diet coke most days, and I started taking a sip here and there when I didn't have any water handy. Eventually I developed my own habit, not quite as bad as yours; maybe 2 glasses/cans per day. I would like to kick the habit, but the constant presence of Diet Coke in the fridge (for my husband) is making it difficult. It will have to be a joint effort, probably, but I don't want to guilt or nag my husband into giving it up on my account.

I am you! This is exactly what happened to me! I know I need to give it up but I'm addicted now. I love the way it tastes and I love the carbonation. It's not so much the cans in the fridget that get me but when DH is getting one from McDonald's (they have the best!) or 7-11 (refills of any size are just $1), I think "why should I deny myself something he's enjoying". I sympathize with someone trying to kick a smoking habit but their spouse is continuing.....

Anonymous wrote:I was just talking about this topic with my doctor yesterday. She's a naturopath. She said to give it up NOW and put me on a detox powder that I put in my morning smoothie. She said coffee or regular coke would be better than diet. I've had this habit for a Very Long Time so it's going to be hard but worth it I'm sure. I've probably gained 50 lbs over the last ten years which is when I really started drinking it the most. Good luck, it sounds like you're in good company

Naturopaths are not doctors. They are quacks. Please don't confuse pseudoscience with science.

You can pry my Diet Coke from my cold dead hands! There is nothing on a hot summer day like a nice cold fountain Diet Coke. I gave it up during pregnancy and thought I'd lose my taste for it, but that first one post-birth was so delicious.

I was just talking about this topic with my doctor yesterday. She's a naturopath. She said to give it up NOW and put me on a detox powder that I put in my morning smoothie. She said coffee or regular coke would be better than diet. I've had this habit for a Very Long Time so it's going to be hard but worth it I'm sure. I've probably gained 50 lbs over the last ten years which is when I really started drinking it the most. Good luck, it sounds like you're in good company

I gave up diet soda for lent...and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

My dad has been drinking Diet Pepsi since about 1978. He drinks at least six a day. As far as I can tell he does not drink water. He says he drinks it, but I have never seen him do it. He was type 2 diabetic by age 35, heart attack at 58, followed by kidney failure and a stroke at age 59. He is now 63 and is facing dialysis. He also cannot work, and is mentally fragile. I am not saying the Diet Pepsi did it, but I can't imagine it has helped.