Anyone want to join me in giving up diet coke/diet drinks?? Or share your success!?

[GiveThemUp]

So I have to stop drinking Diet Coke. I am addicted.

I have previously stopped for several weeks at a time and then I'll think well you can control it now but it's a slippery slope. I drink it daily, usually 2 - 6 cans a day though less if I'm with my husband . Some days I realise that's all I've drunk.

I've always justified it by the fact that I don't drink tea or coffee, I don't smoke, hardly ever drink alcohol and rarely eat sugar/flour/simple carbs. I've felt a definite sense of what the hell can I have if I can't have my diet coke fix plays tiny violin

But I'm embarrassed when I drink it, feel sure people are laughing at me/know, feel annoyed when I give in after deciding not to etc. These are all signs of something to do with Diet Coke leaving me not in control. I need to get a handle on it. And I think the only way to do that is to stop entirely. I'll have other diet drinks sometimes too and I can sit and drink a litre or two of lilt zero in an evening no problem. It's just not good for me and doesn't make me feel good.

Further I've recently read some research about how sweeteners affect the balance of your gut bacteria to promote a particularly type of bacteria which is linked with metabolic disorders and being overweight. If I ever want to lose the last 2 stone I've got to change something.

Who's with me? Who's been me??!

I decided to cut down when I worked out I was drinking about 150L a year!
I have swapped to faloured sparkling water and it has really helped. This week, I have had much more coke becuas eI didn't have any flavoured water in. I need to sort that out today!

At the height of my Diet Coke addiction I was drinking 10 cans a day, it was utterly ridiculous.

I realised I needed to do something when I brought a can into the living room, I got up to get the tv controls & DH opened it & took the first mouthful, I had to go and get another can so I could have the first mouthful 😳

Last summer I swapped to a mix of fizzy water & squash during the day & one can on an evening. Opening that can & having the first mouthful is still like the amber nectar though

Wow! This thread has come at the perfect time for me. I made the decision to give up Diet Coke yesterday. I don’t drink tea or coffee so it has been my caffeine fix but I am properly addicted.

I stupidly didn’t realise how bad it is for teeth either with the acidic ingredients; after lots of sensitivity recently, I stopped eating chocolate 3 weeks ago (another addiction- up to three bars a day) so it’s now time to give up the Diet Coke. I’m going to find it really hard - am off to boots to buy some caffeine pills today so I have something to take when really tired so I won’t have an excuse to drink the Diet Coke. It’s so easy to say, “Oh but I had a bad night’s sleep, I’m tired, I neeeed a can to perk me up.” Same excuse with the chocolate.

Has anyone else noticed increased tooth sensitivity?

Oh god! What am I going to drink on a night out now?! Vodka and Diet Coke is off the cards 😩😫

I'm addicted to full fat Coke. It's a relatively recent thing, only been chugging the stuff in the last few months but I'm really struggling to stop. Last year I broke a 2 year addiction to spar energy drinks and felt so happy I'd broken the spell, but it was easier because they changed the recipe to lower the sugar so I didn't like them any more, but coke will always be there so I need super willpower this time. Ffs!

*This time last year I was thinking about stopping as I kept meeting cancer survivors who told me their consultants had told them the number one thing they had to do was give up Diet Coke.
*
Really? Bloody hell that’s scary!

I used to drink nothing but diet coke ,then about 3 years ago I had a very bad IBS attack ,thinking it might be the coke I stopped drinking it , and have never gone back.I have had a sip maybe 3 or 4 times and hate the taste of it now .I drink fizzy water now , sometimes with squash....tbh it's a bit of a pain when I go out as water can be a bit boring and I have never liked any other soft drinks

@NabooThatsWho definitely not really! My parents are both cancer survivors and they tell you not to smoke at all or drink much, but don't talk about fizzy drinks.

Wow nice to see a lot of responses! Let's set Monday as a start date shall we? Although I'm stuck home with an ill DC so I may get a head start

I don't have it at home because I wouldn't stop drinking it. The odd occasion I've bought a 6 pack or something it's gone in a day.

The worst is my preferred method of drinking it is ice cold from the McDonald's drive thru. I drive loads for work and McDonald's are all over the place. I feel ashamed every time I open another plastic straw. Second choice is cans which are at least recyclable.

hiding I think I should work out how much I drink in a year, that's a great idea! I bet it'll be terrifying.

Thanks for the bottle recommendation best

Pespi max and full fat coke addicts are welcome too!

I thought I'd put together a list of reasons to stop, so far I've got:

It's expensive

Bad effects on teeth
Bad effects on bone density
Bad effects on gut bacteria
Probably keeping me addicted to sweet tastes
Bad for the environment
Makes me feel pathetic

Any more?

Great to know I'm not alone!

I bought caffeine tablets this afternoon and haven’t had any cravings for Diet Coke since I took one even though there Are 5 cans in my kitchen. Definitely recommend.

Would cutting down gradually help?
So a can a day less for a week or so then another can less for the next week
Until you’ve really cut it down significantly
Never really been sure going ‘cold turkey’ is a good idea

As a side note anything fizzy ( even fizzy water) is terrible for teeth
Best to drink through a straw

I can get through a 30 pack of tins in a week I'm 5 stone overweight and have pcos, I cycle or walk everywhere and know most days I'm well into a calorie deficit unless I'm drinking pints but it keeps me feeling full. When I stop drinking it I lose a bit of weight but end up snacking instead. I hate constantly feeling bloaty from it, getting that "globby throat" feeling. My teeth are knackered and it costs a fortune. I hate the taste of artificial sweeteners in anything else though I don't know why I just feel compelled to drink it. Seeing my recycling bin full of tins and bottles is mortifying too. It's not the caffeine that gets me, even if I drink coffee, tea or even an energy drink out of desperation it goes away after a couple of mouthfuls of coke which makes me think the withdrawal is psychosomatic. I'm baffled. I had some success with just buying it a tin at a time from the local shop but it stopped when I moved away from an area with late opening shops

I quit Diet Coke 2 years ago for health reasons. I mostly replaced it with tea or sparkling water. I used to get cravings and the feeling like a thirst at the back of my throat that would only be relieved by Diet Coke.
I don’t like the taste of sweetener now, found the halo top ice cream inedible. It is annoying that some brands have introduced sweetener into the full fat versions due to the sugar tax.

I'm giving up Diet Coke and sugar for lent this year. I'm like you in that I don't smoke or drink and this is my only real vice. I have a feeling it's going to be tough.

I've recently given up diet coke - like many of you I don't drink tea or coffee, or alcohol. Have replaced it with fizzy water and lime cordial - so far so good!

@Naboothatswho yes really. Two different women at work who had breast cancer and one other woman, a friend's mum.

I am sure all cancer docs say varying things but three women, two from London and one from Cambridge, all being told that really made me think.

How's it going for everyone today? I'm on day 3
There's definitely a difference once I actually MAKE the decision. While I'm vaguely thinking I should stop, I won't, but once I decide it's initially quite easy. It's sticking to it long term that's harder!

I've downloaded a cool app called HabitBull where you can track your progress with new habits. You can visually see how you're doing and get a percentage score etc. Can definitely recommend.

Day one done! Squash for me as I'm trying to cut down on anything fizzy, so no fizzy water either. I really have to make a conscious effort to drink at home, as I'll usually just go thirsty unless I'm having something fizzy

I've just given up to a 10 a day habit.

I've replaced it with tonic water...

Just popping in to say that I gave it up 7 years ago. I had awful withdrawal headaches, which are partly why I’ve never gone back (I don’t want to have to quit again!) the decision was 100% health related. I wish I’d done it sooner, for the sake of my teeth.

I don’t miss it at all now- in fact, the thought makes me feel a bit sick!

I’m glad I’ve seen this! I gave up last week and I’ve been having awful headaches and I’ve been really grumpy, I didn’t for a second think it could be because of Diet Coke.

I’ve given up due to cost, bad for teeth and I’m trying to diet, I think diet drinks are a big reason I keep falling off the diet wagon.

@Ivegotthree Did they say why they should avoid Diet Coke? I'm a cancer survivor of almost 11 years and addicted to the stuff and I'm really panicking now.

I gave up Diet Coke (and caffeine, and anything fizzy) last year after suffering the disturbing weirdness of 'silent heartburn'.

The heartburn went away (with meds) after a month or so, by which time I was well and truly weaned off. I only drink water, tea and decaff coffee now, which is a bit dull but better than being kept awake all night.

If you still buying it and only have when you go out it's not as great as you remembered I've been there and cold turkey is the best also start banking the £3 a day it's costing - it will be a new outfit by the end of the month

I went cold turkey about a fortnight ago after about 2 litres a day. I managed a week and lost ten pounds. Did have one day where I got very little done because my head was raging.

Fell off the wagon last week and gained three pounds despite being otherwise good.

I have a real coke problem (especially the cherry and strawberry flavours) and I want to stop it...

I gave up energy drinks new years day and I'm still going strong there. I'm on decaff tea and coffee unless it's from my tassimo which is usually once or twice a week?

Its just the bloody coke! I'm not overly fussy, it's. Coke, Pepsi or tesco xero cherry coke... (or Dr pepper)

I want to give it up I really do...i don't drink that much alcohol (if I have one or so a month it's a miracle). I will be good! I'll start Monday or sooner, one the fridge is empty (think there's 5 bottles?)

Bloody addictive! Bloody expensive!

Bloody addictive and blood expensive is about right!

I never really realised diet drinks were bad for your teeth! I'm going to read up on this as my teeth as definitely not as good as they were.

Definitely banking the cost. I get a lash lift ocassionally and I bloody love it but it's £38 every 6 weeks so I haven't been doing it regularly due to cost. I spend minimum £10 a week on diet coke so that's ridiculous. Cut out the drinks and I can have my lash lift regularly with change to spare!

Day 4 under my belt today