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Original poster

Going to try giving up Diet Coke for lent - any tips?!

36 replies

random7 · 01/03/2022 19:22

I’d say I drink on average 2 cans of Diet Coke / Coke Zero a day!

Going to attempt to give it up for lent…. Any tips on how to successfully do this?

I know I’ll get caffeine withdrawal….

OP posts:
labyrinthlaziness · 01/03/2022 19:24

Drink water and expect some nasty headaches for a few days. Buy something alternative and nice like sugar free juice to make it not too miserable.

Giving up caffeine is really quite hard but worth it as it is a completely unnecessary extra stressor on the body.

Good luck!

Sweetandsaltycaroline · 01/03/2022 19:28

I drink way too much diet coke but when I cut down the only thing that really helps me is having different carbonated drinks (usually sugar free lemonade) but I'm not sure this is any healthier! I know my dentist doesn't approve. Blush
I'm sure you'll get lots more not as nice healthier alternatives from more health conscious MN! Smile

Sweetandsaltycaroline · 01/03/2022 19:28

I'm going to try to give up chocolate it's going to be awful

BellaTheDarkOverlord · 01/03/2022 19:29

Get some painkillers as you'll start with a headache after a couple of days which will last about a day. You'll feel really thirsty which is the addiction wanting you to drink coke. Drink plenty of water and maybe have something like squash to add to water to enjoy instead. Don't have it in the house at all or you'll likely cave.

I have given up a dozen or so times and then go back to it freely after a few weeks. I'm getting pretty good at giving it up now Grin good luck!

user1471439310 · 01/03/2022 19:29

quit cold turkey a few years ago and only drink one once in a while and I could drink two to three cans per day.

tammyjess · 01/03/2022 19:31

Watching with interest. I have a dreadful DC addiction. I think about it all the time and want one constantly Blush!!

Squiff70 · 01/03/2022 19:31

I used to drink loads of Diet Coke. Now I don't drink any (I'm pregnant so limiting caffeine but also gone off it anyway). I'm loving Robinson's lemon squash at the moment. Really cold and a little bit too strong.

For Lent this year I'm just giving up.

EssexLioness · 01/03/2022 19:31

I was drinking a lot more than this but went cold turkey about 2 weeks ago and was absolutely fine. Tried several times before and failed. The one thing I did differently this time was buy some posh cordial which I allowed myself to have max 1 a day when cravings were bad. I did this every day for the first few days but now maybe every other day as no longer have cravings. Will cut this down more this week to maybe only once or twice a week. I did have a 7up a few days in, which I normally love but I didn’t like the fizz and really didn’t enjoy it so that helped too as really not keen on having any more fizzy drinks now.

Blossom64265 · 01/03/2022 19:32

Tea will help with the headaches. Some are lower caffeine than others if you are trying to reduce caffeine too, but it may be easier to break one thing at a time.

Cold sparkling water will satisfy That cold bubbly desire and pretty quickly you may actually come to prefer it. I love mine with the tiniest splash of juice. Literally like a 1/2 tsp to a tsp for a hint of flavor.

Svara · 01/03/2022 19:33

Cold turkey, drink water. Have a morning coffee if you want the caffeine, a lot less crap in it! If you don't want to go back to it afterwards then have a rule that you can only drink it in certain circumstances, single serving, not everyday, don't bring it in the house or similar.

JellybabyGina87 · 01/03/2022 19:35

It's only Diet Coke. If you like it drink it. I don't see the point in going without small harmless pleasures. There's worse things you can do in life than drink Diet Coke.

LaPufalina · 01/03/2022 19:38

I went pretty much cold turkey on a 3 cans a day habit about ten days ago, went down to one can for two days then stopped. Headaches have been a feature! I did have one on Sunday when I didn't have anything else to drink with my breakfast (I don't drink tea or coffee) so I'm hoping I can just have a couple a week.
For me the trigger was the cost going up Blush I realised I've spent thousands of points over the last 20 years

Svara · 01/03/2022 19:42

@JellybabyGina87

It's only Diet Coke. If you like it drink it. I don't see the point in going without small harmless pleasures. There's worse things you can do in life than drink Diet Coke.
Nothing wrong with it occasionally, but everyday can be an addiction. It is no longer a pleasure if you feel terrible if you run out or don't drink it for one day. I felt so much better when I quit and got it out of my system!
User405 · 01/03/2022 19:46

@JellybabyGina87

It's only Diet Coke. If you like it drink it. I don't see the point in going without small harmless pleasures. There's worse things you can do in life than drink Diet Coke.

She's doing it for lent so there is a point. Confused

Also, lots of people are addicted to diet drinks. They are not good for your health and it isn't a good thing to be dependent on something that is bad for you.

DoneByWeds · 01/03/2022 19:53

Lots of ice in whatever you have instead.
When we got an icemaker our diet coke consumption reduced a great deal.

QuiltedHippo · 01/03/2022 19:56

I've done this a couple of times, first time i had awful headaches so used the cold and flu painkillers with caffeine in then reduced them down to wean off it.

FaceLikeASlappedAss · 01/03/2022 19:59

I'd love to only drink 2 cans. Lowest I do is 6!
I drink nothing else except a cuppa 2x a day.
Have done the same since I was 16.
It's terrible but before it could be anything up to 15 cans a day!

I drink a lot. If I don't have a drink nearby I feel thirsty. Yes it's psychological. I'm not actually thirsty.
I have to have one in car., handbag, under pushchair etc.

labyrinthlaziness · 01/03/2022 20:00

@JellybabyGina87

It's only Diet Coke. If you like it drink it. I don't see the point in going without small harmless pleasures. There's worse things you can do in life than drink Diet Coke.
That's supportive when someone wants to make a change Hmm
Imohsotired · 01/03/2022 20:02

Painkillers and lots of water. My head was splitting the first few evenings when I went cold turkey.

LaPufalina · 01/03/2022 20:14

I got some fizzy flavoured water in and some sprite, so I had an alternative to reach for Smile

SouperNoodle · 01/03/2022 20:21

I'm addicted to Coke Zero and have between 3-5 cans a day. I got a stomach ulcer from it and went cold turkey but have started again 🤦‍♀️ good luck with quitting! People don't realise how addictive this stuff is.

PatchworkElmer · 01/03/2022 20:25

I went cold turkey, probably about 10 years ago now. Had a few days of awful headaches and definitely craved it. I’m so glad I did it though and am never ‘going back’ there again as I can’t put up with a repeat of the quitting process. Good luck!

hunder · 01/03/2022 20:30

I used to drink 5-6 cans per day for years. What worked for me was giving up all fizzy drinks with sweeteners. I gave up DC 2 years ago and can't stand the stuff now, got one a few months ago and couldn't take more than a few mouthfuls.
I drank lots of sparkling water to get me through.

KylieCharlene · 01/03/2022 20:36

Caffeine free Diet Coke tastes EXACTLY the same as Diet Coke!
I'd give that a whirl and the thing you've given up is caffeine but you can still drink you're coke.
Switch to decaf for tea and coffee too.

KylieCharlene · 01/03/2022 20:37

*your

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