to ask if anyone here has beaten a diet soft drink addiction?

[whothehellknows]

Although I gave up when breastfeeding both of my children, I've somehow landed myself (again) with a full-on Diet Coke habit. I drink at least a liter each day and I'd be seriously distressed if I ran out. I'm sure I'll have at least a week's worth of headaches when I quit.

I know it costs a fortune. I know it's not good for me. But somehow it keeps creeping back in, and I honestly find it harder than I did to give up smoking.

So has anybody else kicked a diet drink habit? How did you do it, and do you actually feel better for it?

Day 3 of the Irn Bru Detox and I want to grab a random stranger and punch them in the face.

Happy Baby Jesus season everyone!

Day 4 completed here and no diet fizzy drinks consumed. I did get a can of coke zero out of the fridge during homework hell with DD this evening but I managed to resist (drank wine instead!)

Just to try and balance the argument about Aspartame, this comes from the UK government site on food.

' In the case of aspartame, an adult would have to consume 14 cans of a sugar-free drink every day before reaching the ADI, assuming the sweetener was used in the drink at the maximum permitted level'

(ADI= Acceptable daily intake)

www.food.gov.uk/science/additives/aspartame#toc-2

It's worth reading if your are concerned about the chemical

Lol, at punching random strangers.

I was hoping that giving up would help sort out my sleep cycle, but I've still been up for most of the last 3 nights. So tonight is probably where I'll start sleeping like the dead at 6:30 on the sofa, and the kids will have to wake me up to put them to bed...

Well done everyone. I agree, not having one first thing defo helps. I am able to stick to one a day and that's a good balance for me for now.

No fizzy drinks yesterday and I'm planning on having none today too. Might treat myself to a milkshake or juice drink later when I do the shop as I'd normally buy pop then.

It means the kids aren't having it either which can only be a good thing.

I've got a Pepsi Max addiction. I don't like water, tea or coffee, and can't drink them. I can take or leave energy drinks. I like squash, but not too much of it.

So, I live off Pepsi Max, almost entirely.

I did quit it for five weeks last summer, but the doctor thought being dehydrated was harming me far more than the Pepsi, so he told me to go back to drinking it if it's all I can stomach.

Hmm. Questioning it a bit now.

I've tried having fizzy water with a splash of cranberry juice in it, to see if that helps the diet coke craving. Its nice, but not the same and its more expensive.

I've slipped back up to 3 a day, but am still better than I was ... baby steps I guess. My biggest problem is I am trying to give up sugar as well, and can't do both, it's just too hard! I need to choose one to focus on for now ..

partialderivative thanks for that info! FWIW I'm not actually concerned about the aspartame, for me it's just wanted to kick a bad habit. Or, reduce a bad habit.

As a coke zero fiend I am surprised by how many of you love Pepsi Max, which I have always considered a tad inferior But then my sister is a Pepsi Max addict and swears it is more delicious.

Messed up today & had a diet coke with dinner.
Back to none tomorrow.

I wonder what is addictive about it? It doesn't actually contain much caffeine ( less than tea) and doesn't all contain aspartame (only diet) yet people do get dependant on it. I notice no other drink seems to get as ice cold as coke/ Pepsi, maybe that's part of it

Did you know 96% of the worlds population recognise the coca cola logo? According to last months vouge anyway

Day 3 here. Fancied a fizzy drink so had rubicon. No artificial sweeteners or caffeine.

I have! I drank at least one can of diet coke a day for about 20 years (often more - and for quite a while it was more like a litre a day). I just really craved it - something about the combination of cold, taste and caffeine.

I stopped this summer when we were going camping with some friends and I decided not to pack any - we were going by train so were so laden down. Didn't see it as an intentional 'giving up DC' thing at all - but then didn't buy any when I was there, and decided to carry on not drinking any when I got back. Oddly I even managed to cope with the fact there were two six-packs in the house (which my DP has now drunk). I've just gone off it. It might have helped that I'd stopped working, so all my routines were out of the window.

Tbh I'm not sure I feel any different as a result. I've lost weight, but I think that is for other reasons.

Meant to say - if I do crave something sweet and cold I have some fizzy water and lemon barley.

I did it in 2010.

I'm starting to notice that I'm starting to buy the 'odd' bottle here and there now though, and it's starting to not be so 'here and there'.

Need to get back on the fizzy water, my skin is awful lately.

I could have just one, couldn't I?

Please?

Yes me. I lived on daily 2ltr bottles of diet coke. I went cold turkey and haven't had it since. Funnily during the initial month or two when I heard a can opening I got a stab (only way I can describe it) of instant thirst.

It's been proven that people who drink diet drinks are more likely to be overweight. The body can't distinguish between real sugar and chemical sweetener. When you taste something sweet your body dumps the glucose from your blood in preparation for the new sugar. If you're drinking chemicals you don't get the new sugar. Your body needs the sugar so you crave carbs and easily processed sugars. Which in turn makes you fat. Many Doctors are now realising that sugar is the cause of the obesity endemic. I'm speaking from real experience. I've a very underactive thyroid and really struggle to lose weight despite eating clean.

drhyman.com/blog/2013/02/15/how-diet-soda-makes-you-fat-and-other-food-and-diet-industry-secrets/

I thought I was the only one addicted lol. I have tried to go cold turkey before but all it takes is one can and Im back on it again it's the only thing I drink. And I get stressed if I don't have any in the house!

I don't smoke or drink and would really love to kick the habit ! Does anyone know about the long term side effects of only drinking fizzy drinks! I drink diet so I hope it doesn't affect my weight. My teeth seem fine.

I'm just glad to know I'm not the only one!

I did.

Diet lilt - 1 can a day. Started getting heart palpitations due to the chemical aspartame that's in fizzy drinks.

I stopped. Cold turkey.

Agree with what some have said about swapping some San Pelegríno and lime when I fancied something fizzy.

Also tesco fizzy flavoured waters are a good stepping stone.

good luck

I was a 10-can a day Diet Coke drinker until a month ago, I gave it up at my dentist's suggestion (it's very wearing on the enamel).

I get by with about 6 liters of sparkling water a day. It helps.

I still have it at restaurants, which is a kind of lifeline.

I beat a soft drink addiction, no diet though.

The first two days are easy, then you have a week of hell feeling sluggish.

I just switched to coffee, I really don't see myself kicking a caffeine habit anytime soon.

urgh, this sucks! I even have one in the house, just in case of a huge emergency-- and it is soooooo hard not to go for it. But I've just about got rid of the headaches, so I don't want to get started again.

I'm on day 2.

I bought a pretty water bottle (shallow) and drink about 3.5 litres of water instead. I'm doing ok so far