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Original poster

Diet Coke

67 replies

noimaginationatall · 03/07/2021 16:34

I drink too much Diet Coke and I am looking to cut it out this summer. At the moment I generally drink a can a day when working but when not at work the amount can vary a lot.
When I don't drink it I get sore heads and feel awful.
Any tips on how to cut this out without feeling awful for weeks?
Thank you!

OP posts:
ElderMillennial · 03/07/2021 16:35

Is it the caffeine you're worried about? How much do you drink?

Maybe cut down to a small amount per day and then gradually remove from your diet

warmfluffytowels · 03/07/2021 16:36

Can you pre-empt the inevitable headaches by taking ibuprofen everyday?

CustardyCreams · 03/07/2021 16:37

Cut down slowly. Drink more fluids and get more sleep to compensate.

Once you break the caffeine addiction it won’t be as bad.

GoWalkabout · 03/07/2021 16:39

Either accept you will feel yuck for three days before feeling better and just go cold turkey, or gradually cut it down to what you would like. I am surprised you get that effect if you can manage days with one can ok.
Consider having other caffeinated drinks temporarily while breaking your habit. I need to do this too, good luck let us know how you get on.

RichardMarxisinnocent · 03/07/2021 16:40

If it's the caffeine you're concerned about you could drink caffeine free diet coke.

M0rT · 03/07/2021 16:40

I have a Diet Coke problem.
I go for a ripping the plaster off approach when it gets out of hand and I need to cut it out.
I just cold turkey it replacing with sparkling water with a dash of salt and ice.
Probably drink a bit more coffee and tea and take paracetamol for the headaches.
They stop after two or three days.
I don't think it's caffeine though I think it's the sweetener that I'm withdrawing from.

3Britnee · 03/07/2021 16:41

Get the mixer sized cans. Then wean off those. That's what I did.

ErrolTheDragon · 03/07/2021 16:41

One can a day doesn't sound too bad.
If you want to cut down maybe tip a bit away before starting the can,ma little more each day. It shouldn't amount to much wastage in the scheme of things. Get some other drinks you like to replace it with.

pleasestoprainingplease · 03/07/2021 16:43

I'm on month 5 of no Diet Coke! I don't miss it now! I swapped to water. I drank a lot! And a lot and a lot of water and had early nights for first 4/5 days. I'm so happy that I did it. When I'm out now I always pick a lemonade so I don't start up again. I'd tried many times cutting down. This was the best way I found. Just got it over with.

Original poster
noimaginationatall · 03/07/2021 17:05

@pleasestoprainingplease

I'm on month 5 of no Diet Coke! I don't miss it now! I swapped to water. I drank a lot! And a lot and a lot of water and had early nights for first 4/5 days. I'm so happy that I did it. When I'm out now I always pick a lemonade so I don't start up again. I'd tried many times cutting down. This was the best way I found. Just got it over with.
That's amazing well done you! I hope I can't get to that point too!
OP posts:
Original poster
noimaginationatall · 03/07/2021 17:07

@M0rT

I have a Diet Coke problem. I go for a ripping the plaster off approach when it gets out of hand and I need to cut it out. I just cold turkey it replacing with sparkling water with a dash of salt and ice. Probably drink a bit more coffee and tea and take paracetamol for the headaches. They stop after two or three days. I don't think it's caffeine though I think it's the sweetener that I'm withdrawing from.
Yes! It's the sweetener I want to cut out. I'm not too bothered about the caffeine but I am trying to cut sweetener out my diet as much as possible. I am trying to lose weight but not being very successful and think this may help!
OP posts:
moynomore · 03/07/2021 17:08

What's wrong with Diet Coke?

DavidTheDog · 03/07/2021 17:12

I’ve just done my first clean day since February 2020.

In the past I’ve done both cold turkey (horrendous) and weaning (slow).

When quitting I just aim to do better than the day before (eg a can less or starting later in the day) until one day, like this morning, I say, “that’s it”.

WorraLiberty · 03/07/2021 17:12

@moynomore

What's wrong with Diet Coke?
Have a look here
motherofawhirlwind · 03/07/2021 17:14

I'm 3 months free and feel much better! Still have sweetener in NAS squash and in tea, but so much less than before.

Mattsmum2 · 03/07/2021 17:18

Hi used to drink loads and gave up 8 years ago. It’s tough for a few weeks and make sure you drink water. I did have some Pepsi about a month ago and it tasted awful, so sweet. I’m glad I gave it up. Only now drink water or if out orange juice and lemonade. Or wine if not driving. Good luck, it will be good in the long run x

Babygotblueyes · 03/07/2021 17:21

Cut down by a glass or can a day or every few days. Switch to caffeine free if you still want to have something fizzy. Do it gradually and you should manage the withdrawals.

Whyevencare · 03/07/2021 17:22

Read up on aspartame, an ingredient in diet coke, it's very harmful and can cause cancer.

I gave up all diet drinks approx 3 months ago, not had a fizzy drinks since. It was much easier than I'd imagined as have been addicted for years.

The info on aspartame was enough to put me off. Good luck!

FlyingBattie · 03/07/2021 17:22

You either need to go cold turkey, or wean yourself off slowly.
I did this by going from 2 500ml bottles a day to a bottle + can, then two cans, then one can a day, until I was at one every 2 days and then I stopped.

kowari · 03/07/2021 17:26

If you are only having one on work days then you should easily be able to go cold turkey. Just don't buy it, don't bring it into the house.

Original poster
noimaginationatall · 03/07/2021 17:28

@kowari

If you are only having one on work days then you should easily be able to go cold turkey. Just don't buy it, don't bring it into the house.
I wish I could but I have a Diet Coke obsessed husband too who is not ready to give up but will cut down. On work days I drink lots of water so I think that might be a good way to start and then either just go for it cold turkey or cut down. This should be easy but isn't so that tells me that I need to do it!
OP posts:
MYasshoe12 · 03/07/2021 17:31

Try sniffing coke and not drinking it. Being a single mum at 18 with 2 kids helps revive me stress the kids bring on me :-)

Notallowedtobesick · 03/07/2021 17:32

Switch to caffeine free. That's what I did with my Pepsi Max problem. Now I only have a can of caffeine free every few weeks.

The first 3 days were very hard. But after that I was ok. I don't drink any other caffeine though. No tea or coffee. So I'm not feeding the beast in any other way.

Shamoo · 03/07/2021 17:34

I did it last year OP, and now haven’t had a DC for 15 months. I never thought I could do it as used to have at least 6 cans a day. I tried to go immediately cold turkey a few years back and had the same issues you describe. So I went down to 1 a day, which I stuck at for a couple of months. And then went off that to zero and found it easy. I had to go to water and tea only for about 6 months. Now I allow myself an occasional fizzy drink but never a cola based one as I know when I start that I will fall back completely.

I miss DC and the occasion of drinking it, but no physical missing of it at all.

Good luck!!

DavidTheDog · 03/07/2021 17:36

I think it’s harder if you don’t drink tea or coffee as you’re quitting so many things at once, including caffeine.

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