I am trying very hard to live a healthier lifestyle and lose some weight. I am significantly overweight, and I have decided I am giving myself until April to get this under control or I will have to look into bariatric surgery, which is something I have always said I would not do. Hopefully this will be the motivation I need to get it under control once and for all!
One of the areas I want to change is to get off the diet sodas, which are very much an addiction of mine. I rarely drink coffee or tea, so this is my "caffeine kick" to get me going. In the past when I have tried to wean myself off them, I get killer withdrawal headaches, no matter how slowly I make the transition. I firmly believe that there is nothing redeeming about sodas, diet or otherwise, and I want to get them out of my diet. I try to remind myself that they are full of chemicals, that they leech the calcium out of my bones, that they stimulate appetite...but the little voice in my head says "I don't care, they taste good!"
Has anyone kicked the soda habit for good? Any tips on getting off the canned stuff?
Just an update in case anyone is interested...I am off the sodas! I have been drinking nothing but water for about a week and I am feeling really good. I weaned myself down to a can a day for about a week then one day I noticed that it was late afternoon and I had not drank one yet, so I just stopped.
Amazingly, I feel more alert, not less, without the caffeine kick. I feel charged, energized, really hard to describe and probably sounds insane. I felt so revved up and ready to go this morning that I actually checked my BP and HR to make sure I was not tachy! All was normal and my BP is down from 120's/90's to 118/85 (I am sure diet and exercise has more to do with that than diet sodas, but who knows.)
Anywho, just wanted to tell anyone who wants to kick the habit that it can be done, and without pain (I never did get a withdrawal headache because I weaned myself down and kept hydrated). :)
Congratulations!! That is a difficult habit to kick. I bet you find you will lose weight. Asparatame is an appetite stimulant.
I went from 6 Diet Cokes a day many years ago, to 3 full sugar Cokes a day. Now, I drink 1/2 of the small 8oz cans about once every two weeks or so. I find that when I drink them, i feel *terrible*!! Don't ask me why I continue. I guess sometimes I just want a few sips for the delicious taste.
Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN
1 Article; 1,978 Posts
Just an update in case anyone is interested...I am off the sodas! I have been drinking nothing but water for about a week and I am feeling really good. I weaned myself down to a can a day for about a week then one day I noticed that it was late afternoon and I had not drank one yet, so I just stopped.
Amazingly, I feel more alert, not less, without the caffeine kick. I feel charged, energized, really hard to describe and probably sounds insane. I felt so revved up and ready to go this morning that I actually checked my BP and HR to make sure I was not tachy! All was normal and my BP is down from 120's/90's to 118/85 (I am sure diet and exercise has more to do with that than diet sodas, but who knows.)
Anywho, just wanted to tell anyone who wants to kick the habit that it can be done, and without pain (I never did get a withdrawal headache because I weaned myself down and kept hydrated). :)