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Addicted to Diet drinks (Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Diet Pepsi and 7UP Free and anything else 'Zero')

C

charlie000

Well-Known Member
Messages
439
Sorry I haven't been in touch. I've got a trapped nerve in my neck to my right arm and been having sleepless nights. Fasting BGs have increased to around 5.4mmols (I know still normal) but I was getting around 4.2 - 4.8mmol on a day to day basis. Stopped gym and been very immobile

Having a lot going on at home, too much stress, very little sleep.

I'll be back reporting my journey soon, but in the mean time I need some serious but friendly advice.

I HAVE AN ADDICTION TO ZERO DRINKS.

I have managed to put a stop to non Zero drinks, and no added squash and so on. But I'm stuck on carbonated diet soft drinks. Diet/Zero Coke/Pepsi and 7UP are my biggest killers.

I keep having one after every meal. I'm currently doing OMAD with water only through the day (will resume no water when I am better with my arm injury and family life).

For some reason, I have to have a fizzy drink, I don't know why it makes me feel good, it relaxes me, it makes me happy.

It's so bad that I can do a no food no water fast, and have a can of diet coke and feel thirst satisfied!!!

I have tried sparkling water it doesn't work for me...

I know the ingredients including the sweetners are bad.

I'm going to try and do one every other day then eventually move to one a week if possible, but I am finding it so difficult. I tell my self at meal time I WILL NOT DO IT. But then I reach for the fridge and there's a shiny cool can of diet coke infront of me. TESCOS have an offer on at the moment 24 cans for 6.50 and that doesn't help...

Thank you
 
i completely hear you. I went through 2x20 12oz (355ml) can pack of Coke Zero & Diet Dr. Pepper in 4 days. Was house bound resting my hip & back. I just crave the bubbles. I'm an addict.

I'm sure you've read the very reasonable theory that these artificial sweeteners actually increase our carb cravings since the body isn't getting what it expects from the sweet taste. But me, i just love the bubbles.

I keep threatening to buy one of those home soda makers but to date it's simply a threat.

If anyone could make a decent soda using only pure whole plant stevia I'd buy it by the case, assuming it didn't require selling a lung or lobe of my liver to afford it.

You're not alone!
 

Yes I like the bubbles and the taste of coke after like a spiced meal... the tingle In the throat too
 
charlie000 said:
Yes I like the bubbles and the taste of coke after like a spiced meal... the tingle In the throat too
Click to expand...
YES! Nothing else seems to work for that craving. I actually like the taste of saccharine, I'm weird I know. But that's close to impossible to get.

I do miss a good ol' root beer float though. I found out homestyle vanilla ice cream here has just 15g in a "scoop" so i cheat once in a great while because I also cannot be trusted around any form of ice cream... those half-gallon containers are actually single serving containers, right?
 
Personally, I don’t see that as a problem. I only drink coffee and no sugar fizzy stuff.

There’s no way I’d be paying that much for a few cans though, the knock off stuff of all the supermarkets is just as good.
 
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I have been having packed lunches recently at work. And have included a bottle of water and a bottle of Diet Coke. I try to keep it to no more than that. It helps to lift what is a dull lunch box otherwise. Fortunately for me it doesnt immediately force me to munch my way through umpteen doughnuts or anything. And I don’t feel the urge to drink a run of them. Very enjoyable though especially chilled.
 
Coke zero is my first go-to when I feel stressed. There are far worse things to get stuck on than diet drinks. There are numerous studies trying to prove that they encourage obsesity, but like so many other health based studies, it is hard to sort out the variables and there is no definitive answer.
 
A lot of the low cal fizzy drinks have caffeine in them, so that may well be part of the addiction.

If you see drinking them as a problem, then you could ease off the caffeinated ones, and see if you crave the de-caff ones as much.

A couple of years back we bought a Sodastream, gas bottles and the sodastream syrups. They come in several different types from full sugar, low cal, and naturally sweetened. Very easy to pick and choose what suits you, and lots of flavours. Alternatively, you can just add a couple of crushed berries or a dash of normal sugar free squash to the bottle. My favourite was pink grapefruit, sweetened with stevia and sucralose (if I remember correctly). Incredibly refreshing, and caffeine free. Even just having fizzy water easily available is a pleasure. Ice and lemon, and good to go.

Actually, thanks for reminding me. I will dust the machine off as the weather warms up.
 
Have you tried soda water with berries as flavourings? My supermarket do have a few flavoured sparkling waters that are sweetened by things other than ace k or aspartame. Some are sucralose and there’s even one with stevia but I forget the name.

There is an argument that it’s not just the sweetener/sugar but also the carbonation that may cause issues.

I cannot buy biscuits at all because I eat them or am tortured trying not to. I can be strong for the hour I’m in the supermarket. Maybe if you don’t want to drink these fizzies then just don’t buy them. Nothing to call your name from the fridge then and the trip to the shop might be too much hassle or give you chance to reconsider.
 
I love zero drinks, have them every day x
 
As @Brunneria says, it might be a caffeine addiction. I used to have caffeine addiction many years ago and drank several bottles of Lucozade each working day. It took me a while to realise it was an addiction. I realised it was a problem when I was getting headaches and cravings at the weekends (when i didn't have the Lucozade) and found myself drinking extra coffee to make up for not having the caffeine in the Lucozade. I also began having problems relaxing and sleeping.

If you think your fizzy drink craving is a bit more than just enjoying a soft drink then nows the time to do something about it.
 
I’ve been known to add the juice of half a lemon to sparkling water in order to jazz it up a bit. These days I operate a zero fructose policy so don’t bother, but the lemon juice may be worth a try for those wanting a bit more excitement from water.
 
I don’t like plain water so drink flavoured sparkling waters and SF squashes during the weekdays and share a large bottle of Diet or Zero drinks with my family at weekends. I have tested various sweeteners to see if they have an effect on my blood sugars and only saccharine does so I avoid that one.
 
I too found diet drinks to be very addictive but found that Coke Zero and Pepsi Max weren't as bad as diet Coke and diet Pepsi. Then I switched to the paler coloured drinks like diet 7Up leaving out the darker ones. Then it was sparkling mineral water with lemon, or soda water (checking it's not one with added sugars).

Good luck with your efforts.
 
You could always try switching to caffeine free diet Coke or Pepsi - and Asda do a nice own label one. Or, as @Rachox said, flavoured sparkling water can be nice - although a few of them taste very synthetic
 
I use Twinings cold infusions - 0 carb or cals and lots of flavour. They come in a range of flavours too. A lot of companies make them now. I use them a lot at work because the water isn't very nice, and I don't' want to buy a filter jug and take it in. I know the boss wouldn't buy one because he lives on very strong stand-your-spoon-up tea, so he wouldn't see the need.

But cold infusions do it for me - all flavour, no "cost".
 
You say you have one after every meal but you're doing OMAD - Am I right in thinking then that you only have one fizzy drink a day? I wouldn't say that's necessarily an addiction or problem at all. I have one can with my dinner every day although I'm sure I could sip on Pepsi Max cherry all day if I let myself! If you are seeing it as a problem though, I would agree with @HSSS and just not buy them. Don't even go into that aisle. Spend those pennies on a lovely bar of Lindt 90% (or your favourite treat) instead!
 
@charlie000 can you try going off them cold turkey? Easier said than done I know, but it works for sugar for me.
I had quite a habit of Starbux bottled frappuchino before being scared straight. Talk about sugar!
 
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