So.. You say Coffee I say Soda

[Schlenkerb]

Right so, I have this incredible addiction to Diet Pepsi or Diet Coke. Normal soda just makes me want to kill myself, all the sugar really gets to me. Anything that contains dense amounts of sugar really just makes me want to die. So I chose the cancerous aspartame route... Anyway, I've been trying to get off the stuff for the longest time. Every day I wake up saying, I'm not going to drink any soda today or anytime there after!!! I can't even last for another two hours after that moment. I run to the nearest vending machine at my school or ride my bike to the nearest store and get myself a big 32oz soda... Sometimes I'd drink even 64oz of soda in one day... This goes on for weeks by the way, always drinking at least one 20oz of soda every day. I don't know what it is, the flavor or what.. But I just can't stand to drink water when I could have this delicious drink that makes me feel great! I have been trying to drink water with little propel packets. (I use one every 32oz or so.. not 16, it's way too strong for that) Anyway.. Big rant I have made here, sorry.

Any suggestions on how to quit? This is probably my worst habit and it really effects me. I drink that soda and then the next thing I know it's 1:00AM and I need to wake up at 6:30 at the latest. And the worst part is I never feel a lack of energy... Then sometimes I'll just crash really hard at say like 5PM or so. Wake up four or five hours later full of energy and not being able to go back to bed that night.

[sheffy4]

When I go through "I'm quitting coffee phases," I try to make it nearly impossible for me to get coffee. I get rid of the coffee in my house, and when I go out, I don't carry money with me, so then I can't buy any.
This might work for you. Maybe try cutting back by bringing only one can of soda with you each day, and don't bring any money with you. Then as time goes on, stop bringing soda with you at all.

[24evita]

Originally Posted by Schlenkerb

Any suggestions on how to quit? This is probably my worst habit and it really effects me. I drink that soda and then the next thing I know it's 1:00AM and I need to wake up at 6:30 at the latest. And the worst part is I never feel a lack of energy... Then sometimes I'll just crash really hard at say like 5PM or so. Wake up four or five hours later full of energy and not being able to go back to bed that night.

You know what would make you quit instantly, if you could see a detailed xray of what is happening inside of you after you have your soda. The stress and damage to the cells would not be pleasant to see, but since you can't see that, your head keeps telling you its not that bad, or else you would have quit on the spot without looking back once.

I am glad that you acknowledge that you are drinking "cancerous aspertame" but again since you know that and are still drinking it - that is telling me you really are not connecting the two together where your health is concerned.

Did you know that aspertame does have some addicting properties, your body has to detoxify it just like any other drug and then gets used to it making you feel you want more.

So there is nothing magic you can drink or eat that is going to stop your drinking soda, if there was it would have already happened. I am sorry to tell you the hard news that until you make a direct corelation between your health and the toxin you are putting inside it might not happen. At this point it really has to do with your will power to want to change. And don't tell yourself in the morning "you will not have it anymore" because that will only make you want it more. You know the diet idea, restrictions don't work well on humans.

Simply adopt a new health paradigm, where you change your thoughts about what you want to put into your system. Try to see it from your system's point of view. It is very easy: there are basically foods that hurt and foods that help. So instead of focusing on what you should not put into your body, try focusing on what you should put in. After all after a glass of milk and juice and water (for example) there just will not be any room for soda) One day you will look back and simply say "how could I have ever put that junk in my system"

[Jennihul]

You should read this book: Excitotoxins, by Russell Blalock, MD.

You are setting yourself up for Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Lou Gehrig's disease, ADD, ADHD, brain tumors, stomach trouble, multiple sclerosis, along with a host of other very ubiquitous but easily preventable diseases. It also contributes to obesity by fooling your cells into thinking they need more energy and making you overeat.

I haven't touch aspartame since I read it.


www.russellblalockmd.com

Aspartame

Jennifer

[JimOfferman]

I'm a little reluctant to trust an MD who's website advertises Music Downloads and Online Dating, or a website that relies on hyperbole to make it's point...

Wikipedia offers a more balanced view (I think):
Aspartame - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Aspartame controversy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Still, better not have that stuff inside of you!

@Schlenkerb: You are clearly addicted. When you stop drinking your daily dose of coke, you suffer from withdrawal symptoms. Coke isn't a terribly addictive substance (compared to, say, heroin), so you should be able to swing it on will power alone - if you really want to give it up, that is.

You could also try substitution. Every time you crave for a coke, drink a glass of water or juice (pick one). If you keep that up for a while, you will reprogram your body to connect your coke craving with something healthy. Soon you'll have water cravings

You could even try fooling yourself by filling an old coke bottle with water and putting that in the fridge instead of a real coke... wouldn't work for me, but I've heard it helps some.

[Joeschmoe]

Originally Posted by JimOfferman

@Schlenkerb: You are clearly addicted. When you stop drinking your daily dose of coke, you suffer from withdrawal symptoms. Coke isn't a terribly addictive substance (compared to, say, heroin), so you should be able to swing it on will power alone - if you really want to give it up, that is.

Whoa! Have you ever gone through serious caffeine withdrawal? It has possibly the worst withdrawal symptoms of any common drug. Maybe not Heroin, but the symptoms are much worse than those of nicotine. It can be done by willpower alone but it's not a fun ride.

[stevedevane]

I used to be a Mountain Dew addict, which has serious caffeine. I'd drink numerous cans/bottles every day.
I've now quit for about the third time. Every time I went cold turkey. It was about three days of torture with headaches that felt like they were going to kill me. I was hating life.
But once I came out of it, I felt much, much better. It felt like I was cleansed from the inside out.
I went back a couple of times. Both times, I had major work emergencies that required me to work about 70 to 80 hours in a week, so I used caffeine to get me through it.
Now I haven't had a Mountain Dew for at least a couple of years. I try to stay away from caffeine in general. I pretty much only drink water. It's the only way to go.
That worked for me. I don't know if it'll work for you, but if you're going to try it be sure you have a couple of days without any major commitments.

[JimOfferman]

Originally Posted by Joeschmoe

It can be done by willpower alone but it's not a fun ride.

Of course not... if it was a fun and easy ride, this thread wouldn't have been started.

[EnduranceNinja]

I am in the same boat too. I find if I have the soda in the house (Mountian Dew) I drink it like crazy. So not having it around helps. For me it is taking 4 cans of soda to work that killed me. I made it a rule to bring only one, two on days I worked at 530 am. And since I carry no money I was forced to only enjoy my one or two cans of soda. It has been rough at times. But oddly enough I now thirst water alot more which is a plus. I have days I don't even bring any soda to work and I have only a few cans left in the house. Now, I refuse to drop coffee but I am not an all day coffee drinker maybe 2 to 3 cups a morning of black coffee. But I am trying to cut down on sugar.

[Jennihul]

Originally Posted by JimOfferman

I'm a little reluctant to trust an MD who's website advertises Music Downloads and Online Dating, or a website that relies on hyperbole to make it's point...

Some people are never happy. If a health guru says 'don't take aspartame', you guys say "Well, he's not an MD so how can I trust him?" I give you a brain surgeon and you pick on the ads on his website...

Whatev...

Wikipedia offers a more balanced view (I think):
Aspartame - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Aspartame controversy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A balanced view on ricin, the deadly poison, would say: "Well it comes from a plant which is at least natural...."

You still gonna die if you get some inside you.

Besides, the makers of Aspartame have access to the Wikipedia entries just like everyone else. Once the fox is guarding the henhouse, how can you expect anything to be balanced? Or even truthful?


Jennifer

[24evita]

I guess this has turned into a little debate on aspertame so I'll throw in my two cents on that. I once came accross a website/blog very devoted among other things to bringing awareness and banning aspertame, perhaps some of you may want to check it out:

DORway

Aside from that, I personally wrote an article called about treatment vs prevention on my wellness blog and that is actually one point I talk about, how when we hear something is "bad" for us, instead of taking head of the message we somehow attack the messenger, I just don't get it???? YEven if the person/scientist... is wrong you have more to lose by not listening to them then listening to them. But I guess that is our human nature, we resist change and don't want to be made to feel bad about something we do/have been doing so we attack the messenger and try to justify it.

[wittmc]

Great post and comments. I know right where you are at, I too was addicted to Diet Coke to the tune of 7-8 cans and sometimes bottles a day for nearly 10 years. I tried so many times, and like you, within hours I was back drinking it. Part of my problem was the withdrawal symptoms and side effects. Extreme headaches, migraines, joint pain in both my knees, fatigue. Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners are toxic and for long time heavy drinkers, the effects can be very tough to get over. I kind of broke my habit by accident, but the best advice I can give is to replace your addiction with something healthy for your body. Once I quit, all of my side effects began to disappear. I have not had one headache, not one migraine, no more joint pain, nothing. That told me right there that the Aspartame was to blame for all the health problems I was experiencing. Good luck on fight, it is a tough one but believe me, well worth it to quit.

Thanks,Mike
Diet Drink Addiction

[Jennihul]

Originally Posted by 24evita

I guess this has turned into a little debate on aspertame so I'll throw in my two cents on that. I once came accross a website/blog very devoted among other things to bringing awareness and banning aspertame, perhaps some of you may want to check it out:

DORway

Aside from that, I personally wrote an article called about treatment vs prevention on my wellness blog and that is actually one point I talk about, how when we hear something is "bad" for us, instead of taking head of the message we somehow attack the messenger, I just don't get it???? YEven if the person/scientist... is wrong you have more to lose by not listening to them then listening to them. But I guess that is our human nature, we resist change and don't want to be made to feel bad about something we do/have been doing so we attack the messenger and try to justify it.

I don't get it either. We are talking about a substance. Not life giving. Not essential. Controversial and absolutely proven to be dangerous, though not in an immediately obvious way to every single person who has ever ingested it. (Thank God, that would be a lot of coffins!)

But when convenience and addiction and pleasure are involved..well...you know. Out goes the capacity to reason. Interestingly, asparatame does affect the ability to reason. One of the only criteria that held up it's approval with GRAS status was: Does it or does it not cross the blood/brain barrier? Well, turns out for a portion of your brain it does.

I'm respectful of my body insofar as I am capable and I was a huge fan of diet sodas for a long time. I only hope I stopped soon enough to stem the damage. Some of it is not reversible.

If you read a soda label, there isn't one ingredient in there that is not actually damaging your body. Malic acid, phosphoric acid all leach calcium from your bones. High fructose corn syrup if you don't select diet. All bad.

It's just a lose/lose situation. Diet or not diet.

Jennifer

[Marth]

consistent exercise along with waking up early will curb your appetite from unnecessaries

[Jennihul]

Originally Posted by Marth

consistent exercise along with waking up early will curb your appetite from unnecessaries

Amazingly unintuitive that it should work but it truly works!

Jennifer

[Schlenkerb]

Yeah, I'm leading a very stressful life right now and drinking that Diet Pepsi sure does make me feel good... Even if it is temporary it is the best feeling I'll get all day. For now I am sticking with it.

[Lisa Smiles]

Well it sounds like an addiction.

I found this pretty video on you tube very inspiring.
Even though it is about alcohol the message of being able to do what you set your
mind to was why I put it here.

YouTube - Addiction

You need to know why you drink the diet soda. What benefits do you get? You seem to know the pains and damage it soes to your body. The benefits are outweighing the pains.

You can do it!
I make a healthy soda with 100% fruit juices and soda water.

Lisa

[Ali from The Office Diet]

Hi Schlenkerb,

Don't keep trying to go cold turkey - it won't work! Cut down gradually. Set a maximum amount of soda you'll drink per day, and slowly decrease that maximum. Keep a record in a diary or on a calendar so you can see your progress.

Also, getting enough sleep is crucial. I struggle with getting to bed on time too, but usually because I end up messing around on the internet when I should be winding down for bed ;-) Something that's helped me is to FORCE myself to turn off the computer half an hour before bedtime, then wind down with a book or some cross-stitching.

Good luck!

Ali

[Jennihul]

It's sad how easily humans succumb to weaknesses.

Jennifer

[seeker5]

Originally Posted by Ali from The Office Diet

Hi Schlenkerb,

Don't keep trying to go cold turkey - it won't work!

Says who!!

I went cold turkey and it's now been 5 months since I've been soda free. Ok, I did try a few times beforehand and it didn't work, but each time I learned something from the experience. The last time, what finally made it work is I got so mad at being a slave to coke that I made it my absolute number one focus in life to stop it. Once I made that commitment, that nothing was more important then freeing myself of this addiction, then I was able to go without it for 30 days. Then once I went without it for 30 days, it was very easy to go without it. Now I drink water all day long instead of cokes all day long and it feels so natural to just drink water I don't think twice about it!

So, Schlenkerb I encourage you to keep trying! Even if you fail, learn what you did good, and try again! Eventually, you're bound to succeed.

I've written more about it here on this forum: Freed myself from Coke/Candy-Bar Habit

[gravtex]

I had this same addiction a little over a year ago. I would drink somewhere in the neighborhood of 5-9 cans of Coke a day. I had tried reducing the number of cans I drank a day, and even tried to give it up a few times before, but always got right back to where I was.

So last year, what worked was something I learned on this site - the 30 day challenge.

I figured it was only 30 days. The fact that there was an end date made the 30 days of hell that followed (and I'll be honest, it wasn't easy to do) more bearable because I knew if I wanted soda at the end of the 30 days I could have it. But I definitely didn't cheat during those 30 days - not even a sip.

And after those 30 days, I did drink soda again - as much as I wanted for a weekend, but then I decided I really had enjoyed how saying that I don't drink soda felt. I just felt like it made me a better, stronger person, and I liked that feeling. So after that weekend of drinking soda, I decided I was going to stop drinking soda again. But when temptation to drink soda hit me, it just felt like it didn't align with what I wanted anymore and I was able to resist.

Now even the smell of the stuff just doesn't appeal to me. I'd much rather have a glass of water where just a couple years ago, you'd pretty much never see me drinking a glass of water unless I'd just finished exercising.

Here are some practical tips that helped me out:

1 - Figure out what foods you typically associate with drinking your soda. I realize it may be pretty much everything, but there usually seems to be certain foods where soda just tastes great and you can't imagine having anything else with it. For me, it was pizza and tacos. After the first time trying to eat pizza without a Coke, I decided I wasn't gonna do that again until those 30 days were up because it was so hard.

2 - Make yourself drink water. I know it doesn't taste good right now, but keep making yourself drink it and your taste buds will come around. Strange as it may be to say, think of water as an acquired taste - drink it until you like it.

3 - One other thing that helped when I wanted to drink something with "taste" was beer and wine. Now I know some people will say that's just replacing one addiction with another.

I disagree.

I have no problem controlling myself with either of those. One beer and I'm perfectly happy and don't need another. So in the evenings when I wanted a Coke badly, I'd go grab a beer instead. It was cold, bubbly, and it helped, but I could easily control myself with it. Now if you can't control yourself with beer, wine, or other alcohol, pick something else.

Hope this helps.

Oh, and one more thing with regards to going cold turkey - I found that was the only way I could do it. Trying to wean myself off slowly never worked.

Gary

[Jennihul]

I'm not getting the impression he wants to actually quit.

He made us type for nothing.

Jennifer

[Andrew Brunelle]

If you want to still consume caffeine, get this new drink from Bolthouse Farms. Not only does it have plenty of whey protein, but also more than 100% of the B vitamins per eight ounce glass. It also has no sugar added, just apple juice, coffee and a little milk. It is certainly better than diet coke/pepsi and will leave you feeling both energized and satisfied. Mocha Cappuccino is what it is called or Perfectly Protein. I forget. They also have a vegan alternative, some soy chai tea that is actually not bad. But since it is pretty healthy besides the milk content, which I try to avoid more than not, it is quite a refreshing change from drinking water all the time.

[SaberToothDream]

Originally Posted by Joeschmoe

Whoa! Have you ever gone through serious caffeine withdrawal? It has possibly the worst withdrawal symptoms of any common drug. Maybe not Heroin, but the symptoms are much worse than those of nicotine. It can be done by willpower alone but it's not a fun ride.

Yeah my roommate and I are trying to cut back on our coffee intake (or "Juice" as we like to call it)... well he's trying to quit. I'm just trying to drink less. We just started a few days ago and he has woken up in the middle of the night to vomit twice. Caffeine can be tough to kick but it can be done. Good luck!

[Schlenkerb]

Today was my first day without soda... I cheated a little by drinking about 4-5oz of soda... But then I sort of showed someone how I failed to stop and they took my soda and threw it in the trash. I love 'em for that. I plan on quitting now.. It's really rough because I am having issues with sleeping right now and then my body is going coo-coo. I fell asleep at about 4PM today and woke up at 6:30PM. It's mainly due to my waking up at 6:30AM and not falling asleep till 11:00PM. I requires lots of sleep but I have so much to do right now Any suggestions for falling asleep quicker? Because I usually don't fall asleep quickly at all.. I'll be in bed for 30 minutes at least waiting around.

[martin]

It's weird. I'll go months without drinking soda despite my family buying plenty of it... and then every once in awhile I'll drink a couple in one day. Usually when I'm feeling sad or something. It's comforting somehow and gives you a boost. I don't see it as the worst thing in the world, but something that should be had in moderation or not at all. I'll probably stop once I make the commitment to go 100% raw.

[Andrew Brunelle]

Seriously, I haven't drank soda in two and a half years and it truly is something that is not that hard to go without, unless for some reason, diet sodas seem to be more addictive. I could never stand the taste of diet sodas and my mother new how bad they were, so she never let me drink them anyway. But if you truly want to switch to something better, try water or coffee. Don't put a lot of sugar or cream in the coffee either. That way you don't get the insulin spike.

[VacMan]

I didn't used to like diet "anything" and suddenly in college I noticed all my professors were drinking diet coke.

Then I passed by a vending machine...

And put in a buck...

Next thing you know I'm drinking diet coke! And liking it!

To this day I still think it gives me more of a boost than coffee.

And I still drink it on occasion, but only in moderation.

If I didn't have a weird feeling that it's somehow bad for me (I still can't find any real evidence that it's bad) but I intuitively feel that there's something wrong with it.

Anyhow, if I wasn't suspicious of artificial sweeteners I'd drink diet coke all day long