Can you believe its been four months since I gave up Diet Coke? I promise you, if you have said to me four months and three days ago that I would go without Diet Coke for just two days, I wouldn’t have believed you. I have been in love, and throughly addicted to the brown liquid for eighteen years.
I would drink at least four cans a day – often a lot more. If I didn’t have the next bottle or can ready for me in the fridge, I’d get upset and have to go out and buy some. I spent thousands of pounds on the stuff – and not only that, it was rotting my teeth (I’m ashamed to say I have a couple of fake ones).
It wasn’t until I added up the amount I’ve spent on Diet Coke did I really admit I was properly addicted. If you ignore all the health implications, I just am not OK with being addicted to something – so decided to quit.
I went cold turkey. I really thought about whether I liked the taste, and if I was enjoying it. I didn’t and I wasn’t. How many of you can actually tell me what the flavour of Diet Coke is? I just think I was shovelling it down without thinking because my body craved it.
And its easy. The first few days I missed it a lot. I replaced it with other sugary pop like Fanta which I just couldn’t drink that much of. After a couple of days I quit that too and went onto water – which is pretty much all I drink now.
It really only took a switch in my brain to make me realise I was being conned, and after the initial addictive bits had worn off after a couple of days – the addiction was only in my head.
I don’t say this lightly because I could end up looking properly stupid, but I don’t think I’d ever let a drop of Diet Coke past my lips again.
My advice is, really think about it. Every time you take a sip. Ask yourself if you like the taste. Ask yourself if your thirst has really been quenched. Ask yourself if the Diet Coke really compliments the food you’re eating. Ask yourself if you’re really enjoying the drink when you have it first thing in the morning or when you’re on your consecutive sixth can. Just don’t do it blindly and make yourself think, and see if that helps you.
I quit sugar too
Well, sort of… Hear me out.
I noticed that after giving up Diet Coke, I stopped craving sugar like I used to.
Like a lot of people, I love sugar. I can shovel down ice-cream, chocolate and cakes like a champ. But I just didn’t have that drive to go to the shop and stock up like I used to. I’d just drink water.
And I know, I sound ridiculous – I’d have rolled my eyes at me too. But if you know me, and the sugary things I’d eat, you know I’m not BSing you.
Get excited for some made up biology here – I reckon your body drinks Diet Coke and thinks its getting sugar. But its not right? There’s no sugar in Diet Coke. So your body feels mugged off, so starts making you crave it even more, so you eat all the junk in the house. My two cents anyway.
So I thought, why not cut out ‘obvious sugar’ too? Now, I know there’s sugar in pasta, carrots – basically everything – so just anything obvious. Like KitKats.
And it’s been ok. I’ve really not been craving sugar. I have admittedly eaten some recently before you go pointing out tweets of me eating profiteroles the other day (snitches!). I’m off to Florida for two weeks and intend to eat sugar there – so have gone a bit off course.
But I have a plan!
Next steps
So I didn’t eat ANY obvious sugar for two months and didn’t lose any weight. I sort of assumed the day I quite Diet Coke and all the junk I eat, I’d drop all my weight and fit into a size 10 dress. But no.
I just don’t really understand what is good for you anymore. Sugar? Carbs? Dairy? Wine? It used to be obvious right? Fat was the enemy in my day.
I’ve been dieting in clubs since I was 13 years old. And I tell you what, I’m so good at dieting. I’ve lost three/four stone numerous times in my life and spent THOUSANDS of pounds doing it. The problem is it goes back on. I genuinely think I’ve joined slimming world about 20 times in my life.
Anyway, an amazing nutritional therapist and eating psychology coach called Claudia Le Feuvre got in touch with me after reading my initial Diet Coke blog and said she would work with me. She’s on Facebook doing brilliant free Q&As all the time, so do follow and ask her questions.
I’m going to do a proper blog post about what happened/what she said when I’m back from Florida and ready to start and then i’ll update you a few weeks later. Here’s her website if you want to read up in advance. Let’s see how it goes eh?!
Are you addicted to Diet Coke? What about sugar? Let me know in the comments.
Oh my goodness. This could actually have been written by me! I was a serious Diet Coke addict for about 12 years and gave up 6 months ago. I am still shocked daily at how easy it was once I actually did it. I would crave it like crazy, fall out with people if I didn’t have it- get headaches, the shakes etc. Now I drink water mostly and occasionally some squash! It is life changing giving the crap up! I agree with every single bit of this post!!
Just gave up a week ago as I had a kidney stone. Now only drinking water / squash. At my worst I was on around 15 cans a day, I’ve had some every day for about 30 years. I’d have one sitting to sip from on the soap rest in the shower in the morning. Ice cold can with condensation and those jagged bubbles. But it was all I was drinking and I ended up dehydrated with a kidney stone. I’m glad I had a wake up call.
Good for you for giving up. That is quite the addiction. And sorry to hear about your kidney stone. x
That was an impressive cost for your former diet coke addiction, and thank heavens you had the insight that made you question whether it really was satisfying to go on drinking it. I used to lose and gain weight easily too, more or less yo-yo dieting – I now wonder whether there’s a very persuasive little gremlin in my mind that prompts me to put back any weight I’ve lost – even if it’s just a few pounds. I find myself filling up with gusto! I sometimes think that if I had a slimmer version of myself in mind I could trick my body/mind into settling for that, and adapt to a smaller me.
I think about this often. I don’t know why I just don’t keep going once I lose the weight!
My husband was on 30 cans a day on avaeage (that’s right one of the big creates from Costco A DAY). He also gave up the same time as you. I never in a million years thought he’d do it. Bet he has! He was an addict for 20 years.
I really do believe there is a lack in support for diet drink addicts. He once told his doctor how much he drank and they laughted and said ‘stop drinking it’. I wonder if they would say the same to an alcoholic?! Anyways after years of trying he is doing really well. It was nice to read your story.
Well done to your husband. I’ve heard from so many people who said they are addicted and nothing is done at all. It’s awful for you too. Really appreciate you commenting. x
I really can’t understand this craving for diet coke, diet pepsi etc, what is wrong with drinking wate. I drink diet pepsi with my vodak, but never drink it at any other time!
I’m in the middle of my addiction again I yo yo with the blooming stuff on a fairly regular basis! However, this coming Monday is my new start. I’ve hit 20st and feel absolutely appalling so low carb here I come, along with no Diet Coke and no wine. Send as many good lucks as you can!!
Well done to all of you for packing up xx
Good luck lovely! We’re in the same boat. x
OMG this could be me!! First thing I looked for in the morning and only thing I drank all day. I gave up in October last year and joined slimming world in November. Have lost 3 stone but was only able to do this due to giving up Diet Coke as I no longer crave sugar and my next fix ( that need to eat a packet of biscuits or three or more bars of chocolate lol). I have returned to the weight and shape of my youth and definitely staying there. I only drink water and feel so much healthier – no heartburn, bloating and craving. Thanks for sharing.
Lynn, this is amazing! Going cold turkey is tough! That sugar is crazy addictive. I hope you give yourself kuddos for doing this and 4 years later still going strong! I don’t keep white sugar in the house, it is all raw or honey and nothing else. So congrats on empowering yourself and making healthy choices/changes!
I drank 4-6 litres….yes 4-6litres of it a day for 20 yrs!! I stopped drinking it last year. I had tried without it in the past but would get horrendous headaches and agitated. This time round I took caffeine tablets. 1 tablet 4 x a day initially, then as each week went by reduced it by 1 tablet per day. This worked for me, I a month I had stopped the tablets, I had no withdrawal headaches and wasn’t one bit agitated. (I wasn’t replacing one addiction with another)