I lost a bunch of weight 2 years ago, and I did use Diet Coke. I am wondering if there is anyone out there who has a good healthy diet, but gave up Diet Coke and saw a change. If so, did it affect your cravings? I am trying to give up unnatural foods, but Diet Coke (any diet soda) is the hardest thing for me.
I got stuck at one point when I was trying to lose weight about a year ago, and I gave up diet sodas and I got past that point. I don't remember how it affected my cravings honestly.
I am with you on trying to stay away from unnatural foods, especially artificial sweeteners, they just aren't good (and, no, for those of you who are hard core artificial sweetner people, I am not saying that refined sugar is a good alternative, I am saying NEITHER). Carbonation, on top of all the other crap, is not good for you!!!
I think that it's half mental anyway. The biggest problem will probably be the caffiene. You have to have a plan though. I'm sorry I can't be much help on replacing it to avoid cravings. You might think about switching to green tea, even though it doesn't taste as good, it does have health benefits, plus it has caffiene so it'll help you with that. Just don't add sugar, or too much of it anyway.
I have heard that the super sweet taste of diet sodas has a counteractive effect on weight loss, as it enhances sweet cravings. When I was halfway to my goal I hit a nasty plateau. I replaced diet soda (and all caffiene) with water and it worked wonders.
See, in trying to cut out refined sugars altogether from my diet, I started giving in to my diet soda cravings..... It helped me when I had a sweet tooth so that I wouldn't reach for cookies or ice cream instead. So I think you can look at it either way. I don't use other artificial sweeteners in cooking/daily use, though. Diet pop is the only source of artificial sweeteners in my diet, and maybe it's okay if you do it that way in moderation. Then again, I haven't plateaued yet, so that's also a factor I can't really have input on.....
I don't think it affects my weight loss (or lack thereof) but I started to notice that I feel a lot better when I don't have it. Somehow it makes me really dehydrated and tired. I don't know if it was always like that for me, though.
I have given up pop completely (almost four months now, a personal best!) and switched to drinking iced tea with sweet n' low and a lot of crystal light, and was getting terrible headaches. At first, I thought I was having them because I was eating less, but then I realized that each headache was starting about 20 minutes after I drank anything with artificial sweetener. So I had to go cold turkey on the artificial sweeteners. I can't tell any difference in cravings, but the headaches are gone and life is so much better.
I don't know if that helps you at all, but those are my two cents.
I'm on the NutriSystem diet and we are allowed to have unlimited amounts of diet soda, but I don't drink it. My addiction (before starting NS) was regular Pepsi, and I vowed to give it up. It was NOT easy, let me tell you. I loved that stuff,but I did give it up and now my favorite beverage is water. I had tried losing weight a long time ago (but kept drinking soda) and noticed a slow change of weight but now that I am on NS and don't drink soda at all, I am noticing my weight loss much faster and I don't get cravings for soda at all. I think water is the best thirst quencher,no doubt! Good luck on your quest for eating (and drinking) healthy! Keep it up~Cindy
Like Jaime, diet sodas have actually helped me. When I get a sweet craving, a diet soda will do the trick. I don't drink it everyday, but I view it as a treat that is a whole lot better than something sugar-ladden with lots of calories.
Water and Diet Coke
~Cindy
