[healthy4good]

Hello All. I went to my first meeting on Friday night. It was good. I started my new program on Monday after cleaning out my fridge and freezer and replacing it with HEALHTY items. I have had 3 days of healthy eating. I feel good. I feel a little less out of control. I do need some help with 1 area...I am completely addicted to Diet Coke. I drink 3-4 cans a day. Anyone have any advice about cutting this down? I try to decrease a little each week but then I just start to crave and give in. I always tell myself it is better to have a DC than a candy bar. Should I not stress this right now? Should I just work on my eating and worry about the DC intake later?

Thanks for your help and support!

[ellis]

Healthy, I know the diet pop addiction well. DH and I have the same problem. We often share a large bottle of diet pop during the day.
Do you drink enough water? I'd never have believed in the past that plain old water could be addictive, but now when I'm not getting enough, my body craves it!
I would say don't stress about it right now. It's just too much to do everything at once.
Congratulation on attending your first meeting! I'm so glad you found it good!!

[recovery girl]

Originally Posted by healthy4good

I am completely addicted to Diet Coke. I drink 3-4 cans a day. Anyone have any advice about cutting this down? I try to decrease a little each week but then I just start to crave and give in. I always tell myself it is better to have a DC than a candy bar.

Hi healthy4good!

Congrats on your first meeting! I remember my first meeting was pretty daunting, so way to go for making the choice to go!

On the Diet Coke, it is really great that you are able to recognize your addiction to it. Even though calorie-wise it is much better than picking up a sugar or fat-filled snack, that doesn't negate the fact that when we have a weakness for a particular food or drink, it can make us feel crazy.

In my personal experience, I have found that when I am so addicted to something that it has become unmanageable, I have to give up that food or drink completely, one day at a time, to experience freedom from my addiction. To help me do this, I keep reminding myself that it's just for today, not forever. Every time I get a craving, I tell myself 'maybe later', and choose an alternative that doesn't trigger me to consume in excess.

There is life beyond Diet Coke! Keep up the great work with your new food plan and keep going to meetings, they help so much in recovery. If you'd ever like to chat more, PM me, and I'll send you my email address.

[ellis]

Recovery Girl, great input!
I've removed your email address from your post... spammers are pretty quick to pick them up, and the owners of the site don't allow links.

[recovery girl]

Oops sorry ellis, I didn't know. Thanks for letting me know!

[ellis]

Originally Posted by recovery girl

Oops sorry ellis, I didn't know. Thanks for letting me know!

Don't worry about it, hon. I'm always afraid of offending when I have to "do that". Thanks for understanding.
As much as we'd like them to, most people don't read the forum rules. Including most of the moderators.

[SunnyKells]

Hey there! I know your addiction ... I have a severe addiction to diet Pepsi! Like I really just cannot let it go ... though I'd been trying. I don't know if you watch "The Biggest Loser" but there is a trainer on there named Jillian Michaels and so I asked her what to do (she posts on this site a little) and she said ... well I'm gonna copy and paste it over here actually .... hope it helps!

Soda's - the skinny - there is a huge difference between health and weight loss. Are diet soda's healthy... NO, but you won't gain weight on them. At the end of the day it's a choice. I drink tons of diet coke (I am particularly addicted to coke zero right now), but having said that there are options.

For caffeine free try caffeinie free Diet Coke or Caffeinie free diet pepsi, Diet Rite, Diet 7 up or Diet sprite, Diet Cream Soda -

For Sodium Free try the Diet rite

For non soda diet beverages try - Diet Snapple, Crystal Light, Tea with splenda

At the end of the day, caffeine isn't tragic, it can actualy be metabolic, but it does tax your adrenal glands and dehydrate you. Just make sure and drink lots of water to counterbalance it a bit.