Does anyone have any tips for me on how to give up my beloved regular Coke? (i'm talking about the soda- not the drug- LOL!)

i cannot STAND diet coke. i really need caffeine. i hate coffee....

but at 140 calories/coke, my 3 cokes/day is definitely getting in the way of my weight loss goals.

thoughts?!! TIA!

I gave up my beloved Pepsi May 2009 and I don't miss it. I do the crystal light mixers in my water, Fuze and iced tea.

If you need the caffeine, you could try 5-hour energy. Some of them taste pretty gross (okay, most) but they're teeny, and they're only 4 calories. I'm a Pepsi addict, so I can totally feel your pain. Once I get over the initial caffeine withdrawls (the headaches are the worst part IMO), I don't think it's too bad being without it. It's more of a mental thing that I want it, especially with certain foods or at certain times. Good luck with getting through it!

I didn't know diet coke was caffeine free? They make it regular and caffeine free.

Anyway... for me... I made myself drink nothing but diet drinks ... took about 2 weeks or so for me to start enjoying them, but once I did... I could never go back to regular. They taste like pure syrup to me now.

You just have to get your taste buds used to it.

Good luck!

I just think of soda like hummingbird food, pure sugar water. I'm a person, I don't need sugar water like a bird.

If you love the sparkle/fizz, I'd start mixing. 3/4 regular coke/diet. Then 1/2 regular coke/diet, then mostly diet with a little regular until you are used to the taste of diet. I used to hate diet soda too (the after taste was disgusting), now I like it okay. Some sodas are better tasting than others, diet Dr. Pepper is my favorite (I also like diet root beer and Crush diet Orange soda).

You can also start cutting back to 2 cokes a day, then 1 coke a day.

YOU are in control, not some stupid soda.

I don't really like Diet Coke either (although I can force it down)...I drink Coke Cherry Zero, Diet Barqs Rootbeer, and Diet Cherry Dr. Pepper and definitely prefer them (and all have our lovely, lovely friend caffeine). I also find that most diet sodas seem extra carbonated to me, and I don't particularly like it, so I never drink straight out of the can if I can help it. Personally, I like diet sodas much better out of a glass since the pouring helps get rid of just enough of the carbonation

thanks guys!!!

i was actually thinking of trying 5 hour energy- (those ads are getting to me, what can i say?!) haha.

i was also thinking maybe i could have a shot of espresso in the morning to get me going, since i start drinking coke first thing.

i do not like being dependent on caffeine- but it is what it is, i guess. i have two young children, and so sometimes i don't get to sleep very much.

i don't tolerate aspartame very well- it gives me major headaches- so that's part of why i don't drink diet.

i think maybe if i got some seltzer or something fizzy, that would help. Just thinking outloud here...

thanks for the tips!

Pepsi One and Hansens (which makes great diet fruit flavors) are aspartame free.

If you check the labels in your grocery store some of them are made with Splenda

i didn't know that about pepsi one- that is an idea! i will check it out next time i am at target!

I have a pretty violently nasty reaction to aspartame so when I gave up sodas I couldn't switch to diet (tried Pepsi One and just couldn't choke it down). I'm not a fan of regular water so I drink Nestle Flavored Water sweetened with Splenda. I'll admit that giving up soda was a huge issue for me but I managed to do it and now I'm good with it. You can do it too!