Any tips on quitting diet drinks?

[BluECliQ]

Hello everyone, I'm doing Atkins right now for the third time in my life. I went from 260 to 210 my first time which I was comfortable with since I'm 6'2". When I started again this time I was about 240 and wanted to see if I could get to be around 200.

Anyway, in my previous attempts at Atkins I was able to drink a lot of diet soda, eat sugar free foods made with sucralose and it wouldn't stall my weight loss. The same thing seems to be happening this time, though I find diet sodas and the occasional sugar free cookie are giving me gas pains and stomach troubles. I know these things are bad in general and I should give them up, but I find it difficult. I have cravings for sugary foods already, so I drink diet sodas as my liquid candy. I've read articles saying artificial sweetners can actually increase your cravings for sugar, so I need to stop, but I don't know how to just quit.

I try drinking water but I get this feeling all day that I want something else, and that's usually satisfied by a diet drink. Any tips for kicking these things to the curb?

[JulieB]

Put up with the feeling that you want something else...it will subside over time.
You could also try L-Glutamine (a supplement which helps reduce cravings for sweets).

[IrishIrish]

I fought my love of Diet Coke for the first few months. I'd quit, then I would start again, and the pattern repeated itself for several months. I finally just went cold turkey and drank water with a lime or lemon or cucumber (I kept telling myself that this would be healthier for me and I'm fairly gullible!!!). Soon, I couldn't drink the carbonated stuff ... it gave me terrible pains and indigestion. So, now I drink non-carbonated stuff and on the rare occasion when I have something carbonated ... the first sip tastes great, but then the carbonation gets to me.

Great job on your weight loss!

[msanjelpie]

Don't buy them, don't have them in the house or around you...

[Hezaa]

Yeah, I'd say as long as they aren't around you, it will get easier and easier to say no. Just try to think about what they do to your teeth. Bleh.

[BluECliQ]

I still live at home with some other family, they won't stop buying soda =) I had another question I meant to ask. I can drink diet soda with no problem while I'm not on Atkins and don't get the stomach aches I do while I am. What is the reasoning for soda doing that on Atkins and is it a common problem amongst fellow dieters?

[Hezaa]

My mother drank diet sodas anyway, and has lost weight and kept it off on atkins.

The idea is that it will make you crave other sweet things. And well, other people avoid it because of aspartame.

You should be fine even if you continue to consume it.

I just don't like the taste, or cost, so it's easy for me to avoid.

[JulieB]

Originally Posted by Hezaa

My mother drank diet sodas anyway, and has lost weight and kept it off on atkins...

A lot of people don't lose when they consume aspertame. Sweeteners, including those in diet soda, are limited to 3 / day.

[Hezaa]

True. I think my mother and I barely consumed sodas anyway. My mom probably only has a diet soda three times a week. And I have one once a month when the mood strikes me.

I can see that having one or more daily would be an issue.

[imagood1]

Instead of reaching for a soda buy yourself a large glass with a lid and/or straw -- fill the glass with water (nothing added except ice) and start sipping on it. You should be drinking a MINIMUM of 64 ounces of pure water daily on Atkins anyway.

If you are on induction you shouldn't be eating anything that isn't on the acceptable food list (ie: sugar free cookies and sodas). Make a copy of this list (What foods can be eaten on Induction?)(What foods can be eaten on Induction?)http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-low-carb-dieting-faqs/6781-what-foods-can-eaten-induction.html and take it with you when you go to the store. If a food isn’t listed on the acceptable food list don’t eat it. Learn to read the label on all foods you buy - don’t just look at the “carb” number look at the ingredients list of everything and check the ingredients against your list. Just because it says "low carb" doesn't mean you can eat it. Also check for hidden sugars (learn the names used in place of the word “sugar”).

At the top of the induction page you’ll find a condensed version of the book - (Atkins Diet Induction FAQs)(Atkins Diet Induction FAQs)http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-diet-14-day-induction/77558-atkins-diet-induction-faqs.html.

For your sweet cravings I have copied this from another thread - it was posted by Sheri:
"Take L-Glutamine (not glutamic acid). to help control "irresistable" cravings for sweets. Begin with 1 200mg capsul or tablet(I take gel capsule form) three times a day for one week. Then INCREASE the dose to 2 capsuls or tablets three times a day for one week.
After two weeks, if you feel more alert, more energetic, and have lost your craving for sweets, you can then experiment with the amount of L-Glutamine you take until you find the best level for you."

Since you are living with others I hope you will be able to eat the proper foods. Make sure you eat most of your carbs in vegetables daily.

Good luck to you.