Diet Soda used to be my vice. I justified my addiction, as many collegiettes™ do, by saying that I was not doing anything harmful like smoking cigarettes. So it wasn’t that bad, right? It was acceptable to have one or two a day. Diet soda is addicting, and I knew that. I tried to give it up. but I always ended up going back and giving in.
My one can of diet soda turned into two and then three cans a day. Of course I wanted to give it up. People say that it is bad for you and that has been scientifically proven, but gosh did I love the taste. It almost wasn’t worth trying. I would just have to live with it.
Sound familiar?
Quitting the old diet soda habit is no easy thing, but it can be done.
Reasons to Quit:
-
Artificial sweeteners have been connected with type two diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and more.
-
Caramel color (in almost all soda – diet or not) has been linked to cancer.
-
Diet soda makes you gain weight for a few reasons, one being that it makes you crave sweets which cancels out the “no calorie” appeal.
-
Basically, it is horrible for your health, waistline and skin. You just shouldn’t drink it.
Okay, now I’m going to let you in on what helped me quit, because it was not hearing those facts. Of course I don’t want cancer or diabetes or a bigger waistline, but I held on to the “it would never happen to me” concept.
Before I go into what worked for me, I will start with what did not: cold turkey and moderation. Cold Turkey did not work because I had nothing to replace the feeling that I got from diet soda nor the willpower to continue not to drink it. Moderation did not work because, as I said before, diet soda is addictive. If I was going to have one, I was going to have another, and I would have killer cravings until I gave in yet again.
So, what worked for me? Replacement.
Instead of having a diet soda I would have an iced tea or an iced coffee (be careful with iced coffee consumption. I keep it at one cup per day). It was not a fattening, sugar-filled coffee house drink, but one that I made at home. It was just as delicious!
I love making iced tea with a variety of flavors. By constantly changing it up, I never get bored of it. I love using Teavana loose-leaf teas because they have a great selection of flavors, but I also use regular tea bags from the grocery store. I also buy Cold-Brew Coffee Concentrate from Trader Joe’s and mix it with water, fat-free milk and stevia for a sweet but healthy iced coffee.
If you are not a big fan of iced tea or ice coffee, then try fruit-infused water! You can make it at home with fresh or frozen fruit and it is healthier than the bottled version. Adding a bit of unsweetened, all-natural fruit juice to seltzer is a great option for those that miss the carbonation.
Collegiettes™, the time to give up diet soda and all of the resulting bad effects is now! Whether you are already an iced tea fanatic or have been curious about fruit-infused water, these alternatives are bound to help you quit that bad habit while staying hydrated.
http://www.prevention.com/sites/default/files/images/news/featured_image…
http://blog.nutrex.com/blogs/2011/could-diet-soda-be-slowing-your-weight-loss/
http://treataday.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Iced-Tea1.jpg
http://tonedandfit.net/2013/03/14/make-your-own-fruit-infused-water/