<p>I had my first bone density test @ a year or so ago and everything looked fine. However, I used to be 5’4" for the longest time and I am now 5"3". (Just got measured at regular yearly exam)</p>
<p>I just have a feeling that all this diet coke is not good for me, even one can a day. I’ll probably have withdrawel for awhile, but after that, I hope to be free from diet coke from now on!</p>
<p>Do you guys know if Seltzer has a lot of sodium or sugar substitutes? I’m really unknowledgeable but I guess I’ll have to go to the grocery store and study their drink aisles!</p>
<p>chocchipcookie, I was (still am, really!) a diet coke addict, too, until about a month ago when I went cold turkey. (OK…well…shhhh…I’ve probably had 6 diet cokes since then). </p>
<p>I LOVE iced tea though, and that’s what I’ve been drinking since I quit drinking diet coke. I think you should give that a try. It’s all natural and does have some caffeine, which is really what I was craving before I think (not a coffee drinker either). Once in awhile, I’ll throw a couple of bags of green tea in the pot too, which makes the iced tea even healthier. Sometimes I add just a little natural sugar (like 1/8 cup in a 2 quart pitcher), and often I’ll put in a little squeeze of lemon for extra flavor. </p>
<p>I love the liptons diet green tea too but it’s probably just as bad for you as the diet coke.</p>
<p>I drink iced tea made of regular black tea so still has caffeine. I only have coffee about once a month just kind of stopped for no real reason.</p>
<p>My husband was a true addict 6-8 diet cokes a day. He went cold turkey over two years ago with the help of a daily green tea pill at the suggestion of a GI doctor. Now he only drinks water, vitamin water zero and sobe. He only drinks certain flavors of each and only buys when they are on sale.</p>
<p>I don’t think Diet Cola makes me crave sugar or carbs anymore than I would anyway. I don’t buy that. As I said, I DO believe all the artificial crap and the carbonation/cola is bad for you and for bone density. The Lipton’s green tea isn’t great, either, though.</p>
<p>I dropped soft drinks a few years ago when idad posted the Lustig stuff on the diet and exercise thread. Switched to coffee, tea and water. Got two big Nalgene bottles.</p>
<p>Hello my name is PlantMom and I’m a diet coke addict…at least I used to be. I quit years ago, although I’ve been known to have a diet sprite every once in a great while (a couple of times a year, now). I drink unsweetened green tea (in the AM only), herbal teas–hot or cold, decaf espressos with milk, and water. Sometimes I mix the water with some unsweetened cranberry juice or tart cherry juice for flavor.</p>
<p>I reduced my Diet Coke intake by switching to Caffeine Free Diet Coke (after the first of the day; haven’t eliminated that yet). I find I don’t want as many. I have to say that after a long habit, I don’t find switching to water to work for me, despite trying it several times. So my goal has been first to cut down, which has worked.</p>
<p>It’s totally refreshing! The only problem is it’s hard to find seltzer in vending machines. If you buy it yourself, it is much cheaper than DC. You can get Polar Seltzer, La Croix, or any store brand of flavored seltzer in cans. If you prefer plastic bottles, you can get Poland Spring, Vintage or many other brands. </p>
<p>When you need that afternoon pick-me-up, try a cup of green tea. It has about the same amount of caffeine as DC. You could have a cold, bottled tea drink if you prefer.</p>
<p>I love La Croix sparkling water! It comes in these flavors: peach pear, coconut, lime, lemon, berry, orange, cran-raspberry, and pample-mouse (??). It is calorie, sweetener, and sodium free.</p>
<p>Why not get a Whole Foods (or similar) cola? It has much better, simple, straight-forward ingredients - no artificial sweeteners or the dreaded caramel coloring.</p>
<p>I am also a coke addict. I switched to regular coke at some point because I didn’t want to delude myself into thinking the diet version was better for me. I have weaned myself completely several times, but I have also fallen off the wagon! It doesn’t take much for me to get hooked again. It’s ridiculous, really. I think I agree with MoWC - my eating habits are so good, I figure if this is my only high risk behavior I am not going to get too worried about it. </p>
<p>In the past, I have gone from my one regular can a day to one of those smaller cans they now make. </p>
<p>Once you get past the initial withdrawal - green tea does work well at beating the 3 o’clock slump.</p>
<p>LaCroix coconut flavored sparkling water + 1/2 cup Whole Foods 365 ruby red grapefruit juice=fabulously flavorful yet low cal refreshment, vitamin C bonus. Also it tastes like an umbrella drink without the rum!</p>
<p>Water is your friend. If you don’t want to drink plain water or if you crave the fizziness of the diet soda–drink club soda. It’s much, much cheaper than Pellegrino or similar waters. You can add lemon or lime to the club soda; it seemed to satisfy cravings I had for something carbonated. I used to drink 4 cans of Diet Pepsi every day (for some reason I hated Diet Coke). Decided to quit when I got pregnant. I figured it probably wasn’t good for me. It’s been 30 years since I had a diet anything. In fact, if, by mistake, I drink or eat something with artificial sweeteners, I know immediately because I start feel sick.</p>
<p>I weaned myself off of a daily diet coke habit by switching to iced green tea. I started with the iced green tea at Starbucks, which is pretty mild. Now, I’ve developed a taste for tea, and will drink pretty much any kind, though I still do love me my Starbucks iced green tea.</p>
<p>I still drink the occasional diet coke, but am thinking I should become a tee totaler after reading about the effects of aspartame. As a person who is trying to lose weight, I think I do notice that I eat more when I indulge in diet coke, but that is anecdotal, not a scientific study.</p>
<p>I saw a disturbing thing today, (disturbed me anyway) that the dairy people are lobbying to put aspartame in milk.</p>
<p>I can’t even believe it. I just looked it up. What is the dairy industry thinking? They don’t even want to label it. People really should have the right to know what is added to the food that they buy – especially when it is aspartame. That is one substance that makes me immediately and physically ill. Check out the documentary “Sweet Misery” if you are looking for a reason to not put aspartame into your body.<br>
Best of luck to you.</p>