Though I’m ashamed to admit it here — and though I loathe the bloated, distended feeling I get after consuming it — I think I have finally concluded why I drink so much Diet Coke:
It fills me when I’m hungry, so I’m not obsessing about food.
Not exactly a healthy mindset, huh?! Sigh … looks like I have a little soul-searching to do. (Hanging head in shame).
I believe in healthy living and clean eating … but am essentially a hypocrite if I’m not living it, myself.
I know what I need to do to feel better: limit my sugar intake (i.e., my trigger foods) and limit my Diet Coke consumption (chemicals my body doesn’t need).
The truth is, I’m just afraid to do it.
I think I need to just take the one-day-at-a-time approach … I know it can be done; other bloggers have done it, and friends have done it.
I use Diet Coke as a crutch … and I simply can’t do it any longer. I’m going to give this some thought over the next day or two and will report back but just wanted to share where my head’s at right now.
Let There Be Light 
Unfortunately, I do the same thing. I wish I could give up my morning DC, but I look forward to it and it gets me through the day! I have given it up at night, though, because I really did find it often led me to be more “snacky.”
If you do give it up, I’ll be rooting for you! Maybe the day will come when I’ll be able to give it up completely….
Holly, since I’m not a morning coffee drinker (unless it’s a special latte day) DC is my morning fix too — but I’m always embarrassed for anyone to hear me opening a can or bottle so sometimes I open it in the car and carry it in the office!!
There is no reason to hang your head in shame…it’s just Diet Coke. There is no “good” or “bad”–it just is. Just make the next healthy decision (for you), and keep it movin!
You’re right that the chemicals in Diet Coke aren’t the best, but every once in a while a girl needs a Diet Coke! Do you ever just give yourself permission to drink one without feeling guilty? When I started giving myself permission to eat/drink anything I wanted, I started making the healthy decision more often.
It’s a process…keep working toward the goal, and be kind to yourself along the way!
Elisabeth, that’s a great outlook … “it just is.” Thank you … sincerely!
when you reach for diet coke for the “hunger” is it true hunger or boredom/stress eating? True, when dieting we often have to eat less food than we want to which can make us hungry but also the types of food we choose can make a big difference in hunger levels. If you are truly truly hungry then maybe look to what you ae eating and see if you are balanced and/or if you can try switching it up to see if that results in less hunger? Through much trial and error I found a way of eating that is much more satiating then I had previously eaten in the past (for the same calories) and that helps me a gret deal in not always thinking about food.
When I was drinking a ot of diet soda I often wanted a sweet taste (minus the calories of course) so my sweet cravings would lead me to drink more diet coke. Which then made me want more sweet tastes, etc. Vicious cycle.
Sometimes a little of both, but sometimes I stop myself. Like yesterday I was in a client meeting and was done eating (a healthy turkey on wheat and fruit) — I ate half — and everyone was still munching. I wanted something else, and didn’t want food … so I almost reached for the DC again (another can) and stopped myself. In a way, it reminds me of the “defensive eating” I engaged in when I began WW … food I’d eat to avoid eating something else later. But you’re right, it IS a vicious cycle!
Well, I used to have a DC (or rather, diet Dr. P) issue and have learned to limit myself to only one a day. Is that still too much? Probably, but it’s a heck of a lot better than what I was doing. I’m not willing to totally give it up. (I have done it before for Lent and all it did was make me go crazy once Lent was over)
What I use it for is a snack in the afternoon paired with something salty. I don’t think of it as a freebie food but as part of my snack.
Not sure why that works for me but it’s helps frame it.
For some reason, that combo of diet Dr.P and one of those one ounce bags of pretzles REALLY hits the spot. Then I tell myself…DONE for today.
I look forward to it in a most embarrassing way.
Melissa, that sounds completely rational and a good idea … thanks for the suggestion!
Sometimes I eat so much that I lay on the deck and blub like a fish. Did I get my Spongebob Squarepants quote right? 🙂
So full that I just gulp air and wait for the feeling to subside.
Something tells me I should really figure out why I do that. I think it goes way back to my mom and getting in trouble for not cleaning my plate.
((Shoutabyss)) — love the quote though 😉
I don’t think that is such a horrible thing. are you drinking a 2-litre bottle a day or a full six pack, or are you talking a couple of cans to just get you over the hump?
is diet coke the best drink in the world? no, but there are much worse things you could be drinking (or eating!). it does hit the spot when water doesn’t quite do it.
i have two cans of caffeine free diet soda a day just because i enjoy them and i drink so much water, i need a break.
I am totally with you on this one. I am a DC addict. I’ve gone cold turkey before, but I’ve always come back. Right now I’m making sure to limit my DC intake to one 20oz bottle a day, max. I figure that’s not too much of an indulgence ^_^