Are you a daily diet soda drinker and looking to quit? First, let me congratulate you on not being a regular soda drinker. Those calories are really a waste. Second, let me congratulate you on knowing there are healthier beverage options available. Water anyone?
But while I don’t take a strong stance against drinking diet soda — the majority of scientific research has concluded, after all, that the artificial sweeteners in these drinks are safe — quitting may have some merit. One recent study in the American Heart Association’s journal Stroke, for example, found that people who drank diet soda every day were almost three times more likely to develop stroke or dementia than people who didn’t — even if those other people drank sugar-sweetened beverages instead. Still, the researchers didn’t study whether it was a cause-and-effect relationship, and more work on the topic is needed.
If you are looking to cut down your diet soda intake for any reason, make it easier on yourself by following these five tips:
1. Move slowly.
You’ve probably heard this expression a zillion times in your life: “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Well let’s make it a zillion and one. Small changes are usually more doable since they aren’t as demanding. It’s really hard for most people to quit something cold turkey. Not impossible; just really hard. So, if you are drinking one can a day now, first pick a day or two a week to take a day off. Then, once that’s habitual, try to add a few more diet soda-free days to your calendar. Before you know it, you’ll be down to zero cans.
[See: How to Make Healthful Dietary Changes Last a Lifetime.]
2. Find an alternative.
If you’re drinking soda because you love the carbonation and sweetness, try a glass of seltzer with either fresh fruit (lemon, lime, orange and watermelon work well) or a little bit of 100-percent fruit juice in place of every can (or bottle) you eliminate. There are also many flavored sparkling waters on the market made with only natural sweeteners. Going straight to unflavored seltzer might be a little hard; and water even more so. You need to seek out bubbles. Eventually, still water can make its way into your glass — and hopefully become a No. 1 alternative.
[See: The 10 Best Ways to Hydrate That Don’t Involve Water.]
3. Get more sleep.
For many diet soda drinkers, it’s the caffeine fix they are looking for; and probably, if they already liked coffee or tea, they wouldn’t have developed this soda habit to begin with. If that sounds like you, first try weaning yourself off the caffeinated diet sodas by switching to caffeine-free varieties. Again, do so slowly — especially since decreasing caffeine can cause some serious headaches at first. Next, wean off your caffeine-free soda. All the while, focus on getting more sleep. Relying less on caffeine throughout the day can only be seen as positive. If a midday slump is common for you, try reaching for a healthy snack instead of a diet soda to fuel you through the afternoon.
4. Announce your intention.
Sometimes, by announcing your intention to “the universe,” you become more accountable. Engaging a spouse, family member, friend or coworker whom you feel will support you can be quite helpful. Or, find someone who wants to quit their diet soda habit as well and work on it as a team. You can even share your journey on social media, where you’ll probably find others in the same boat. Who knows? You might even find a support group on Facebook.
[See: 6 Ways to Train Your Brain for Healthy Eating.]
5. Give yourself a break.
This is probably the most important tip. Whenever we try to change a habit, we have to allow ourselves the occasional slip. It’s really OK; no one is perfect. What matters is how we react afterward. So brush yourself off and grab a drink — of water, that is.
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How to Quit Your Diet Soda Habit in 5 Simple Steps originally appeared on usnews.com
