Diet Coke Dragon

[Kirkland]

I am on Day 19 of my first whole 30 and overall it is going very well. I found I like ghee better than butter, I am no longer missing pasta/bread/grains, I feel better and I am sleeping better, and I know my sugar dragon is though not quite slain at least considerably tamed. My diet coke dragon, however, has not stopped trying to burn me alive.

Before starting whole 30 I thought we ate very well as family, now I would say we ate ok before after realizing how much sugar was hiding in our food (dill pickles SERIOUSLY!!) My major vice though was diet coke. The first week I knew it would be hard I was prepared for that, but I was not expecting it to still be this hard. It is the only major craving I am still having, it is not one that lasts for 3 -5 min or even 15 to 30 min, it is almost constant and I can not seem to kick it. When my Aunt Flow arrived to visit a few days early yesterday I hit a very solid brick wall and continued to beat my head bloody against all day. 

I have tried both La Costa and spindrift and have come to enjoy them they are great for that 3pm woo-saw in my workday, but they in no way diminish my desperate want of a diet coke. I have learned to like black coffee and even have tried the Runa clean energy drinks thinking maybe it is just the caffeine and I need that bost, and again I enjoy these but it in no way helps with appealing this dragon. As I am nearing the home stretch of my whole 30 I am worried that I still have not seen a change in the burning desire for the most unhealthy thing I put in my body.  I am confident that I am going to continue to eat whole 30ish at the end of the reintroduction (I need some dairy in my life though) and I know that I have a MUCH healthier relationship with food, but I am not at all confident about not drinking diet coke. 

Is there something I am doing wrong?

or

Is it possible my body has a legitimate need for something else and is trying to get it here?  Like people who are iron deficient in iron will very often crave chewing on ice.

At this point, I am only hanging on by the hope that on day 31 (because I am not in a rush to reintroduce anything else) I am going to drink one and not like it anymore, and that will, in turn, put an end to the cravings. Almost like an ex-smoker who feels like they desperately want a cigarette and when they have one feel sick and disgusted by it now.

Has anyone else been through this, was there anything that I haven't already tried that worked for you?

SK

 

[laura_juggles]

Those artificial sugars in diet sodas are crazy addictive. You're completely right in that it's like an ex-smoker who still wants a cigarette. 

I would recommend not giving in and having a diet coke on day 31. Do the other reintros and save diet soda for last. Personally, I loved Quest bars before my first Whole30 and dutifully cut them out for the 30 days and through my reintros. Couple weeks after I finished the W30, I had a big crazy event at my gym and thought "Let me grab a Quest Bar because I will be on the run all day". Had a good breakfast before my scheduled 3 hours teaching at the gym (not a usual day for me; it was a big event). Nearing the end when I was feeling peckish, I took a big bite of the bar and thought I was going to die. It tasted so horrible. Haven't had a Quest bar since. 

It might be the same for you with diet coke or it might not. 

Are you drinking coffee or black tea? I'm wondering if your craving for diet coke could partially be because your body's looking for the caffeine from it. 

[Kirkland]

laura_Juggles,

Thank you for your feedback and encouragement. I am taking in about 4 cups (1 big travel mag) of black coffee almost every day. I usually have an unsweetened glass of orange black tea at dinner. I have added in the Runa clean energy drinks around 3 if I feel like I need it as well. I would say this doesn't fit they classic craving model. It does not last 3 -5 min and once I get through the moment I am over it. It is an almost constant want. If I am not drinking something else my body is crying out for diet coke. I am proud of myself for making it 23.2 days, and I know my body is reacting well to the program in many ways, this one just has me stumped. 

I know my body does not need diet coke, but I am wondering if it legitimately needs something else and diet coke is tricking my body into thinking that need is being met, hence why it is crying out for it relentlessly. Like people who are iron deficient in iron will very often chew on ice a lot or those deficient in chloride will crave chips and popcorn and anything salty. 

I only have 6 days left, and I can not say this has improved for me at all over the course of my 1st run if anything it has gotten worse as time has gone on. I am going to see my doctor in about 2 weeks and I am going to chat with her about in hopes she might be able to shed some light on it. Overall this has been a very positive experience for me physically and emotionally. I know I still have work to do but I feel like I have gotten a bit of boost style start.  I want to keep moving forward with what I have been practicing overall, and my plan is to add dairy back in (if my reintroduction goes well) and stick to the rest 95% of the time. I know that can be a crux point. Fake sugar is in many ways worse for our body than the real stuff, it pulls our system out of wack in so many ways. I don't want to lose the positive progress I have made, and I don't think I can keep this up longterm without some kind of relief.  

[ShannonM816]

So, have you ever considered giving up caffeine for a while? Sort of the way Whole30 asks you to give up certain foods for a while to see how you do without them, you could try giving up the caffeine. I know this is never a popular suggestion, but I wonder if giving up all the caffeine for a while would help you kick the diet coke habit too -- like maybe this is your mind saying, but we can have these other things, why not the diet coke? and if you just said, nope, not having any of the things, it would eventually get the message and stop?

I'm not saying stop drinking it right now, but think about it for the future. Maybe start working on cutting back -- half-caff coffee in the morning. Decaf/herbal tea at dinner. Replace the energy drink with a big glass of water in the afternoon.  (And on that note, do be sure you're drinking plenty of water -- aim for 1/2 oz per pound of body weight, so a 120-lb person needs at least 60 oz.)  

If you want to read some thoughts on what giving up caffeine might do for you, take a look at this:  https://whole30.com/2011/03/caffeine-clean-four-months-without-coffee/ 

[SugarcubeOD]

I was actually thinking of you last night and wanted to say that this is what addiction is... if you are addicted to Diet Coke and the fake sweeteners etc... it's not a 'craving' like when sometimes we crave chocolate cake.  This sounds more to me like actual addiction which takes often longer than 20 days and can be really brutal.  I would suggest you give up any kind of fizzy water which may be keeping your addiction at the forefront of your mind and honestly, look up some ways that people with addictions to smoking and other recreational drugs or other foods deal with it.  Treat it like it's serious, not just like you're not doing it 'right' enough to get out from under it.

[ladyshanny]

On 6/22/2018 at 4:52 AM, Kirkland said:

Almost like an ex-smoker who feels like they desperately want a cigarette and when they have one feel sick and disgusted by it now.

The problem, in my personal experience, is that even after a lengthy quit, when that cigarette was completely appalling and made me want to barf, I was still back to smoking within a couple of days.

A legitimate addiction doesn't just pass, unfortunately. The chemicals and crap they put in those drinks are there to MAKE you addicted. It's sad and scary and disgusting that they are allowed to do that..........your way out is to completely avoid. Forever, perhaps. It gets easier.

[Kirkland]

Thank you all for the support and encouragement, feedback and advice. I will say you all make some valid points that bear weight, but I think I have found the problem. Apparently, according to my Dr., It is very common for those who deficient in Calcium and Manganese to crave cold soda. This made so much sense to me especially with taking all dairy out of my diet. I ate quite a bit of dairy before whole 30, as well as OJ with added calcium, and daily chewable that was high in calcium and was not whole 30 complaint. We are waiting on blood work but she wants me taking an OTC Calcium supplement for sure, and may do a prescription on depending on blood work. Adding in more of the Darker greens like kale, (I am more of a spinach girl I put that stuff in everything)  As well as more nuts and blueberries to boast Manganese intake. Fingers crossed

 

[Tarrantrl]

Hey @Kirkland, I know it's only been a week but I'm really interested to see if this supplementation plan helped with your cravings! How are things going?