I was never a huge pop drinker (mainly with dinner) but I stopped drinking any pop on a daily basis about 9 years ago when I decided to lose weight. I first substituted water and did this for many years. In the last year or so I've started to drink Crystal Light with dinner most nights.
I think the easiest way to get yourself off of pop is just not to buy any. I know it sounds too simple, but if it's not in the house, you can't drink it. Bring a couple of bottles of water to work with you every day (I do this. Actually I bring 3 on Monday and wash them out each night during the week, refilling them in the AM with filtered tap water.) Don't keep change at your desk so you won't be tempted to hit the vending machine.
For the first few weeks, I think it's just going to come down to sheer will power. After 3 or 4 weeks, it will be so much easier, believe me. I now even let myself have a diet pop once in a while as a treat (and it feels like a treat too!)
I don't know how you feel about artificial sweeteners (I mean for all I know that's why you're giving up Diet Coke to begin with!), but I drink Crystal Light (like Boots said) and they make one called "Wild Strawberry Energy" that has 60 mg caffeine in it. So that might satisfy your sweet tooth and give you some caffeine (I'm betting your headaches are because of you getting less caffeine?)
(There are other caffeinated powdered drink mixes but most of them have almost triple the amount of caffeine so I try to stay away from them - too easy to OD!)
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Fashion is art you live your life in. - Devil Wears Prada | formerly ttara123
I agree with others who said switch to Crystal Light. You are probably getting headaches because of caffeine withdrawal. Not fun! Switching to something with less caffeine will help lessen your dependence on it.
Ditto on the caffeine withdrawals and consider iced tea, if you don't want the artificial ingredients. I feel you. I used to drink a lot of DC and I quit cold turkey. (I didn't give up caffeine completely at the same time, I still drank coffee.)
I was a 3-a-day Coke (real sugary Coke) drinker up until 2 months ago. I started working out and just had to quit cold turkey. It sucked at first but I no longer crave it. Once you get past the first few days, you'll be fine.
Well, maybe I'll go cold turkey and drink iced green tea. I could easily make that in the morning. That's what I used to drink in High School. I didn't really start drinking pop until college. After college I switched from regular to diet, but I just feel its time to rid myself of aspartame.