Diet Coke - Why you should stop drinking it

I seriously love Diet Coke.  I have drank it ever since high school.  Or maybe middle school?  I would drink it in the morning instead of coffee.  When I started working in retail, the GAP store I worked at was across the hall from the Food Court.  I would go to Chic Fil A and get refills on my Diet Coke all day long.  My co workers and I would keep our drinks in the back with our names on them.   There were times when I was easily drinking at least a 2 liter bottle of Diet Coke per day. I stopped drinking Diet Coke briefly when I was pregnant with each of my 3 children.  As soon as those nine months were over and I gave birth, the first thing I wanted was a Diet Coke.  In restaurants, I always order a Diet Coke.  And don't try to fool me with Diet Pepsi; I can tell the difference like any loyal fan can.

I have recently made a conscious effort to stop drinking so much Diet Coke.  It's bad for your kidneys, it's bad for weight loss, it can actually make you fat, and on and on.  Here are some articles that you can read on why it's bad for you:

MSN ariticle on side effects of diet soda

Today.com article on diet sodas

Diet sodas make you FAT?

Yes it has bad stuff in it that can hurt your body.  But Diet Coke can make you FAT? Now you've got my attention.  From the MSN.com article: "Diet soda doesn't help you lose weight after all. A University of Texas Health Science Center study found that the more diet sodas a person drank, the greater their risk of becoming overweight. Downing just two or more cans a day increased waistlines by 500%. Why? Artificial sweeteners can disrupt the body's natural ability to regulate calorie intake based on the sweetness of foods, suggested an animal study from Purdue University. That means people who consume diet foods might be more likely to overeat, because your body is being tricked into thinking it's eating sugar, and you crave more."

I have stopped bringing it into my house, so at least I won't have them in my refrigerator.  I was at Walmart the other day and reached into the cold case near the check out line to grab a Diet Coke.  Then I remembered I was trying to avoid it.  I think I am more tempted by Diet Coke than I am by the candy in the checkout lanes.  How messed up is that?  One day at a time, I guess.