I never drank real soda, only diet for my whole life, until about 10 years ago. I completely gave up soda, diet or otherwise when I realized it did not quench my thirst, but only seemed to make me thirstier. I took up unsweetened ice tea,a great thirst quencher, and now cannot stand soda or sweetened drinks, except honey in my morning coffee.
I do love seltzer water with lime and sometimes a splash of cherry juice in the summer.
I am addicted to sweets, but if I'm going to eat it, I want the real thing. I do not do artificial sweeteners of any kind.
I also gave up salting anything when cooking it and never use the salt shaker at the table. A lot of ingredients that I cook with have plenty of salt already and now I cannot stand to use the bottled and packaged marinades, salad dressings and just about any processed food as the salt is overwhelming. Why do they have to put so much blasted salt in packaged foods?
I can't break my husband of the salt shaker habit. He salts everything before he even tastes it. One more good reason not to salt the food I am cooking.
Now if only I could break the sugar addiction.
I know it's hard to do but of course the simpler you can eat, the better. Now if I could only put that theory to practical use!