Diet S.O.S.: How to kick the diet-soda addiction

>>> this morning on joy's diet s.o.s., your resolutions whether trying to stay on a diet, need help staying ontrack or air stressed our "today" nutritionist joy bauer has great tips for you.

>> happy new year to you. can't even talk.

>> still trying to get all the weather. let's go to skype. we have melissa from massachusetts. melissa , happy new year.

>> happy new year, al.

>> thank you. what is your question?

>> happy new year.

>> this year my resolution is to kick my addiction to diet soda . any ideas for a plan of attack ?

>> oh, i love this resolution. i'm always encouraging people to pull back on some of the artificial sweeteners they take in. you have two options. you can either go cold turkey , a lot of people just like to wipe it out completely in one swoop so they're not tempted. or you can just dramatically cut back. so if you go with that option this is what i would tell you to do. allow yourself one daily diet soda and push it, save it for between lunch and dinner. this way you look forward to it. it's a treat and you're not using it up with a meal when your taste buds are already excited and engaged by the food. and then after a few weeks assess it. do you still need that one daily soda fix? if you do, fine. if you don't, give it the boot. get rid of it.

>> all right. melissa , good luck.

>> it's a great question. thank you.

>> really. the next one is good too. we have mary jane in lansing, michigan, on the phone. happy new year, mary jane .

>> happy new year.

>> you've got a stress question.

>> i do. how do i stay ontrack? i seem to stay motivated until a stressful situation strikes and then i go right to my cupboard. do you have any suggestions?

>> yes. i want you to follow a three-step interference plan. before you reach for food you're going to do three different strategic activities. and hopefully that is going to help defuse the urge to emotionally eat. so first you're going to grab a stress ball and pump it for five minutes. then you're going to get up, do 100 jumping jacks either regular or modified. this is going to help you rechannel some of that frustration and anxiety. the third thing is to make a hot cup of tea that you're going to nurse. this will help to calm you down. so write these three things down on paper, post it on the refrigerate aon make sure it is front and center the next time you go grab for some food.

>> good luck.

>> our director tried that but when he is doing the jumping jacks kept spilling his drink. we've got a few more e-mail questions. tina from pitsfield, massachusetts writes i was diagnosed with diabetes this past month and put on medication. my resolution for 2012 is to get my blood sugar under control. what are the most important things i should be doing? really good question.

>> great question. most people with diabetes know that they should layoff the sweets and you want to minimize the starchy carbs. rice, pasta, potatoes. fill your plate with ample protein and nonstarchy vegetables. what most people don't realize, there are two other powerful ways that you can stabilize your blood sugar . the first is if she is overweight, lose ten pounds. because losing just a small amount of weight, al, could have a significant impact for the better on your blood sugars. and the second thing is to walk 30 minutes a day. exercise increases sensitivity which then keeps your blood sugars nice and even keel. that is really going to help her blood sugar .