You've gotten a lot of good advice from everyone else. Some of it contradicting others but none of it wrong. Everyone is SOOO different about these things.

Here's my experience, for what it's worth.

I was a die hard Diet Pepsi drinker - that was how I got virtually all of my fluid and generally had 8 to 12 cans a day. Somedays I hit nearly a case. On all prior diet attempts, I never gave up the Diet Pepsi - didn't see the point.

But I decided to strictly follow the Rules of Induction (and did, except for a very slight slip on one meal when eating out) which included giving up caffeine and recommended giving up aspartame. So I figured I could do without my cherished DP for two weeks and then start it again.

Well, Day 2 was ultra miserable with a massive day long headache. Don't know whether the carb withdrawal or the caffeine withdrawal contributed more. But I forced myself to drink LOTS and LOTS of water. Day 3 and Day 4 were much better and I was going strong by Day 5. And I realized that I didn't have any desire to drink a can of DP! On Day 6 I took the rest of my stock in to work for everyone else and even though there is plenty of DP in the fridge here, I haven't had, or wanted, a single can.

I really don't think this would be the case if I had merely tried to cut down - addictions usually don't work that way.

So, that's my $0.02 worth. Draw from it whatever might apply to you and best of luck.