I drink a lot of soda. Anyone have any suggestions to help cut the soda out??
davisfanny
Posts: 35 Member
Most my calories come from drinking soda. MT Dew is my biggest issue. I get headaches from lack of caffeine....
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Replies
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Diet soda.53
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17
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Right. I just can't do it. I'm trying hard just to cut down to one a day and trying hard to increase my water intake.-1
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Coffee8
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Cold turkey for 6-8 weeks. After I did that, I found I just couldn't stomach the stuff anymore. It was undrinkable.30
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davisfanny wrote: »Right. I just can't do it. I'm trying hard just to cut down to one a day and trying hard to increase my water intake.
Force yourself to drink diet soda for two weeks straight. My family's pretty large, but even they can't go back to real soda unless it involves bourbon.16 -
Have you tried Zevia? I don't drink much soda, but once in awhile I'll have a Zevia (zero calorie) soda. They're sweetened with stevia which I think is better for you than the artificial sweeteners. The cola ones have caffeine. My husband was a die-hard Mt. Dew fan and he's made the switch.7
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Flavored tea is a pretty good choice. You can get it with or without caffeine. You may be able to taper off caffeine gradually, so that you're less uncomfortable. The amount of caffeine you drink is something to bring up with your doctor, too. (Mine always asks me about that.)5
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RaeBeeBaby wrote: »Have you tried Zevia? I don't drink much soda, but once in awhile I'll have a Zevia (zero calorie) soda. They're sweetened with stevia which I think is better for you than the artificial sweeteners. The cola ones have caffeine. My husband was a die-hard Mt. Dew fan and he's made the switch.
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After a few days the headaches will go away. Trust me if I can quit pop anyone can. Try black coffee just to get the caffeine.12
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I used to really dislike the taste of diet pop so I cut it out altogether (the regular kind) but after a few weeks or months I tried again and now you couldn't pay me to drink regular pop. It feels like it leaves a film on my teeth. I much prefer to eat my sugar than drink it. Try cutting it out and either drinking coffee to replace the caffeine or take a caffeine pill to replace it.4
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Yeah, I think you honestly just have to stop entirely. You can cut down slowly, of course but I think that is really hard to do. Zevia is a great brand of of soda sweetened with stevia that you can get in caffeinated form. It's pricey, though.12
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I used to really dislike the taste of diet pop so I cut it out altogether (the regular kind) but after a few weeks or months I tried again and now you couldn't pay me to drink regular pop. It feels like it leaves a film on my teeth. I much prefer to eat my sugar than drink it. Try cutting it out and either drinking coffee to replace the caffeine or take a caffeine pill to replace it.
The teeth part was the first thing I noticed. When I did drink pop, it was staining my teeth and wearing down my enamel. I'm so happy I stopped4 -
RaeBeeBaby wrote: »Have you tried Zevia? I don't drink much soda, but once in awhile I'll have a Zevia (zero calorie) soda. They're sweetened with stevia which I think is better for you than the artificial sweeteners. The cola ones have caffeine. My husband was a die-hard Mt. Dew fan and he's made the switch.
I like the grapefruit the best because it seems less sweet to me. My husband likes the root beer, cream soda, and one called mountain (like Mt. Dew). There's about a dozen flavors I believe. It is a little pricey compared to the big brands, but I'll pay the extra for a healthier option.2 -
I cut out soda cold turkey in 2014. The only time I drink soda now is when we go out to a restaurant. Even then, I will share one with hubby and only take a few sips. Honestly, you won't miss it! Occasionally I have a craving. Then when I do get one, I take a couple of sips then don't want it any longer. I drink mostly water, no milk or juice. About once/week I will have an espresso or green tea the days leading up to my powerlifting meet.6
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When I started my weight loss phase I switched from regular to diet. Now, after several years of that, I recently switched from diet to coffee, (with 1 can of diet yet at lunch).2
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I went cold turkey and replaced it with Crystal Light. The cold turkey was because once I had one, I kept going so there was no "gradually cut down strategy". It was more habit based than anything.5
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If you want to keep drinking soda then just make yourself drink diet for a week or two until you get used to it. My husband HATED the taste of diet sodas and refused to drink them until a few years ago. He started with diet root beer because he thought it tasted more "normal" than the others. Now he drinks pretty much all of them except diet Mountain Dew.4
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I quit soda around 6 years ago minus the occasional sprite or ginger ale here and there. I was drinking 2-3 sodas a day, and it took about a week of being completely cut off from it before it began to be easy (subbed lemonade, water, and sweet tea). After 4 weeks, I had soda from going to an amusement park, it made me feel dehydrated and gross, and after that it was easier to quit. Now and then I'll take sips of soda to confirm the feeling, and I can tell you that it becomes overly sweet and you'll be able to recognize how it's been formulated to make you want more. I dropped 10 pounds that first summer just from cutting out soda. It's hard, but possible.4
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I started a pretty heavy MD addiction in high school (honor student--needed the caffeine after long nights of homework). I pretty much didn't shake my addiction until I was almost 30, when I realized that I was chugging a large coffee and an energy drink in the same day and still felt tired. Getting headaches from no caffeine is a sign that you need to cut yourself off.
I cannot drink diet soda because I can't tolerate any kind of artificial sweetener, and stevia makes me gag because it leaves a bitterness at the back of my throat no matter how small the amount. I weaned myself off soda by cutting it gradually with water over time, and then eventually switching to drinking more water and tea and what not. Going from that into a 30-day water-only challenge cut me off soda pretty solidly.
I still have a coffee or tea in the morning, but it's because I like coffee and tea, not because I need the caffeine. I have even managed to get down to only a little flavored creamer and no sugar!3 -
davisfanny wrote: »Most my calories come from drinking soda. MT Dew is my biggest issue. I get headaches from lack of caffeine....
We no longer buy it in our house.1 -
My sister quit cold turkey and just roughed out the headaches for a couple days. Take some Advil and you'll get through it. Quitting soda will be the easiest 20lbs you ever lost.15
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I've been cutting back to just a few cans a week. I replaced it with flavored sparkling waters- my favorite is the la croix brand.
I still get my morning coffee, though.2 -
no need to give up caffeine, switch to coffee and tea.
Or drink water and take caffeine pills, very cheap and a tablet is same as a cup of coffee.
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One thing you can do is only have one bottle in the fridge at any one time, with a rule that you can't put a new bottle in to chill until you finish the bottle you're drinking, this should help you cut down6
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Cold turkey for 6-8 weeks. After I did that, I found I just couldn't stomach the stuff anymore. It was undrinkable.
THIS! I loved my soda, back then. Now..well recently my son brought home a Cherry Coke Zero. I took a small sip to taste and then I took a larger gulp and that was it. After about 15 minutes my stomach became bloated again and hurt. I will not touch the stuff again.
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What, specifically, makes you want to drink more plain-water and less sweetened-and-flavored-and-carbonated water? Are you looking to decrease calories, sodium, or something else?1
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No such thing as can't in my vocabulary - cut back bit by bit or go cold turkey. You might get headaches but they'll be temporary.1
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I did buy a 12 pack of cherry coke zero witch I can drink. I do drink alot of tea. I keep it in the fridge. So today I am only drinking one MT. Dew. I do love juice. Thank you for all the great feedback.3
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