I drink a lot of soda. Anyone have any suggestions to help cut the soda out??

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Replies

  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    edited May 2017
    jjulliee wrote: »

    Maybe because a biochemist knows more about chemistry than a random doctor?
    Maybe because all the actual science says they're completely harmless?
    Even the European ones.
    https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/corporate/pub/factsheetaspartame
    Like, the big, really really big European authority on food safety.
    But why is it so important to you that people drink soda? Those of us who prefer not to aren't hurting anyone but the large beverage companies... and really not hurting them that much, based on on the people I see drinking soda.
    it's not important that people drink soda, it's important that they are able to make informed decisions about whether or not to ingest it based on science rather than woo

    This exactly. I don't deliberately consume HFCS, in fact, I fairly deliberately avoid it. It affects me metabolically and psychologically in a way that regular table sugar and artificial sweeteners don't. But I don't militate against HFCS.

    However, if someone mentions that they're experiencing parallel symptoms, I suggest that they take a look at HFCS, and try alternatives that might work for them.... then... I drop it. If they complain or mention the symptoms again, I may ask if they tried cutting out HFCS. and reiterate the suggestion if they haven't. after the second or third iteration, I ask them to either see a doctor, and stop bringing up the subject.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited May 2017
    I was a big soda drinker back in the day...3-6 sodas per day, and usually on the higher end. I quit drinking soda by just weening down. 1 per day for a couple of weeks...then 1 every couple of day...a couple per week...one per week, etc. Once I was down to 1 per week I really didn't think about it too much anymore and just stopped drinking them altogether save for here and there on a camping trip or something...I probably have 3 full sugar sodas per year now, if that.

    I'm cutting the winter fluff currently so I'm drinking a couple of diet root beers in the evening in lieu of regular beer...

    I also like bubbly and drink quite a bit of bubbly water like La Coix...I like the grapefruit flavor.
  • HealthyFit23
    HealthyFit23 Posts: 34 Member
    Wing yourself off - cut your daily intake in half every couple days. -or- Drink a big glass of water and then you can have a soda.
  • lucypstacy
    lucypstacy Posts: 178 Member
    I honestly used to drink 3-4 cans of Dr Pepper a day and maybe even a bottle or two. If I was in the car, I had to get a pop, and I drank one with about every meal. When I started looking at the calories I was consuming, that Dr Pepper turned out to be my biggest issue. So many calories that did nothing for me really.

    I cut it out completely at first. I had some headaches in the beginning, but the occasional coffee took care of that. After not touching a drop for around 3 weeks, I decided to have a can. I couldn't drink it! It was just so sweet and felt thick. I occasionally share a mini can now, but it really helped me just to drop it.

    What I did was switch to water. I used flavoring at first and now I've moved on to plain water. It really helped me quite a bit.
  • FlattoPhat
    FlattoPhat Posts: 22 Member
    edited May 2017
    Quit cold turkey. You may ve irritable from caffeine withdrawals.
  • smantha32
    smantha32 Posts: 6,990 Member
    Carbonated water with a little fruit flavoring.
  • shersherbaby
    shersherbaby Posts: 1 Member
    I love my Diet Dr. Pepper. I have cut it out cold turkey before, but the caffeine withdrawal headaches were brutal. I have now cut down to 2 cans a day. I don't like coffee or tea, so I need the caffeine, and cutting back has worked for me. I have 1 with lunch and 1 with dinner.
  • nissarayna
    nissarayna Posts: 70 Member
    I used to drink 1 maybe 2 16oz bottles a day on top of 5-6 cups of coffee (each with a teaspoon of sugar), before I started my "diet" January 23 this year, I quit cold turkey on the soda, and I'm down to maybe 3 coffees a week (still with a tsp of sugar as stevia is horrid to me in coffee), I found it easier to just stop as soon as I had decided to make a change. I can go decaf or not, but I practically gave up caffeine whilst pregnant with my daughter 11 years ago! Dropping soda and all that coffee, nutritious food and exercise has led to a 22lb weight loss!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    I think the lesson of the day is to not to start drinking soda everyday in the first place, save it for special occasions. Seeing the passion and desperate "you will pry my soda out of my cold dead hands" type posts, makes me glad i never picked up this habit. The thought of not being able to get through a whole day without a soda can glued to my hand, just really bothers me.
    It truly does comes across as an addiction that people will vehemently defend and justify to the end. This is just how it comes across to me from reading the never ending soda threads.
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    I think the lesson of the day is to not to start drinking soda everyday in the first place, save it for special occasions. Seeing the passion and desperate "you will pry my soda out of my cold dead hands" type posts, makes me glad i never picked up this habit. The thought of not being able to get through a whole day without a soda can glued to my hand, just really bothers me.
    It truly does comes across as an addiction that people will vehemently defend and justify to the end. This is just how it comes across to me from reading the never ending soda threads.

    I'd kill anyone who tried to take tea away from my life. That doesn't mean tea is addictive.
  • kmwmart
    kmwmart Posts: 2 Member
    edited May 2017
    I used to have the same issue - now I get the flavored Perrier and I find it REALLY helps kick the pop craving. I haven't had a pop in weeks since switching to Perrier - I am thinking the carbonation helps me. I usually by a box of each flavor and take one can to work with me every day. If I crave pop, I have the Perrier instead and the pop craving is gone.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    I think the lesson of the day is to not to start drinking soda everyday in the first place, save it for special occasions. Seeing the passion and desperate "you will pry my soda out of my cold dead hands" type posts, makes me glad i never picked up this habit. The thought of not being able to get through a whole day without a soda can glued to my hand, just really bothers me.
    It truly does comes across as an addiction that people will vehemently defend and justify to the end. This is just how it comes across to me from reading the never ending soda threads.

    I'd kill anyone who tried to take tea away from my life. That doesn't mean tea is addictive.

    Yes, but can you go a day without it without killer headaches and climbing the walls? I love tea and coffee too, but i don't HAVE to have it everyday, if i don't drink any i don't suffer through horrible symptoms.

    I can't see myself starting a thread asking how to get over my tea addiction...

    As you probably know, I've had addiction problems in the past, and that reliance on having to have something everyday to to get through that day just grates me the wrong way. I think this is my main issue.
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    I think the lesson of the day is to not to start drinking soda everyday in the first place, save it for special occasions. Seeing the passion and desperate "you will pry my soda out of my cold dead hands" type posts, makes me glad i never picked up this habit. The thought of not being able to get through a whole day without a soda can glued to my hand, just really bothers me.
    It truly does comes across as an addiction that people will vehemently defend and justify to the end. This is just how it comes across to me from reading the never ending soda threads.

    I'd kill anyone who tried to take tea away from my life. That doesn't mean tea is addictive.

    Yes, but can you go a day without it without killer headaches and climbing the walls? I love tea and coffee too, but i don't HAVE to have it everyday, if i don't drink any i don't suffer through horrible symptoms.

    I can't see myself starting a thread asking how to get over my tea addiction...

    As you probably know, I've had addiction problems in the past, and that reliance on having to have something everyday to to get through that day just grates me the wrong way. I think this is my main issue.

    If you drank a lot of coffee you would because it's the same thing in coffee as in sodas that causes the killer headaches if you go cold turkey.
    After the first week in my last internship I had a horrible headache on the weekend because I gladly took the free coffee. I only had 1-2 cups per day but because I usually never drink coffee...
  • endlessfall16
    endlessfall16 Posts: 932 Member
    I think the lesson of the day is to not to start drinking soda everyday in the first place, save it for special occasions. Seeing the passion and desperate "you will pry my soda out of my cold dead hands" type posts, makes me glad i never picked up this habit. The thought of not being able to get through a whole day without a soda can glued to my hand, just really bothers me.
    It truly does comes across as an addiction that people will vehemently defend and justify to the end. This is just how it comes across to me from reading the never ending soda threads.

    I'd kill anyone who tried to take tea away from my life. That doesn't mean tea is addictive.

    In this case, tea drives your addictive behavior.

    But how often is something addictive for everyone? Alcoholic addiction is real but it's no more appealing than a diet coke for me.

  • BurlzGettingFit
    BurlzGettingFit Posts: 115 Member
    I think the lesson of the day is to not to start drinking soda everyday in the first place, save it for special occasions. Seeing the passion and desperate "you will pry my soda out of my cold dead hands" type posts, makes me glad i never picked up this habit. The thought of not being able to get through a whole day without a soda can glued to my hand, just really bothers me.
    It truly does comes across as an addiction that people will vehemently defend and justify to the end. This is just how it comes across to me from reading the never ending soda threads.

    I'd kill anyone who tried to take tea away from my life. That doesn't mean tea is addictive.

    Yes, but can you go a day without it without killer headaches and climbing the walls? I love tea and coffee too, but i don't HAVE to have it everyday, if i don't drink any i don't suffer through horrible symptoms.

    I can't see myself starting a thread asking how to get over my tea addiction...

    As you probably know, I've had addiction problems in the past, and that reliance on having to have something everyday to to get through that day just grates me the wrong way. I think this is my main issue.

    I know lots of people who you'd have to pry coffee form their cold dead hands and could never snd will never go a day without it.

    I don't get all the hoopla over pop. *kitten* drink it or don't, who the *kitten* cares?
  • BurlzGettingFit
    BurlzGettingFit Posts: 115 Member
    Sorry @christine_72 I was using a general you in my post. Frustration isn't directed towards you and I apologize if it came across that way.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Sorry @christine_72 I was using a general you in my post. Frustration isn't directed towards you and I apologize if it came across that way.

    All good :smile: I didn't take it that way at all.
  • domf_0105
    domf_0105 Posts: 75 Member
    I used to drink alot of diet soda and diet iced tea as well, but i've cut those out, and have been drinking flavored seltzer steadily for a couple of years now.
  • C_Victoria_C
    C_Victoria_C Posts: 1 Member
    You should try la croix, it's sparkling seltzer water with fruit flavor, the lemon or lime ones taste like sprite, there's a little bit of a bitter taste but it's zero calorie, zero sugar, and zero carb. You're basically just drinking water.