Cutting Out Soda
jlsmash
Posts: 2 Member
I have a problem with soda. I can easily throw down at least 3 a day. How can I beat the addiction without feeling like I’m missing out on something??
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Replies
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Drink diet!21
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How big a serving do you usually have? Sugary or nonsugary? Are you interested in cutting out caffeine, sugar, aspartame? All/none of the above? Have you tried carbonated fruit flavored waters? Personally I hate mineral waters like La Croix, but love the sweeter zero cslorie Sunny Select Fruit Fizz. (Like Clearly Canadians) Why you want to cut down can help determine the best or easiest way to do it.4
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Drink less of it, perhaps.
I'm immensely happier enjoying a 200 ml can on weekends with lunch and being at goal weight much more than I did when I drank it all day when I was fat.
I switched to sparkling mineral water all day instead, which satisfies my "addiction" to fizzy drinks, and find it much more refreshing.
Leaves me more calories for a wine with dinner!
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There are some great suggestions here. If you feel like you need a drink with a "fizzy feeling", you could try something like club soda and add lemon, lime or whatever you want to enhance the flavour. I'm not personally a soda fan but I do this to switch things up when I feel like something other than water, which is what I mainly drink.3
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Le Croix ftw!!!!3
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Coke Zero Sugar12
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Figure out what you like and find a substitute, if it's caffeine, drink coffee, if it's the sweet taste, diet version, if it's the fizz, soda water. Cut down to smaller portions first sticking to same number of portions, then reduce number of portiions. You can do this5
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And put the money you would have spent towards some kind of reward if you can, for extra incentive4
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If you’re wanting to cut down for reasons related to the health of your teeth I’d recommend against fruit juices or water with lemon/lime. I’ve started drinking peppermint tea and coffee a lot more since I quit soda, as well as trying to drink water more. It’s not as fun but I can’t deal with how awful those drinks are for your teeth.2
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You beat the "addiction" by realizing that you're not addicted, it's just a bad habit you like. Your attitudes are inside your head, you feel what you tell yourself. If you tell yourself that drinking soda every day is normal, then not drinking soda every day will feel like deprivation.18
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I have a problem with soda. I can easily throw down at least 3 a day. How can I beat the addiction without feeling like I’m missing out on something??
I use to drink 3-4 cans of Coke a day and just quit "cold turkey." Haven't had a Coke or soda of any kind since.
Sugar (refined, artifical or natural is not physically addictive; nothing that causes physical withdrawal symptoms if you stop eating it.
Psychological dependency or addiction is another matter.
There's a reason why EVERYONE loves sweets. It tastes good and we almost always want more of it starting w/the first taste as a child.
The only thing that happened when I stopped drinking soda was that I lost weight. That was incentive enough to CHOOSE not to drink a soda ever again.
If you just can't say no to regular soda then trying to find a low cal substitute, like diet soda, water or tea/coffee (w/o cream & sugar, of course) would be your only other option.
Good luck!8 -
I have a problem with soda. I can easily throw down at least 3 a day. How can I beat the addiction without feeling like I’m missing out on something??
I use to drink 3-4 cans of Coke a day and just quit "cold turkey." Haven't had a Coke or soda of any kind since.
Sugar (refined, artifical or natural is not physically addictive; nothing that causes physical withdrawal symptoms if you stop eating it.
Psychological dependency or addiction is another matter.
There's a reason why EVERYONE loves sweets. It tastes good and we almost always want more of it starting w/the first taste as a child.
The only thing that happened when I stopped drinking soda was that I lost weight. That was incentive enough to CHOOSE not to drink a soda ever again.
If you just can't say no to regular soda then trying to find a low cal substitute, like diet soda, water or tea/coffee (w/o cream & sugar, of course) would be your only other option.
Good luck!
I quit cold turkey aswell. I started mfp and looked at my daily calorie allotment and realized I'd much rather eat something for 200 calories than waste it on a beverage!4 -
Try buying the mini cans instead of a larger can or bottle. The mini cokes and sprites have 90 calories.4
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YUP! Because I know its a lot less soda i savor it for my whole meal. Later i eventually was able to even leave some soda from the mini cans.1 -
I used to drink 3-6 per day...I just weened it back a little at a time and it became something I looked forward to as a treat rather than a regularity throughout the day. I eventually got it down to 1 at lunch on Fridays and then none. The only time I have a full sugar soda these days is in October when we go to our local pumpkin farm and they brew there own Sarsaparilla and my 7 year old and I enjoy one together.2
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I cut down to a strict limit of two a day. Then one. Now I drink unsweetened tea on weekdays (high quality loose leaf with fruit flavors helps) but I do allow myself some on weekends and holidays with the strict limit of two max. Keeping it in a routine where I get some kept me from being "you mean I'll NEVER get Mountain Dew EVER again? Forget that."0
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I just to drink alot of sodas especially Big Red but to me it was easy since i had Sweet Tea and then that became a problem so i started drinking the water and ease up on the tea and never look back on sodas----once in a blue moon i will drink one--but i don't have to have it---it's a challenge but for me it was not that bad1
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YUP! Because I know its a lot less soda i savor it for my whole meal. Later i eventually was able to even leave some soda from the mini cans.
exactly!!! same here!!
my sister gets the big cans and think I'm silly to get the small ones, but man I try to save at least some calories and still enjoy a little soda
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I gave up soda. Replaced it with crystal light not that I was excited. Then I found a infuser and pitcher now flavored water has replaced it all. I never have liked water but there is something really clean and refreshing about cucumber and lemon water. I use to drink soda as my only source of liquids even diet the only way I could control myself mentally was just to decide never to have it again.0
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I used to drink coke daily. If you are used to drinking a few a day, start by limiting to just one. Then maybe only a few a week, then one. Eventually it will get easier! I think this is a much easier way rather than just quitting cold turkey.0
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I gave up soda years ago, but sometimes I really want the fizz. Naturally flavored sparkling waters or Club soda with a lime hit the spot for me.0
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I had the same problem. Addicted to soda and gaining weight!!! Two years ago I switched to diet and its so amazing. Tastes great for 0 calories. Only problem now is i see my enamel is going away so now I'm trying to cut out all sodas entirely for the sake of my enamel.0
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seashellybob wrote: »I have a problem with soda. I can easily throw down at least 3 a day. How can I beat the addiction without feeling like I’m missing out on something??
I use to drink 3-4 cans of Coke a day and just quit "cold turkey." Haven't had a Coke or soda of any kind since.
Sugar (refined, artifical or natural is not physically addictive; nothing that causes physical withdrawal symptoms if you stop eating it.
Psychological dependency or addiction is another matter.
There's a reason why EVERYONE loves sweets. It tastes good and we almost always want more of it starting w/the first taste as a child.
The only thing that happened when I stopped drinking soda was that I lost weight. That was incentive enough to CHOOSE not to drink a soda ever again.
If you just can't say no to regular soda then trying to find a low cal substitute, like diet soda, water or tea/coffee (w/o cream & sugar, of course) would be your only other option.
Good luck!
I quit cold turkey aswell. I started mfp and looked at my daily calorie allotment and realized I'd much rather eat something for 200 calories than waste it on a beverage!
If I had been a sugary soda drinker (or someone who consumed similar calories in coffee beverages daily) when I decided to lose weight, I think I would have made the same decision, as I hate wasting calories on drinks.
Someone who drinks only black coffee or diet soda or even coffee with a small amount of calories in it only doesn't really have the same incentive.1 -
I switched to diet and now I actually prefer it. I used to hate diet soda and thought it tasted gross but now I don’t like regular because it’s too “sweet” or syrupy or something.0
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I too try the cold turkey route. For me it's hard sometimes because that morning soda was my morning caffeine. Having the ever present bottle of water helped. I have also started to experiment with various teas. I just had a hot cup of peach tea. I feel like I got my "sweet" but at no calories.0
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I too try the cold turkey route. For me it's hard sometimes because that morning soda was my morning caffeine. Having the ever present bottle of water helped. I have also started to experiment with various teas. I just had a hot cup of peach tea. I feel like I got my "sweet" but at no calories.
When I first went cold turkey, I would sometimes have a cup of hot tea. But I was also really trying to kick the caffeine because on a day I didn't have any, I'd end up with a horrendous afternoon headache.0 -
I quit soda 'cold turkey' and replaced it with la croix waters. It fulfills my need to reach for a can of something carbonated. Now I can't stand the taste of Coke/Pepsi.0
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yeah drink sugar free versions, problem solved
optimal? probably not but dropping weight >>>>>>>> anything else health wise2 -
I'm quitting now, just posting how many days without soda was keeping me accountable, until Pepsi Black Ice came on sale and I bought some. Soda isn't the devil, but I feel that I drink less water when I have my sodas.
So tomorrow I'm counting down and my goal is to make it Saturday - Saturday without any soda.0
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