Addicted to Soda

FitToBeKim

I use to drink a 12 pack of Mt Dew a day, by myself for years I went to Diet Dew but the aspartame made me ill.
Now I make tea with Stevia for 0 calories. Drink it all the time, almost a pitcher a day.

I also wanted to say GREAT JOB on weaning down to 20 oz !! That is an awesome job !!

PippiNe

Maybe try a different version of the weaning process. One day quit cold turkey, the day after, have up to your 20oz. Alternate for a few days like this, then try to go 2 days without, but allow yourself 20 oz. on the third day. Repeat this for several days. Continue to extend your period of going without until your cravings subside to the point you feel confident to give it up completely. Sometimes quitting cold turkey right away from something you still want badly backfires. Slowly show yourself you really can live without it, and you may have better luck. Just an idea. Best wishes for success!

Lleldiranne

A lot of good advice already, and I'm probably just seconding everything:

Try switching to Diet as you make the transition - less sugars and empty calories (and the artificial sweetener isn't that much worse than all that sugar, especially if you're still cutting back)

Don't go into convenience stores if that's a weak spot. Get rid of all your refillable cups, and pay at the pump :laugh:

Similarly, don't even go down the aisle at the grocery store. Pick a checkout line that doesn't have the cooler there. If you aren't walking past it, you won't be tempted to buy it.

My husband and I love our soda; we've been able to buy it in the cans, a case at a time, and store it under our bed. We get one can a day (12 oz). It's not in a super easy place to get, so there's less chance of us thoughtlessly grabbing it. This strategy may help you limit yourself again, to 1 can a day, then 1 every other day, etc. But if having a whole case in the house means that you are likely to drink it all in a couple of days, don't!! (We chose to drink diet)

I don't think it's necessary to completely cut soda out of your diet. You've done good at cutting back so far, just keep working on it. Allow yourself a treat from time to time, but if you chose the full-sugar ones make sure to allow for it in your calories and carbs for the day (don't have dessert that day, or something … but don't cut out fruit for soda!! ). And like I mentioned, if you're only having 20 oz a day or less, I think the possible risks of artificial sweeteners is no greater than the negative effects of that much sugar in a day. (And yes, I recognize that other things about soda aren't great either, like the carmel coloring and the carbonation. I just pick which junk foods I allow and soda is one of them for me) It's up to you if you want to practice moderation and have some once in a while or cut it completely

QueenBishOTUniverse

I was able to wean myself down to 20oz because I have to go to the store to buy it. By avoiding the store except on my way to work, I've been able to keep from getting more. Funny thing is, I decided that going to 12oz was the next logical step, except that they only come in 12 packs, which meant I had access to more than one a day, which meant I started drinking more than one a day. Anyways, I know it's the mental part that I have to overcome, and the jitters and headaches will get better, I just have to keep pushing. I suppose I'm just hoping there's some miracle drug that inhibits the effect of all that sugar so I could still enjoy it without the unfortunate side effects.

Oh and Darling, I had read about the Brominated Vegetable oil. It's really freaky and does help me say no every once in a while. It's crazy to think that stuff is banned in several other first world countries, but not in the States.

I had a horrible soda addiction through highschool and on. One thing that I know kicked it for me at least when I was in college, was really intense regular exercise. After a few weeks of kicking my butt in the gym soda just started tasting NASTY. Too sweat, too syrupy, and I just really didn't want it any more because it wouldn't do a thing to help with my being thirsty. Issue being that when I wasn't exercising at that level, the cravings came back.....

Now PLEASE, no one hurt me for saying this, because I am not recommending this as a diet or anything else, just an honest personal experience. My husband and I did the HCG thing for a month a little over two years ago. We did lose weight but gained it all right back. The reason I am mentioning it however is because I was heavy soda addicted before we started, and by week 1 the soda cravings were gone, and they have NEVER come back. Every once in a while I can have and enjoy a soda, but we're talking MAYBE once a week when we're out at diner. Before, I could get a soda craving at 2 in the morning, and I wouldn't be able to sleep until I got my hands on a coke.

I know it's a weird side effect, and even I have a hard time attributing it to the HCG, but I have to be honest and admit that it's the only correlating factor I can point to.

hisbeautifulangel

I was addicted as well. One day when the soda ran out I said OK this is it, no more soda in the house. When I was able to "detox" from the pop and not have the "withdrawals" I let my husband bring pop back into the house and I was able to not touch it. I allow myself pop every once in a while but that's it. I've also noticed that since cutting out pop things have become too sweet for me now. Such as apple juice, apple sauce, power aid, etc

mollywhippet

I quit a huge soda habit cold turkey more than 30 years ago and I STILL dream of the taste of Diet Pepsi. Now I only drink water. If I had tried to just cut down I don't think it would have worked for me. It was all or nothing.

spatulathumbs

You just have to make the decision to change. It's as simple, and as difficult, as that. Stop buying the soda. Don't even go down the aisle, shop at the store, or have the money to do it. Try a glass of iced tea or water with lemon or cucumber in it and just make the decision, one day at a time, one drink choice at a time. You already know it's terrible for you, and you don't like diet (smart man, it's awful) but you need the push to do it. Nobody can come there and make you do it, you know you need to do it for yourself.

Hildy_J

*massive generalisation klaxon*

It does seem that adults drinking fizzy drinks is more of an American habit? In England it's usually just kids or students who drink it.

Adults drink tea - or beer.

Not judging just commenting...

addicted2cola

I was able to wean myself down to 20oz because I have to go to the store to buy it. By avoiding the store except on my way to work, I've been able to keep from getting more. Funny thing is, I decided that going to 12oz was the next logical step, except that they only come in 12 packs, which meant I had access to more than one a day, which meant I started drinking more than one a day. Anyways, I know it's the mental part that I have to overcome, and the jitters and headaches will get better, I just have to keep pushing. I suppose I'm just hoping there's some miracle drug that inhibits the effect of all that sugar so I could still enjoy it without the unfortunate side effects.

Oh and Darling, I had read about the Brominated Vegetable oil. It's really freaky and does help me say no every once in a while. It's crazy to think that stuff is banned in several other first world countries, but not in the States.

Well there are two ways to combat your coke addiction - weaning and cold turkey. depends which one can work for you.

one thing about weaning slowly, your still in my opinion, stimulating the things inside you that are triggering your addiction. thats why i think cold turkey is best - 0 percent coke. Take advil if you have headaches, it may be worth it because it might only be a few days of discomfort. it may also be ok this time. I think Mt Dew must be the worst for some reason.

I just thought of something - what about getting some generic soda which doesn't really taste as strong as coke. it might help a bit in that you are drinking a little of cola, but it wont taste as good, (theres something about Coke that has the best most evilly-delicious flavor) so perhaps if you get a craving and you go for the blah generic type, your tastes will change.

actually your tastes will change, if you go without coke for a while, if you do drink it, it tastes super sweet and almost not-as-drinkalby deliciously addicting

YES to the taste change! Not only does coke (or Mountain Dew) taste sweeter after you've given it up for a while, but everything ELSE tastes sweeter too! I found that all sorts of fruits tasted better after I stopped drinking coke regularly.

Ninkyou

To be honest, I quit cold turkey on my first day of logging. I replaced it 100% with water. The first week was hard, but after that I felt great. Haven't looked back since.

It's interesting though, because I've NEVER, in my whole liked any kind of tea. I've always thought tea is so bitter. I got hubby a pack of diet snapple green tea. I took a sip and it tasted sooooooooooo sweet to me!

Sometimes, you just have to buckle down and get things done. I found cold turkey to work very well for me.

ken_hogan

sodas can carry a lot of sodium or caffeine depending on the kind you drink.... and as we all know sodium can be a bummer during weight loss and for your health...

Actually, milk has more sodium than a lot of soft drinks, at least the soft drinks that I looked at the lables.


Cold turkey was the easiest way that I shook the soft drink habit.

joshdann

I used to drink 60oz or so of Dr. Pepper daily. Just about every meal during the day (even breakfast many days), most likely with a refill... plus a can or two or three at home. I wouldn't call it an addiction, just a really bad habit. For me, it was two things that helped me get off them: exercise and desire to lose weight. Exercise meant I *needed* the hydration of water. I felt all kinds of funky if I didn't rehydrate (duh), and water fixes that better than anything else. I was still drinking sodas... then just made the conscious decision to stop. Once I started logging my food, and striving for a large deficit, I just couldn't afford the calories. Diet drinks taste terrible to me, and most artificial sweeteners give me headaches and a bit of dizziness... so those were out, too. I switched to the occasional iced tea with meals (caffeine but no sugar).

Now I pretty much only drink water and coffee. I don't drink nearly as many calories, and my deficit thanks me for it. So does my body

lewandt

I use to drink Mt Dew and switched to diet years ago strictly because of the calories. I didn't like it at first but now i cannot drink regular Dew, it is way too sweet.

I have been trying to cut the Diet Dew too and it is hard. Anytime i tried i would get the headaches, mainly because of the caffeine. Then i switched to caffeine free and had a couple cups of coffee in the morning to combat that.

So now i am trying to get off the caffeine free Diet Dew but my problem is there is nothing i can find to substitute it with. I have tried the flavored packets to add to water and like those ok, but i am not sure they are any better. They all have some kind of sugar substitute in them (which is what i want to get away from) and i don't want to add any calories in my drinks so it has to be sugar free. I am not a big fruit juice drinker but i don't think they are all that good for you either with all the added sugar.

Right now i drink a cup or two of coffee in the morning and water after that. I only allow myself soda at lunch and one in the afternoon and try to stick to that.

My goal is to drink water with an occasional soda. Not sure if that is realistic though.

cmcis

I have found drinking soda was really nothing more than a habit for me (it felt like an addiction at one time). I have minimized drinking of soda by drinking ice cold water. I used to never drink water but in a way this has become a habit also. Now when I drink coke, I do not find the same high I used to get (unless I'm very hungry then I think I get that sugar high). I still have to avoid buying it too often though, I'd hate to develop the habit again. Another alternative for me is to drink a glass of orange juice.

emlott88

*massive generalisation klaxon*

It does seem that adults drinking fizzy drinks is more of an American habit? In England it's usually just kids or students who drink it.

Adults drink tea - or beer.

Not judging just commenting...

I'm originally from New Zealand, and I had a 'soda' addiction. From what I've noticed since living in the USA and now being around military, Americans are WAYYYY into their 'energy drinks'. Thankfully my husband isn't. He doesn't even drink soda lol. The free refill thing in the USA probably makes it easier to drink a lot of soda though - and also, it's SO CHEAP! It costs $4.00 for a 600ml bottle of diet coke in New Zealand. The same bottle is $1 out of a vending machine in the USA. Less from a supermarket.

Anyway - OP!

If you want to kick the soda habit, you really have to put up with those headaches and irritable moods. Just like losing weight, there's no easy way of getting out of it. I was addicted to diet coke. My workmates would always joke about me cracking my first 'DC' at 8.30 in the morning.

Once I moved to the USA and was at home, I could quantify my addiction much better as I kept all the cans. I was drinking like 4 cans a day - and no water! My poor body (it's embarrassing).

My first step was to switch from regular DC to caffeine free DC. I had guessed my addiction was the caffeine. I REALLY didn't like it. The only way to enforce it was to ONLY have caffeine free in the house. Your mind doesn't want diet MD, it wants regular! I promise you after drinking 12-20 diet mountain dews, you will probably have adjusted to the taste. I also didn't like coke zero, but I went through a major natural disaster and the supermarkets ran out of 'DC'. I drank 6 2 litter bottles of coke zero, and suddenly that's all I wanted.

Now, I don't know if mountain dew comes in caffeine free, but if it does - get it. Half of it is probably in your mind - i.e. you like the routine of grabbing a can or glass. If you push through the horrible side effects of withdrawing from caffeine, then you can find a healthy way of having routine

Oh, and I limit myself to one can of caffeine free a day now. I have it with my dinner and it's purely ritual haha. I can have a normal DC if we are out having a meal and am no worse for wear. I feel so much healthier as now instead of 4 cans of soda, I actually drink 80oz of water a day! I'm hoping to cut down to one a week eventually, but, for now I'm happy with my one zero calorie soda a day

Good luck!

LolaBug85

I'd suggest cold turkey. I tried lowering how much I drank. I got down to about 16oz/day but didn't go any lower after that. Every day I would say, I'll just have less tomorrow. That never worked. So I just quit cold turkey. The headaches were terrible for about 5 days then after that I was fine. Haven't gone back since. I've been pop-free for 10 months now