HELP!!! soda problem

larose05

I want to stop drinking soda so bad! I can go a week without it and then have it with Pizza or when I'm out then I will have it everyday again. Its really hard because my job gives it to us for free so its just so easy and avaible. Does anyone else have or had this problem and how did you get over it and stop! Thank you for the help.

BossLadyDSimp

Hmm that's tough ... I honestly just went cold turkey ... I just challenged myself to not drink it one day at a time ... then I couldn’t how many days I went without in the month and shot for that number the next month ... eventually I just stopped. I have it here and there now but it’s not a craving anymore.

My job offers free coffee so I was drinking it all the time ... I finally decided to stop and I then limited myself to it 4 days, 3, days etc. I would try carbonated water? I found it was the bubbles and fizz that I was looking for ... I also drink Mio Energy for the caffeine when I am at work ...

Hope that helps

PMargueritaHughes

i have a friend that went thru the same thing. took him more than a month to give up sodas. strategy: replace a soda with another beverage. first, he eliminated one soda per day with another beverage. (and he was drinking 10 a day...) after four days, he replaced two, then after four more days, three, and so on... he started replacing soda with club soda, then the club soda with 1/2 tea and soda. then replaced the tea with water.... does that make sense?!? it was a gradual reduction in the consumption of soda. i heard it takes the body 22 days to get rid of the desire for 'a product'... so, the slow decrease in soda wont put the body in complete shock by going thru withdrawal... hope this helps!!!

KANGOOJUMPS

once you add booze to the soda,,, there becomes NO problem

AA1ex

I weaned myself off of it last year by lowering a can a day every week until it was zero. I also added more water to my diet. I'm now to the point where I get immediately sick after having soda so I know what I did was a total lifestyle change since I get so uncomfortable.

JeniferEverx3

I want to stop drinking soda so bad! I can go a week without it and then have it with Pizza or when I'm out then I will have it everyday again. Its really hard because my job gives it to us for free so its just so easy and avaible. Does anyone else have or had this problem and how did you get over it and stop! Thank you for the help.

I love soda. Especially dark sodas. My favorites are dr. pepper. cherry pepsi/coke and root beer.,

I quit soda cold turkey for a long time, but then fell off the wagon.

What I do now is when I go grocery shopping I buy an 8-pack of the 90-calorie cans (most brand name sodas come in these) They are very handy for when I crave it really bad. Then you get a decent few gulps and it's only 90 calories. Better than chugging a whole 16 oz bottle or cup, right? Try it!

passthebeer

Always keep a bottle of water handy, something like a Camelbak or Nalgene works great. Keep it on your desk and just drink that. I drink so much more water during the day when I have my water bottle handy, easily 4 liters (about 1gal) per day. Still doesn't help me refrain from beer or whiskey though...

Sukisue11

Gradually wean off. I used to drink three Mountain Dew's a day. I started weaning off by having two for a few days and then one a day and then one every other day until I just stopped. If you crave it after that take a drink and then throw the rest away. You will really feel so much better after you are off soda. Please don't drink diet soda. It only takes a few weeks and you will find that you don't need it. The pounds will drop off - in my case I lost 15 lbs by stopping that and eating more veggies.

Shuuma

I know exactly what this feels like! I drank tons of regular Dr. Pepper until three years ago when I made it my resolution to switch to Diet. Then, I started working out for the first time in my life three weeks ago. I've had one glass of soda in three weeks and I don't miss it at all.

When I started my workout, I started using MFP. Every morning I enter all my food for the day and follow it carefully. I drink lots of water/Crystal Light every day and by the end of the day, I haven't had a soda because I'm too busy following my plan to think about it.

Keep in mind this is a three-year journey for me. I have a 1-liter bottle of Diet Dr. Pepper in my fridge that I've had for a month and it's not even half gone.

My opinion is not to give it up, just moderate it. The suggestion to buy the small portions is perfect because it FEELS like a treat and doesn't throw you off track. If you really love it, cutting it completely out of your life suddenly will likely cause you to get the gallon drink from 7-11 and then you'll feel guilty. OWN the Dr. Pepper, don't let it own YOU.

You can do it!!

angelique_redhead

I drink equal amounts of water and diet soda. If I have a diet soda I have the same amount of water. Usually I drink more water than diet soda though. I also drink tea, herbal tea, and coffee though as well as water.

janessafantasma

There are certain meals that I just crave soda with. I have drastically cut back and don't buy soda or keep it in the house. You could try stevia soda or organic sodas. Sometimes the bubbles just hit the spot.

fruttibiscotti

Ok I can see what you mean, I just checked your food diary and even though you are generally on target or under your total calorie goal, your sugar grams are way way over the daily target. You are ingesting like 20 and 30 teaspoons sugar daily. I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume you may have a mild addiction to sugar? I say this because I am a recovered sugar addict...my sugar grams used to be through the roof!

Ever saw the video "sugar: a bitter truth" by Dr Robert Lustig? He's a pediatrician who specializes in childhood obesity and made some great discoveries on sugar addiction and ways to curb it. His famous video, which has 4 million hits on YouTube, was filmed at University of California San Francisco, where he is also a faculty member. The video is part of a series of filmed classes by actual professors and actual curricula at the university as part of an initiative to bring privileged university education out into the public for free. He has a great deal of info on sugar in soda and the addictive forces contained in them.

As an alternative to sodas, have you tried drinking bottled water instead, or sugar free soda (artificial sweeteners are not exactly healthy either, but they might help you kick the sugar habit). Any luck with Perrier or Pellegrino, or other sparkling waters? Ever tried sparkling water with a squeeze of fresh lemon?

Good luck, sweetheart.

PS, I think I am going to get a bevy of pretty nasty messages after writing about Dr Lustig. There's a contingency of MFP bloggers here who call him a quack - not sure why. Dr Lustig is an esteemed faculty member at the university and many years as a successful doctor treating obese children, many who also had brain tumours which caused problems with the hormonal balances that affected hunger and fat storage/metabolism. Many of these bloggers who speak poorly of Dr Lustig have public food diaries that display eating foods like macdonalds and weird non-foods powders and weight loss supplements. The advice from Dr Lustig involves eating REAL FOOD, no gimmicks, and is backed by published scientific peer reviewed literature. It takes an educated and brilliant man like Dr Lustig to accomplish what he has done, while it takes an unidentified coward with a know-it-all attitude to spew contradictory messages on MFP blog.

kinzieplatt

If you want it bad enough CHANGE YOUR LIFESTYLE! YOU CAN DO IT!! think about how bad you want to be at your goal weight. To be honest, i eat clean 90% of the time, I still LIVE though. I do go out to eat and not always order salad, but you have to change your mindset, I'm SURE you can do it!!

VaingloriousVictoria

I gave up soda and ALL things carbonated 2 years ago Thanksgiving Day. I had to go cold turkey. My advice on how to do this is to have other flavorful drinks like tea, Crystal Light, or coffee hanging around.

It's not easy, but once you've eliminated it from your grocery list, it gets easier. Most restaurants have tea and lemonade to drink.

redraidergirl2009

diet soda

weightedfootsteps

try putting water in a soda bottle...LOL I do it all the time at work.

doctorsookie

I quit cold turkey. I went there + years but last October I fell off the wagon. I vowed to quit on January 1st. It took me until April. I tried seeking but that didn't cut it. For me I have to do things cold turkey. All or nothing. How bad do you want it? You can do it. I suggest you drink one full glass of water very quickly whenever you get the craving. You will be too full to drink soda. Also think about the fuzzy syrupy taste left in your mouth when you drink it a lot and then go without. Do you want to go through that again? If you're like me one swallow will make you feel bloated. That was my last straw, I was so tired of being bloated and I knew what it was so I quit again. Its now been over 8 months and I've no desire for it. My fiance can buy it and keep it in the house and I'm fine. Once you decide to do it just do it and stick with it. You got this!

unFATuated

I would drink up to 2 litres of Diet Coke a day at my worst. Obviously for me the issue wasn't sugar, but the fizzy artificial sweetness that seemed to go so well with the other stuff I ate. At first I replaced it with carbonated water. There aren't many brands that taste good, but I managed to find one that I liked. Every time I craved Diet Coke I would drink one of those instead. Eventually it became so unsatisfying that I didn't want it anymore. And now when I have the occasional Diet Coke, it really messes with my stomach so it's kind of a deterrent.

I would find a replacement that gives you a similar satisfaction but not quite the same. Instead of drinking soda, have a drink of the replacement. Up your water intake as well. Use the replacement when you eat pizza too, and don't keep soda in the house. Hopefully you will be able to wean yourself off it slowly.

pseudomuffin

I've never really had a soda problem (I'll have a diet soda here and there) but sometimes when I'm really craving that fizzy carbonated drink I'll have a La Croix Try them out! No calories, just carbonated water--the grapefruit flavor is my favorite

mikemsu

Hi. My name is Mike and I'm a recovering Dew-aholic. I used to drink TONS of Mtn. Dew. Had switched to diet about 5 years ago. I actually quit cold turkey this past Feb.6. I drink LOTS and LOTS of water and have not craved the dew since. Even when I tasted some soda a couple of months ago, it just didn't give me any cravings for it any more, especially since there is no nutritional value in it and I'm sticking to my plan and goals!

larose05

There are some great ideas here that I will have to try out! Thank you. So another question, last time I was able to keep soda away for a while I was drinking 3ish cups of tea a day. I started to get leg cramps and my doctor told me it was the tea. I stopped drinking tea and went back to soda and the cramps are gone. .. wtf. Has anyone heard of this or has gone through it? I really want to be healthy and loss weight but water just doesnt taste like anything so soda is a lot more more appealing.

I am going to get a water bottle or glass for my desk though and try some sparkling water. I want to stop completely my new years so next year will be a new beginning.

Derf_Smeggle

I have a horrendous sugar and caffeine addiction. I drank 40oz of soda most days. I had chocolate, cookies, ice cream, pie, or some other sweet treat 4 or more times each week. I have been this way for more than 20 years, since high school.

My fitness goals started September 1st after putting them off for an incredibly long time. Goal number 1: reduce my processed sugar intake to under 12g per day.

I personally cannot do the step down, ease off method. September 1st I went full on cold turkey. For the first two weeks I allowed myself to eat whatever I wanted, in whatever quantities I wanted, as long as it contained no processed sugar. At the same time I significantly reduce the amount of fruit I was eating because I have in the past simply substituted the source and not the amount of sugar. I ate a lot of plain tortilla chips those two weeks...

I had to switch my thinking from "I cannot have sugar" to "I do not want sugar", and have one reason why I didn't want it to go along.

It was not easy. It was difficult. However, I have done very well with staying close to my target of no more than 12g of processed sugar per day since September 1st. I have given myself 6 breaks in three months. My girlfriend's birthday, the night of my martial arts test, Thanksgiving, Halloween party, and 2 restaurant outings where dessert came with the meal.

Most days are pretty easy for me now, but there is the occasional craving day. It has gone a huge way toward helping me stay on target for my calorie goals and weight loss.

larose05

Oh and this is hot tea. I drink green or earl grey.

soldiergrl_101

I want to stop drinking soda so bad! I can go a week without it and then have it with Pizza or when I'm out then I will have it everyday again. Its really hard because my job gives it to us for free so its just so easy and avaible. Does anyone else have or had this problem and how did you get over it and stop! Thank you for the help.

I used to drink 2L of pepsi a day!!! That is all I would drink and if i didnt have one in my hand at all times the cravings and mood swings would be bad. To loose weight I switched to a diet brand that I could tolerate (Diet Mt Dew), and added in more and more water each day (crystal light helped) slowly weaning off the amount of soda I needed. Now I am down to 3 cans of diet a day. Start slowly its not something you can just quit cold turkey

RllyGudTweetr

I drink equal amounts of water and diet soda. If I have a diet soda I have the same amount of water. Usually I drink more water than diet soda though. I also drink tea, herbal tea, and coffee though as well as water.

Given that diet soda and water both hydrate the body (as do tea and coffee), what reason is there for matching water and diet soda intake?

http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp

cstigs84

I drink equal amounts of water and diet soda. If I have a diet soda I have the same amount of water. Usually I drink more water than diet soda though. I also drink tea, herbal tea, and coffee though as well as water.

Given that diet soda and water both hydrate the body (as do tea and coffee), what reason is there for matching water and diet soda intake?

http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp

I don't think there is anything wrong with diet soda(I drink plenty), but there probably should be some concern with the potential effects on one's teeth and the displacement of liquid calcium sources. Drinking with a straw and continuing to get enough calcium from other sources can alleviate those risks, but it's probably not the best approach for hydration. Also keep in mind that diet sodas, coffee, and tea do provide water but also contain caffeine, which acts as a mild diuretic. Matching one's soda/coffee/tea intake with water sounds like a reasonable way to go.

QueenBishOTUniverse

Speaking as a lifelong soda addict, I can say that the one thing that works for me consistently, exercise my BUTT OFF. When I'm training like an in season athlete, lifting or running hard EVERY day. I flat STOP wanting soda. I'll try it, and it'll be NASTY, super syrupy and way too sweet.

I can work my addiction up to the point of drinking well over 6 a day when I'm not working out, and I'll have cravings so bad I go out in the middle of the night to hunt down a soda machine. But when I'm working out consistently, I might have one with a burger or pizza as a treat, but it's one glass, and I usually can't even finish that (unless I'm craving sugar, when I'm working hard my body usually TELLS me what it needs)

I can't stand plain water however, so my recommendations: homemade sweet tea (the store bought kind can be just as sugar packed), I love the MIO sports stuff, the salt cravings tend to amp up and those things work wonderfully for me, and COFFEE, but only in the mornings....

RllyGudTweetr

I drink equal amounts of water and diet soda. If I have a diet soda I have the same amount of water. Usually I drink more water than diet soda though. I also drink tea, herbal tea, and coffee though as well as water.

Given that diet soda and water both hydrate the body (as do tea and coffee), what reason is there for matching water and diet soda intake?

http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp

I don't think there is anything wrong with diet soda(I drink plenty), but there probably should be some concern with the potential effects on one's teeth and the displacement of liquid calcium sources. Drinking with a straw and continuing to get enough calcium from other sources can alleviate those risks, but it's probably not the best approach for hydration. Also keep in mind that diet sodas, coffee, and tea do provide water but also contain caffeine, which acts as a mild diuretic. Matching one's soda/coffee/tea intake with water sounds like a reasonable way to go.

Did you, perhaps, read the link provided?

cstigs84

I drink equal amounts of water and diet soda. If I have a diet soda I have the same amount of water. Usually I drink more water than diet soda though. I also drink tea, herbal tea, and coffee though as well as water.

Given that diet soda and water both hydrate the body (as do tea and coffee), what reason is there for matching water and diet soda intake?

http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp

I don't think there is anything wrong with diet soda(I drink plenty), but there probably should be some concern with the potential effects on one's teeth and the displacement of liquid calcium sources. Drinking with a straw and continuing to get enough calcium from other sources can alleviate those risks, but it's probably not the best approach for hydration. Also keep in mind that diet sodas, coffee, and tea do provide water but also contain caffeine, which acts as a mild diuretic. Matching one's soda/coffee/tea intake with water sounds like a reasonable way to go.

Did you, perhaps, read the link provided?

I skimmed it. It doesn't really contradict or even address everything I said. As my last last sentence stated, that person's plan seems reasonable. If they want to match their water intake to other drinks, why not? Just because someone can stay hydrated drinking only soda or coffee, it doesn't mean they should.