how to effectively cut out soda?

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jend114
jend114 Posts: 1,058 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Please help me cut out soda. I am beyond lost on how to effectively do it. usually I'm good for 2-3 days without it and then I'm back to drinking soda again.
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  • dosesr4winners20
    dosesr4winners20 Posts: 362
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    I don't buy it. Now no one in my house drinks it and hasn't for years. out of sight, out of mind!

    you can always have one but water it down a bit i guess? or replace w crystal light?
  • achampionsheart
    achampionsheart Posts: 1,020 Member
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    this is not going to be any "wise beyond my years" advice....you just have to stop drinking soda.....drink water when you think of reaching for a soda....buy some flavor packets if you get tired of just "straight" water.....or add some lemon to the water or some lime.....hope this helps
  • joehempel
    joehempel Posts: 1,761 Member
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    get a water bottle that's like 20oz, then fill it up with water...put a packet of crystal light in it. It's 0 sugar, and 10cal per packet.

    That's what did it for me.

    There's no real solution....just stop.
  • sars_68
    sars_68 Posts: 308 Member
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    I guess maybe I'm lucky - but I just replaced fizzy with water and haven't looked back. I don't miss it and feel loads better without it.

    Good luck to you with cutting it out.:flowerforyou:

    :smile:
  • butturfly2021
    butturfly2021 Posts: 24
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    it's all about saying no...you will go through some sluggish times....i drank 3 32oz dr. pepper's a day for years so i cut it out cold turkey...i tried several, times and finally did it....i was REALLY sluggish for 2 weeks but now i feel great and have lost weight just because of it! after a week or 2 you dont really even miss it anymore...i just drink tea instead. goodluck!
  • onefasternurse
    onefasternurse Posts: 62 Member
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    As if the calorie count in a regular soda doesn't shock you enough... Regardless, if you really want to quit something you just make up your mind that you really dont want it. I struggle with the caffeine intake, so I had to gradually wean myself cutting it down to 1 or even a half a can of Mt. Dew. Its hard but definitely managable. Good Luck:)
  • Amo_Angelus
    Amo_Angelus Posts: 604 Member
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    Don't buy it and then just have the willpower to stick to water. There really is only one way to cut out soda and that is quite imply not to drink it. To engage your will power and if you can't use your willpower then don't buy it. Like cake...
  • 1smemae94
    1smemae94 Posts: 365 Member
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    When i finally quit i idid it cold turkey. It helped that i made a bet with my mom though, im hell-bent on winning. Maybe try cutting back by 1/2 the amount a week until you dont drink any at all. Replace it with water with a squirt of lemon or lime in it to give it some flavor. Or just do what i did if your competitive and make a bet with someone. Best of luck!
  • mikonei
    mikonei Posts: 291 Member
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    I just started drinking lots of water and never told myself I wasn't allowed to have soda. Right now I drink 2 cans or less a week, which is a huge triumph for someone like me that drank nothing but soda for 3 years. I think your body will eventually get used to the idea that soda doesn't always have to be in your diet.
  • Clew
    Clew Posts: 910 Member
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    I switched to sparkling water when I was giving up soda (becasue it was the fizz I liked :tongue: ). Before I knew it, I didn't drink either anymore and I still don't. On the rare occasion I do drink a soda now, I really don't feel well afterwards. Funny how things change :ohwell: - Good luck!
  • Panda86
    Panda86 Posts: 873
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    I don't buy it. Now no one in my house drinks it and hasn't for years. out of sight, out of mind!

    ^^^ This. It sounds SO simple, but for some reason, I didn't think of it until someone gave me similar advice about junk food. If you don't buy it, it won't be on hand for you to consume it. Don't add it to the list of food staples on your grocery list. I've been soda-free for a couple months now. I no longer crave it, I don't even think about it. And your waistline will thank you! Drinking carbonation automatically bloats your stomach, making you look bigger.
  • DemonChaser
    DemonChaser Posts: 4
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    Previously, I switched to diet which I couldn't stand the taste of and after a few weeks I was done with it all together and was drinking water. This time around, I went cold turkey which has worked too but I also drank more lemonade / orange juice / etc instead; honestly, the first week is the hardest without it. If you need some flavor in your water, try MIO (available @ Target) or the sugar free single drink mixes which are available in a lot of different flavors.
  • SimplyDeLish
    SimplyDeLish Posts: 539
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    I don't buy it. Now no one in my house drinks it and hasn't for years. out of sight, out of mind!

    you can always have one but water it down a bit i guess? or replace w crystal light?

    Exactly on point - if you don't buy it - you won't drink it. That's how I kicked my 12 pack a day diet coke habit. It's not easy...but sooooo worth it!
  • Morglem
    Morglem Posts: 377 Member
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    I stoped cold turkey and let me tell you I use to live on Diet Pepsi no water at all, I'm not kidding you. The first 3 days I had a headache them it all got better. Now I drink water the whole day. You can do it! Just put your mind into it! (I do have about 1 tall glass once a week if we go out to eat but thats all). Oh, and my husband still lives on diet pepsi so I still have in the house but I just decided not to drink it anymore.
  • liberaltendencies
    liberaltendencies Posts: 150 Member
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    As a recovering Diet Coke addict, I've found that I really just liked the taste of carbonation. When I stopped drinking sodas I drank sparkling water for a bit and now I'm just on plain water. I feel fantastic! Add fresh lemons or limes and it's even better!
  • hiltonheadagain
    hiltonheadagain Posts: 42
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    You can try LaCroix or other sparkling water (Meijer brand $0.69 for a 2 liter) and then add flavored liquid Stevia which comes in many flavors including Lemon Lime (which makes a Sprite tasting kind of pop), Rootbeer, Grape, and Orange. You can find the liquid Stevia at Whole Foods and other health food stores. Don't let the price scare you away. It costs about $10 per bottle but you only use a few drops so it really does last a long time. Best Wishes!
  • BeeElMarvin
    BeeElMarvin Posts: 2,086 Member
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    You can try seltzer and flavored seltzers to sort of wean off soda. Seltzer has no calories and no sodium. (Do not drink club soda, it's high in sodium). You can buy a home soda maker, where you inject CO2 into the water for bubbles and then if you need to add flavor. Just a thought. I switched to seltzer, but I still may have a few sodas on Sundays...
  • jonikeffer
    jonikeffer Posts: 218 Member
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    I subbed fizzy flavored water at first (no sweeteners, just flavored plain water), but it does take a certain amount of sheer willpower. The important part is to get rid of the sweet taste so you won't be as tempted. I like the bubbles so if I want it, I'll just allow myself an unsweetened (really, not even fake sugars) fizzy water like Arrowhead orange, lime or berry. here's a link to what I'm talking about:
    http://www.staples.com/Arrowhead-Sparkling-Bottled-Water-Lemon-Flavored-24-Case/product_572414
  • mmpedroza
    mmpedroza Posts: 6
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    I had cut out soda for over a year and lost close to 50 lbs. simply by doing that. Trust me, it gets much easier after the "3-day hump".

    Try not to buy it or keep it around the house. Think about the money you'll save without shilling out the extra dough for soda (which has gotten expensive lately.)

    When asked in a restaurant, always reply with "water". Don't feel compelled to drink soda just because you're in a different setting.

    Get friends/family/roommates involved. My entire circle of friends dropped soda along with me, and I think only two of them have started drinking it again, but they do so in moderation.

    Hopefully this helps.
  • Iceskatefanrn
    Iceskatefanrn Posts: 489 Member
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    Sorry, no magic answers here either, you gotta just quit.

    I went a while where I would only drink it (Diet Coke was my addiction) if it was FREE... occasionaly hubs and I will go to a local casino where they have a dispenser, and sometimes for work events it's available. Eventually I went so many days without it that when I did drink it I drank very little, and suffered from heartburn the rest of the day! I've currently got a 12 ounce bottle in my fridge at work - I drank HALF that bottle last Thursday and I'm just not in the mood for it today, I'll probably toss it in the trash!

    BUT... I kinda like to feel "special" at the end of my day, and I'm currently not drinking alcohol either... so at home I get a large wine glass or water goblet, fill with ice, squeeze a bit of lime juice FROM THE LIME... must be fresh... over the ice. Then I fill the glass with selzer (no sodium). I put in a pretty straw and I'm so special! But this counts as water and I usually drink 2-3 of these an evening.

    If you need sweet & fizzy, do the same as above but squeeze part lemon juice, part lime, then sprinkle with Stevia - kinda tastes like a sprite!

    Good luck, YOU CAN DO THIS!

    :drinker:

    Ice

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