Giving up soda

mamashatzie

So, I try to eat clean. Whole grains, fruits and veggies, I cut almost all processed products out of my diet.

The one thing I can't get rid of is soda. I have at least one a day. I get a big Diet Dr. Pepper with 4oz of regular Dr. Pepper mixed in. I know I need to kick the habit, but I can't seem to get there. I want to get it out of my diet. Any tips?

Nerdy_Rose

Flavored (unsweetened) seltzer water. Add a tiny bit of stevia. You get the bubbles and flavor and sweet, but with plant-based sweetener. No calories. No crazy chemicals.

Edit: This is a transition suggestion, in case you don't want to go cold turkey. I quit drinking soda cold turkey when I was 15 years old. Thanks, ballet. Haha.

henney16

You just have to do it. I gave up soda for lent this past year, had a few the week after and then began my weightloss journey. At first I replace it with Diet Green tea (which really wasn't that bad) and eventually just water. Its just a matter of doing it. After a while it isn't too tough, and I used to drink Mt. Dew like it was going out of style!

Onesnap

I also like the healthy sodas like Izze. Low calorie and only sweetened with fruit juice. No scary stuff. Lots of people also like seltzer with a splash of fruit juice.

Elzecat

I loved Dr. Pepper and used to drink several (regular and/or diet) every day...I stopped drinking soda "cold turkey" back at the beginning of March and haven't missed it. I still drink coffee (I just measure my creamer/sugar carefully) so I didn't go through major caffeine withdrawals The one or two times I have had soda (like sprite, for an upset tummy) it tasted weird to me, whether it was regular or diet...

I drank a lot of flavored water at first...now I mostly drink plain water. I think you just have to decide if it's a change you really want to make. Good luck

NiciS72

I drink La Croix lime instead of Diet Pepsi. It's got the fizz and flavor but no calories or artificial sweetener in it. They also have other flavors, but lime is my fav. Good luck!

grouch201

It's really easy not to drink soda if you never buy it. Always have a water bottle so that when you get thirsty, that's what you go to.

Rikki444

Cold turkey? I just can't think of anything to substitute a 'chemical' except another 'chemical'. That is how I gave it up..... I just stopped. Now I drink soda when I have a very upset stomach. Hmmmm..oh, how about ginger ale? It still has bubbles and it is sweet?

I wish you success.

vlc1979

I used True Lemon and Crystal light pure at first when I was getting off the soda to replace the sugar desire. Now I just drink water most of the time.
Both of those are supposed to be natural

mike_hill

When I first started with MFP, I didn't set out to make any new hard and fast rules pertaining to what types of foods or drinks I would give up. I used to have about one soda per day on average and didn't think too much about it. As many of us do, I researched the calories and health related to soda. I also took a look at the idea that hunger can often be a signal of thirst. I switched over to pretty much just plain water from the beginning. After a couple months now, I don't even have a craving or desire for anything except water. I really enjoy my water and find it fulfilling. I don't consider myself a water snob, just one who appreciates drinking water. If you have a strategy that works for your tastes and personality, go for it.

The $$ I save on not buying soda, I put towards healthy food options. I have a bad habit of eating lunch out at work, but with a couple extra bucks I don't mind paying for a nice salad and fruit or something similar...

Cheers!

rowbseat13

You CAN do it. I'm not saying it'll be easy, but you can do it. I used to be hardcore about my Mt. Dew. Two or three cans on most days, but often even more than that. I tried to quit several times and failed, but last December, I made a New Year's resolution not to drink soda. I haven't had any kind of soda at all since December 29th (that just happened to be the day I ran out of my stock at home), and I rarely crave it anymore. The first two months were not fun, and I drank a LOT of coffee to get through it... Then I slowly stopped drinking as much coffee, and used sweet tea to fill the void... Then I slowly stopped drinking tea... And now I pretty much only drink water, except some random Powerade here and there, and maybe a glass of sweet tea once a week or so. It CAN be done, you just have to struggle through it.

Also, if you need to lean on something like coffee or tea to help you get over the caffeine hurdle, I wouldn't feel too bad about it. There are at least SOME (albeit small) health benefits to coffee and tea, even if they are sweetened, but there are NO health benefits in soda. The only thing good about it is how it tastes.

shashaz2002

So, I try to eat clean. Whole grains, fruits and veggies, I cut almost all processed products out of my diet.

The one thing I can't get rid of is soda. I have at least one a day. I get a big Diet Dr. Pepper with 4oz of regular Dr. Pepper mixed in. I know I need to kick the habit, but I can't seem to get there. I want to get it out of my diet. Any tips?

I also eat mostly clean and gave up Diet Dr.Pepper all summer, but as of last week, I am back to one a day. I do limit myself to one, but I know as soon as winter arrives I won't drink it again as it will be to cold But when it's 110 outside, a nice cold diet Dr. Pepper sounds and tastes so good.

Good Luck to you, I am interested in hearing any tips as well.