Soda Free September - anybody with me?

Emdog24

Hope everyone had a great long weekend! I'm kind of shocked that I've gone SIX DAYS without soda! I've definitely had some headaches (probably from caffeine withdrawal) but I have noticed that I do feel a little bit better physically. Anyone else noticed a change yet?

mamashatzie

Man, this has been hard. I had Chinese on Sunday night and I always have soda with chinese. The carbonation washes away the salty taste so nicely. I whined a lot, but I had a glass of OJ and lots of water instead. I think I'm a serious addict because I want one every day. I think about how nice it would taste.

But I'm doing it so far! I can't give up!

NHLove88

Day 6, & I'm still soda free! How's everyone else doing??

sylvacharm

I never drank diet soda but I was a fan of soda. A few years ago I gave it up when I found out that my dad was diabetic. I reduced the sugar intake in my life. I don't think there is anything wrong with having it from time to time but I think when cutting down going cold turkey is the best way.

EPICSRT

8 days in a row with a drop of soda! I never thought I would have been able to last this long with out any soda.

I use to want to drink soda, just became a habit many years ago. So far I haven't really had a bad craving for it.

Let's see how the next 22 days go!

dumb_blondes_rock

I almost gave in and got a diet soda today.....but i grabbed a sove lifewater instead.....I MISS SODA....but...i know its not good for the insides, so i must stick with water....the upside is that i have been drinking like 2 64 glasses of water a day

Emdog24

One week down!!!! Is anyone else amazed at how quickly you can become a "non-soda" person? I think my worst "craving" times are right after dinner, but I've held strong so far. Glad to see other people have been doing well too - keep it up peeps!

EPICSRT

Made it another weekend! 12 days down! I think I've learned that for me soda isn't really an addiction, it's just extremely convienent and easy. It's every where!

Let's go another 28 days!

mamashatzie

12 days down! My sister tried to con me into drinking a soda today. I told her I was doing a no-soda September and she said it wouldn't count if she bought it for me. :grumble: But I resisted and I survived. It feels like it's getting easier to say no.

Yesterday I got a Simply Orange juice while grocery shopping and MAN, that was a real treat after having nothing but water the last 12 days.

dumb_blondes_rock

12 days down! My sister tried to con me into drinking a soda today. I told her I was doing a no-soda September and she said it wouldn't count if she bought it for me. :grumble: But I resisted and I survived. It feels like it's getting easier to say no.

Yesterday I got a Simply Orange juice while grocery shopping and MAN, that was a real treat after having nothing but water the last 12 days.

So what you are saying is that your sister is a sabotager?? lol.....

i tried crystal light, but it is way too sweet for me. It actually like hurt my teeth it was that sweet

dumb_blondes_rock

oh but i have at least been drinking 2 64oz huge glasses of water a day!

dc_smile2002

I am in for the month of September!! I love Coke and Sprite so this will be tough one.

courtclerkkris

OK count me in! I get my morning sonic large diet coke for 99 cents and then finish the day out with water. I know aspartame is NOT good for me, but nothing tastes better than that first drink of diet coke in the morning. I don't drink coffee so my only other alternatives are water and unsweet tea. If I am giving up diet coke then I feel I must give up the packets of flavoring (ie crystal light) as they have artificial sweetener in them too. I gave it up for like 10 months but went back to it because I didn't see or feel any differently. Wishes I would have stuck it out. Just nice to have a variety to choose from I guess!!! Since I am starting mid month I will shoot for the end of October! IF I can do it a month what is another 2 weeks right????

travelgirl96

okay - i confess - i have had several diet cokes - like three since sept 6th. but is almost the end of the month and i am willing to recommitt myself for the month of October to have three or less!:smooched: :drinker:

istalkzombies

ive been soda free for 4 years, life is much better

Emdog24

Baby steps Travelgirl - cold turkey's not for everyone and any progress towards your goal is still improvement! Good luck!

okay - i confess - i have had several diet cokes - like three since sept 6th. but is almost the end of the month and i am willing to recommitt myself for the month of October to have three or less!:smooched: :drinker:

EPICSRT

Officially 2 weeks! Not hard to pass up the soda, but the convience factor is off the chart. Trying get drinks that dont have any calories isnt as convenient! It's a bit harder when traveling. But, even though I'm away from home I have still managed pretty well. Still no soda.

Only another 16 days!

eating4balance

Good luck to you guys! I haven't had pop for over 6 years. It is so great!

XXXMinnieXXX

I'm in. Been drinking more diet coke recently as I don't drink tea or coffee. I've been reading loads of bad stuff about fizzy pop as we call it lol. Am I still allowed to drink sugar free cordial though? Zara

Half way through and I've not touched the soda \ fizzy pop. Cut out sugar free cordial too. Don't drink tea or coffee so just water. Was soooo boring at first, but getting used to it now! X

laurad1406

For those of you struggling, stick with it! I quit soda Memorial Day weekend, and it was harder for me than quitting smoking! I CRAVED diet coke. But, after the initial 3 days of horrible headaches, i felt 100% better! I rarely ever get headaches anymore, and I find I actually crave WATER now haha. Plain old water.

I'm interested to see how those of you who will have a soda at the end of the month are going to think it tastes....I took a sip of diet coke 2 weeks after quitting and it made me feel sick!

mamashatzie

16 days now!! Except for a little bit of orange juice and some crystal light, I've had NOTHING but water for 16 days! Considering I used to drink 2-4 32oz sodas per day, this is great. I find myself liking water more and drinking it more readily.

manorexicmarshmallow

Good luck folks! I drink like 6-7 cans of diet coke a day b/c my work gives them out free, and wish I could quit, but I feel like I don't have enough willpower to maintain my diet AND stop drinking diet soda, so I'm going to get to my goal weight than try to stop drinking soda. Hopefully by then I'll have a new job which doesnt have free diet sodas.

darlalu00

Well it's day 19 of the Soda Free September Challenge, I'm proud to say that I have been soda free and loving it! I feel so much better!!! 11 more to go!

mamashatzie

Congrats to everyone who's made it this far!!!

I am SO hydrated these days! I used to always struggle with mild dehydration because I didn't like water. I'm still not a fan, but it's a lot easier to drink these days.

My husband and I were discussing this last night....I don't think I'll ever go back to drinking soda. Not because I don't want to--I do. So bad. But I know that if I start drinking it again, I won't be able to stop and I'll undo all this hard work. I don't think I could be happy with soda once a month or so, and so I think I'm better off without it.

Emdog24

I think I'm going to make this a permanent thing as well - I'm sure the guy at the 7-11 across from my office is going to miss me but oh well

EPICSRT

I also thought about making a permanent change. So far the last 19 days have not been a problem, and I don't think continuing past 30 days would be an issue.

dmorant

I'm in!!!! I have been doing it for a week and when I saw this post I knew it was what I needed to keep it going. I typically drink a 2 liter bottle of pepsi a day. I did switch to Diet Rite (0 calories, 0 sodium, 0 carbs) for a bit but just couldn't keep that going. Now I am doing nothing but water with a glass of skim milk for dinner. I HATED water but am used to it now. Feeling pretty good too. I lost 4 lbs my first week and did not adjust my eating or exercise habits. I purposely wanted to see what the soda was doing to me. Now, I bring in the exercise this week. Next week, I am cutting out carbs completely.

I am always looking for support friends so if anyone is looking for another buddy on our journeys please feel free to 'friend" me.

Good luck to us all!
DeeDee

Emdog24

Hey DeeDee - congrats on your progress so far! But I urge you to not cut out carbs completely! Cutting out soda completely is one thing - there is no nutritional value in it. But carbs are very important for a balanced diet and shouldn't be eliminated! Instead I would try cutting back on refined carbs (found in white bread, white rice) and make sure the carbs you do get are complex carbs (whole wheat bread, oatmeal, etc.). I don't mean to be preachy but I know from experience that cutting out major food groups for weight loss purposes only backfires in the end!

I'm in!!!! I have been doing it for a week and when I saw this post I knew it was what I needed to keep it going. I typically drink a 2 liter bottle of pepsi a day. I did switch to Diet Rite (0 calories, 0 sodium, 0 carbs) for a bit but just couldn't keep that going. Now I am doing nothing but water with a glass of skim milk for dinner. I HATED water but am used to it now. Feeling pretty good too. I lost 4 lbs my first week and did not adjust my eating or exercise habits. I purposely wanted to see what the soda was doing to me. Now, I bring in the exercise this week. Next week, I am cutting out carbs completely.

I am always looking for support friends so if anyone is looking for another buddy on our journeys please feel free to 'friend" me.

Good luck to us all!
DeeDee

Emdog24

Home stretch peoples!! Still haven't given into temptation after 3 weeks! I've also noticed that I've broken through a mini-plateau and finally starting dropping a few lbs again - I'm NOT attributing that entirely to cutting out soda (was only drinking diet anyways) I thinks it's a combination of being on track financially leads to being on track OVERALL with other stuff in life, including eating behavior. And when I start to think about the costs of weekend overeating (one of my biggest challenges), that definitely helps in halting the overeating before it stops.

I've also noticed I've been less hungry during the day which may be a result of cutting out soda and its accompanying artificial sweeteners, which I've read have the potential to mess your eating "triggers". For example, if I'm thirsty and I drink water, the thirst is satisfied, but if I drank soda, I may be temporarily satisfied but still be thirsty soon after which I may then misinterpret as hunger ("well if i already drank something and my body still needs something, it must be food!"). Keep in mind I was drinking A LOT of soda - I am NOT anti artificial sweeteners at all, I think they're fine in moderation (in my morning coffee, sweetening up my oatmeal, etc.) but I don't think they're were meant to be consumed in mass quantities as I was doing before.

How's everybody else doing?

mamashatzie

We've almost made it!!!

I've noticed that my consumption of fast food has gone way way down. Frankly it just doesn't taste as good without a Dr Pepper to wash it down.