Weaning off soda - tips?

kristidem

I'm starting to wean myself from diet soda. I switched from regular to diet years ago, and am now down to one 12oz Coke Zero a day (occassionally a 20oz or 2 cans a day). Any tips or replacements?

digihed1

Water? And lots of it. I quit all sodas cold turkey in January and started drinking lots of water. I think this change contributed the most to my weight loss.

cedarhurst2006

I did it and you can do! I drink seltzer water and unsweetened iced tea-everyday I brew a big pitcher of Celestial Seasonings True Blueberry and add some sliced ginger to it.

mamashatzie

I'm stopping cold turkey. I committed to a Soda-Free September and I intend to kick the habit for good. It's hard because I don't really like water...but I know that if I keep drinking it, eventually I will.

ashleypietz

My husband and I recently stopped drinking diet soda as well. We drink water or iced tea if you need some flavor. We were talking to some people in our weight loss support group and many of them are older. They were telling us that when they were younger soda (there was no diet at the time) was a rare treat, not an everyday drink. We that day decided that we'd do the same and stop buying soda to keep in the house. Now we only have it on special occasions like when we go to the movies or maybe at a dinner out when we feel like a treat. It won't take long and you'll not even miss it. Good luck!

redefiningmyself

A few years ago I broke my diet coke habit. It wasn't a bad habit to start with; maybe a couple of cans a day. But when I stopped cold turkey I ended up with a major caffiene headache that lasted for days. Eventually I had to cave and go back to having it.

So next I cut it down to 1 can a day only over a week, then the next week I did 1 of the mini cans a day, then the next week I did 1 mini can every other day, then stopped completely. it worked that time and I didn't end up with any headaches or other effects.

DeBlue

This is hard the first few days. I've quit before and it isn't difficult after you are off of it for a while. I think there are actual addictive substances in there.

Substitutes are a great help. I found a wonderful tea that has a bit of zing to it that reminds me of the carbonation that makes diet soda seem so refreshing on a hot day.

Aztec Sweet Chili tea -great hot or cold, has cocoa, cinnamon, chili powder, cloves - an odd combination of tastes that is totally delicious. Check your local health food store.

Good luck!

elizabeth0713

I used to LOVE soda, now I could care less but the big thing was years ago I stopped drinking it and the only Cafine I would have was Sweet Tea out at dinner so it was basically a treat. Eventually like anything it becomes a part of your routine and your life. I only buy water/milk/juice for my home and at work I make sure there are always 2 bottles of water on my desk.
You can do it!

Leegree

The best thing to soda that is not a soda is Flavored Sparkling water, It has no calories or sodium but does have the carbonation of a soda. They are sold at Wal-Mart by the small or large bottle in many flavors and at Dollar Tree by the gallon size. Try one, once you get use to them you will never want another heavy soda.

Kellywithjustay

I quit Soda cold turkey in February- and I think that's the only way I could have done it- it's a trigger food (drink) of mine and if I have one- I just don't stop.

But the initial withdraws only lasted a few days- and water with those little mix-ins was my life saver. I know those disposable waterbottles aren't good for the environment, but they were a life saver for me those first weeks- they were icecold in the fridge and it was satifying to twist off the lid (I am a tactile person and psychologically the twisting off the lid of soda was part of the enjoyment of drinking soda)

I still miss the bubbles- and I have had rootbeer float this summer, but otherwise I don't miss soda at all. Good luck!

forgipper

I found using seltzer water or club soda helps. I also gradually reduced what I would allow myself to drink. For instance, I used to have one 20ounce coca-cola daily! I switched to going down to the cafe and getting a 20oz. fountain coca-cola with ice. Gradually, I would increase the ice to limit the soda, then moved down to the medium size cup, then down to the small, etc.

But the real help is the flavored seltzer water or plain club soda. Having the carbonation helps and I think tricks your taste buds!

cedarhurst2006

Just be careful with seltzer. I mistakenly tried a berry flavored "beverage" which had sugar in it. Seltzer has no calories, sodium or sugar.

kristidem

Sode free Sept.... I like that. I was going to go every other day, but the past two no-soda days have been OK. Maybe I'll aim for the whole month. It should be a piece of cake after that!

lorjill

I quit in May of this year cold turkey. I don't regret it, and I don't miss it I drink lots of water and add fresh lemon or a wedge of orange sometimes.

PalmettoparkGuy

Unsweetened iced tea, Crystal light (I make mine watered down).

VeganGal84

You guys are/were so good compared to my diet soda habit! On a bad week, I can go through a 12 pack every other day (no lie). I don't even know how to begin weaning myself down or off of these things.

I think I mainly use them for the caffeine!! But I also love the carbonation.

I don't like coffee (unless it's a lot of soy milk with just a little bit of coffee) and tea is okay, but not as convenient as a can of diet soda.

Any suggestions for a hard-core diet soda addict like me?

I guess just tapering off... like 5 a day one week, 4 a day the next week, etc.

edited to add: I always make sure to drink at least 8 glasses of pure water every day, though. So this diet soda is ON TOP of all of that water! I drink a LOT apparently.

ladeb

I have quit before. I feel much better when I am drinking water, however, I have slipped back. I like the idea of soda free September. I know it is the 2nd, but I am starting today! I have some excedrin for the headaches, it has a touch of caffienne to help over the withdrawl. There is truly something in the stuff that is addictive.

Wish you that are quitting good luck!

022988

I drink a lot of sparkling water. I buy La Croix which has no calories/sodium and no sweeteners. The carbonation makes it a lot like soda so I substitute that most of the time.

cervenec

My biggest problem when I stopped drinking diet soda was the caffeine withdrawal, so I switched to tea.

jjs22

I know people eat/drink for different reasons. But for me, dropping soda was easy.

I eat because I really, really like food ! And soda, even though it can sound tempting in the moment, really is pretty ho-hum as foods go. When was the last time you saw a friend and said " OMG ! I had this soda yesterday... It was SO amazing !"

I remember many years ago, David Letterman sent a staffer out to a McDonalds to buy a BigMac and bring it out to his desk. He just unwrapped it, opened it up, and held up the pieces and let the camera zoom in. "And they call this a Big Mac." Okay, so far kinda funny. But then he said something that stuck with me : " You know, when you think about having a Big Mac it seems so tempting. Then you smell the food cooking, and your mouth starts to water and get excited. Well what happens *after* you finish eating it ? You feel like crap inside. You wish you had never eaten the damn thing !"

Okay, probably not a direct quote, but that was the gist of it. In the case of soda, maybe its not as dramatic, but at least ask yourself afterwards : "Is my thirst *really* satisfied ?" For me it never is. That's why all the soda companies have been able to keep upping the serving size. Once you begin drinking a Coke, there's kind of this feeling 'I'm still thirsty, better take another sip/gulp."

When I was a kid (1970's) having a Coke was a special treat. Certainly not something you would expect to have at lunch or dinner at home. And nobody ever thought of asking mom for a *second* coke. And we're not talking austerity here, it was the free and easy "Me Generation" as they used to say. Anyway, do you know how big a bottle of coke was ? It was 6.5 oz. Of course, they introduced a larger one, called 'King Size". It was mostly for grown-ups. It was a whopping 10 oz.

flipsit

I keep a big bottle of sparkling water in the fridge. Either drink it plain or with some no added sugar squash. Mmmm.... cold and fizzy.