Anyone given up soda?

lisasbig30

I am the Soda Queen and if I don't watch myself I will drink nothing but soda all day. I love it it and I know it's a big problem for me and I'm really thinking about giving it up. I want to know from you that have how hard it was for you and how successful you have been with keeping the cravings at bay? I appreciate any input.

Saksgirl1

I tried and I was successful for a while... BUT then school started back up and well... let's just say, I revisited my diet coke addiction!

laddyboy

May if you knew that recent studies have linked it to bone loss you could give it up easier.

d2footballJRC

I have, do it and you'll be amazed how well you feel. It's going on 10 weeks and I'm shocked I tried once about 2 weeks ago and it tasted disgusting. I was drinking a 12 pack a day.

moniquelessard

I love a diet coke now and then. Not every day though, could you just cut down and have 2-3 cans a week? Don't keep it in the house. I used to drink it every day, but I find I feel healthier without it! Good luck!

Apryl546

I used to have 5-6 cans a DAY. I don't even want to think about those cals now!

Now I have maybe a can a month.

Apryl546

.

dmpizza

I drink a ton, I mean a ton of diet soda.
I give myself three excuses;
-I take medicines which make me very thirsty
-I need to keep myself hydrated to avoid kidney stones
-Its better than a sugary snack.

JulieSD

I was addicted to Pepsi and now I don't even want a small glass. I drink tea, coffee, chocolate/white milk and a few times a month an energy drink and WATER. At restaurants I get water and chocolate milk.

I was addicted to Pepsi, the burn and the taste and now its very unappealing. seriously.

Justjoshin

I quit soda and redbull cold turkey.

I drink about 100 oz of water a day now.

I feel fantastic and never crave it anymore.

janet_pratt

Gave it up 6 years ago and don't miss it. I didn't drink ANY for 4 years. Now I will have the rare diet soda, once a month or less. Usually Pepsi Max. I drink water with all my meals. Sometimes when I want some extra flavor I add a couple drops of flavored liquid stevia.

Suedre

I've been free of diet coke for about a year and a half now. I easily drank 2 liters a day + a free soda fountain at work. Yes, it was absolutely worth it. No, it wasnt that hard. The first day off the juice was trouble, I was cranky, hand a montser headache and did pretty much nothing bit sit in my easy chair and wait. The second day wasn't so bad and on the third day I promised myself a guilt free DC if I made it until the sixth day. By the sixth day, it was much easier to say no and now the idea of it makes my lips curl a little.

Honestly, I think when I realized I literally spent a full day of my life going through 'detox' I knew I didnt need it anymore.

Good luck if you try, I hope it works for you!

bookworm03

I gave it up a few months ago. Then my parents came to visit and it is all my mom drinks, so I drank it while she was here. I gave it up again this week. I just tell myself I can't have it just like everything else. So far so good.

jbrugg123

I was drinking 3 or 4-20oz bottles of Diet Pepsi every day for a while. I slowly started to replace the Pepsi with ice water and have now cut out all soda. I did have headaches for a short while (I assume they were from caffeine withdrawl) but I feel much better without all that artificial sweetener in my diet.

peteb79

I've given it up, but It was never a habit. I used to get a Mt Dew once or twice a weak at work, but now that I am drinking and tracking water getting a pop has never even been a crossing thought.

PixelTreason

Yep! Haven't had anything to drink but water, coffee and tea for months!

I don't know how it happens but after a while I got used to water and don't really think about soda anymore. I LOVED Pepsi, Root Beer, Code Red, Dr. Pepper.... but oddly, I'm just fine without them.

Good luck! Just "fake it till you make it" I guess.

LakerFan03

I've given up soda and it makes a difference because your cutting out sugar, and plus it just empty calories .

BigRandy

I gave up carbinated drinks over a year ago. I only drink bottled water. It was hard in the begaining being that I work for coca~cola, but I had a sip of my son's sprite about three months ago and it burned like fire going down. Only water fo me from now on. Now if I can just give up mcDonalds...lol

kerrylou150

cold turkey at the start of the year.

i don't miss it at all.

the first month or two i used a lot (i mean A LOT) of crystal light drop ins but by march i only was having one a day and now nothing special... just plain water or maybe an afternoon green tea

i drink lemon water or ice tea w lemon (no sugar) when i go out to eat

at home for a special treat i have 4 oz of seltzer water and 4 oz of trop 50 juice. (only 25 calories)

kicking the soda habit makes you feel like you can do anything!

tinastanley

I was addicted to Dr Pepper. Drank 4 to 6 cans a day. I haven't any type of soda since first of July 2011. I tried to drink a dr pepper a couple of weeks ago and i couldn't stand the taste of it. Now I just drink water, gatorade and milk once in a while. i don't miss it a bit and I am glad I quit. I did get a caffeine withdrawl for a couple of weeks when I first stopped ddrinking it but that was it.

DeviantDarkwolf2

I find that if I don't have something sitting in the fridge or pantry then it is easier not to have. I use to love Coca Cola typical as it is the worst fizzy for you. As for the craving I tend to only feel them when I go shopping and see the fizzy on special. But over the time that I have started this journey I have been trying to change my thinking. Instead of thinking Coca cola is a treat as I know it is not, I go to the water isle and pick one of the nice waters there and that has become my treat. I think that is the key we need to retrain our brains. Instead of the chocolate bars that I use to love as a 'treat' I now find the yummiest piece of fruit. Go luck on your journey

openskybeach

Im the diet coke queen. Im giving it up. Me and a friend on here just started recently. Join us!! Just saw what Laddyboy said about bone loss, screw dat!

Trvlr_grl

I have 'given it up' insofar as I don't drink it regularly. (I used to drink a ton of coke zero thinking, "But its ZERO!") I do allow myself a diet coke now about once a week or two. It's usually if I'm tired or stressed or hung over. I'm trying to break the cycles of eating certain things associated with certain emotions but I guess I'm saying it's a cheat food that I allow myself occasionally. I also gave up coffee at the same time. (And all dairy actually.) So it was mixed into a bundle of things I changed about my life and I was super focused. I started buying tons of sparkling water. I'd have it with a slice of lemon or if I was feeling ambitious I'd make my own Italian Sodas. I'd juice berries and boil the juice with some agave syrup to sweeten and then use about 2 TBS of the 'berry syrup' to a glass of sparkling water. It kind of satisfied my soda cravings particularly at dinner. In the end it became too much work and now I only make it occasionally. But I think it helped in the first weeks.

Jill_newimprovedversion

Addictions come in solid and liquid forms. It's hard to overcome anything addictive- but IT CAN BE DONE- and has been, by MANY on this site.

Guess you first have to determine if it's an addiction- or something you can cut back on and have on occasion- in moderation.

YOU make the choice to remove it from your life- and see how you react to it...that will tell you how strong a hold IT has on you...


If you SERIOUSLY want to overcome it,
The main battleground is in the mind first and foremost.

You have to UNfriend it- it becomes the enemy you must defeat- at all costs.

Yeah, I know I sound drastic.

You defeat a drug/alcohol/nicotine addiction the same way.
If it's an addiction, you can't overcome it if it's still a part of your life.

crzyone

I haven't had a soda since I started eating healthier on June 3. I used to have two to three on most days. Once I made the decision, it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I don't think I was ever really affected by the caffeine; I just liked the taste. I drink a lot of water and I do like tea. Try to find something healthier that you like to drink that you can drink when you feel a need for something more than water. There are still times I would kill for a Dr. Pepper, but not most of the time. Most of the time I just accept that I made the decision not to drink them anymore. Oh, and I had to go cold turkey..fully at one time...some people cut back slowly..but I'm an all or nothing kind of person......

GOod luck..you can do it!!!

arw060310

I was a soda addict my whole life. I'm pretty sure my mom gave me mountain dew in a bottle before I could talk. And up until my sophomore year in high school I had at least 6 a day. Then one year, I gave up soda for religious purposes, and it was hard. I craved and craved it. The only real advice I have from my experience is just don't drink it, and tough it out. But seriously, after about a week, I felt SOO much better about myself =] It was tough but soo worth it. And now 6 years later, I still don't drink it or crave it!

sal0118

May if you knew that recent studies have linked it to bone loss you could give it up easier.

I agree. I also read studies especially with diet soda that it does decrease your calcium, which does contribute to bone loss.
I was drinking 20 cans per month. I have replaced it with decaf. green tea. I do find myself having a can a month.

hewhoiscd

I didn't give it up...I finally managed to get rid of it. Small but important distinction

bscroggins5

I have. And I have also given up my coffee addiction as well. I like to much sugar & creamer in it. Now I just drink water and some hot tea in the morning. I make sure to have water with me AT ALL TIMES. So I am not tempted to buy pop. But I only gave it up a week ago so we will see how long it lasts.

alapoint89

i have completely and its been a year

Saruman_w

Yea, I've pretty much given up soda. 100% water here.