Soda. To drink or not to drink, that is the question

bshedwick

I gave up all soda for Lent back in 2009. Haven't had it since (except for a few accidental sips). I used to drink a lot of it. I switched to diet soda about 9-10 years ago, but I drank loads of Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi.

I gave it up almost 3 years ago and now I have no desire for it. The thought of it does not entice like it once did.

Has anyone else given up soda entirely?

MB_Positif

I've never been a huge soda fan, but if I drink it, well...it has to have alcohol in it. And since I hardly ever drink alcohol anymore, I don't drink it anymore.

lois4468

Dank a lot of Dr. Pepper. I have given it up gradually and started putting in water instead.. I do have diet Dr. P now and then but don't need to drink it all day. Water is a tough one for me... but everything says you need it. Giving up soda is a good thing!

jrrflr

I gave up soda for Lent in 2008. At that time, I was drinking about two gallons of Diet Pepsi each day. After Lent, I switched to Sprite and felt that I was doing good by dropping the caffeine. When I started my weight loss journey two years ago, I gave up the Sprite and haven't had a soft drink since. I am glad to have finally gotten all that toxicity out of my body. Now, my only daily liquid intake is water an milk with my cereal. I am sure my body is better because of it.

alfpalmer

I drank diet coke from 4a to 11p all day every day for years, then one day quit completely for a little over a year - i drink them some now but mostly water. I know i should go back to just water but sometimes i get tired of that or want a good caffeine source. I'm sure just water is best but if thats my bad habit, i think i'm doing ok.

rollycollysmama

I gave up soda 3 weeks ago, I know it hasn't been forever or anything but thats a HUGE step for me because soda was like probably a majorty of my diet. eekk I know, terrible right. My idea of dinner was a coke and a marb light. since giving up soda I drink twice as much water and I haven't really missed it either. will I give it up forever? Maybe, maybe not, but for right now it feels good! though I suffered with TERRIBLLLEEEE head aches the first two weeks of no soda, in the end, it was worth it!

bshedwick

I really only drink water (lots of it), coffee, and tea, and some almond or soy milk. Plus a sports drink after a really sweaty workout.

bert16

Yep - I used to love a good Diet Coke / Pepsi / Dr. Pepper. I would always keep a case of one of them in my fridge & order Diet Coke at restaurants. Back in August, I vacationed at Canyon Ranch, where they don't serve any soda at all; I haven't had a sip since. I don't think they're evil, but they're certainly not doing anything good for me, so water is my drink of choice now! I do miss it a bit from time to time, but no crazy cravings or anything.

kalepowered

I used to go through around 6 cans of Dr. Pepper or Coke a day, every day. I quit drinking pop for the most part several months ago mostly by accident, just because I was cutting out a lot of "crap" foods from my diet in general, and when you drink that much pop it really adds up cost-wise. I used to still drink pop once a week tops when I went out, but it started to make me feel really sick so I've just cut it out completely and I feel much better. No point in drinking something that's just going to make me feel ill.

HMonsterX

Nope, and never intend to. No point. I have no reaction to sweeteners, and next to no cals in diet soda...so why the problem?

Rilke

Hey, how about that -- Lent of '09 is when I started my lifestyle change as well. I didn't just give up soda though -- I gave up "everything I know is bad for me" My perceptions of that phrase have changed since then, but it was undoubtedly an excellent starting point. Haven't looked back.

Anyway, the only soda I have had in a long time is a small bottle of vintage style cream soda or root beer (none of that HFCS or artificial crap) maybe once a year. I also have a glass of homemade lemonade maybe once a year. Other than that, I drink water.

Devlyn_P

I don't drink soda at all by itself. I do have it in my Jack n Cokes though :blushing:

Priincess_Natalie

After drinking diet soda my entire life (31 years) I finally gave it up. I don't even crave it. Take one look at the ingredients and that's all you need to know. I refuse to drink chemicals anymore.

Gracienbalsmommy

they have water now with caffeine in it! Its called Shock H20. One bottle has 60mg of caffeine! And you can't taste it AT ALL. It taste like plain old water! Its great!

cmriverside

I stopped in 2008, as well.

I think I've had five or six in that four year period.

I never drank diet . . . it tastes weird to me.

MaximalLife

I gave up all soda for Lent back in 2009. Haven't had it since (except for a few accidental sips). I used to drink a lot of it. I switched to diet soda about 9-10 years ago, but I drank loads of Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi.

I gave it up almost 3 years ago and now I have no desire for it. The thought of it does not entice like it once did.

Has anyone else given up soda entirely?

I did.
Soda is horrible bad for you, and one day when I decided being fat was no longer for me, soda was out of my diet, including diet soda. In addition to the sugar, I don't trust what these companies put in those drinks: chemicals, addictive substances....

No, just water - pure water, chilled with some lemon juice.

heather7marie

I used to be addicted to Mt Dew and Diet Mt Dew. Coming off of that crap was like coming off of crack. I don't drink soft drinks very often nowadays. If I do, I have the occasional Diet Coke. Usually I only drink soft drinks if alcohol is involved though. Diet Coke and Malibu? Yes, please!

denise_earheart

I did years ago without trying and I was hardcore addicted.. on occasion now I will have soda water with lime but now my main guilty pleasure is gatorade

iKapuniai

Oh hell no! I would NEVER give up my soda! I haven't had a regular soda in a looong time, I've switched to diet... since then I've been drinking maybe 1 regular size can per day. Some days I might have 2, but I try to drink mostly water.

I LOVE SODA!!!!

kammy92

I don't really drink pop anymore unless I drink vodka and I'll mix it with some diet, but that's about the only time I drink it!

blooomers

I used to drink dr. pepper and monster energy drinks. i stopped drinking them 3 weeks ago! Not a sip for me. And i don't miss it at all. I have lost 12 pounds too! granted i have been eating better and excersizing also. But i feel great!!

laughingnome

was addicted to pepsi for years 2 liters a day..gave it all up along with chocolate and junk food and I feel much better and don't miss it at all

wdruker

Yes, I gave up soda in order to help drop the pounds. I used to drink Coke all the time, before I had weight issues. Then I switched to Diet Coke. A friend said that would slow me down because I didn't like the taste. However, I got used to it and would drink that all the time too. Certain foods would require a soda.... pizza, chips, peanut butter and jelly, pretzels, etc. So I was always drinking soda. So now I grave it. When I hear a soda can being opened and the fizz that follows, I'm dying for that sip of soda. So far though I've managed to stop drinking soda for all of January. That's huge for me.

noogie98

I gave up all soda for Lent back in 2009. Haven't had it since (except for a few accidental sips). I used to drink a lot of it. I switched to diet soda about 9-10 years ago, but I drank loads of Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi.

I gave it up almost 3 years ago and now I have no desire for it. The thought of it does not entice like it once did.

Has anyone else given up soda entirely?

You and I gave up soda at the same time ~ My drink of choice was diet Dr Pepper. Drank about a liter and a six pack a day.

Don't even miss it in the least! I now drink a large glass of unsweetened iced tea in the morning & lots of water throughout the day.

jett0206

Since I have started my weight loss on July 1st 2011, I have stopped drinking soda and packaged juices.

crzyone

ME!! ME!!! ME!!! I have not had a single taste of it since I started on June 2, 2011. I missed it a lot at first...wanted something "good" to drink...but don't miss it much at all now, rarely even think about it.

jdhosier

Not to drink. A big step for starting my weight loss was to stop drinking soda. I occasionally grab a coke, but end up regretting it because it tastes sickly sweet and syrupy and I realize I don't like it any more. I have heard that the carbonated water in soda can cause other health problems as well, so I don't like diet sodas either.

The exception (there always seems to be one, doesn't there) is when I have a mixed drink like Jack and Coke.

Bravo.

ElementalEscapee

Occasionally energy drinks when I have all-nighters, but aside from that I never have soda just for the sake of having soda; I'm always with a friend when I do drink a Monster, or visiting my best friend across the state...we enjoy Mountain Dew with our video games haha.

Helkaahaien

When I was little I was extremely over weight. My mom had the great idea of letting go of 1 thing at a time (mayo, ketchup, soda, etc) ever since I've stopped those things (like back in 1998) I haven't gone back. Every now and than I'll have a Cherry Coke Zero but its so rare. I think the case in our pantry has been there for a year now >.<

I don't miss soda at all though. I have my 0 calories SoBe water as a treat when I need something sweet but I really do enjoy drinking plain water. I'm nicked named 'fish' so maybe that's why I love my water ^.^

thelovelyLIZ

I quit it cold turkey when I was trying to lose weight when I was 13. Dropped about 20lbs doing little else, and most of it was diet as well. I don't drink soda anymore either. Mot of the time I get through half a can and feel sick. I may have a swig of my boyfriend's if I'm craving it, and I do use it in mixed drinks sometimes, but that's pretty much it.

NewVonnie

Diet Pepsi is SOOO bad for you...but Diet Coke is fine. Drink that.