This is what I looked like swollen from my soda addiction

billyh333

you look amazing in both pics but congrats I have a big soda problem lol but does not affect me anymore
Sidenote: (I am not by any way shape or form saying 138 is big, I am showing you what soda swelling looks like on a 138lb me.)

final10

You are beautiful and way to go!!!

For those of you that realized your addiction and able to quit; is there any info I can show my husband of the dangers of soda and can really convince him to quit? I can see a lot of his health problems that could be related to soda, bloating, allergies, frequent colds etc. He recently had endoscopy and i joked with the Dr. that he should tell him that soda was the cause, the Dr. agreed it's really bad for you.

Angela_2_Oh

That is amazing! It looks like far more weight lost!

911Megz

peek - a - boo!!!! LOL!!!! {That's me next to her in the 2006 photo}

Great job friend!!! You are who introduced me to MFP! And although I didn't have a soda addiction, I knew I needed to take control of my food intake! Since I started MFP in 2009, I have lost 6lbs, then got pregnant, and lost again all of my baby weight plus an additional 16lbs!!!

You're a wonderful friend and inspiration!

billyh333

Believe it or not there are about 24 packs of sugar in a 20 oz soda and when you have 3 aday that's 72 packs of sugar

paulkucz

I was addicted to Diet Coke, pretty much a junkie on the stuff. I would usually drink around 36 cans a day. I haven't completely quit yet, but now I'll have 2-6 a day, and I am slowly decreasing that amount. I was tracking my calories before I quit diet coke, and once I quit the overload of it, I dropped 8-10 lbs in two weeks without changing my average calories in or out. I'm pretty sure that was just from purging the crap outta my system, but I feel better now, and have a ton more energy.

DeniseNichole76

Thank you for all of the comments!!! wow -- wow !

To answer a few questions -- Yes, I do think the swelling WAS from the sodas. I really drank ALOT. As I weined myself off, the swelling went down... Then I began using MFP to help me get a visual # calorie-wise. Started exercising - gradually started drinking water. (I went from Dr Pepper/Pepsi/Coke to pellegrino water w/crystal light because it still had fizz, to tea, then water....)

Thats the quick version of how I did it...

I loved the caffeine and the carbonation. ALOT.

DeniseNichole76

peek - a - boo!!!! LOL!!!! {That's me next to her in the 2006 photo}

Great job friend!!! You are who introduced me to MFP! And although I didn't have a soda addiction, I knew I needed to take control of my food intake! Since I started MFP in 2009, I have lost 6lbs, then got pregnant, and lost again all of my baby weight plus an additional 16lbs!!!

You're a wonderful friend and inspiration!

thank you my sweet friend.

DeniseNichole76

That is amazing! It looks like far more weight lost!

Oh thank you! I cant believe how swollen my face was, its like my eyes got bigger LOL

DeniseNichole76

You are beautiful and way to go!!!

For those of you that realized your addiction and able to quit; is there any info I can show my husband of the dangers of soda and can really convince him to quit? I can see a lot of his health problems that could be related to soda, bloating, allergies, frequent colds etc. He recently had endoscopy and i joked with the Dr. that he should tell him that soda was the cause, the Dr. agreed it's really bad for you.

Thank you!!! I wish I had something for you to give your husband. All I can show is a swollen person who was sick, sluggish lazy and now I feel like a new person!

DeniseNichole76

Thats great! I've been off soda for about a month now (I may have slipped up once or twice). And I'm around 140 and want to get to 120, so you're success has motivated me to stick to my weight loss plan! Thanks!

You CAN do it Morgan. What are you doing currently!?

DeniseNichole76

My name is Shelley and I too was a soda addict. Drinking 6-8 cans a day. I thought for sure with 5 kids, homeschooling, taking care of the house, etc that I would just kill over dead if I didn't have the soda to help me through the day.

I quit drinking soda 8 weeks ago today(the day I started this journey to a new life) and I have more energy to do the things I need to do thanI ever before .I also watch my calorie intake and exercise daily. I don't consider any food/drink off limits per se but I don't see myself going back to soda at all. Caffeine withdraw (is it withdrawl or withdraw..hmmm..anyway) is a B*tch!

I too, tried diet sodas before but artificial sweetner(even crystal light, water flavor packs, etc) bloat me horribly. I am a straight water drinker now as well and HATED it before.

FANTASTIC!!!
Were you born in 76? If so -- ME TO!

DeniseNichole76

I felt the same way. So addicted, i'd drive past McD and my mouth still waters, but i've been off it over a month and i feel so much better. And my face has slimmed down for sure. I'd see pics and be mortified but now I'm proud of how I look. Thanks for the encouragement! You look great!

thank you!!! a month is a great start! Keep it up.... (the withdraw headaches are a killer!!!) but they do go away...

sixisCHANGEDjk

Congratulations. I've tried quite a few times and still have a terrible attraction to Dr. Pepper. BTW, you're beautiful in both pics. I"m glad you're happy though now.

KendraLoveless

are all dark sodas bad, even diet ones?

technicalman

i lost most of my weight gorging myself with diet sodas.

whierd

I really appreciate this post. I've been Mountain Dew free for about 5 weeks now. I was hitting at least 6-8 20oz bottles per day. I'm glad to say that while I kind of crave it when I think about it, I don't actually miss it.

DeniseNichole76

good for you!!! I quit drinking pepsi few years back...the acid in it was depleting my calcium and vit D...also high blood sugars and sluggish all the time!! feel so much better...I thought I would drop a ton of weight tho cuz I drank 2-3 a day but not much but I do feel better!!

pepsi/dr pepper here too!!

as each day passes, you'll feel better and better!

DeniseNichole76

I really appreciate this post. I've been Mountain Dew free for about 5 weeks now. I was hitting at least 6-8 20oz bottles per day. I'm glad to say that while I kind of crave it when I think about it, I don't actually miss it.

There you go!!!

DeniseNichole76

i lost most of my weight gorging myself with diet sodas.

Yeah? ive had a few diet sodas myself.
This picture is my dr.pepper/pepsi face. (regular, not diet)

barehugs619

Great job, amazing will power to stop. went from 8 cans a day last week*last few years* to allowing myself 2 cans a day this week and stuck too it (crossing fingers) I hope I can stop like you did.

Phaedra2014

I don't see you swollen in your pic. I mean, there is a 15 pound difference between the before and after pics but I thought you looked pretty normal in your before one.

Kudos on kicking what was a bad habit for you!

DeniseNichole76

are all dark sodas bad, even diet ones?

No clue why I HAD to have the dark ones. Is there something different with the brown colas compared to like sprite, 7up, etc?

I have no cravings for any of them anymore....thank goodness....

DeniseNichole76

I don't see you swollen in your pic. I mean, there is a 15 pound difference between the before and after pics but I thought you looked pretty normal in your before one.

Kudos on kicking what was a bad habit for you!

Phaedra, thank you...
you can't see the bloat? i love you! hahahah

its definately there tho...tight pulled skin like a water balloon. lol

Thank you for the kudos!!!!

DeniseNichole76

Great job, amazing will power to stop. went from 8 cans a day last week*last few years* to allowing myself 2 cans a day this week and stuck too it (crossing fingers) I hope I can stop like you did.

You can! I'm rooting for you!

DeniseNichole76

I was addicted to Diet Coke, pretty much a junkie on the stuff. I would usually drink around 36 cans a day. I haven't completely quit yet, but now I'll have 2-6 a day, and I am slowly decreasing that amount. I was tracking my calories before I quit diet coke, and once I quit the overload of it, I dropped 8-10 lbs in two weeks without changing my average calories in or out. I'm pretty sure that was just from purging the crap outta my system, but I feel better now, and have a ton more energy.

oh yeh, tons of energy.

gogojodee

OMG BUMP!

idivadi

WTG!! I continue to struggle with my own diet cola addiction. I quit smoking year ago and found that easier than quitting cola. Sad!!
I look for stories like your as inspiration.

DeniseNichole76

WTG!! I continue to struggle with my own diet cola addiction. I quit smoking year ago and found that easier than quitting cola. Sad!!
I look for stories like your as inspiration.

Thank you!! You can do it... It will happen for you.

lindylubilou

Well done! I know how hard that it is 30 days without fizzy juice for me now and feeling so much better for it