Having trouble quitting Regular Soda

emilypink573

I started drinking seltzer water when ever i wanted soda. Its not the same but in my head it was and it really helped me. I dont drink soda anymore. I took 2 sips of my partners Pepsi and it gave me a huge stomach ache so now im scared. lol

WelshMaid

still feel uneasy over the whole aspartame thing....carbonated water and juice is nice

Jewel0124

As an admitted soda addict, I had to gradually reduce the amount of soda I consumed each day. I bought one 12 pack of soda and the first two days I drank only one can. The next day using a measuring cup, I went from 12 ounces to 8 ounces and did that for 2 days. Next 2 days, I went to 6 ounces, next 4 ounces (you see where I'm going here) until I stopped altogether. Although I do occasionally drink a regular soda it's nowhere near what I used to drink.

LordBezoar

Like a lot of people are saying, there isn't really a quick fix for any addiction. When I quit soda and energy drinks I did it in two ways: First I switched my caffeine cravings to green tea and then slowly weaned my way off of that using a couple of different herbal teas--not that green tea is bad, but I simply didn't want to switch one dependency for another. The greater challenge for me was that I like the fizz from soda. So I have switched to a combination of Kombucha and San Pelligrino sparkling water. I will admit that Kombucha can be a bit of an acquired taste, but it is full of very healthy probiotics and whatnot.

I did the switch to diet sodas for a while, but I was more than a little leery of the added chemicals.

Angelica_80

Diet Dr. Pepper and Coke Zero are the best. I am also one who thought I could never drink diet. The first diet drink I tried was diet Coke and I thought it was horrible.. When I tried Diet Dr. Pepper (Dr. Pepper being my favorite drink) I did not taste a difference.

Iceman420

Wow, I wasn't expecting this many responses. I have made a list of your alternatives to regular soda. Will try them as soon as possible. Thanks everyone

cara523

we're here for you! Let us know how you do! Good Luck!

pinkgurl87

I drink diet pop all the time but I don't think that is healthy for me either, probably better then the real stuff but still probably not healthy, aspartame is not the best thing in the world.

pinkgurl87

ya diet coke taste awful, but coke zero tastes just like regular coke.

Aitm20

I was drinking Coke since I was 8 yrs old. It became my "water". I've had 4 kidney stones because of that. Food would taste horrible without it. If I didn't have a coke by noon A headache would trigger...It is the nectar of the gods. I gave it up cold turkey. No diet coke no nothing, my meals would taste like crap at first but my belly started getting flatter and fast. I drink coffee in the morning to avoid that caffeine withdrawal. Coke does not control me, I control me. Had to repeat that to myself alot. Good luck!

LauraW1219

I'm a pepsi addict. Other cola drinks don't do it for me. I think day 4 was the worst for me between the headaches and the zapped energy level. It was hard not going lie. I now drink green tea. It has the caffeine in it so that will help. From day 4-6 I felt like death, but then it started getting better. I still crave it, but I can't go back to those headaches. They were to brutal to ever repeat. Sorry I don't have better advice.

penelepurr

I used to be so into Pepsi; when I started dating my boyfriend (who drinks only diet soda all the time; his fridge is full of it) and joined MFP, I thought I would never convert. I did, surprisingly. I wasn't really trying to at first; I love Pepsi but soda wasn't a staple of my diet or anything. At first, I would only drink diet root beer at his house because it tastes the same as regular; Diet Dr Pepper is close to regular. When we would go out to eat he would always get Diet Coke and sometimes if I finished my drink and didn't have a refill I would take a sip of his, so eventually the diet taste snuck up on me and I adapted to it. I now actually buy Diet Coke on my own, and at a point, thanks to being on MFP, I saw that I didn't even have a desire for regular soda; my calories and sugar intake couldn't afford it if I was to make any progress on here. So the combo of those things helped move me off regular soda.

Topher1978

I switched to non-fat and low-fat milk at first, and gradually worked into just drinking water most of the time. Also, this will get some derision, but a 14 to 30 day juice fast will reset your palate, and that can help a lot.

FormerFatSlob

No advice here as I am struggling with the same thing. I would go through a 12 pack of regular coke in two days. I have tried to stop and am just a ***** to be around. Sorry that I have no advice - just someone who knows where you are at.

catbyrd

Hello, I can totally relate. I started successfully losing weight in November due to beginning health issues. I was addictd to Pepsi and drank at least 7 to 8 cans a day. Now 2 months later I am down to 1 to 2 cans a day. I can't do artificial sweetner because it gives me severe migraines. What I did was begin by decreasing my intake by one can a day. I did that for two or three days and then I would reduce it by another can. It is hard. Especially for the first month or so, there would be nights when I had to have a pepsi because the craving was so bad. I currently try to do 1 can day and I am still having trouble kicking that last one. I make myself drink a set amount of water during the morning and then I drink unsweetened ice tea. After lunch I usually have my pepsi and then try to drink water the rest of the day. I add lemon to my water and instead of plain tea I seep it with a bag of decaffinated flavored tea, just for a change. Good luck!! You can do it. The biggest thing is willpower

Annabel89

Here's my two cents.

I HATE sugary fizzy drinks, and maybe if you can start to see my reasons you will begin to find them equally disgusting.

1. Drink a sugary drink. Then run your tongue over your teeth. Feel furry?? If you don't drink sugar, your teeth stay smooth. In my head, that is SUGAR sticking to my teeth. And it makes me feel gross and like I haven't brushed them.

2. Get a can of soda and pour it down the sink. Watch it foam and fizz and be brown and clean your drain out. Now imagine that on your insides. Disgusting.

If you can start to associate soda with disgusting things, it might help? Worth a try?

boobear416

I think quitting anything cold turkey is difficult. How much pop do you drink a day? There’s just so many empty calories in soda.

Try half and half. I always felt less guilty when I went to the soda fountain at work, I’d get half coke, half diet coke and it is half the calories.

Also try the sparkling flavored waters from walmart or your local supermarket… they taste like pop but have zero calories and they don’t taste like diet pop

You can also try diet fruity pop like diet Mountain Dew or Sunkist… it’s a little easier to get down than Diet Coke or Pepsi IMO.

Good Luck.. I understand your pain.

Iceman420

2. Get a can of soda and pour it down the sink. Watch it foam and fizz and be brown and clean your drain out. Now imagine that on your insides. Disgusting.

Very good point there. I will try to look at soda like that. Thanks!

How much pop do you drink a day? There’s just so many empty calories in soda.

Right now I'm down to one 1Liter bottle of Mountain Dew each morning. It's nothing compared to what I used to drink, but it's still bad. Today is the first day I went without regular soda in a long time. Hopefully I can make it two days tomorrow

nefretiri456

This what I do. I drain the juice off of canned fruit and add sparkling water to it. You can also add sparkling water to other 100% fruit juices (not juice cocktails). Just be careful because the calorie count for juices can be high.

CalJur

My man if you are serious about this journey then you will find the willpower. Cutback to no more than 2-3 per day if not lower and eventually cut them out completely. I used to love diet pepsi. I quit cold turkey on 8/1 and haven't had a soda since that day of any kind. Try sparkling water for the fizz and working out more to help alleviate the caffeine headaches. Lots of suggestions online for overcoming caffeine-related headaches.