Help! Try to taper off Coca cola

KimAGrant
KimAGrant Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am a huge coca cola lover and so far that has been the hardest thing for me to get rid of. I was sick for 4 weeks with bronchitis so i'm having to start over after losing 10 pounds. Any suggestions on what to replace it with? I'm struggling because water is so hard for me to drink and I hate the artifical sweenters in Diet drinks because of the after taste. Any thoughts on this?
Thanks
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Replies

  • tenintwenty
    tenintwenty Posts: 92
    Flavored water.
  • xiamjackie
    xiamjackie Posts: 611 Member
    Try carbonated flavor waters. I'm pretty sure they have 0 calories and they're fizzy, so they taste similar to soda.
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
    Just suck it up and quit.

    You want to be not fat, don't you?
  • crabbok
    crabbok Posts: 66 Member
    Just go cold turkey and drink plain water, and ONLY plain water. It will be hard the first day, but after a week you'll start getting used to it, and after a month you'll be MUCH healthier and you will look back at your old self and laugh. Don't drink gatorade, iced tea, vitamin water, coke zero, or any crap like that. Stick with water. Plain water. It is the absolute best solution and anything less is a disservice to yourself.
  • sammys1girly
    sammys1girly Posts: 1,045 Member
    My husband and I gave up Pepsi about 14 years ago by replacing it with decaf iced tea. I started out with more sugar,
    but now in a gallon, I just use 1/3 cup of sugar and we only have soda as a treat once in awhile. And honestly, now it's
    too sweet and I could never drink a whole can. There are antioxidants in tea that are good for you as well. I do drink
    alot of water but like something with a little more taste during the day as well. I should note you could use a no cal sweetner
    but I have something against them so I prefer just small amounts of sugar.
  • Davina_JH
    Davina_JH Posts: 473 Member
    sobe 0 calories and vitamin water 0. sweetened with stevia.
  • Cyclink
    Cyclink Posts: 517 Member
    Probably not the answer you are looking for, but I replaced it with Mt Dew Throwback.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    Diet Coke? Yes, it has an aftertaste but heck if it helps get you off of all the calories in regular Coke, then do it. I personally, drink only water, tea, milk and coffee (when I'm not drinking beer or whiskey). Too much is made of the water thing, IMO. Liquid is liquid as long as it doesn't have too many calories.

    That said, an occasional Coke is not going to hurt you. Strive for balance and a quality diet. Not perfection.
  • albertabeefy
    albertabeefy Posts: 1,169 Member
    Many people find they just can't "taper" off of sugary soda.

    If you're used to Coca-Cola, then Coke Zero is your closest-tasting option for zero-sugar products. But yes, there will be an aftertaste. I personally prefer Diet Coke to Coke Zero as it tastes "less-sweet" to me. (Taste is subjective and differs from individual to individual).

    If you really want to cut that source of highly refined sugar (High-Fructose-Corn-Syrup) out of your diet, either go cold-turkey or get used to the aftertaste...

    That being said, there are studies that suggest that even diet soda is associated with weight-gain... A thorough study of that evidence suggests to me it's only when 1) consumed outside of regular meals, and 2) more applicable to the obese and/or those with insulin-resistance.
  • brit_ks_89
    brit_ks_89 Posts: 433 Member
    aint nobody got time for that!
  • AmberLee2012
    AmberLee2012 Posts: 540
    I have drank Diet Coke/Diet Pepsi for the last 20 years and today I am one week pop free. I have been having some health issues and after reading that there is formeldahyde in diet pop from aspartame, I just decided that I wasn't puttting it in my body anymore. I drank Brisk Lemon Tea for two days however it has 210 calories for a large bottle of it and I didn't want to drink my calories. I'm drinking water now. Sometimes I will have a glass of lowfat chocolate milk or lemonade, but I'm trying to stay away from flavored diet waters that also might have asparatme in them. I just try and think about my teeth and my insides when I want a pop because it's just so bad for you. It's been enough motivation to not drink it so far.
  • AngieM76
    AngieM76 Posts: 622 Member
    This probably isnt the answer you want but just quit. Thats what I did. I havent had a soda in months! It wasnt easy but worth it!
  • DraoMhaigh
    DraoMhaigh Posts: 25 Member
    I beat my addiction to diet coke which lasted about 8 years, so I totally know how hard it is to give up the fizzy stuff.
    I did it cold turkey, but if you think slowly cutting down is better than go for it =]
    I replaced my sweet fix with green tea, adding 2 teaspoons of sugar to it, then after a week I added only 1 teaspoon of sugar and eventually none =]
    Also, get some concentrated fruit squash ( the natural kind, not the sugar free kind because it's full of bad after-taste you hate) and have it with cold water. Very refreshing especially now it' getting warmer
    Good luck! =] You can do this
  • Elf_Princess1210
    Elf_Princess1210 Posts: 895 Member
    zevia sodas are a pretty good substitute.
  • living2713
    living2713 Posts: 1
    I replaced soda with La Croix flavored/carbonated water, and then recently switched to Seagram's carbonated/flavored waters because I found them to be even more carbonated than La Croix. I would have a really hard time just drinking water, so having flavored/carbonated water in a can that makes the satisfying "fsss" sound as you open it - just like a soda - is a great substitute.
  • lulu150
    lulu150 Posts: 58 Member
    I was a hugh coke drinker also! I gave it up about 7 months ago and replaced it with loose leaf tea. My favorite morning hot tea is Bolder Breakfast from the Tea Spot online. I really like the taste, I do not add any sugar or milk, and it gives me the caffeine I need. I will also drink it cold for later in the day or I will switch to a green or oolong tea for the afternoon, plus just regular water throughout the day. I suggest you find what you will be happy with drinking in place of your coke and go for it.
  • Phyllis4701
    Phyllis4701 Posts: 20 Member
    I never been a big coke fan. My husband has always drink cokes. He would drink anywhere from 3 to 6 cans a day. He refused to quit drinking them. About 2 weeks into me losing weight he stopped. He has been drinking water every since.Two weeks afterhe quit he had lost 7 lbs. He hasn't had a coke in over 2 months... Water can be a struggle when you haven't ever been drinking it. But it does get easier over time. Its all in what you want to accomplish :happy:
  • leeanneowens
    leeanneowens Posts: 319 Member
    When I gave up Pepsi I started drinking diet Dr. Pepper. To me it tasted better than other diet drinks. However, I only drank 1 a day. I mostly drank water. You pretty much just have to make up you mind to do it. I would rather spend my calories on food than soda.
  • anarose13
    anarose13 Posts: 222 Member
    i am more than just a coca cola fan, i am addicted to it. so much to the point that i have an ulcer and massive stomach issues from it. i was drinking a 12 pack to myself in a day. after alot of pain, i just gave it up cold turkey. its hard to do so, and i switched to drinking lemon water or tea. i use powder mixes and drink alot of juices which probably isnt really a positive switch but if i can do it you can too. do some major research into the effects on coke to your body,especially diet coke. it helped me alot. i wanna live to see my daughter turn 20....
  • dwest1976
    dwest1976 Posts: 41 Member
    Water....water.....and water. Maybe try some hot tea without any sweetener for variety.
  • justmom44
    justmom44 Posts: 9 Member
    Water is the only way to go. I too was addicted to Coca Cola..it's been about four years since I stopped drinking it! YOU will feel so much better once you stop...but you have to just stop cold turkey...or you never will.....Trust me, it's hard...but it's worth it...that stuff is POISON! Good luck to you!! :)
  • albertabeefy
    albertabeefy Posts: 1,169 Member
    i am more than just a coca cola fan, i am addicted to it. so much to the point that i have an ulcer and massive stomach issues from it. i was drinking a 12 pack to myself in a day.
    Ouch. That's one large amount of both sugar AND acid to ingest...
    after alot of pain, i just gave it up cold turkey. its hard to do so, and i switched to drinking lemon water or tea. i use powder mixes and drink alot of juices which probably isnt really a positive switch but if i can do it you can too. do some major research into the effects on coke to your body,especially diet coke. it helped me alot. i wanna live to see my daughter turn 20....
    Kudos to you - that's a drastic and impressive change! Shows considerable willpower!
  • dwest1976
    dwest1976 Posts: 41 Member
    Sweet, Jesus its a fire!
  • ze_hombre
    ze_hombre Posts: 377 Member
    I switched from Mountain Dew a few years back (nearly 10) to Diet Coke. Then about six months ago I switched from Diet Coke to coffee and taught myself to drink it black or with a little creamer. I still need the caffeine fix, and coffee has no appreciable nutritional value or addition.
  • njmp
    njmp Posts: 277 Member
    I use the flavor packets from Crystal Light...I think when I first started not drinking pop I drank diet. Which I didn't love at first, but you get used to it.
    Walmart also has those flavor packets, and there is one that tastes a lot like cherry koolaid.
    Good luck! It's not easy!
  • sevsmom
    sevsmom Posts: 1,172 Member
    I am on day 3 of abandoning Diet Dr Pepper. I believe I am addicted to not only the caffeine, but the artificial sweeteners as well. So, I started with cutting back to a can in the morning (It was my coffee) and a can after work. Instead of soda at work, I drink plain water, water with a little Mio flavor (a LITTLE) and home brewed unsweetened iced tea. I can use flavored teas to make it more interesting. 3 days ago, I abandonned it all. No soda. Water, milk or my home made iced tea. That's it. I still kinda want the soda, but I know know KNOW I'll be better off in the long haul. If I can make it unitl mid May, I should have the new routine locked in. But, I'm pretty proud of myself for going 2 whole days already. :-)

    You can do it! Find something that works for you and stick with it.
  • sheilatush
    sheilatush Posts: 58 Member
    I quit drinking coke on 15th January and just went cold turkey...and boy I drank at least 6 cans a day ...now I drink at least 2 litres of water a day and herbal teas...what a difference it makes.
  • xilka
    xilka Posts: 308 Member
    Read all the uses for it, like - cleaning the rust off your car's motor.
    I quit cold turkey after learning about how truly venomous the stuff is.
  • pennydreadful270
    pennydreadful270 Posts: 266 Member
    I replaced my diet coke habit with tea mainly. When I really want something sweet I've been having a small glass of orange juice. I haven't figured out what to do about mixers for alcohol. I've just been avoiding the booze for now.

    I just find coke such a pointless waste of calories. It doesn't really slake your thirst, it doesn't even really taste of much, mainly just fizz with a background suggestion of flavours. That's why it's so easy to chug the stuff. Evil. I love "curiosity cola" or a billabong root beer though, they are something I really savour and enjoy, if I can find room for them in my calories I will still have the odd bottle. They are too expensive to buy very often anyway.
  • robinhardysmall
    robinhardysmall Posts: 246 Member
    I fill my water bottle up every morning~ add a packet of crystal light energy strawberry and use that ~ it gives me my caffeine which I need but also just gives me something to keep in my hand at all times as well~ good luck~ coming from a 6 pack of REAL Mountain Dew a day- I understand!

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