Cutting Out Foods

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whyyesitsneke
whyyesitsneke Posts: 47
in Health and Weight Loss
As I'm logging my food and liquid intake, I'm noticing that I am drinking a lot more junk than I used to, and I am debating cutting it all out. To be clear, I'm eating healthier and healthier (it's like each day gets better!), and I am losing weight, but I'm drinking empty calories. Juice has been a common culprit, but so has that lovely oh-so-not-healthy liquid known as Coke.

I often give advice to dieting friends that cutting out foods like ice cream completely is unwise, but to simply cut back. That way, if you want it it will not be a binge/guilt scenario, and you tend to cut back more and more as you find you crave it less. I know that doesn't work for everybody, but it did for me in the case of food. I also know tons of people who advocate cutting out junk food and eating 100% healthy. But I'm not one of them; healthy is great and all but sometimes, I want a bit of brownie.

So back to the Coke issue. I know its unhealthy and I am trying to cut back, but I struggle with control and if its here, I drink it. Should I simply cut it out of the diet altogether? I feel it will help with the weight loss, as well as help to regulate my sugar intake, since soda is sugary as heck.

My only worry is that I will want more juice as a result, but I feel I should cut that out as well, and just switch to water and ONLY water?

Any suggestions on a good way to do this or if I'm on the right track with my thoughts here?
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Replies

  • sassyjae21
    sassyjae21 Posts: 1,217 Member
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    Can you just fit it into your calories? If you can't completely go without it, just fit it into your day? 1 is not going to hurt you as long as it's not a ginormous portion.

    If there are things I REFUSE to give up, I just fit them in and cut something else out that isn't as important to me
  • Voww
    Voww Posts: 39 Member
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    Maybe you could drink Coke Zero or some other sugar-free soda instead if you don't want to cut soda out completely, or use that as a step towards cutting it out altogether. There's sugar-free fruit squash (juice?) drinks too - the sort you add a lot of water to. I prefer these to drinking plain water, though I like some bottled flavoured waters too.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    Personally I strive to drink more water - and that naturally means I drink less diet soda. But I don't try to eliminate it either.
  • zman1313
    zman1313 Posts: 70 Member
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    For me, the only way to get rid of my soda habit was to quit drinking it cold turkey. I do drink diet coke occasionally, so maybe try that?
  • Chain_Ring
    Chain_Ring Posts: 753 Member
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    I've been known to drink a coke here and there.........
  • stephgas
    stephgas Posts: 159 Member
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    i'm not a big fan of completely cutting things out, but there are some things that some of us just can't moderate - if coke is that for you, maybe it's best to cut it out. i also think that trying diet coke or coke zero might be an option. if you like juice, try cutting it with water, so you still have a bit of the taste but fewer calories/less sugar. i switched from regular coke to diet coke, but ultimately cut out almost all soda. i still drink like 3 sodas a week (usually ginger ale) but i used to drink over 2 liters a day.
  • bangles501
    bangles501 Posts: 26 Member
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    Like you, I don't believe in cutting out anything altogether for most things, but I actually found it worked for me and soft drinks. Personally I found cutting out ice cream and cake very triggering for me, it lead to binges and even though they're not the healthiest food, they do at least fill you up and offer some nutrients, whereas soft drinks are just empty calories and cost a lot of money. I used to always have coke in the house, I'd drink lots of water as well but always would always have a glass of coke or two in the evenings. I couldn't imagine not having it, it was a habit, I looked forward to it and part of my evening routine. When I decided to lose weight and become healthier I stopped buying it, if I really needed some I'd walk to the shop and buy a can of coke zero (still not good but at least no calories) but after a few weeks I'd forgotten all about drinking coke in the evenings. They say it takes 21 days to break a habit or form new ones and it pretty much worked for me. It's been over a year now and I only ever buy coke (well coke zero actually) when I need it as a mixer for alcohol. If we have some left over the next day I do admit I drink it pretty quickly but as soon as the bottles empty I just go back to water and don't feel the need to buy any more. I never thought I'd prefer a glass of water over a glass of coke but I actually do nowadays!
  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
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    Can you buy the mini cans or pour a glass and leave the rest in the fridge? It's easy to drink a whole can or bottle when it's in front of you. I'm a believer of adding things in rather than cutting things out. What about brewing iced tea and adding 1 sugar packet or squeezing some lemon in water, even add a sugar packet for lemonade. A 15 calorie sugar in the raw will be much better health wise than a coke.
  • whyyesitsneke
    whyyesitsneke Posts: 47
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    I think I will cut it out - at least out of my house. I live in the country, so wanting one would take driving to town (unless it was during my work day, and even then I'd have to leave work to get it) and I think that will deter me quite a bit. That way I'm not saying to myself that I absolutely cannot have it... but it wont be readily accessible either.

    Glad to hear Im not the only one who struggles with soft drinks!
  • meinola
    meinola Posts: 36 Member
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    I also had to give up Coke (all soft drinks, really) cold turkey, b/c they are the slippery slope that leads to me eating a LOT of fast food, since I don't keep Coke/soft drinks in the house. What about drinking iced tea? To still get some flavor/caffeine without all the calories? My other trick to drink more water is to fill up a gallon water jug and refill my glass over and over until it is gone.
  • michikade
    michikade Posts: 313 Member
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    I cut out regular sodas of all varieties and switched them with diet sodas, and now I can't drink regular sodas anymore - they taste cloyingly sweet to me now.

    You could, as was suggested, try to switch for Coke Zero if you don't like the way Diet Coke tastes. I personally find Coke Zero far too sweet tasting but it's definitely a decent middle ground while weaning off.

    Of course, cold turkey is something that many people do, but I personally couldn't do it cold turkey because of the caffeine - you know the withdrawal symptoms: headache, shakes, irritability, etc. I'm working on weaning myself off of them but to me it was easier to switch to the sugar free variety for the instant cut of calories then deal with the caffeine issues.
  • Teresa_3266
    Teresa_3266 Posts: 298 Member
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    I would cut it out. Coke and juice are just too many calories that you can use for yummy food! Years ago I gave up Pepsi but mixing it with diet until it was all diet. Cold turkey was too hard for me. Now a days I drink one diet coke a day and the rest is water. Or tea and coffee, but who can live with that!! :noway:
  • teagirlmedium
    teagirlmedium Posts: 679 Member
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    One of the things I did with food I wanted to cut back on was to no longer keep it around me. I would only let myself have it if I went out and bought it right when I wanted it. I would no longer keep the items in my home. This helped me cut back because I would no longer be able to grab the items throughout the day so I would end up eating and drinking less of the items just because to me the item was not worth going to the store several times a day.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    Giving up my daily Coke was hard, but now 3 months later, its not a big deal. They have seltzer water that gives you the same "fizz" with no calories, so I have one of those when I'm craving a soda.

    P.S. Its not that I plan on never having a soda again, its just right now I would like those calories to go elsewhere.... like chocolate!
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
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    A can of Coke has about the same number of calories as two eggs.

    A can of Coke does nothing to fill you up, while two eggs can fill you up for some period of time.

    Wouldn't you rather swap out the Coke for the two eggs while you're trying to lose weight?

    but i want a beverage.

    your logic needs work.

    if you simply cannot make a can of coke work in your day, then opt for a diet coke or coke zero, though zero is FAR superior.
  • Riverglow
    Riverglow Posts: 6 Member
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    I got a soda stream to solve this problem. I just wanted the carbonation, so I'm very satisfied with adding a little Mio or Crystal Light to the carbonated water.
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,862 Member
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    Any suggestions on a good way to do this or if I'm on the right track with my thoughts here?
    People have different philosophies but personally, I love your approach as it is.

    Here is why:
    To be clear, I'm eating healthier and healthier (it's like each day gets better!)
    I am a fan of gradually getting better instead of trying to do it all at once. Sure a case can be made from a purely physical/nutrional point-of-view that you should quit drinking Coke, but that ignores the more important mental/psychological component of weight loss and fitness.

    I hardly ever have Coke, but I have no forbidden food list at all.
  • stephe1987
    stephe1987 Posts: 406 Member
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    The problem with soda is that it's empty calories (high sugar, no nutritional value) and it will just keep adding on weight. I weighed 120 lbs when I graduated high school in 2005 and was addicted to soda for years and slowly kept gaining more weight, especially after college (my college campus was big and I took the bus so I did a lot of walking which helped keep my weight down a little). On January 1, 2013 I decided to completely cut out soda and the only soda I've had since then was at Disneyland in March 2014. I had Louisiana Lemonade (which has Sprite in it) at the Blue Bayou and then I also had a 20 oz bottle of Sprite at the hotel.

    I would suggest either cutting out cold turkey or limiting your non-water intake to 2 cups per day, then after a few weeks switch to 1 cup per day. I do drink juice and lemonade from time to time, but I limit myself to just one cup or one container (12-16 oz from the store) per day.

    As for food in general, I suggest 80/20. 80% healthy and 20% indulgent (salty foods, sweets, and of course fast food no more than a few times per week unless you can find something relatively healthy such as salad or a sandwich). And always try to stay under your calorie goal so you can continue losing weight. If you don't deprive yourself during the week (just have a small portion) then there will be no need for a cheat day where you're tempted to binge on junk food.
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
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    A can of Coke has about the same number of calories as two eggs.

    A can of Coke does nothing to fill you up, while two eggs can fill you up for some period of time.

    Wouldn't you rather swap out the Coke for the two eggs while you're trying to lose weight?

    When I'm thirsty I'll go drink two eggs. And when I'm hungry I will go eat some construction paper.

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