Anyone quit drinking soda?

I have been cutting way back. I used to drink 7 2-liter bottles a week. Now I have one 2-liter bottle max a week. I am now drinking selzer waters. Lots of bubbles, no artificial sweetners.

I stopped drinking diet soda awhile back and switched to coffee and sparkling water. I had the worst headache for DAYS. I still won't touch artificial sweetener. Once that passsed, though, I found the only part I really craved was the carbonation.

Thanks everyone! Just to clarify, I'm not expecting quitting soda to be some sort of miracle weight loss trick- in reality, I just knew it was providing NO nutritional value, and to be quite honest, I just needed to know I COULD do it. I quit smoking December 31st, and diet coke was my 2nd worst habit to kick, so I decided it was time. I guess I'm lucky, I only had the terrible headache for a day and a half or so! Also, i think even after only a week my taste buds are adjusting to the lower amount of sugar i'm consuming. I had a gatorade after the gym last night and had to dilute it with water because it was too sweet!

The nutritionist told me that both sugar and artificial sweeteners INCREASE appetite. I find it really hard to stay in my calorie range if I drink DIET SODA and I don't think I've had a regular soda since I was 11 years old.

After a couple of unsuccessful attempts at quitting diet soda I swapped it out for coffee and I've been a happier me since.

It's not the idea of the caffeine that bothers me as much as all the chemicals that not only have no nutrition, but prevents the absorption of calcium and practically suck the phosphorous out of your bones, very damaging to bone health, but you might not notice for another 30 years or so. I've also heard that it's damaging to the lipids that protect your nerves.

I might be able to push this out of my mind if it weren't for the fact that I get to see the constant pain my mother is in. She's been drinking diet soda since the days of TAB. Her osteoporosis is so bad that she hardly walk at all. She's has shattered vertibrae, broken both hips and both wrists. So you are thinking broken bones heal, well when your bones are in such bad shape that doesn't always happen. And the nerve damage on top of that doesn't make things any easier. Everything in her life is painful.
I'm not that tough.

So deep down it's the fact that I've an utter sissy that motivated me to change.
And you could argue that we don't know for SURE that diet soda was the cause. But it seems so plain to me.

Think about the consequences...
If I'm wrong and I cut out diet soda it won't to me any harm.
If I'm right I can save myself a whole lot of suffering.

Sorry I get so preachy... I just want everyone to be healthy.

Good Luck

I was the biggest soda drinker ever. I would grab a bottle on the way into work,on lunch,on the way home and when i got home and im talking 1L bottles. I gave up 3 months ago just woke up one day and told myself i was kidding myself even if it was diet ones.
Funny thing is after a few days i did not even miss them. It was all in my head. I say it has been the biggest factor shape wise. My stomach is become so much flatter. I got so many have you lost weight when i gave up the drinks. You can do this.

I have almost completely quit, I used to get major headaches all the time, but now that I've cut soda out of my diet (I will have one occasionally, but I used to drink almost nothing but soda) the headaches are mostly gone, and when they do come they are less severe. I am less bloated feeling and more energetic. Every now and then I'll have one in the morning for an extra boost, but mostly I don't need the caffeine anymore. I drink enough green tea that I was spared the withdrawal from the soda.

Best decision!

I am really proud of you guys who have been able to kick the diet soda beast. I cannot (or will not) :embarassed: do it. I am so addicted to Diet Mountain Dew. I honestly don't think I could give it up. Congrats to you guys who were successful.:smokin:

I don't know if this is what you are looking for, but perhaps it would give you extra motivation to cut soda out of your diet.

2 years ago I took a course in Material Science and did this experiment where we put lab-grown hydroxyapatite crystals (very similar to tooth enamel) in a beaker of cola, and all the crystals COMPLETELY DISSOLVED in a 20 mins period. Now I know you don't literally soak your teeth in soda, but the acids (carbonic acid, citric acid and phosphoric acid) and the bacteria caused by sugars corrode your teeth a little every time you drink soda, and teeth enamel don't grow back.

There is also a positive correlation between soda intake and osteoporosis, a google search would give you lots of information. Although it isn't a proven causation relationship, it's definitely worth looking into if you care about your bone health at all.

I switched from regular to diet soda around Thanksgiving last year. I was a huge soda addict, especially Dr Pepper. It took a while to get used to the taste, but now I really like Diet Dr Pepper. I also lost several pounds thanks to the switch.

However, I know that diet soda is just as bad for my teeth and bones, and eventually I want to kick this habit, too. It's just so tough -- I love the fizz and the sweetness, and seltzer water just isn't the same. I hate regular water, hate it even more with lemon/lime or ice, and can't even imagine drinking coffee. Anything remotely bitter (coffee, seltzer, etc.) grosses me out. Needless to say, I have a gigantic sweet tooth. This has been, by far, my biggest struggle with losing weight. So congrats to anyone who's been able to kick the soda habit -- I know I should join you but it will be really hard to get there.