How to quit drinking pop

draganjasmine99
draganjasmine99 Posts: 1 Member
edited November 30 in Health and Weight Loss
I know Pop has a lot of sugar and I've heard but most people are overweight because of their sugar intake. Well, I have an issue when it comes to drinking pop. I'm also pretty sure I have some kind of dependency on caffeine. I know people who switched to diet and caffeine free, but I feel like I'm better off just trying to quit it all together. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to just kick caffeine?
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Replies

  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Well, I'm not sure what the suggestion would be other than to quit. Maybe avoid the places you tend to buy it? Don't have cash on you so you can't go to the vending machine? Stay out of convenience stores? (That was a big one for me.) I know some people lock their wallet/purse in the trunk of their cars so they can't go through a drive-through.

    Good luck!
  • Ruatine
    Ruatine Posts: 3,424 Member
    edited February 2016
    If you truly are addicted to caffeine, there can be some serious withdrawal headaches if you quit cold turkey. I'd try lowering your intake a little bit each day until you're off it completely if that's what you feel you need to do.

    ETA: Just to throw some scientific backing to what I said: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/psychiatry/research/BPRU/docs/Caffeine_Dependence_Fact_Sheet.pdf. There's a whole list of the withdrawal symptoms in this doc. Headaches have always been the worst for me personally when I don't have enough caffeine.
  • sweetskinnychic
    sweetskinnychic Posts: 3 Member
    The best way to kick pop or lose weight is to not have any in the house. If you don't have it, you can't eat or drink the foods that are causing problems. Pop is highly addictive and you may think you like the way it tastes but if you don't drink it for a while you will find that when you do try it you won't like the taste and won't be able to drink much on the rare occasions you decide to have some. Diet soda is really bad for you because of the fake sugars. Caffeine you can replace with black coffee it helps curb hunger and gives you some energy.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Well...I used to drink 3-6 cans of Mt Dew per day...I just stopped doing that.
  • Cynsonya
    Cynsonya Posts: 668 Member
    I drank a 20oz RedBull, 2-3 cups of coffee (light and sweet), 3 sweet teas, and 2-3 Pepsi's a day for about 15-20 years. Little surprise I ended up weighing 331 pounds by 40yo. I was the textbook picture of sugar/caffeine addiction.

    About two months ago I decided to change my diet and life. About a week in I realized I'd have to give up the drinks or starve. So I switched to Mio water drops. I used them for a month to break the sugar addiction because it was still sweet but no calorie. I really don't care for artificial sweeteners. Not saying there's anything wrong with them, only that I don't want to use them. So after a month I switched to just water with fresh organic lemon slices. Now that's all I drink except for the rare cup of coffee or protein shake.

    As for the caffeine, I had pretty severe headaches for about two weeks but then they went away.
  • maxit
    maxit Posts: 880 Member
    I found that La Croix sparkling water meets my quest for carbonation. As far as caffeine is concerned, I get that from coffee. I have attempted in the past, just for the challenge of it, to stop caffeine - and even after 7 days without any caffeine (in a tropical paradise, where there was plenty to do), I was getting withdrawal headaches. Given that there was no medical need to cut caffeine to begin with, I just said enough with the experiment. However, I have been able to successfully reduce caffeine so that a couple of morning cups will do.
  • JaydenLindsey420
    JaydenLindsey420 Posts: 39 Member
    Pop was one of the hardest things for me to give up as I incorporated it nearly every day in my diet. I needed some sort of alternative for my addiction so I investigated and came upon this product called "sparkling ice" It has the same carbonation as pop does, but with zero calories and zero sugars, plus it contains many vitamins and minerals. Another thing about this product was I can't seem to get enough of it! It comes in a variety of different flavors and they all are delicious. If you are trying to find an alternative to pop, I highly suggest looking into this because it truly was a life saver for me.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    Just quit. At one point, I was drinking 5-6 cans of Diet Pepsi a day. Now, I might have a glass once a week or 2 with a Sunday lunch out.

    I don't drink coffee either so no caffeine fix for me.
  • ValerieMartini2Olives
    ValerieMartini2Olives Posts: 3,024 Member
    Don't buy it?
  • vczK2t
    vczK2t Posts: 309 Member
    i would gradually replace pop with another drink (seltzer or sparkling water), when i am drinking only sparkling water, i would gradually move to plain water. i quit soda once and i was fine. i will do it again, but i have other things that are more important for me to get under control.
  • runsonrabbitfood
    runsonrabbitfood Posts: 89 Member
    maxit wrote: »
    I found that La Croix sparkling water meets my quest for carbonation.
    vczk2t15 wrote: »
    i would gradually replace pop with another drink (seltzer or sparkling water), when i am drinking only sparkling water, i would gradually move to plain water. i quit soda once and i was fine. i will do it again, but i have other things that are more important for me to get under control.
    La Croix

    I myself have never been a soda person. But my brother in law to be was a serial drinker. 2 liter bottles covered his bedroom floor. He loves this stuff.
  • cmjohnson53
    cmjohnson53 Posts: 61 Member
    Ha! I'm sipping a Strawberry - Watermelon Sparkling Ice right now! They are delish!
  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
    I've been using TrueLemon to try to cut out too much diet soda. It has 10 calories and is sweetened with sugar and stevia extract. I carry it around in my purse so I can add it to water at restaurants. I am slowly weaning myself to drink it more and more diluted; it's especially good with a kick of real lemon juice added. As the posters above mentioned, I also really like La Croix when I want something fizzy with a little flavor.
  • Chenry18
    Chenry18 Posts: 211 Member
    edited February 2016
    Have you ever tried Spark? It has caffeine but it's also sugar free and has 26 vitamins. It's what I drank to help me stop drinking pop! I'd be happy to mail you a sample.
  • itsafatrose
    itsafatrose Posts: 34 Member
    What I did was switched to lipton sparkling ice teas- they are carbonated flavored tea with no artificial sweeteners (70 calories per can). From there I eventually switched to mixing 2-4 ounces of fruit juice with 16 oz of water that I carbonate with my soda stream to make my own sparkling flavored water. Now I have a small coke once or twice a week. I had to stop thinking of it as a beverage and start thinking of it as a treat.
  • shannie018
    shannie018 Posts: 57 Member
    I had to quit Pepsi cold turkey. I have no self control when it comes to pop. I gave it up on February 1, 2016, so it's only been 23 days. I am a little impatient because I have not seen any weight loss or change in my stomach since giving it up, but I just have to keep pushing forward.
  • joeyzuraski
    joeyzuraski Posts: 47 Member
    I have a water cooler and 4 jugs of water in my bedroom. Got used to staying off of diet coke and beer altogether.
  • ivylaurenolsen
    ivylaurenolsen Posts: 56 Member
    It is so tricky!! I come from a family that drinks soda non-stop...literally. My mom probably drinks 3 diet dr. Peppers a day. I was like that, but I recently started training for a marathon and decided to stop. I have and I love the way I feel. I suggest substituting other drinks in. I LOVE the crystal light packets that you put into water bottles. They even have one with caffeine that is an awesome substitute for soda. It's hard at first but it's totally possible to quit and you will feel awesome when you do. Good luck!! :)
  • 4leighbee
    4leighbee Posts: 1,275 Member
    Do some reading about what else it can be used for around the house. Cured me. And soda is one of those foods/drinks that - once I'm away from it for a while (pregnancy, for instance) - tastes vile to me. Good luck! (Lots of water!)
  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    edited February 2016
    4leighbee wrote: »
    Do some reading about what else it can be used for around the house. Cured me. And soda is one of those foods/drinks that - once I'm away from it for a while (pregnancy, for instance) - tastes vile to me. Good luck! (Lots of water!)

    Most of those are "uses" are either fake (I would not recommend pouring soda on your car battery), can be replicated using other scary sounding chemicals like water, or work because of individual ingredients that you wouldn't think twice about consuming in other forms.
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    Step 1: Put down the glass of pop.

    Step 2: Don't pick up any more pop.


    Though if it fits into your goals and you drink it in moderation, I don't see the harm. Or switch to diet. I'm drinking a Diet Cherry Pepsi right now and it is tasty.
  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt wrote: »
    Step 1: Put down the glass of pop.

    Step 2: Don't pick up any more pop.


    Though if it fits into your goals and you drink it in moderation, I don't see the harm. Or switch to diet. I'm drinking a Diet Cherry Pepsi right now and it is tasty.

    Diet...tasty...does not compute.
  • sarahlifts
    sarahlifts Posts: 610 Member
    another La Croix lover here. bubbly water is the way to go if your caffeine is accompanied by a fizz
  • MegE_N
    MegE_N Posts: 245 Member
    Seltzer. We have a soda stream and drink almost exclusively seltzer. Nice refreshing bubbles with no calories!
  • becky10rp
    becky10rp Posts: 573 Member
    Don't buy it....if it's not in your house, you can't drink it. I only drink diet soda when I'm @ a restaurant. Any other time, it's water (which is a lot cheaper, too - nice perk)!
  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
    edited February 2016
    don't buy it.. deal with the " omg I need one!!! right now !! " cravings.. it's hard. I did this last year.. you just set your mind to NO MORE! and go.
    drink water..
    workout
    do anything.. just don't have it in the house, you can't drink what isn't there.

    There is no easy way. you put the hard work in not drinking it and you end up no longer drinking it.
  • 4leighbee
    4leighbee Posts: 1,275 Member
    tincanonastring wrote: »
    4leighbee wrote: »
    Do some reading about what else it can be used for around the house. Cured me. And soda is one of those foods/drinks that - once I'm away from it for a while (pregnancy, for instance) - tastes vile to me. Good luck! (Lots of water!)

    Most of those are "uses" are either fake (I would not recommend pouring soda on your car battery), can be replicated using other scary sounding chemicals like water, or work because of individual ingredients that you wouldn't think twice about consuming in other forms.

    And yet - if it stops you from drinking those sugary drinks, the fake uses might be worth believing ...
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    tincanonastring wrote: »
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt wrote: »
    Step 1: Put down the glass of pop.

    Step 2: Don't pick up any more pop.


    Though if it fits into your goals and you drink it in moderation, I don't see the harm. Or switch to diet. I'm drinking a Diet Cherry Pepsi right now and it is tasty.

    Diet...tasty...does not compute.

    I drink diet soda so I have room for good beer. It is a compromise I'm more than willing to make.

    :lol:
  • RollTideTri
    RollTideTri Posts: 116 Member
    Diet soda is what got me off it. Good news is I totally lost my taste for regular pop. Now it tastes so over-sweet to me it has no appeal. Diet pop isn't the greatest thing in the world for you either but I only drink 4 or 5 per week.
  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    4leighbee wrote: »
    tincanonastring wrote: »
    4leighbee wrote: »
    Do some reading about what else it can be used for around the house. Cured me. And soda is one of those foods/drinks that - once I'm away from it for a while (pregnancy, for instance) - tastes vile to me. Good luck! (Lots of water!)

    Most of those are "uses" are either fake (I would not recommend pouring soda on your car battery), can be replicated using other scary sounding chemicals like water, or work because of individual ingredients that you wouldn't think twice about consuming in other forms.

    And yet - if it stops you from drinking those sugary drinks, the fake uses might be worth believing ...

    I found that gaining an understanding about calorie management, macros, and nutrition actually led to the realization that I don't need to stop drinking those sugary drinks, just less of them.
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