4 steps to quit drinking soda

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If you're like me, you love soda... but would like to give them up. They can't really be good for you, right? Another MFP buddy suggested that I look up Dr. Oz. He did a show about soda and how to ween yourself off of them. I found this to be helpful. It looks like a plan that will work for me. So I thought I would share it, in case you need the help too. The link below tells you the 4 steps to quit drinking soda.


http://members.doctoroz.com/challenge/28-day-national-soda-challenge

Replies

  • biddysaurus
    biddysaurus Posts: 160 Member
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    Awesome! I'm in. :) I just had a NSV today and left the artificial sweetener out of my coffee. Soda is one of my next challenges. It can't be good for ya...especially with artificial sweetener on top of the acids and crap that eat your bones!
  • Jenn728
    Jenn728 Posts: 683 Member
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    I stopped drinking soda in February. I now drink unsweetened tea and sugar free drink mix (like kool aid). I tried to take a sip of coke recently but the syrup was too much for me! I tried a sweet tea and it was SO sweet I could only sip it.

    I miss my crisp fountain cokes....but i don't miss wasting those calories!
  • kmtetour
    kmtetour Posts: 300 Member
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    I've pretty much quite soda since I've been on MFP. I only get it occasionally when I eat out (I figure the food is so bad for me anyway....). I did not follow this plan, what with diet soda giving me stomach aches, but I'm proud to say I haven't owned a case of soda in MONTHS. So...

    Good luck, you can totally do this!
  • mcsolis
    mcsolis Posts: 107 Member
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    I stopped drinking soda too ever since i was an active member of mfp. Its hard but my body got use to drinking water on a daily basis. Crystal light is also a good alternative to add to drink because after a while water can get pretty boring.
  • DanaKinzer
    DanaKinzer Posts: 72
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    Since I quit smoking, sodas have tasted nasty to me. Too sweet and too bitter at the exact same time. I now drink water, unsweetened tea, and Gatorade at the gym (which is also too sweet but serves a purpose.)
  • Jconner30
    Jconner30 Posts: 311
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    I went cold turkey :)

    Yes, on occation, I still crave one - expecially when I am studying and want a little 'pick me up'. I have not had soda in 5 months - switched to water. I drink tea also with splenda when I really crave something sweet.
  • ChezInProgress
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    I went cold turkey. I occasionally have a Diet Dr. Pepper and that's it. The rest of the time I drink water. I had to quit cold turkey or I'd never have stopped drinking sodas. lol.
  • MamaDee2
    MamaDee2 Posts: 843 Member
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    Thank you! This is my goal for this week to be done with anything but water. I know once I stop I will have a major headache for a little bit but I really do believe that the fake sweetner is causing me to have headaches anyway so I need to just be done with them!
  • lisa_73
    lisa_73 Posts: 43
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    thanks for the link!
  • jend114
    jend114 Posts: 1,058 Member
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    Thank you!
  • themrs08
    themrs08 Posts: 87
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    I quit cold turkey. To help with the caffeine cravings, I drink coffee. Sometimes, I'll crave a soda and usually, when I do, I take a sip to remind myself how yuck it tastes now.
  • flabwillbefab
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    thats awsome!! i REALLY need to quit pepsi!! even if its diet sometimes,,, full of aspartame,,yark,,,,, just the thought of this" liquid" capacity to neutralise a car battery,,makes you wonder what the hell does it do to my inside organs?? brain,,,, blood,,,, im gonn alook this up for sure!!! thanks for sharing this!!
  • 4KidFather
    4KidFather Posts: 134
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    Agreed, cold turkey.
    BUT you may try carbonated water with a spritz of some anti-oxident bright berry - pomegranate/blue/cranberry.
    My kids LOVE that 'spicy juice'.
    Ironically water is more expensive than soda at the store :) What does THAT tell you?
  • jackieelizabeth
    jackieelizabeth Posts: 14 Member
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    I have also laid off the soda since I strted mpf.. Like others have posted I refuse to "wate" my daily calories on a drink that will inevitably make me feel gross! I like to drink blck coffee (moosemunch coffee is sweet enough plain) vitamin water zero cals., unsweetened tea, lemon water, flavored water zero cals, and plain water. I also loveee diet green tea and diet snapple.. But I no these two have artificial sweeteners.
  • navywife33
    navywife33 Posts: 31
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    I've never been a big soda drinker... I do like my Mt. Dew don't get me wrong but I'll have maybe 1-2 a week, if even that. My bestest friend is addicted to Dr. Pepper and I helped her cut back on the 'sauce'. 1 I forced her to not buy it, if it's not in the house you won't drink it in the house. I bought a lot of the water flavoring things- Crystal Lite, Mio, those type of things. We found a flavor that she really enjoyed and made a big pitcher of it. We also bought a 12pk of water and pre-flavored them and kept them in the fridge. She hated me for the 1st I'd say 3 days then she got over it.... now she'll get a 20oz soda maybe 2-3 times a week. I'm proud of her! You guys can sooooooooooo do this!!!

    (since I"m not a big soda drinker and Mt. Dew is my favorite... when I do drink it, I'm crazy goofy from the caffeine)
  • hwilliams519
    hwilliams519 Posts: 428
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    Step # 1 - breaking the sugar addiction. This is no problem for me. I quit drinking regular sodas and sweet tea a couple of years ago. Now I just love the diet sodas and unsweet tea (with splenda).

    Step # 2 - breaking the caffiene addiction. I don't usually drink sodas for caffiene, but during the process of drinking these a lot, I know have a caffiene addiction. I noticed this when I tried to quit cold turkey earlier in the year. It was hell. I felt like a drug addict going thru withdrawals. I was jittery, anxious, and had headaches. My doctor also told me to cut back on my caffiene. So I think switching to caffiene-free sodas will help me transition. And I want to be careful about drinking tea. I think I drink tea too much as well, just not as much as diet sodas. And I don't want to replace one source of caffiene with another.
  • ChristyP0303
    ChristyP0303 Posts: 212 Member
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    Step # 1 - breaking the sugar addiction. This is no problem for me. I quit drinking regular sodas and sweet tea a couple of years ago. Now I just love the diet sodas and unsweet tea (with splenda).

    Step # 2 - breaking the caffiene addiction. I don't usually drink sodas for caffiene, but during the process of drinking these a lot, I know have a caffiene addiction. I noticed this when I tried to quit cold turkey earlier in the year. It was hell. I felt like a drug addict going thru withdrawals. I was jittery, anxious, and had headaches. My doctor also told me to cut back on my caffiene. So I think switching to caffiene-free sodas will help me transition. And I want to be careful about drinking tea. I think I drink tea too much as well, just not as much as diet sodas. And I don't want to replace one source of caffiene with another.

    You can also get decaffeinated tea. After I quit the diet cokes, I replaced it with sweet tea. Gained 15 pounds back of what I lost last year! Yikes! Being in Tennessee, tea just isn't meant to drink unsweet. lol So now I have a BIG box of decaffeinated tea sitting in my cabinet. All water and milk for me since.
  • lanie25
    lanie25 Posts: 42
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    Good for you, JConner! I also went cold turkey on soda. It was amazing how I didn't crave suger or sugary food after that. I am at month one so far, but I'll continue to drink water and tea. Thanks for setting such a good example of 5 months!
  • hwilliams519
    hwilliams519 Posts: 428
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    I always forget about decaffeinated tea! That's probably because Chick-fil-a and Sonic have the best tea, and if I'm going to drink it, that's where I go. I don't think the restaurants make it in decaf. I rarely make it at home, but maybe I should more often. Not only will it save me on the caffeine, but also in the wallet.