Cutting Out Soda

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  • erindspinky
    erindspinky Posts: 4 Member
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    I used to drink coke daily. If you are used to drinking a few a day, start by limiting to just one. Then maybe only a few a week, then one. Eventually it will get easier! I think this is a much easier way rather than just quitting cold turkey.
  • tjones0411
    tjones0411 Posts: 179 Member
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    I gave up soda years ago, but sometimes I really want the fizz. Naturally flavored sparkling waters or Club soda with a lime hit the spot for me.
  • KaleiAlanaSmith
    KaleiAlanaSmith Posts: 133 Member
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    I had the same problem. Addicted to soda and gaining weight!!! Two years ago I switched to diet and its so amazing. Tastes great for 0 calories. Only problem now is i see my enamel is going away so now I'm trying to cut out all sodas entirely for the sake of my enamel.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    seashellybob wrote: »
    sgt1372 wrote: »
    jlsmash wrote: »
    I have a problem with soda. I can easily throw down at least 3 a day. How can I beat the addiction without feeling like I’m missing out on something??

    I use to drink 3-4 cans of Coke a day and just quit "cold turkey." Haven't had a Coke or soda of any kind since.

    Sugar (refined, artifical or natural is not physically addictive; nothing that causes physical withdrawal symptoms if you stop eating it.

    Psychological dependency or addiction is another matter.

    There's a reason why EVERYONE loves sweets. It tastes good and we almost always want more of it starting w/the first taste as a child.

    The only thing that happened when I stopped drinking soda was that I lost weight. That was incentive enough to CHOOSE not to drink a soda ever again.

    If you just can't say no to regular soda then trying to find a low cal substitute, like diet soda, water or tea/coffee (w/o cream & sugar, of course) would be your only other option.

    Good luck!

    I quit cold turkey aswell. I started mfp and looked at my daily calorie allotment and realized I'd much rather eat something for 200 calories than waste it on a beverage!

    If I had been a sugary soda drinker (or someone who consumed similar calories in coffee beverages daily) when I decided to lose weight, I think I would have made the same decision, as I hate wasting calories on drinks.

    Someone who drinks only black coffee or diet soda or even coffee with a small amount of calories in it only doesn't really have the same incentive.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
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    I switched to diet and now I actually prefer it. I used to hate diet soda and thought it tasted gross but now I don’t like regular because it’s too “sweet” or syrupy or something.
  • Trish1c
    Trish1c Posts: 549 Member
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    I too try the cold turkey route. For me it's hard sometimes because that morning soda was my morning caffeine. Having the ever present bottle of water helped. I have also started to experiment with various teas. I just had a hot cup of peach tea. I feel like I got my "sweet" but at no calories.
  • seashellybob
    seashellybob Posts: 33 Member
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    Trish1c wrote: »
    I too try the cold turkey route. For me it's hard sometimes because that morning soda was my morning caffeine. Having the ever present bottle of water helped. I have also started to experiment with various teas. I just had a hot cup of peach tea. I feel like I got my "sweet" but at no calories.

    When I first went cold turkey, I would sometimes have a cup of hot tea. But I was also really trying to kick the caffeine because on a day I didn't have any, I'd end up with a horrendous afternoon headache.
  • LilFoxtrot
    LilFoxtrot Posts: 91 Member
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    I quit soda 'cold turkey' and replaced it with la croix waters. It fulfills my need to reach for a can of something carbonated. Now I can't stand the taste of Coke/Pepsi.
  • Rickster1967
    Rickster1967 Posts: 485 Member
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    yeah drink sugar free versions, problem solved

    optimal? probably not but dropping weight >>>>>>>> anything else health wise
  • CallMeRu
    CallMeRu Posts: 33 Member
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    I'm quitting now, just posting how many days without soda was keeping me accountable, until Pepsi Black Ice came on sale and I bought some. Soda isn't the devil, but I feel that I drink less water when I have my sodas.

    So tomorrow I'm counting down and my goal is to make it Saturday - Saturday without any soda.
  • CallMeRu
    CallMeRu Posts: 33 Member
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    [quote="moosmum1972;c-41140751"

    But soda is 99% water......[/quote]

    The two main ingredients in soda are carbonated water (H2CO3 known as carbonic acid), and high fructose corn syrup which is made by refining the sugar that naturally occurs from corn with added enzymes.

    Perhaps it's mental but when I drink more soda than water I don't feel as good. I feel more jittery when I drink soda, as well as more "lazy" not sure of a better word in English. I also make much poorer food choices since chips taste better with soda than watermelon does.

  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,999 Member
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    CallmeRue, The jitteriness could be due to the caffeine?

    but yes, certainly if drinking soda has a mental effect of going with other poor food choices ,that is a good reason for you to limit it.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,999 Member
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    hesn92 wrote: »
    I switched to diet and now I actually prefer it. I used to hate diet soda and thought it tasted gross but now I don’t like regular because it’s too “sweet” or syrupy or something.

    This is my experience too - when I first started on weight loss/maitenance journey, i switched to diet coke or pepsi max.

    I dont drink it that much- maybe equivalent of 2 or 3 cans a week - and i always opt for the diet version - occasionally it is not available and I have small drink of regular it tastes too syrup to me too now.

  • racetofinish751
    racetofinish751 Posts: 15 Member
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    I have learned that giving up my Cherry Coke Zero is a battle I will never win. What I've decided is that is my special treat on Sundays if I do well all week on my diet plan
  • CallMeRu
    CallMeRu Posts: 33 Member
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    paperpudding wrote: »
    CallmeRue, The jitteriness could be due to the caffeine?

    but yes, certainly if drinking soda has a mental effect of going with other poor food choices ,that is a good reason for you to limit it.

    I'm sure it was the caffeine. I thought I wrote that but I was chasing after two sick kids at the time of writing it. I completely regret posting that reply, but I didn't review it until hours later. I usually know better. *Face palm*
  • CallMeRu
    CallMeRu Posts: 33 Member
    edited January 2018
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    stevencloser wrote: »
    CallMeRu wrote: »
    [quote="moosmum1972;c-41140751"

    But soda is 99% water......

    The two main ingredients in soda are carbonated water (H2CO3 known as carbonic acid), and high fructose corn syrup which is made by refining the sugar that naturally occurs from corn with added enzymes.

    Perhaps it's mental but when I drink more soda than water I don't feel as good. I feel more jittery when I drink soda, as well as more "lazy" not sure of a better word in English. I also make much poorer food choices since chips taste better with soda than watermelon does.

    Carbonated water isn't H2CO3. That is the carbonic acid inside the water. Its water + carbonic acid, not pure carbonic acid. Also H2CO3 is highly volatile and immediately reacts to... H2O + CO2. Water and carbonic dioxide. The bubbles that rise after you open the bottle. [/quote]


    I am just a science teacher, but I don't do chemistry thankfully, and not in English. But I believe the chemical make up of carbonated water is H2CO3. I looked it up to be sure but we recently discussed this with the other teachers for the upcoming science fair. That being said, I'm no chemist and accept that I could be wrong.

    Still, soda encouranges me (personally) to make bad ETA: food* choices
  • jacqueline0821
    jacqueline0821 Posts: 667 Member
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    I drank diet pop for as long as I can remember. Once I got a sodastream and worked at a gas station I was drinking almost 8 cans of pop a day. Although it was diet I still knew it wasn't good for me. I started suffering from migraines and a nutritionist told me I had to give up the pop because of the caffeine. I have also heard that the carbonation is bad for your bones (don't know for sure). So I quit it, I missed the caffeine so I have one v8 energy per day which has some caffeine and little bubbles. Otherwise, I drink 7 cups of crystal light green tea a day.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbonated_water

    Carbon dioxide gas dissolved in water at a low concentration (0.2–1.0%) creates carbonic acid (H2CO3)[9] according to the following reaction:

    H2O(l) + CO2(g) ⇌ H2CO3(aq)

    The acid gives carbonated water a slightly tart flavor (this is partly due to the carbonic acid). The pH level between 3 and 4[10] is approximately in between apple juice and orange juice in acidity, but much less acidic than the acid in the stomach. The human body robustly maintains pH equilibrium via acid–base homeostasis and will not be affected by consumption of plain carbonated water.[5] If an alkaline salt, such as sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, or potassium citrate is added to the water, its acidity is reduced.

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