I Quit Soda

Terytha
Terytha Posts: 2,097 Member
We gave up Coke for lent. I'm not religious it just seemed like a convenient excuse since husband was doing it (he is religious). At the height of my soda drinking habit I was having 4-6 cans per day. I knew it was bad. But I loathe water. I gave myself the allowance that I would drink it at movie theaters, restaurants and if I got sick but wouldn't have any in the house.

I thought I was gonna die. I wanted a Coke SO BAD and I was cranky and sad about it. We had none though and drinking it in front of husband would have been cruel anyway. But lent is over, we bought a 2 liter for Easter dinner because you have yummy stuff for holiday meals. And I drank a huge amount... of water.

When did I stop craving soda? I don't remember. I still hate water, that'll never change. It picks up weird flavors from everything and my brain squicks at that. Turns out I can tolerate it if I eat spicy/salty things first though, hides the weird other taste. Anyways I guess I've kicked my soda habit. I think about the bottle in the fridge and I just don't want any.

Since I've been drinking way, way too much for like 10 years this is pretty huge.

Also I fit in normal store pants now. I don't have to locate plus size stores to shop. I bought $20 jeans. The cheapest plus size pants I ever found was $80.

I'm still obese, but you gotta take your victories where you can.

Replies

  • lx1x
    lx1x Posts: 38,330 Member
    Yeah. I cut down on soda also..I drink half a dozen a day. Now just once a while.

    Good job👍
  • puffbrat
    puffbrat Posts: 2,806 Member
    That's a big change! There are lots of ways you can flavor water. Maybe you can find something that makes it appealing to you like a little citrus juice, adding some fruit or cucumber, tea, etc.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    A slice of cucumber in water sounds weird, but it is really good. It makes the water taste more like water, if that makes any sense.
  • Terytha
    Terytha Posts: 2,097 Member
    Flavored water and I don't get along. And anything floating in my drink that isn't ice is guaranteed to make me gag.

    I have moderately more success drinking room temp water over cold water. Cold water tastes weirder.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Not trying to force anything on you, but if you can't handle stuff floating in your water, these water infuser bottles keeps the fruit/whatever trapped in a little cage. Just throwing ideas out. Feel free to disregard. Well done on the Coke!

    https://www.google.com/search?q=water+infuser+bottle&safe=active&rlz=1C1GCEU_enUS841US843&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj7j6GSy-ThAhUTpJ4KHZnVBQ0QsxgILQ&biw=1920&bih=937#spd=4471031670779428315
  • puffbrat
    puffbrat Posts: 2,806 Member
    edited April 2019
    A slice of cucumber in water sounds weird, but it is really good. It makes the water taste more like water, if that makes any sense.

    The funny part is that I think it's disgusting. I just suggested it because I know some other people are weird like that ;) I mostly drink plain water and tea.
  • flintflash1
    flintflash1 Posts: 1,066 Member
    ALWAYS take the little victories! GREAT success is based on winning the little battles, and you just won a BIG one! SUPER JOB!!! :)
  • 2NewBeginnings
    2NewBeginnings Posts: 7 Member
    I lost 90 pds in 1 year... Haven’t drank ANY Sodas since. None. Nada. Zilch.

    U can do it. In the beginning, you crave it and miss it. You go through withdrawals but if you stick with it, you eventually don’t ever desire it.

    Good luck!
  • JohnnytotheB
    JohnnytotheB Posts: 361 Member
    Excellent job on cutting back on the liquid calories. I too cut soda out. I switched to water which is fine but one day I was listening to someone who loved seltzer water (no sugar, no salt, no junk, no calories). I purchased a 12 pack of the Polar brand and loved it. My favorite is lemon and just plain. The plain is literally just carbonated water. It was great because it feels like you are having a soda due to the fizz but none of the other stuff on the label.

    On a seperate note I also switched my liquor to the "hard seltzer waters" like White Claw (my favorite). 100 calories per 12 calories. I can still party and drink without doing the 250 to 500 calorie drinks (per drink) that I love like margarita's or brandy old fashions.
  • jean133mjg
    jean133mjg Posts: 133 Member
    I gave up soda 4-1/2 years ago. I was drinking a six pack a day of regular Pepsi. It made me feel so bloated in the hot summer months. I also hated drinking water, but over the years of drinking water, black coffee or tea, I got to where I was craving water and realized when I was really thirsty. The sugar in the soda never quenched my thirst. I had heard that the more you drink something, the more your body craves it. Seems to be that way for me, so maybe one day you might enjoy it more than you do now. Anyway, it's a victory anyway you look at it. Congrats.
  • bruhnruth
    bruhnruth Posts: 6 Member
    I limit myself to one coke a week.
  • Sew3rin
    Sew3rin Posts: 115 Member
    Well done!
  • Lesley2603
    Lesley2603 Posts: 119 Member
    I gave up Diet Coke 3.5 years ago when I first started in the gym, as recommended by my PT. never missed it until the day after my sons wedding, 9 months later, was tired and hungover, took a cold can out of fridge, had one mouthful and threw the rest away, it was foul, can’t believe I drunk so much of it in the past,
  • Fivepts
    Fivepts Posts: 517 Member
    edited April 2019
    I am a water snob because it's the main thing I drink. It depends on the company. I hate Tx. water, even filtered, but don't mind SC, OK, NC, KY water. Same with ice. I only drink bottled water overseas. Tassay is a good brand. IMHO
  • rossbaker2_sc
    rossbaker2_sc Posts: 43 Member
    I told myself I was giving up diet soft drinks at the beginning of March to give myself an extra boost since I was starting to plateau. I've had two since, once at a restaurant and once at work after a night where I couldn't sleep and I desperately needed caffeine (don't like coffee).

    I drink a lot more water now and honestly I feel like a million bucks compared to before. I don't have as many cravings throughout the day and I have a lot more energy during workouts.
  • rossbaker2_sc
    rossbaker2_sc Posts: 43 Member
    They still taste delicious to me and are very tempting though. I wish I had the experience other people have mentioned about losing their taste for them.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    A friend of mine lost 50 pounds JUST from cutting out beer and soda. (That's a lot of beer and soda...) He made no other changes. Keep up the good work, OP!
  • Terytha
    Terytha Posts: 2,097 Member
    They still taste delicious to me and are very tempting though. I wish I had the experience other people have mentioned about losing their taste for them.

    Yep, still delicious. That's why I still drink them at restaurants, because a tall glass of cola with ice is just about the best thing, and allowing some is better than snapping and drinking a 12 pack.

    I never drank diet soda though. Only regular. Diet has always tasted vile to me. And when I visit the US I drink nothing but water, because high fructose corn syrup is probably the grossest thing in the universe to me. I'd rather drink mud.
  • SteroidalLolita
    SteroidalLolita Posts: 122 Member
    Terytha wrote: »
    We gave up Coke for lent. I'm not religious it just seemed like a convenient excuse since husband was doing it (he is religious). At the height of my soda drinking habit I was having 4-6 cans per day. I knew it was bad. But I loathe water. I gave myself the allowance that I would drink it at movie theaters, restaurants and if I got sick but wouldn't have any in the house.

    I thought I was gonna die. I wanted a Coke SO BAD and I was cranky and sad about it. We had none though and drinking it in front of husband would have been cruel anyway. But lent is over, we bought a 2 liter for Easter dinner because you have yummy stuff for holiday meals. And I drank a huge amount... of water.

    When did I stop craving soda? I don't remember. I still hate water, that'll never change. It picks up weird flavors from everything and my brain squicks at that. Turns out I can tolerate it if I eat spicy/salty things first though, hides the weird other taste. Anyways I guess I've kicked my soda habit. I think about the bottle in the fridge and I just don't want any.

    Since I've been drinking way, way too much for like 10 years this is pretty huge.

    Also I fit in normal store pants now. I don't have to locate plus size stores to shop. I bought $20 jeans. The cheapest plus size pants I ever found was $80.

    I'm still obese, but you gotta take your victories where you can.

    Dude! Congrats!
    I did the same. I'll have a little on occasion but it just doesn't strike me as quite as good as it used to. It's a great feeling!
  • kgb6days
    kgb6days Posts: 880 Member
    Get a water filter. It'll take out the weird tastes for the most part
  • OooohToast
    OooohToast Posts: 257 Member
    Well done OP ! My dentist noticed when I stopped drinking soda (Euw, right ?!) and I also felt better. As above, a water filter works wonders !
  • OooohToast
    OooohToast Posts: 257 Member
    Also ! Carbonated drinks of any kind are not good for the bones....
  • SailorDH
    SailorDH Posts: 13 Member
    Great Job - When I stated my recent weight loss journey in Sept I gave up Diet Coke - which was hard - have been a diet coke junkie for 20 years since I quit alcohol - and the 20 oz diet coke was my comfort food, my "replacement vice". But the program was on mandated it. After several weeks, lost all the desire for it, and have since learned of how bad the ingredients are for the gastro system, so now have no intention of going back.

    I have now achieved my goal weight - (down over 100 lbs) feeling great. Sparkling waters and seltzers, and plain water are ticket. I don't miss the other stuff - although occasionally I think all I ever drink are black coffee, water, and carbonated water - and the occasional glass of milk - seems limiting but the thought soon passes.....

    Keep the faith all who are giving up on the POP!
  • huntercam727
    huntercam727 Posts: 3 Member
    edited April 2019
    That's EXACTLY what I did! Almost down to a T. Limited myself to movies, restaurants, and that rare occasion that I was so tired I couldn't keep my eyes open at work (I don't drink coffee.) Eventually, I just...stopped wanting it. We also stopped eating out as much so I wasn't really ever having it. I do still on occasion get one if we do eat out, but I usually find myself not very satisfied with it. Progress is progress. Congrats!!

    Edit: I found what I mostly craved was the carbonation and fizziness. So I do on occasion enjoy flavored sparkling water. Still not the best for you, but if you find the right kind it's way better than a soda.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    Before I ever started MFP (many years ago), I gave up dr pepper. At the time I was working as a waitress so I was very active, and I lost 15 lbs just from that lol. I was also drinking a LOT of dr pepper. probably at least 500 calories worth a day or more.
  • NewLIFEstyle4ME
    NewLIFEstyle4ME Posts: 4,440 Member
    YAY YOU! What I do with soda/pop is drink a quarter of it or so, then refill it with water, drink another quarter or so (sometimes half) and refill the rest with water, until I'm drinking just water with a wee hint of the soda, juice and I even do this with smoothies too. I do this with juice and other caloried drinks. When you first start doing this it tastes like...watered down stuff (because it is), but after a couple of weeks, you'll find yourself really liking it (the way watered down version of your drink) that way and eventually will find yourself watering down your juices and soda wayyyyyy more AND find yourself really liking the watered down version FAR BETTER than the full taste. This way, you can still have your soda/pop and/or juice YOUR WAY and won't be consuming so many liquid cals if you don't want to. It so works for me, but like most things, what's good/works for some maynot for others!
  • zeejane4
    zeejane4 Posts: 230 Member
    A great success op! I'm down to one can of diet soda a day, at lunch time, and I have a goal to eliminate that yet this year (at the beginning of the year I was drinking 4+ cans a day). I'm saving a lot of money by reducing my intake :)
  • anl90
    anl90 Posts: 928 Member
    Quit soda is extremely hard, so great job! I am super proud of you for this accomplishment!!
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