Stopping soda..

2

Replies

  • MamaWannaRun
    MamaWannaRun Posts: 273 Member
    I just posted a whole thread on sugar withdrawal as i stopped my Mt. Dew addiction with my new diet plan.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/474803-sugar-withdrawal

    For me, I have tried off and on to stop for YEARS. Finally, I just had to do it. Hopefully, this time I am ready. I quite cold turkey.
    Since I started my new life 'style', I had one Diet Soda when I was doing a 8 hour drive one day. Now, I've switched to unsweetened tea. So far, so good.

    Good luck to you. I am sure you will find your 'substitute' and live happily ever after!
  • mmtrnr
    mmtrnr Posts: 25 Member
    In Feb 2010 I quit cold turkey. On an average day I would have 1-3 cans of Coke (but not every day), and sometimes as many as 5. I was getting bad heart burn and decided to cut things out of my diet one at a time to see how I reacted. Coke was the first thing to go... and I haven't had heartburn since.

    At about the 7 day mark I did get a headache, but honestly it wasn't too bad. Too be fair, Coke was the only caffeine I drank; I'm not a coffee drinker so maybe I wasn't as addicted as most. My husband kept pop/soda (whatever you want to call it) in the house... and still does. I started keeping water bottles in the fridge where we keep pop. Part of the reason I drank so much is because it was handier. Now I just grab a water.

    I told myself that after some time, I would allow a "treat" every now and then. But quite frankly, I don't really have the urge. I feel like I'm cheating on myself if I do. I stick to water. Sometimes OJ or cranberry juice in the mornings.
  • garnet1483
    garnet1483 Posts: 249 Member
    When I was a teenager, I drank 2-3 cokes or diet cokes a day...created a MASSIVE caffeine addiction. Since then, I've gotten a little bit better. For the longest time, I was averaging about 1 a day (my lovely boss stocks the fridge regularly). Since starting the new, healthy habits, I started drinking TONS of water in a day. The rule I gave myself was, I had to drink at least 32 oz. of water before drinking anything carbonated, and follow it up with another 32 oz. of water. For the most part, after the first week or so, I just sipped water all day, and didn't even bother with the diet coke. I was still averaging about one a week, on the day that I splurge and have fast food. This past week (five weeks into my new water habit) finishing that one diet coke was sort of painful. It really burned my throat and left me feeling bloated. So, I'm not saying I'm never, ever drinking another one, I think I've pretty firmly got myself switched over to water, and will most likely forgo the diet coke from now on. I'll drink unsweetened tea if I want a change. (That also took a little bit of time to form a habit for, instead of sweetened tea, but now I love the stuff!) I know you said you usually keep the habit up for about three months before slipping, and I think for me at least, the key was definitely replacing the soda with an alternative.
  • prisbe40
    prisbe40 Posts: 1 Member
    I crave Diet Coke! I could drink it all day. I have found that cutting back has helped with bloating but not FAT. I have always lost weight drinking diet sodas, but as i get in the Over 50 club----it takes pulling out all the stops to loose a pound. I have stopped drinking more than one a day, but i feel that allowing that one in the afternoon helps with my sweet tooth and keeps me on my food plan!
  • lewandt
    lewandt Posts: 566
    I drank diet mt dew by the gallons. I quit a couple of weeks ago and feel pretty good. I always have a water bottle with me and drink mostly water. It tends to get boring though so now i drink milk at supper (never drank much milk). I actually look forward to milk (go figure).

    I am not going to say i will never have it, i don't mind once in a while but not like i was. I might have a diet coke once in a while, trying to stay away from the diet mt dew (not sure it is safe to have one). If i open a diet coke it usually takes me a few days to drink it, and it is a treat then.
  • upOwlNight
    upOwlNight Posts: 3
    I wish I could help ya. Drinks are my weakness. If it weren't for beer, liquor, and soda I wouldn't be on MFP to begin with.

    I had a year where I was so broke I would dig through my couch looking for spare change so I could ride my bike 7 miles to Publix and buy a bag of rice :-/ Needless to say, it was at this time I was forced to stop drinking so much.

    I was good this way for a year. I went from 240 all the way to 175. I felt great. I felt so great I thought I could go ahead and have a tasty soda. Turns out I didn't even like the taste all that much anymore. I do love the way it goes with a meal though, and within two weeks I was right back at it, an easy 2 liters a day :-/.

    My best resolution to the whole thing is to just cut it off completely. I can't even reward myself with it here or there. I'm Jeff, and I'm a sodaholic. *hi Jeff*

    Since I've joined the gym I've been having a hard time bringing one to my lips. I know a can of soda = more time jogging.

    I don't recommend this, but somehow I have been able to control myself by drinking redbull, the small cans. I'm able to have just one on an occasion, and only feel slightly guilty.
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    I have a can of pepsi pretty much every day. I don't have any ulcers or crazy stuff. Yeah, it is a TON of sugar. But I'm not doing diet drinks.

    Just the bubbly of it. It is a habit. You can stop drinking it by simply not drinking it. It will be annoying and you might get mad. But you can do it. Just stop drinking it. :)
  • TruckerChick
    TruckerChick Posts: 263
    There is a lot of good advice here.... the best of which is to just stop buying it and drinking it. Yes, you could switch to diet sodas, but the diet sodas are actually more harmful to your body than the regular kind. I used to drink sodas every day. Now I drink water. Think of it this way.... if you are allowed 1500 calories a day, do you want to drink those calories, or eat them??
  • mego07
    mego07 Posts: 234 Member
    I don't buy it at all to keep in the house. It's just like cookies and sweets. If it is in the house I am going to want it and not in moderation. You have to know your own self-control. I allow myself a coke when I go out to eat with friends or family. There are instances where I will go plenty of months without any: soda, soda pop, pop, cold drink, coke, cola or any other people call it. :)

    I call it a Coke by the way.
  • kcphilly
    kcphilly Posts: 71
    I'm trying to give it up myself...the regular kind since I don't like diet for many reasons. Heard enough warnings from my dentist on the acids in it, and then the other day I read this article and it's definitely helping me.

    http://health.yahoo.net/experts/eatthis/3-shocking-soda-facts#.Tye-0Kop55w.email

    I have tried Zevia which is all natural even the coloring, but it's expensive $6 for a six pack. And some of the flavors are hit or miss. The Dr. Zevia tastes a lot like Dr. Pepper but heard a lot of complaints about the Coke version.
  • Transforming_Sarah
    Transforming_Sarah Posts: 27
    I quit on November 7, 2011 and am pretty shocked that I am actually done. It's so nice. Amazingly, I really don't even want it anymore. Like I said, I can hardly believe it. What worked for me - I told my kids I was quitting for good. Maybe telling someone you see regularly would help hold you accountable?
    It has occurred to me that I could drink it when they aren't around but I don't want to lie to them. Sometimes I think; only on holidays or only when I'm out to eat, but once I start then I know it will creep back into my everyday life and it isn't worth it to me. Good luck!!
  • jenny95662
    jenny95662 Posts: 997 Member
    i have always drank diet i grew up on it my issue is i need to add water in too lol I can sit and drink diet soda all day but not get any water i say if you can get your water in then why not have diet soda.
  • TheJustPull
    TheJustPull Posts: 66
    Good thoughts everyone.i may check out the soda stream as
    I've heard it mentioned before, I'd probably
    Make the diet.. Is it closer Pepsi or cokes diet?
  • cassblue21
    cassblue21 Posts: 207
    Just try to cut back some. I used to drink a can or two of dr pepper everyday but figured I could buy the smaller cans and that worked for a while, and then I cut back again and got a fountain drink just a couple of times a day, but now I just do it once or twice a month and it works great! Baby steps! :) And drinking diet in my opinion is not worth it. It doesn't taste the same and is definitely not good for you. On the drs once it even said that diet soda holds onto belly fat more than regular.
  • christa_dee
    christa_dee Posts: 37
    I drank a gallon of water a day. Some days I had to force myself to finish it, but I did. After about the first week all I wanted was water allll the time. Occasionally I would crave soda at work and get some just to find that after a sip I just wanted more water. Now I can't drink soda, tea, or anything like that...it just tastes gross!
    It is hard at first, but try it for like 2 or 3 weeks and trust me, it will work! Just don't give into your soda craving so much...especially the first week!
    Good Luck!
  • nitnole711
    nitnole711 Posts: 29
    There is a lot of good advice here.... the best of which is to just stop buying it and drinking it. Yes, you could switch to diet sodas, but the diet sodas are actually more harmful to your body than the regular kind. I used to drink sodas every day. Now I drink water. Think of it this way.... if you are allowed 1500 calories a day, do you want to drink those calories, or eat them??



    Ditto!!!! Just don't buy it!! I had a diet Pepsi addiction about 5-6 years ago & I stopped buying it...was rough in the beginning...but you can do it! Yes, diet sodas are calorie free, but they are CRAP for you.... What's important...weight loss, over-all health, or both? If it's both, like it is for me, don't do diet!!!!
  • Mary_elle
    Mary_elle Posts: 1
    Such good advise thanks. I'm goin to attempt to do the same. As I have been adicted to soda ( coke) for ever.
  • nikolaim5
    nikolaim5 Posts: 233
    Yes, you could switch to diet sodas, but the diet sodas are actually more harmful to your body than the regular kind.

    I'd love to see the study you're referencing. Can you post the link?
  • Kelly50054
    Kelly50054 Posts: 141
    I tried for years to get off of pop, but to only fail at it.
    Once I eliminated anything yeast made, all grains the cravings for it completely stopped. I have not had any in the house since June of 2011. Now when I go out to eat I will have a Pepsi once in awhile and I can not stand how sweet it is and the smell gets me.
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
    flavored sparkling water helped me wean off. Now I just drink water or (occasionally) milk. If I drink the "fizzy pop pop" stuff (flavored sparkling water) now, it makes me crave soda like a crack addict.

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