How Do You Quit Soda???

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  • HardcorePork
    HardcorePork Posts: 109 Member
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    I drink 8-12 cans of Pepsi a day!!!

    I'm not sure what to do, because I have a similar problem with coffee. I don't seem to gain weight but I can't imagine 4-6 cups a day is good for me.

    Anyhow, try diluting your pepsi with soda water. Keep it up, until you can just completely switch, I guess?
  • hiker282
    hiker282 Posts: 983 Member
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    1) Remove all soda from house.

    2) Don't buy more soda

    3) Don't buy soda from vending machines

    4) When offered soda, politely ask for non carbonated beverage.

    5) If soda falls from sky and knocks you unconscious, consider it a blessing from God and just drink the damn soda when you regain consciousness!
  • TheresaGettingHealthy
    TheresaGettingHealthy Posts: 7 Member
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    La Croix and Iced Tea!
  • scotslass
    scotslass Posts: 317
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    I went cold turkey when it came to cutting it out. I will say it's not easy, you crave it, you get headaches, you feel like your an addict to the drinks!! BUT the massive affect it's had on me, cutting it out of my die,t far outweighs the hard times, the weight has dropped off and just think your teeth will thank you too :-) good luck x
  • saxnviolin
    saxnviolin Posts: 159 Member
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    I gave it up cold turkey! Next month will be 2 years that I haven't had ANY type of soda at all. I just
    decided water all the way and my morning coffee- that's it. I tried to lower the daily amount but
    that didn't work so cold turkey was hard for about a week or two and then I stopped
    wanting to drink it. I don't even crave it anymore and I drank soda like water. I hope you are successful. :bigsmile:
  • blv0267
    blv0267 Posts: 150 Member
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    Club soda worked for me.....but I realized I was addicted to the fizzies and not the sugar/taste of the soda. I still crave a ginger ale now and again.
  • saragato
    saragato Posts: 1,154
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    Sounds like you either have a caffeine addiction or a sugar one if you get moody without them. In that case you're better off weaning yourself off them. Cut down your intake every couple of days and try better replacements like tea (which can be sweetened with either sugar or honey) until you're not drinking soda anymore.

    And like hiker282 mentioned, stop buying it and having it in the house. If it's within your reach, you will grab for it without thinking.
  • SuffolkSally
    SuffolkSally Posts: 964 Member
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    The caffeine's probably the worst bit. I gave up coffee cold turkey, and it took about 6 months for me to not want to kill people at random;). It was worth it though...
  • Prettylittlelotus
    Prettylittlelotus Posts: 239 Member
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    Honestly,

    I started drinking talking rain or other "sparkly" drinks that lack the calories. I can't stand artificial sweeteners, so I do things like use juice in sparkling water or add raspberries.

    It really helps curb the cravings for soda, and eventually, you will stop craving it so much. I swear soda is addicting, but once you make a habit of drinking other things you won’t even miss is.
  • Celeigh12
    Celeigh12 Posts: 763 Member
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    Cold turkey here from a 10-12 a day diet Coke habit in February. I switched to iced tea (couldn't give up the caffeine) and sparkling water for the carbonation.
  • spynoodle
    spynoodle Posts: 404
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    Wow! That's 1200 calories a day from Pepsi! At the very least, a switch to diet would be better or sparkling water w/lemon or something.
  • spynoodle
    spynoodle Posts: 404
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    Cold turkey here from a 10-12 a day diet Coke habit in February. I switched to iced tea (couldn't give up the caffeine) and sparkling water for the carbonation.

    Good job. Did all the caffeine cause you insomnia?
  • magoch
    magoch Posts: 134
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    I work at a place where we get free soda (the break rooms have a fridge that looks like a convenience store - 30+ varieties), so I used to drink 6 a day (diet coke mostly).

    I am now down to drinking 2-3 a week. Here's what worked for me YMMV (your mileage may vary):
    1. weaned myself off, 6 a day to 5 a day to 4 a day... over about 2 months
    2. drinking coffee/tea to get my caffeine kick (this took a while to get used to)
    3. not keeping it in the easily accessible (e.g. not in the fridge, in a box, in the garage so I have to make an effort to get it, add ice, or wait for it to chill...) Optimally I wouldn't have it in the house, but too many friends come over that like them (this solution makes it inconvenient enough to work for me.)
    4. substituting really amazing teas/infusions so I don't feel deprived. I let myself go a bit crazy at Teavana, and got a hot water pot (keeps hot water available all the time-- not just instant boil like a kettle). My favorites are Zocolatte (chocolate & spices -- no tea, tastes like hot chocolate w/no calories), morrocan mint (green tea blend), a bunch of other green teas, and iced strawberry lemonade (no tea in this one either - also amazing if you add a little selzer for fizz).
  • nicholjenny
    nicholjenny Posts: 74 Member
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    Dr. Oz did a segment on his show about cutting it out. Don't go cold turkey! Too many side effects. Instead, substitute with orange juice, slowly cutting down your soda intake weekly. Once you have weaned yourself off, start replacing the OJ with more water. If you need bubbles, add the carbonated water.

    I was seriously addicted to Coca-cola. I had it easy (:laugh: ) in a tiny way because I had open heart surgery and used that as an opportunity to stop cold turkey since I was unconscious for 3-4 days. I look at the soda the same way as any drug addiction... no slips or else! I did add back in Diet Squirt occasionally, for the bubbles!

    Good Luck. Maybe you can find the Dr. Oz segment online someplace.
  • Celeigh12
    Celeigh12 Posts: 763 Member
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    Cold turkey here from a 10-12 a day diet Coke habit in February. I switched to iced tea (couldn't give up the caffeine) and sparkling water for the carbonation.

    Good job. Did all the caffeine cause you insomnia?

    I am pretty unaffected by caffeine -probably the years of hard core conditioning :bigsmile: . I can drink it all day and night and still fall asleep easily. What does get me though are the headaches if I don't get it. So in that regard, I still have demons to battle.
  • CharliSue
    CharliSue Posts: 81
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    I absolutely love Mt Dew but can't do diet sodas. YUCK!! I just went cold turkey. I pretty much only drink water (well over 100 ozs per day) and maybe a 1/2 cup coffee in the mornings. I dont miss the soda. If I have a glass of soda on accassion now it makes me feel kind of ill.
  • breezymom81
    breezymom81 Posts: 499 Member
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    Walmart has great falvoed sparkling water!! I love that stuff and was an avid soda drinker.... not any more had one can in the last 3+ weeks!
  • hj7williams
    hj7williams Posts: 1
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    I feel your pain :) I was a case a day Pepsi drinker for years! I tried diet (yuck, and the aspartame literally almost killed me), I began alternating regular with caffine free all day to ween the caffine addiction I had going. Then I noticed a difference in my bp, so I went a step further and switched to Dr Pepper because it's lower in caffine than Pepsi. I still drink 2 Dr Pepper a day, I just don't have the will power to go cold turkey. Now when I drink Pepsi (if I can get past the stomach ache) I find myself craving it so I just avoid it altogether. Good Luck :smile:
  • beckers80
    beckers80 Posts: 134 Member
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    I'm hooked on diet pepsi and drink about 6 cans a day. I drink no water! I went today and got two more cases of diet, hoping it will be my last. I am researching the side effects of diet pepsi.. Bad stuff but weird, but i still have one in my hand.
  • Droope2
    Droope2 Posts: 82
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    I drink 8-12 cans of Pepsi a day!!! I bought stock in Pepsi so I didnt feel so bad on how much i spend every month, every time I buy a pepsi it brings my stocks up lol, thats seriously how bad of an addict I am. I swear its like crack, I keep trying to kill this addiction I have to Pepsi...but then after a few hours if I dont have one I get *****y and lazy and I just have to have one...I tried diet its so gross. I am thankful that they just came out with Pepsi next which is still bad but has less calories. I recently added more water into my diet, I went from 0 a day to 2 Liters, but I just cant give up the Pepsi in between. Everyone says wheen off and I try. Is there something I can substitute. I think its the carbiation that attracts me honestly, water is just so plane... :( HELP!!!

    OMG I was in the same boat, I would actually lie to the doctors about how much I drank, I was constantly buying the 6 packs of 24oz bottles usually went though a pack a day, then when I was accepted for gastric bypass I learned I couldn't drink pop anymore, even though surgery isn't until fall I decided I should start weening myself now, now I am down to 1 12oz bottle a day and normally I don't finish it. I just slowly started to cut back because I would get headaches so bad, finally I discovered Powerade Zero and it is delicious and no calories, I was so surprised because it is full of flavor I just started slow, one pepsi, one powerade and finally got to a point where I am down to 1 pepsi a day and I honestly don't even notice it much, I can not drink water, even if my life depended on it, so I understand your situation, try the powerade or try pepsi max even, it's better than the diet! Good Luck!

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