Breaking the Soda habit

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  • kristenlees122
    kristenlees122 Posts: 242
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    its horrible, but you just have to get through the headaches. once you get through them, they wont come back. promise. you can do it.
  • Graciecny
    Graciecny Posts: 303
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    I was a Mountain-Dew-a-holic. What changed my mind was logging calories and seeing how much I could eat if I didn't drink so many calories! I'm very lucky in that I didn't experience the headaches others have mentioned. I pretty much went cold turkey, and although I now enjoy a rare sip of soda, I don't think I've had a full can in months now. When I do budget the calories to have a Coke or Dew as a treat, I've found myself drinking half and tossing the other - it's just not as satisfying as it used to be. Weird, but I'm grateful it has worked out that way! I would have sworn up and down I couldn't give the stuff up or live without it...turns out I can and do. :laugh:

    So for those trying to quit, hopefully you'll end up finding it easier than it looks when you try and get started!
  • belladonnablue
    belladonnablue Posts: 24
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    Heh, I actually did my blog post about breaking the soda habit today...

    So I used to do 5-6 cans of Dr. Pepper a day, easy. That was about 3 years ago. During my pregnancy, I got pretty much ordered off of sugar and caffeine, so I had to manage. I weaned slowly, and by the time I quit alltogether, I didn't actually get caffeine headaches. But I still wanted a soda every single day. Once I had the baby and got my milk squared away, I was right back on soda, but I didn't drink it as much and stopped keeping in the house. I became a fountain drink fiend instead and did 1-2 of those a day.

    Trying to kick that this year, too. Here's what I've figured out:

    Drinking soda is part of your routine. Break the routine and you can break the habit. For example, I used to require a Dr. Pepper to even get out of bed in the morning. If I didn't have one, I was a firebreathing monster. So I stopped carrying in the house, I bought a coffee maker and some really light roast coffee, some stevia, and began experimenting with creamers until I found some combination I could drink that wasn't also a billion calories. Drinking a couple cups of coffee in the morning became my new routine, and now the idea of drinking soda in the morning is really gross. It helps, too, that I just wanted off the sugary soda -- I don't mind some caffeine.

    If you can figure out what or when is making you reach for sodas when you do, you can plan ahead and decide what to do instead.
  • divalivious
    divalivious Posts: 213 Member
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    I suffer from migraines as well and had a caffeine soda habit it was all I drank really.

    I did mine over months to keep the had headaches at bay
    Pretty much keep track of how much you drink now. If you drink cans then watch how many cans you drink and an eye of when you drink the most... So might take you a few days to monitor it. (I drank cans so it was easy to keep track)

    Then cut one can out. Feel alright after 2-3 days kick another can out. 2-3 days another one. If you get a headache that cant honestly be treated with advil or the the like go back up a can and try to stay on it for a few more days but really dont want to stay on it for more than 5-7 Really just delaying the inevitable. Still get a headache try to deal with it for a few days it should past.

    Your going with your body and its a long transgression but really you will find that your kicking out the pop you dont need and substituting it with other things. When you get down to 4 and under make them your treats in the day but have a glass of water before you drink them. Can really do the water before the pop through out the whole thing so you keep your body hydrated cause you can never really have too much water when your drinking caffeinated pop.

    I found the last pop was the hard one to give up. I would plan out when I wanted it the most and soon I would be like ok I am going to go x # of hours before drinking it and space it out longer and longer. I work better with challenges.

    Find things to replace it.
    One thing I have discovered is carbonated water and fruit juice is a great treat has the fizz of pop without the crazy calories and if you pick the right fruit juice its healthy (no sugar etc). Do half a glass of carbonated water and half juice its really refreshing.

    I found I had no headaches and the cravings were minimal. My weakness was coca cola and I havent had one in 5 years. The last month I have given up pops all together haven't been as perfect with it having a few set backs on it but over all say I have improved drastically as I was drinking 1-2 cans of non caffeinated pop a day now I might have 4 cans in a month.

    Good Luck you will get through it.
  • jfields42
    jfields42 Posts: 27
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    Just gotta do it. I have been like a 5 soda a day drinker my entire life. Like literally days would go by with me not drinking water. I'm in the process of doing it now.

    My method:

    1 Never drink soda.
    2. If I get a craving --> drink iced coffee with splenda
    3. If I feel like I am going to break or I want a taste of something different for dinner --> Sprite Zero

    Been doing it for the last 10 days(since I started my diet) and have had no problems. Granted, it has only been 10 days. Hope it works but it is definitely a process and we all have to find what works best for us. Just thought Id share my experience.
  • sabolfitwife
    sabolfitwife Posts: 424 Member
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    I am 1 month soda free (lol, I sound like a recovering drug addict, but it really is addicting)! It was a little easier for me because I caught a stomach flu and wasn't drinking anything but water and eating toast. And when I was feeling better I though, "Hey, if I can skip soda for a few days because I'm sick, then maybe I can give it up for good...". And I have! The first week or so I had a sip here or a sip there just to get the caffiene craving out of the way. And when I'm really having a migraine from no caffiene I will open up a Lipton Green Tea. Much better for you and it has caffiene. :-) Mostly though I drink water and flavor it with the Crystal Light packets or just lemons. :-)
  • zandrellia
    zandrellia Posts: 26
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    I actually would drink Coke for 1) the flavor, grew up liking it and 2) the caffeine for headaches - I was prescribed Fioricet years ago by a neurologist to help stave off cluster headaches but even he told me that it would really be healthier to consume the caffeine regularly than take the pills. When my physician told me to start losing weight and cut out the soda so I could eat healthier calories I expressed my concern as the caffeine does help with the headaches. She said I could have anything else with caffeine but only one a day.

    I got the Crystal Light Energy (which actually have a bit more caffeine in them than a Coke classic from what I understand) packets and take those with me to restaurants when my family goes. I get to feel the same as I always do (although they kinda taste like Kool-aid or lemonade) and don't feel like I'm missing out. I also occasionally have a caffeinated green tea when I am in the mood for a hot drink. As the weeks go by, I find I drink less of them. (I think it was partially just the habit of drinking the Coke itself.)

    To get away from the taste of the Coke? I don't think there is anything that really can be done for that other than quitting cold turkey. At least, though, you can substitute the caffeine by having it in other products and eat your calories in healthier things.
  • ShemikaPerry
    ShemikaPerry Posts: 26
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    i successfully broke my soda habit over a year ago but i cannot break my iHop Pancakes habits. Just can't stay away from those darn things!
  • kvsmith59
    kvsmith59 Posts: 26 Member
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    I used to drink coke or some other type soda every day with almost every meal for something like 30+ years. Until I found out I was a type 2 diabetic. From that point on I decided I better get my act together. I basically started drinking nothing but Ice Tea (unsweetened) from that day forward. The first week or two it was a b*tch....the tea tasted bland, and I wasn't apparently getting my sugar fix. I was still getting that caffeine fix though. After a few weeks I started getting used to it and over the course of several months I ended up losing 10 lbs just by cutting out the soda alone. I will still have one on occasion, but it's usually months in between. When I do have a soda, it tastes weird (too syrupy), but sometimes you have to cheat a tad (I actually had 1/2 of an orange crush for dinner tonight...wasn't worth it).

    Anyways, if regular unsweetened ice tea won't work for you, maybe start off with a little sugar or sugar substitute to start, and slowly wean yourself off the sugar.
  • ElizaGeorge
    ElizaGeorge Posts: 140 Member
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    I quit cold turkey! I suffer from migraines as well (not as many now that I'm dropping weight), but they were even worse for about a week. It was rough, but perfectly doable! You're just breaking as addiction.
  • MIchelleH2027
    MIchelleH2027 Posts: 1,239 Member
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    In June it will be two years since I have had a Pepsi. I found myself drinking more Pepsi in a day than most people drink in a week. I can now have a drink or two of some soda then pass it on or dump it, but still stay away from Pepsi cuz I am afraid I will start up again. But I had headaches, terrible, in addition to my "normal" knock you on your *kitten* headaches. I found Excedrin Migraine gave some relief, but that is about it. Just have to suffer through. It hurts like hell, but is also a good reminder of why I don't want to have to go through that again and don't start drinking it again.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,695 Member
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    Ok, I am a regualr coke fan and drink it daily... I need to break the habit but when I stop or cut back I get headaches worse than my already normal migraines that can last for days upon days. How do I break this habit but not cause myself any additional migraines? Suggestions?
    Go diet soda.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • JoniBologna
    JoniBologna Posts: 653 Member
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    If you want to quit cold turkey, there are medications like Excedrin, which have a little caffeine in them. I will agree with the others though, once you quit, you will hate the taste of soda. I can't even stand how sweet they are! Good luck.
  • morgaj25
    morgaj25 Posts: 1
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    Have you tried tea? Its healthier than soda and still has the caffeine!
  • KristalDawnO
    KristalDawnO Posts: 154 Member
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    I'm a former diet mountain dew fiend. So I get it totally. I was getting pretty bad headaches, so I supplemented my caffeine with a cuppa joe or some tea. Did the trick to get me over the withdrawals. I was soooo tired the first few days out. It feels good to be drinking primarily water now :)
  • angieglyn
    angieglyn Posts: 23
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    Lots and lots of water. I was a Pepsi drinker and had my last Pepsi the last week of March. I do have a diet now and then, but overall just lots of water.
  • ScottFree_66
    ScottFree_66 Posts: 200
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    In the good old days i would drive to the corner store to buy the biggest fountain drink (44oz and up) at breakfast, lunch and dinner and usually squeeze in a couple more while running errands or while watching tv. I wasn't particular about the brand, as long as it had syrup, carbonation and cafeine.

    Nowadays, I only drink diet soda's and I have cut back the size to 20oz bottles. I have also limited myself to 3 a day (lunch, dinner and snack) .

    My next phase (I am now trying) is to cut the portion sizes again, to 12oz cans.
  • Jenlwb
    Jenlwb Posts: 682 Member
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    I've never been a regular soda addict (too many sugar calories!), but until a week ago I was drinking a diet pepsi every day, just love the taste.

    HOWEVER, i began getting bad brain fog, couldn't concentrate or think straight, even after a good night's sleep. I realised it was worse the more diet drinks i drank, so i cut out the soda, and reduced my tea caffeine too. I've been lucky not to get the headaches, maybe because i'm on about 3 or 4 cups of green tea daily, which has some caffeine.

    But I sooooo miss the taste, i have such a sweet tooth. and the pick-me-up at 2am on a night shift... and as a mixer for a low calorie rum/vodka drink :drinker: .

    Good news is my brain fog has cleared and i can think clearly even on little sleep.

    EDIT to add: Scottcecil, 5 of those bad boys a day were about 2500 cals!! that's incredible. Glad you're cutting down ;)
  • cindyhoney2
    cindyhoney2 Posts: 603 Member
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    First off, congrats to all of the people that have kicked the soda habit!
    I was a Mt Dew aholic. It was all I would drink, maybe a sweet tea occasionally. I quit when my bladder made me. I too took excedrin w/caffine to fight the headaches. But it has been at least 15 years since I was addicted to Mt Dew. I have a diet Cherwine or Diet Rootbeer every now and then. Now my husband is using Crystal Light Energy to supplement his caffine intake. He has been drinking sodas all his life and can't function w/o his Mt Dew. It has been about 2 weeks. If he can do it anyone can! (He's already lost 4 lbs)

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