Trying to Quit Soda (1 Viewer)

[Major]

I feel like this thread is similar to the I'm an alcoholic thread where there's many that have managed to eliminate all alcohol, some that are able to "just have one" and some that really are addicted to alcohol or sugar.  Over the years I've had much more trouble cutting out sugar than alcohol but I think the "moderation in all things" is truly best if one can manage it.

Agreed.  Sugar is almost like a drug and hits your dopamine receptors much like cocaine.   It's something many of us get addicted to at a young age and a habit we have a tough time breaking since it's added to so many foods/drinks.   I'll occasionally indulge but find it's best not to open pandoras box.  If I buy a bag of Twizzlers, that whole thing will be gone in one night.  

 

[Andrew74]

This is my eternal battle.  I‘ve figured out I’ve gotta kill it cold.  I’ve had periods of weeks or a month off the stuff but once I have a can it’s over.  I have cut to 7.5oz cans.  Probably one a day, sometimes two. My issue is I eat worse when I drink soft drinks - I want to eat salty stuff like chips and popcorn. 
 

I only drink water, some milk and a Dr Pepper (or two) a day.  I dislike everything else.  But sounds like I have some new options to try with seltzer water.  

 

[mr. furley]

This is my eternal battle.  I‘ve figured out I’ve gotta kill it cold.  I’ve had periods of weeks or a month off the stuff but once I have a can it’s over.  I have cut to 7.5oz cans.  Probably one a day, sometimes two. My issue is I eat worse when I drink soft drinks - I want to eat salty stuff like chips and popcorn. 
 

I only drink water, some milk and a Dr Pepper (or two) a day.  I dislike everything else.  But sounds like I have some new options to try with seltzer water.  

like quitting cigarettes (if you ever smoked), quitting soda will brighten up the taste of food.  especially fruits.

fruit was just meh. something to have here and there.  then quit soda and it's like sex in your face   

 

[AAABatteries]

like quitting cigarettes (if you ever smoked), quitting soda will brighten up the taste of food.  especially fruits.

fruit was just meh. something to have here and there.  then quit soda and it's like sex in your face   

Banana?

 

[shuke]

Serious answer, quit cold turkey and start drinking water. Best thing for you...heathen.

Yup.  One day I decided to stop drinking it.  About 10 years ago.  I can't even imagine drinking a Coke right now. Way too sweet.  Maybe a couple times a year I'll have a ginger ale.

 

[AAABatteries]

Seeing as I have a decent amount of Coke stock I think you should just switch to Coke Zero.  Ignore all these people saying to quit cold turkey - horrible idea.   

 

[Ted Lange as your Bartender]

This is my eternal battle.  I‘ve figured out I’ve gotta kill it cold.  I’ve had periods of weeks or a month off the stuff but once I have a can it’s over.  I have cut to 7.5oz cans.  Probably one a day, sometimes two. My issue is I eat worse when I drink soft drinks - I want to eat salty stuff like chips and popcorn. 
 

I only drink water, some milk and a Dr Pepper (or two) a day.  I dislike everything else.  But sounds like I have some new options to try with seltzer water.  

I’m a Dr Pepper addict, and specifically the Polar Black Cherry I found to be a good alternative.  There’s other seltzers that are complete trash but that one is solid

 

[In The Zone]

I found that a great substitute for sugar in my coffee, tea, and some desserts is Monk Fruit. I buy the one linked from Costco. 

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Just be careful not to replace sugar with artificial sweeteners. Making everything “sugar free” could be worse for you. 
 

 

[gruecd]

I don't drink coffee.  Have never liked the taste  

Would have one Dr. Pepper each for morning for my caffeine fix.

Quit 3 months ago. Replaced with flavored water that has caffeine

I've lost 20 pounds. First 3 days were tough. That was it. 

Eta... once or twice a month swelling of my right foot brought by sitting too much has totally disappeared 

Surely you didn't lose the 20 pounds just by eliminating the ONE soda that you drank each morning?

 

[gruecd]

It's something many of us get addicted to at a young age and a habit we have a tough time breaking since it's added to so many foods/drinks.   I'll occasionally indulge but find it's best not to open pandoras box.  If I buy a bag of Twizzlers, that whole thing will be gone in one night.  

I'm the same way, and I remember my parents giving me a bowl of Cheerios as a child and then dumping a quarter-cup of sugar in it.  Or making us Kool-Aid.  We have a 16-month-old at home, and my wife is adamant that we're not going to give her any sugary snacks until she's at least two years old.  She eats fruit, but that's it.  My mom brought over a little bag of Teddy Grahams, and it went straight to the garbage.  Hopefully we can prevent her from ever becoming addicted in the first place. 

 

[otb_lifer]

Surely you didn't lose the 20 pounds just by eliminating the ONE soda that you drank each morning?

it's not necessarily just the calories in that morning soda, it's more about how it effects one's blood sugar and cravings as a result (see the dopamine comment earlier) - setting one up for additional failures during the day ... once you cut such a detriment out, the rest becomes so much easier. 

 

[AAABatteries]

I'm the same way, and I remember my parents giving me a bowl of Cheerios as a child and then dumping a quarter-cup of sugar in it.  Or making us Kool-Aid.  We have a 16-month-old at home, and my wife is adamant that we're not going to give her any sugary snacks until she's at least two years old.  She eats fruit, but that's it.  My mom brought over a little bag of Teddy Grahams, and it went straight to the garbage.  Hopefully we can prevent her from ever becoming addicted in the first place. 

It’s insane to me that we used to add table sugar to cereal but we did the same.  Now, it’s even more sugar - that’s one area I’ve been able to cut out completely.  I essentially never have milk and haven’t had cereal in forever.

 

[gruecd]

it's not necessarily just the calories in that morning soda, it's more about how it effects one's blood sugar and cravings as a result (see the dopamine comment earlier) - setting one up for additional failures during the day ... once you cut such a detriment out, the rest becomes so much easier. 

Yeah, I'm one of those guys who's really good in the exercise department (just ran my 9th Boston Marathon on Monday) but suuuuuucks at nutrition.  The former used to mostly negate the latter, but now that I'm 45 years old, that's not really the case anymore, and I need to clean up the latter before it starts to affect my performance in the former.  

I used to be a HEAVY soda drinker, but now that's pretty sporadic for me (maybe one a week at most), although I do really enjoy having a Cherry Coke after a long run.  I do like a couple of different Bai drinks (this one and this one), although I feel like the sweetener that they use (erythritol) makes me all gassy and bloated, so I kinda want to quit those, too.  Lately I've gotten into the habit of drinking a Mountain Dew® Orange Breeze Energy Drink each morning.  It's only 25 calories and 3 grams of sugar, and while I really like the taste (and the 180 mg of caffeine), I know there's no way in hell it's good for me.

 

[Zegras11]

Surely you didn't lose the 20 pounds just by eliminating the ONE soda that you drank each morning?

Haven't changed anything else. Quite sure the sodium and the sugar in the soda had me retaining a lot of water in my legs, especially the lower part. My hamstring area is noticeably less now. 

Haven't done any walking. Too cold the first two months and had an ear infection that last a month that finally went away last week. And now just about recovered from Covid that hit last Friday.

 

[Witz]

I drink warm Diet Coke. I’m not ashamed. 

 

[mr. furley]

Banana?

the flavor practically just... explodes in your mouth

 

[ChiefD]

Almost lunch time and minimal caffeine headache. Gonna try and wait awhile before I crack that can of sweet nectar in the office fridge.

 

[nirad3]

Almost lunch time and minimal caffeine headache. Gonna try and wait awhile before I crack that can of sweet nectar in the office fridge.

Man, I wish I was headed to KC instead of Omaha tomorrow.  I would bring you a 12er of that stuff just to see you convulse a little.

 

[Zasada]

I have a daily Pepsi Zero or Coke Zero.  I know that water would be better.  But it's one of my few vices at this point.  I barely drink (average a beer every three weeks or so), don't smoke, never done drugs, and exercise regularly.  So if my "one thing" is a diet pop every now and again, I'm probably still ahead of the game.

I wish I liked coffee.  Much like OP, I love the smell, but hate the taste.

Could probably switch to iced tea, though.  Maybe I should consider that.

 

[Gally]

I have a daily Pepsi Zero or Coke Zero.  I know that water would be better.  But it's one of my few vices at this point.  I barely drink (average a beer every three weeks or so), don't smoke, never done drugs, and exercise regularly.  So if my "one thing" is a diet pop every now and again, I'm probably still ahead of the game.

I wish I liked coffee.  Much like OP, I love the smell, but hate the taste.

Could probably switch to iced tea, though.  Maybe I should consider that.

Blasphemous.   You have to pick a side.  Go Team Coke!!!

 

[Tick]

 I've never had a caffeine withdrawal headache, thank goodness.  I now drink Coke Zero,

Coke Zero is caffeinated.

 

[Tick]

Just be careful not to replace sugar with artificial sweeteners. Making everything “sugar free” could be worse for you. 

We don't know they're bad for us yet... and it's been studied many times.  I assume we'll figure out how they're bad for us someday, but until then, I'm drinking Coke Zero.

 

[Major]

We don't know they're bad for us yet... and it's been studied many times.  I assume we'll figure out how they're bad for us someday, but until then, I'm drinking Coke Zero.

The acidic nature of cola is still bad for your teeth even if its diet.  

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

 I've never had a caffeine withdrawal headache, thank goodness.  I now drink Coke Zero,

Coke Zero is caffeinated.

Gee, You think?

 

[Tick]

Gee, You think?

Sorry, I met someone who thought  the Zero meant no caffeine as well.  Those two sentences of yours made it look to me like you thought the same. My mistake.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

Sorry, I met someone who thought  the Zero meant no caffeine as well.  Those two sentences of yours made it look to me like you thought the same. My mistake.

I can see that.  But then it would just be caramel colored water.  Ick.

 

[pollardsvision]

No real advice on how. 

But it's certainly worth it. I used to be addicted to Mountain Dew. 6-8 a day. Now I wouldn't be able to finish half a can of any soda. Just way too sweet.

An added benefit other than health is just time and simplicity. Don't have to waste time going to convenience stores, or lugging cans or bottles of soda on a grocery trip. 

 

[Terminalxylem]

Surely you didn't lose the 20 pounds just by eliminating the ONE soda that you drank each morning?

~3500 calories per pound x 20: 70,000 calorie deficit/90 days = 777 less calories per day.

Dr. Pepper has 12.5 cal per ounce, so he must have consumed about 62 ounces, or most of a 2L bottle each morning.

 

[beer 30]

Dr. Pepper has 12.5 cal per ounce, so he must have consumed about 62 ounces, or most of a 2L bottle each morning.

I can't get me head around drinking that much pop in a day let alone in a morning. I was never much of a pop drinker to begin with but the amount of sugar, damn. I also try not to put man made #### in my body any more than necessary so artificial sweeteners just scream "cancer" to me. So I end up at water.

Not trying to be judgy, you do you, it's just not for me. I get plenty of sugar & salt from just eating normal food. I don't need to intentionally add it via pop.

 

[Terminalxylem]

I can't get me head around drinking that much pop in a day let alone in a morning. I was never much of a pop drinker to begin with but the amount of sugar, damn. I also try not to put man made #### in my body any more than necessary so artificial sweeteners just scream "cancer" to me. So I end up at water.

Not trying to be judgy, you do you, it's just not for me. I get plenty of sugar & salt from just eating normal food. I don't need to intentionally add it via pop.

I don’t really believe he was drinking that much. Just wanted to do the math, to calculate how much Dr. Pepper would need to be consumed in a vacuum.

@otb_liferhad the right idea. Even if Getzlaf didn’t realize it, the drink probably influenced his eating habits. He also mentioned swelling in his legs, though the salt and fluid from the soda shouldn’t have caused too much of that.

 

[mr. furley]

~3500 calories per pound x 20: 70,000 calorie deficit/90 days = 777 less calories per day.

Dr. Pepper has 12.5 cal per ounce, so he must have consumed about 62 ounces, or most of a 2L bottle each morning.

at my peak i was drinking a 6-pack of soda a day, easy. 

20oz in the morning from 7:30 - 8:30 or so. a 32oz. with lunch. maybe knock out some of a refill.

24oz with dinner. probably another 12 after that.

all of it just because it woke me up. not realizing that the reason i was having energy surges & crashes was because of the sugar. thought it was all just bad luck with biology and the natural cycle of energy levels which meant i had to caffeinate to keep going.

wasn't until i quit soda that my energy levels evened out. no more roller coaster. 

had been trying to lose weight through exercise and eating better & lost a little weight/got a bit more fit but wasn't losing weight. maybe a few pounds but it would yo-yo back and forth.  then i quit soda and it just came falling off. lost 50 lbs in a year?? maybe a little more. 

sugar... why are you so delicious and addictive yet so bad for me?

 

[Zegras11]

had been trying to lose weight through exercise and eating better & lost a little weight/got a bit more fit but wasn't losing weight. maybe a few pounds but it would yo-yo back and forth.  then i quit soda and it just came falling off. lost 50 lbs in a year?? maybe a little more. 

exactly the same.  Nothing I tried worked well.

I'm sure all of these first 20 pounds was water being retained in my legs from the sodium and sugar helping to keep it there.

I need to lose another 100. Hope this continues.

 

 

[Tick]

I lost the 25 pounds when I quit drinking sugared soda about 10 years ago.  I held it off for 7 years, but the past 3 they've come back... now I'm out of silver bullets to get some cheap weight loss

 

[Payne]

I don't drink alcohol. I don't drink coffee. Don't smoke. Nothing. But I do love pop. Will never give it up.

And Diet anything sucks.

 

[Drunken knight]

Will never give it up.

rick astley approves

 

[beer 30]

I don’t really believe he was drinking that much. Just wanted to do the math, to calculate how much Dr. Pepper would need to be consumed in a vacuum.

Yea I understand but I know people who do drink that much or more. Most of us probably do. I'd throwup if I had to drink more than one can of pop right now.

 

[identikit]

Bought a Pepsi Nitro today...

Will report back if I'm able....

 

[Chris B.]

And Diet anything sucks.

Diet Dr. Pepper tastes a lot like the regular, but that only helps if you like Dr. Pepper in the first place.

 

[Wingnut]

I switched to those Mio style water additives. Most have zero sugar and zero calories. Some have caffeine or vitamins, I just get the regular ones. A squiirt into a bottle of water and I have something with flavor that's wayyyy healthier than soda.

It's helped take my soda consumption down by about 90%.

 

[otb_lifer]

I lost the 25 pounds when I quit drinking sugared soda about 10 years ago.  I held it off for 7 years, but the past 3 they've come back... now I'm out of silver bullets to get some cheap weight loss

6 days of 3 miles brisk (3.5/4 mph) walking per day (rest on Sunday), 18/6 intermittent fast for those 6 days, 20/4 on Sunday. 

1,500 caloric intake per day. 

see me in 2 months for those 25 lbs 

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

And Diet anything sucks.

Agreed. If you’re going to do something, do it right. 

 

[Capella]

Carbonated water for the bubbles. I gave up sodas pretty completely 3-4 years ago. Would have multiple ones a day. Now occasionally have one with Chinese food or bbq but otherwise never. I pour a can of bubly or Waterloo mixed with a little green tea and a lime.  I love it. 

 

[Capella]

Also, I gave up soda because I read somebody call it cancer fertilizer. My wife was pregnant with my son, I knew it was dragging me down and I read that and thought yea time to give it up. Good luck. 

 

[Terminalxylem]

Yea I understand but I know people who do drink that much or more. Most of us probably do. I'd throwup if I had to drink more than one can of pop right now.

I only know one person, an ~80 pound female who drinks a Super Big Gulp of Diet Coke every morning. 

The volume of alcohol (esp. beer) people regularly consume is far more disturbing IMO. Then again, I under-hydrate, probably drink well under a liter of fluid (mostly water) daily. The recommendation is 3.7 L fluid intake (all sources) for men. I’m probably gonna get a kidney stone someday.

 

[Terminalxylem]

I don't drink alcohol. I don't drink coffee. Don't smoke. Nothing. But I do love pop. Will never give it up.

And Diet anything sucks.

Not to pick on you, but why do people think they’re entitled to a vice? To be fair, I kinda feel that way about speeding, but would never tell a cop who pulled me over about all the illegal things I don’t do.

Also, coffee is really healthy. Not the kind laden with extra sugar, cream and artificial flavorings; plain old coffee. After water, probably the healthiest beverage.

I can’t stand it, but need to try to acquire the taste. 

 

[Zegras11]

I switched to those Mio style water additives. Most have zero sugar and zero calories. Some have caffeine or vitamins, I just get the regular ones. A squiirt into a bottle of water and I have something with flavor that's wayyyy healthier than soda.

It's helped take my soda consumption down by about 90%.

Mio is what I switched to also.

6 days of 3 miles brisk (3.5/4 mph) walking per day (rest on Sunday), 18/6 intermittent fast for those 6 days, 20/4 on Sunday. 

1,500 caloric intake per day. 

see me in 2 months for those 25 lbs 

This is what I wanted to start doing, and adding in taking a sauna and swimming 3-4 times per week. Had an ear infection for a month and now almost recovered from Covid from last Friday. I put on 3-5 lbs per year fro 20 years. And just want it off now.

 

[otb_lifer]

Mio is what I switched to also.

This is what I wanted to start doing, and adding in taking a sauna and swimming 3-4 times per week. Had an ear infection for a month and now almost recovered from Covid from last Friday. I put on 3-5 lbs per year fro 20 years. And just want it off now.

i break up the walks as such: 1.75m in the morning (at 10:15), then one in the evening for 1.25m (at 7:15).

i do the IF from 7p -11a, so when i get back from the morning walk (usually 26 mins., so roughly 10:45) i do some cardio (jump rope or speed bag foot drills), then break the fast at 11. 

usually fish or lean grilled or roasted chicken ... fruits/lo fat yogurt/nuts/veg - loving my grilled eggplant & zucchini this time of year. 

will do flavored seltzer during day, along with coffee/tea ... light protein bar or two (KIND breakfast bars are my go-to) 'til dinner. 

dinner is always abundant greens with what i had the day previous for lunch, but i try to switch it up best i can.

the results are quick, and very sustainsble once you relearn all you "knew" about nutrition and feeding yerself. 

i do allow myself 2 cheat Sundays per month now, seeing as how am firmly in cruise control/maintenance atm ... but i really don't go too far off the reservation ... mostly CHEESE with my pasta, or some pizza. 

if you incorporate swimming you'll be able to cut the walking back to maybe only 1 or 2m per day, pending how much water time you log. 

oh, and along with the weight loss benefits, my bp is now consistently in the 110/70 range, and my resting bpm is barely 60 on most days. 

that heart, man ... keep it humming!

go get(z) 'em!

 

[mr. furley]

https://gizmodo.com/intermittent-fasting-not-better-than-regular-dieting-y-1848823438

 

[Tick]

6 days of 3 miles brisk (3.5/4 mph) walking per day (rest on Sunday), 18/6 intermittent fast for those 6 days, 20/4 on Sunday. 

1,500 caloric intake per day. 

see me in 2 months for those 25 lbs 

If I had the discipline to do that, I wouldn't be looking for a silver bullet.  I think quitting soccer due to an injury is what caused my weight gain, I need to find some fun exercise for the winter, even though I have a foot that now sucks.