Anybody here trying to quit drinking soda? (restaurant, calories, coke)

[Lodestar]

I had a monster cola addiction in the 1980s. I wouldn't go anywhere without a can of the stuff. It was difficult to quit. I don't drink any bottled soda now at all.

I missed the fizz and so to wean myself off the cola I used carbonated water. I actually quit drinking caffeinated coffee at the same time.

Now all these years later I mostly drink iced tea with a couple of cups of black coffee in the morning and a cup in the late afternoon. I'm sure if I quite drinking these things I'd have a headache for a day or so but I don't feel that compulsion of having to have them the way I did with the soft drink.

I actually reversed a diagnosis of diabetes! Didn't know such a thing was possible.

DH worked loading soft drink trucks at night when we were first married and the only perk to that job was all the soft drinks they could drink while they were on the job. Some of the guys he worked with were also diagnosed with diabetes.

[yellowsnow]

I never drank soda with sugar. Always diet, going back to the first diet sodas to hit the market. I still drink them.

Personally I think I already gave up too much. I don't eat anything I like already. Why give up the drinks I like too?

However I can tell you something interesting. I can say for sure that I do drop weight better if I am not drinking diet soda. It shouldn't be true for anyone. But it's true for me.

[rrah]

About 8/9 years ago I had a bladder infection. The doctor told me no caffeine for a few days. I gave up my 3-4 Diet Coke habit for a few days and never turned back. I don't really recall headaches. Sometimes I go weeks without drinking one and some weeks I'll have one or two, usually if we are driving for a few hours. I will drink it with rum.

In the summer I like iced tea. In the winter I drink tea or water. Always a couple of cups of coffee in the morning. I've tried de-caf but it actually gives me a headache almost instantly.

[timberline742]

Quit it in my early 30s (Mountain Dew was my thing). Immediately lost about 20#. Never went back.

[dijkstra]

I quit drinking them....replaced them with beer. I am much happier now. j/k

I half halfheartedly tried quitting them a few years ago. About half way through the second day of a massive caffeine withdrawal headache, I said screw it and got a diet coke. I just haven't really truly decided I want to quit drinking them. One of these days I may throw them in the garbage and officially quit. Well except for when I have drinks.....it is hard to beat a good rum and coke.

[missik999]

I had a huge diet soda addiction. I sipped Diet Dew all day life long. Seriously, I always stopped by a convenience store on my way to work and picked up a 44 ounce Diet Dew. On weekends since I didn’t drive past the convenience store I would try to get along without it but would develop a severe, pounding headache from the lack of caffeine. Then I would give in a go buy a soda.

I thought if I didn’t keep soda in my house I would drink less, so I had stopped buying canned or bottled soda five or six years earlier. But instead I just made excuses to drive past a convenience store to buy a soda. What? We were almost out of avocados? I had better go to the store and get some! Gas tank down to 3/4 tank? Better run out and get gas. Driving past a convenience store on the way, of course. I made any excuse to get a soda. Seriously addicted.

Soda was my only vice but I am sure my addiction wasn’t any different than alcohol or smoking. I hated being dependent on something. I felt like an alcoholic sneaking away from work to the nearest convenience store.

I quit cold turkey, giving up soda completely and replacing it with sparkling water. I only buy sparking water that has no sugar or artificial sweetener. There are quite a few brands of sparkling water that contain sugar or artificial sweetener, and those are no better than soda. So I read labels carefully.

I had severe headaches for several days but just dealt with it. I am very happy that I gave it up and feel much better.

Now I always have sparkling water with me and carry a small coolers in my car so I won’t be tempted to stop and pick up a soda.

Sparkling water gives me the fizz I enjoy and I like the natural fruit flavors. I never really liked the taste of plain water. At the very least I slice up lemons or limes to put in unflavored sparkling water.

[Vlajos]

I probably have 5-10 sodas (coke type sugar drinks) all year. More than enough. I do drink a lot of sparkling water though.

[missik999]

Originally Posted by AcresHomes44

Yes, but it doesn't help that Circle K sells fountain drinks for $.79, and I get one at least twice a week.

Right, when I am traveling and stop in a convenience store to buy a bottle of water it seems crazy that a 16 ounce bottle of water costs $1.99 while a 44 ounce soda costs 79 cents.

Just remember that everything you buy has two prices, and the monetary price is not the most important.

[eureka1]

Funny, MY doctor told me that sugar drinks are better for you than the artificial diet ones so I have never drunk them. I have a serious addiction to Pelligrino Limonata, limit myself to one or two a day.

[kygman]

I cut down a lot of my soft drink drinking and started drinking flavored sparkling water. Walmart has a big selection but my favorite is cherry limeade, or strawberry. Liter bottle cost around 70 cents.