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Caffeine AND sugar are addictive. Someone is asking for help and support. For those who can't do this don't post. How hard can THAT be?! Oh it's called will-power.
If you really want to quit, just commit to yourself and do it. I've quit drinking coffee and smoking. It's not always easy but healthy gives us a better shot at a longer, better quality life.
Before I had children I was a complete caffeine addict. I can not even tell you how many cups of coffee I drank in a day. When my DH and I decided we wanted to start a family I knew I would not be able to handle morning sickness and withdrawl at the same time. This is what worked for me:
1. I took two vacation days on either side of a weekend from my job. 2.Removed all caffeinated as well as high sugar items from my cupboards.(anything that mimics the sugar in the soda will have the same physiological effect) 3. Filled my fridge with fruits, vegetables, and healthy whole foods (unproccessed) 4. Bought a deck of cards, rented movies, borrowed books, moved the tv to the bedroom. 5. Whenever I craved caffeine I drank decaffeinated detox tea to help remove what was already floating through my body. 6. Exercised everyday.
This was very difficult. The withdrawls definitely came and reeked havoc but, setting myself up to take the time and treat it like the illness that addiction is and keeping my mind on why it was so important to me helped greatly. Also, the regular exercise helps tremendously as the chemicals released during strenuous (not to the point of dangerous) exercise mimic the "yummy" sugar, caffeine, pick your poison, feeling.
I stayed off caffeine and refined sugars for 10 years after that. I now allow myself the occasional glass of green tea and on rare occasions (christmas usually) eat a gingerbread cookie (my favorite) or some piece of high quality chocolate from time to time.
The point is I do not feel deprived and do not have to work hard to maintain these restrictions as my body naturally became accustomed to them after about 3 weeks.
Please understand I am not the type to be militant about diets or deprivation. I am an absolute foodie.....I love food....I always choose foods I enjoy and do not "starve" myself. But, detoxing in this way definitely helped me get in touch with my body. What is nurishing, what makes me feel healthy and energetic etc....and continuing the exercise throughout has also helped keep me in great shape even after three babies.
Hope some of this is helpful....
best of luck,
gracie
I was addicted to pepsi as well. I replaced it with the flavored bubbly waters at safeway/vons. find a bubbly drink you like that is low in sugar or sugar free and drink that. I buy pepsi when I go out but I have lost my taste for it for everyday. it will happen for you just find something that you can drink lots of everyday that satisfies. I don't like water either so these drinks were a life savor for me. good luck
The choice should be an easy one to make. Do you want to go on living, or do you want to keep on drinking soda or something else that will destroy organs in your body and eventually die? If you don't become a diabetic or loose part of your kidney function at an early age, you will be lucky. My doctor said soda and tea were two of the worst things I could be drinking, usually both of them cause some dehydration to take place. Nothing works as well in your body as water. Our whole society is hooked on soda, and a large part of our whole society is obese and very unhealthy. Most of us don't give a lot of thought to what we eat until we get older and your health isn't as good as it could be. Stop now, cold turkey won't hurt you unless you are too weak to make a decision and stick with it.
Try diluting the soda with some water in your beverage cup. You will drink less soda calories per a serving that way and increase your fluid intake more healthfully. I abstain from soda because I discovered drinking carrot juice and coffee are more my speed now. I really like carrot juice. I'll skip a meal and have a few cups of it instead.
I totally agree. Its Effin soda. SODA!!! Not cigarettes or alcohol. Its SODA!!! Just quit. Dont buy it. Dont have it in the house. Even if the OP does have it in the house, there is a little thing called self control that we humans have.
Heck, I like beer. I actually will go so far as to say that I LOVE beer. But I usually only drink it during a big sporting even like the super bowl, championship fight, or when Im at Staples Center watching the Lakers. Other than that, I dont have it in the house.
OK so whats the difference between soda and cigarettes and alcohol? Don't buy it!! If you don't have the cigarettes. Don't have them in the house or car or on you. It's a little thing called self control we humans have. so explain to me what the difference is? Why is cigarettes so different?
I used to drink 3 Cokes a day. I cut back to one (I still have it because I love and its one pleasure I am not about to deny myself) and lost 5 pounds in the first two weeks, just doing that. I then joined a gym with DH (best thing we've ever done for our health!) and started going six days a week. I cut my portions and I have lost 30 pounds. I still eat everything and anything I want, pizza, burgers, cookies, etc., but I halved them and it has made a tremendous difference. I just tell myself I can either have three oreos or none at all, not the whole package. That, and an almost daily 30 minute workout.
I use to be a real soda fiend...I still am. Everyone has their vice, soda is mine. Luckily, there are more serious things to have a strong liking towards. I wouldn't call myself a soda addict because I can go grocery shopping without buying it but when I eat out, I do like drinking soda alot.
You shouldn't try to quit cold turkey. Quitting soda is TOUGHER than beer. Yea, I said it man! Why? Because soda is EVERYWHERE. Its at every kid function and adult function for those that don't drink or are going to be the DD. Soda is relatively speaking, ounces to cost ratio is exteremely cheap. It cost just as much as gas and much cheaper than liquor. Its right by where you check out as one of those complusive buys. Shopping markets do market research hence why candy bars, gum, and soda are always a finger reach from checkout.
I suggest trying Ice Tea. What you need to do is avoid drinking any sweats while eating at home. When you eat out, you can drink something sweet. I use to drink alot of Ice Tea but the bad thing about Ice Tea is, many places many **** poor Ice Tea. So, I do the d-bag move and switch to soda.
I use to drink a 2 liter a day as a kid. I would get MASSIVE stomach aches...almost daily but I didn't care.
I still drink soda...maybe once a week. Do not bother drinking diet soda. That is completely worthless and still contains calories. Plus, it will taste like total crap since you aren't use to it.
So here's an update for those of you that offered some helpful suggestions. I decided to go cold turkey. I thought about it and knew that if I had it in the house I would DRINK it and then go get more. So when I went food shopping I figured I would just buy some juice or whatever. I was SHOCKED!! So much juice if full of sugar and other stuff that I can't SAY nevermind try to spell!! So I gave up. I bought some grape juice that had very little sugar and some lemons. I made my own lemonade and I mix the juice with water. So far I am doing good!! Yesterday, (Happy Easter) I did give in and have a Pepsi, went to a friends house and she bought me pepsim since she didn't know I quit. But I only had ONE can!! I am very proud of myself.
I am thinking of all of the great suggestions you have all offered and I am going to give some of them a try. I know that I can't drink the lemonade long term since it will bother my stomach. I love the juice ideas!! It just became so clear to me how careful we must be about what we buy and how much unhealthy stuff is in it all. Another thing became clear too, I need to take my glasses with me when I go food shopping, trying to read those ingredients was too funny!!
To those of you that came here just to judge me and my SILLY little problem with Pepsi. I thank you too for your input, it once again proves to me how insensitive people can be. I believe that these forums are here when you need help, support, suggestions, or just some input. It is very sad that when you are looking for help and support, some people just HAVE to put in their insensitive, mean, THOUGHTLESS comments.
Thank You everyone!!
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