Not so long ago, I used to drink a lot of soda. I would guess probably a 6-pack a day. Granted, I always drank diet soda, but that’s really not much better. Sure, there technically aren’t any calories, but instead you have to deal with artificial sweeteners and all the problems that come along with those.
So when I decided that I was going to start my new healthy lifestyle, I decided one of the first things that had to go was soda. It provides absolutely no nutritional value, and when drinking a 6-pack a day, the costs start to add up pretty quickly. Soda can also do some pretty horrible things to your teeth.
To top it off, there is quite a bit of sodium in soda, which can actually contribute to making you feel more hungry than you actually are.
What am I drinking instead these days? Water. I’ve been trying to drink lots of water throughout the day. I drink water with most meals, aside from my morning coffee with breakfast. Even when we go out to eat at a restaurant (which isn’t often), I usually just order water. Not only is water great for your body, but best of all, it’s free!
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WooT for water, it definitely is one of the easiest, yet more important changes you can make when trying to be healthier.
I still drink some soda, but not nearly as much as I used it (I could down a 2liter bottle per day). When I’m at home it almost all water, but when I’m out to eat or whatever I’ll order a diet coke.
That’s a really good move. I found when I gave it up it was much easier to lose weight.
I still drink some soda…in the mornings and some at meals. I have awful caffeine headaches if I don’t. I know I could probably just go thru withdrawals and get over it, but if I give up soda, I think that would be the last thing in my life I actually enjoy that i’d be giving up! First food then liquor then chocolate…not soda too! lol
I’ve still had an odd soda here or there, but not much since beginning my weight loss program. I still drink a cup or two of coffee in the morning to handle my caffeine fix.
Recovering Mountain Dew addict, here!!! Little did I know (erhm, pay attention) that by drinking all that (24oz. bottle 6pk, daily), I was drinking over 1400 calories! Add my 3x/daily “insert-fast-food-joint” habit … and my calorie intake was atrocious! Now, I just drink water, decaf tea and coffee, and the rare Bud Light. I shoot for a gallon water per day, and man can I rock that water! Love my hot tea in the morning and before bed, too!
Yeah, it’s amazing how quickly those calories can add up with things like soda and fast food, and worst of all – most of it’s just empty calories that do absolutely nothing for you!
Good for you – that’s a hard thing to do. I’m working on it right now myself. When I first began my plan, I switched to diet sodas, but after a while, you do feel like you’d be better off without them altogether. One thing I’ve done recently if I really feel like I need a soda is to have a juice spritzer – with about a quarter cup of OJ or some other juice and three-quarters of a cup of pellegrino. I just make sure to account for the calories from the juice, but I feel like I avoid the downsides of soda since pellegrino is no-cal and very low sodium. My way of weaning myself off of soda.
I was pretty apprehensive about cutting out soda completely, but I’ve actually been pretty surprised by how easy it’s been. I still drink a cup of coffee or two in the morning, so that handles my caffeine fix.
I used to really struggle with soda, but I have been off of it so long that it tastes a bit odd most of the time now. I do still crave it if I am eating certain foods, but that is very, very rare.
I’ve only been off soda for 3 weeks, and already the cravings have pretty much gone, which surprised me. It actually went much easier than I expected!
Hey, it’s been 115 days since I’ve had a soda, and like you, I used to drink A LOT. I drank it from the time I got up, all during work, at every meal, right up till I went to bed. Everyday. I think part of the reason I was successful at losing pounds my first couple of months was just from not having the soda anymore. It’s seriously, one of my biggest accomplishments…I hope you can stick to it. It will be SO worth it.
Wow, 115 days, that is awesome! I haven’t gone anywhere near that long yet, but I certainly hope I can keep up with it. I’ve heard from lots of people over the years about how they were able to lose so much weight just by dropping soda.
I used to drink a lot of diet soda too but, not any more. At restaurants I always order water. It funny how easy it is once you get used to drinking the water. I thought I would miss the soda but I don’t.
I like your new site. I have been thinking of moving my wordpress blog to self hosted also.
The time it’s the hardest for me is at a restaurant – I’m eating all this great food, it feels “wrong” to order “just” water. But that’s what I’ve been doing, and so far it’s been working out great.
Glad you like the new site, I’m really glad I made the jump. Wordpress.com is great and all, but it’s nice to have a bit more control over things.
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