The soda industry is a $13 billion industry. Most of that revenue comes from the United States and it continues to grow because people love soda. Yet, it is so bad for us. Soft drinks are empty calories and a big contributor to weight gain. Next, soda robs our bones of calcium. Finally, these drinks are one of the top reasons for the rise of Type 2 Diabetes and tooth decay. Do these facts scare you? Are you ready to give it up? Keep reading to learn how to stop drinking soda in 3 steps.
I used to be a soda drinker like you, reader, probably are. My soda of choice was Coca-Cola, but I enjoyed a Dr. Pepper every once in awhile. When I decided to stop drinking soda I asked myself: “Why did I like them so much?” Was it the sugar? Soft drinks are full of sugar. Or was it the taste? Some do have a nice flavor. Turns out the real reason I loved drinking soda was the burn of the carbonation!
So the first step of stop drinking soda in 3 steps is to ask yourself why you drink these drinks. Thus, when you understand your love of soft drinks so you can find a non-soda replacement. I suggest you get one as it makes putting them down easier.
I swapped sodas with sparkling water because it provided the carbonation burn along with a nice flavor. This could work for you. However, I know people who don’t like sparkling water. Usually due to the brand they tried. If you are interested in giving sparkling water a try, La Croix is a popular brand and one I like. I also like Poland Springs sparkling water. Their flavors Cranberry Lime and Orange Vanilla taste like soda but without the harmful sugar and chemicals!
Now, if you like the caffeine rush from sodas, you can get that from black coffee. I used to drink cold-brew black coffee. I gave that up because it made me too jittery. If you need to add some sweetness to your coffee, consider a natural, low-calorie sweetener like like Stevia or Monk Fruit.
However, if you don’t like black coffee and prefer an energy drink, I suggest Bang energy drinks since they don’t contain any sugar. Or you can find alternatives from Eat This, Not That.
The next step to stop drinking soda in 3 steps is to just stop. That’s what I did. I told myself no more and to drink water. Why did I approach it this way? Because if I gave myself a day or a week to prepare myself I wouldn’t stopped drinking soda. I knew I would postpone it by saying “I’ll start tomorrow” or “One more Coke wouldn’t hurt.” You’ll do the same too, so just stop!
And don’t wait for the weekend. I don’t know why we want to start a new way of eating or lifestyle change on the weekend. There’s no special powers you’ll gain from those days. Starting on Monday won’t mask the withdrawals.
Finally, if you have any soda left in the fridge, pour it down the sink. No, you can’t have one last hurrah. Get rid of it!
Going cold-turkey can be too difficult for many, I understand that. If you try to give up soda completely and you find yourself sneaking off to drink a little bit of Coke here and some Sprite there, then wean yourself off of it.
Do this by drinking one can of soda per day. Hey! I see you heading over to the 16oz bottles. A bottle is not a can! You can only have a 12oz can of soda per day. (Yes, I know soda companies now make tall-boy cans. You can’t drink those either.)
Why just one? Because you will actually think about drinking it, and since you can only drink one, you will eventually not want soda anymore.
Weaning yourself like this can go on for quite awhile, as many people become complacent drinking just one soda per day. Don’t get caught in this trap. If you want to stop drinking soda completely, give yourself a deadline and stick to it. I suggest no more than two weeks.
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