You may remember at the start of April that I made a decision to begin eating healthier. Less processed junk, more whole foods, etc. One of the goals I had was to stop drinking soda. I can’t even begin to tell you how frightening a prospect that was at the time.
It’s not that I wanted to give up caffeine. Oh sure, I know it’s also not good for me and I could probably stand to have a little less of it in my life. But soda was not the optimal caffeine-delivery-system, especially the diet soda I was drinking every day. Yes, every day, often several a day. After all, it was diet soda, so there were no calories to worry about, right?
I couldn’t continue ignoring all of the studies linking diet soda to increased obesity, metabolic disorders, and all of the other ways it wrecks havoc on the body. It’s acidic, it’s full of difficult to pronounce chemicals, and the artificial sweeteners are not exactly the best ingredients to line the inside of my digestive tract.
Photo credit: Caro’s Lines
So I said goodbye to soda. And it’s been hard. REALLY hard. I’ve been tempted to reach for that bubbly sweetness on more than one occasion and had to force myself to step away from the can and reach for water instead.
I’ve been drinking more coffee and tea now, brewed fresh without the artificial ingredients. I use a splash of real cream with my coffee, and a little bit of cane sugar, honey or stevia with my tea.
This past weekend I found myself in a situation where my only choices for drinks were soda or water for a meal. I was exhausted after barely sleeping the night before, so I broke down and asked for a small Diet Coke. I had gone 48 days in a row with no soda, and the temptation was too strong, along with my desire for caffeine. I knew I was putting my goal at risk, and that reminding my taste buds of the soda that I used to drink daily might start me down that path again.
As we were eating, I took my first sip of soda, and I was immediately not impressed with the taste. It was…off. A little bitter on my tongue with a chemical-y sweetness layered on top. At first I thought there had to be something wrong with this soda, but with each additional sip I realized that this is the way it’s always tasted.
I’m not used to the taste now, and it no longer tastes good. (Skye, you were right!)
This is huge for me. I’ve been a soda addict since I was a teen, and a diet soda fiend since college. Nothing until now has managed to completely tear me away from my fizzy mistress. Until now.
It seems going cold turkey for a month and a half might have finally helped re-wire my sense of taste back towards natural flavors and away from soda. Well, that and eating a lot less processed food. It’s amazing how good real food can taste once you forget how processed food tastes!
There have been other benefits, too. Since many non-soda drinks I like often have some calories in them, I’m more conscious of how much I’m drinking and I limit myself to only one or two a day.
This has resulted in drinking a lot more water again, too, which of course is better than many other drinks out there. And I think my skin looks better from all of the extra water, too.
I’m gonna brag for a moment and say I’m proud of myself for giving up this bad habit!
Good for you!!!! I never got into diet soda due to my allergic reaction to fake sugar, but I was once addicted to Mt. Dew and Pepsi. I don’t keep pop in the house (unless we are having a party) and I’ve learned to love water with lemon. I think that a lot of people are kicking the soda habit these days and I have a few Diet Coke Addict friends who have too! They equated it to quitting smoking!
It really does feel like quitting smoking or some other bad habit! I need to find more low calorie alternatives to drink – water with lemon might be a good start!
Wow, I’m impressed!
I periodically consider attempting to kick my Diet Pepsi addition (this ADDer’s caffeine slow drip), but then run from the thought and hide in the closet with a cold, frothy Big Gulp.
I know I should kick the habit, but I don’t even try ’cause I’m certain I’ll fail, so what’s the point of trying at all.
You’re honesty and success are inspiring me to give it a go. I’ll let you know if I try and how it goes.
Oh, I still need the caffeine, but I’m switching to more natural sources. Coffee and tea have been a big help with kicking the diet soda habit! 🙂
Nice work! I was a 3-a-day Mountain Dew addict for a long time. And not the diet kind, either. Because you are right, diet actually tastes gross. I still have one or two sodas a week when I’m out but I no longer keep it in the house. It has to be a special treat. For me this was a huge deal also. I’ve messed with kicking it on and off for a couple years, but I’ve been going strong since January 1.
Go Jenny!! Keeping it out of the house was our first step in weaning off of soda. In March we stopped buying it at the grocery and would only drink it if we were out to eat.
Oh, Mountain Dew – that was my drink of choice early on in college. I had a pyramid of empty Mountain Dew cans in my dorm room one year – it was huge by the end of the semester!
Go Christina!
Congratulations! I have to admit that I backslid and am back on the soda. I have to quit again though. I’m encouraged by your story.
Good for you!
I’ve given up soda except for the occasional Dr. Pepper while out and I can’t say I miss it. Iced coffee, on the other hand…LOL
Good for you! I haven’t had pop (soda, whatever) since OCTOBER — until yesterday, when we kicked off Summer Vacation with root beer floats. I don’t crave it at all anymore. Yesterday’s treat hasn’t left me wanting more either. I do credit that change with a portion of my weight loss since October. (I’m writing about that soonish.) Some restaurants make it really hard to go with alternatives (I’m an unsweetened tea kinda gal), but I’ve made it work!
Since OCTOBER? I’m so impressed, Jenna! Considering the occasion, I think root beer floats yesterday were totally worth breaking the no-soda streak. I really don’t want my craving for it to return, but this weekend’s experience gave me hope. (And go you on the weight loss!)