Giving up soda?
 

Soda, pop, Coke, Pepsi.... whatever you call it, I gave it up.

I decided I don't really want pop in my life. I've consumed about 2 liters a day of diet Cola everyday for years... decades. I don't have an objection to Kola nut, or the plastic used to make the bottle, or the yeast combo that creates the sweetness (by tricking my taste buds). Although artificial sweeteners do have heath concerns, as does chemical leaching from the plastic. And I don't know why I'd want (Kola nut) caffeine in a beverage I drink after dinner.

It's the carbonation I wanted to rid myself from. I decided at my age it was hard enough to try to keep a flat belly. The bloating caused by carbonated drinks... was more than I wanted to deal with.

I am now in my third week of soda free. And I swear... my stomach feels tighter, flatter. Anyone else had similar or different experiences?

I call it pop, but it is "soft drink".

If I lived in North America, I would probably give it up almost entirely ... just drink it occasionally. But ... I don't live in North America, so it remains an evening beverage.

I stopped a couple years ago...
... It's either: a liquefied refined sugar delivery system that provides no benefit while throwing body systems way out of whack, or, it's artificial sweeteners that have their own issues...
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If you live to eat, then drink the stuff. It does taste good on a hot day.
If you eat to live, then there is no reason to consume it and many reasons to avoid it.

Last May I had a bowel obstruction and ended up in the hospital. A doctor told me not drinking carbonated drinks would help this to not happen again. I haven't had one since. I also read an article from Dr. Mirkin about a study on artificial sweeteners and the affect they have on the digestive system. I feel much better and don't miss the caffeine.

I gave up soda a few years ago and don't miss it in the least. I found it to be one of the easiest lifestyle changes to make that drops a bunch of calories from my intake. Outside of an occasional wine, I really only consume water and green tea.

Good on ya Dave ! haven't cut it out, but adjusted it down severely. like, one can every three days. Family member of mine lost weight by killing off soft drinks and potato chips.

wow, big move! good luck!

I only have soda myself when I drink alcohol, which is very little, maybe 2-4 drinks pr week

I had my revelation re: white sugar almost 40 years ago, that it was for me a drug that was both addicting and tolerance building. I stopped consuming sucrose almost entirely that spring of my biggest racing year. After my racing days were done, I wasn't so religious about it but still didn't consume much and virtually no soft drinks in any form until I started drinking Diet Coke for its caffeine. Read about Aspartame a few years later and stopped except I sill down one occasionally in place of a cup of joe (about once a month). About once a year I have a sugar soft drink.

Never thought about bloating from carbonation. But even in my sugar days, never drank enough pop/soft drink/tonic for it to be an issue.

Ben

I gave up a pretty good soda habit and most people I know lost around 12lbs in 30 days when they quit. If I cannot "get right" after a really hard and hot bike ride, I will have a regular coke (along with water) and that always does the trick. I think the sodium and sugar gets my levels to where they need to be. I went from a 2.5+ servings a day habit to 4 or 5 sodas a year now.

I haven't been a soda drinker, regular or diet, for many years now. I never had an issue with the carbonation I just don't want all the empty calories and chemicals. I have a Soda Stream and make my own seltzer. Sometimes I flavor it with a squirt of lemon or lime juice. Not the best thing but sometimes I put a little Mio in to give it some flavor. I drink coffee, green tea, Yerba Mate just not soda. I used to have a Red Bull when I needed a jolt but I haven't had one in a long time.
Back in the day we used defizzed coke as a sports drink when running marathons so I know that the sugar and caffene work but it comes with a high caloric cost.

Congrats.

Artificial sweeteners are bad for your brain, so they say.

http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dai...emc-000245.txt

Sometimes I get a Sprite or 7Up when I am at a restaurant, but otherwise I keep it healthy by only drinking beer.

I can't drink coffee (doesn't agree with me), but have a 5 month old baby, so I need an effective caffeine delivery system. I alternate between iced tea and diet pop at work. I'd love to give it up/cut back, but have a hard enough time staying awake and focused on the job right now. I keep telling myself that once the boy sleeps through the night (or only gets up once), I'll wean myself off. We'll see.

Good 4 U! I kicked the habit three months ago. I had a weakness for those "baby" Cokes in 8 oz. glass bottles. I loved "MexiCokes" made with real cane sugar when I could find them.

I've never had a weight problem, always right at the BMI limit or just a tad over. I haven't lost any weight as a result of ditching colas. I do feel less bloated and my reflux problem is easier to manage.

Last year I consumed 120 oz. of sugary sodas per week. Before that, when I drank "diet" sodas, it was 200 oz. per week. Aspartame is bad stuff. Our bodies convert it to formaldehyde. At 45 I decided that i'd rather die from sugar than artificial sweeteners. Last year when I turned 50 I just decided not to die.

So I also gave up scotch and vodka--okay, maybe once a month. Replaced that with beer or wine, which I consume fewer than three per week. NO caffeine anymore, either. I never was a coffee addict anyway, it was just something I did on cold mornings.

I don't miss any of them. I drink water and almond milk now.

Good on you, Dave. Like you pointed out, there isn't much redeeming about the carbonation or artificial sweeteners.

Tangentially -- since you were already drinking diet stuff -- my girlfriend and I have been on a low-sugar kick since last fall and it has been amazingly effective at keeping the winter weight gain at bay. Where I generally gain 15-25 pounds each winter and then spend months burning it off, I never got more than 5 lbs over my summer weight this winter. Naturally, we allowed ourselves some treats at family gatherings, but for the most part we have been very "good" about it, and feel better too. :)

I may allow myself the occasional Coke when I'm on brevets this spring and summer, but they will be the exception to the rule.

I rarely drink soda anymore. I love sweet stuff, but it felt like soda gave me very little enjoyment for the amount of sugar it contained. I'd get more enjoyment out of eating a candy bar than a soda. I occasionally drink a soda as a treat (like a Mexican Coke or a grape soda or something like that), which ends up being about 1x per week. My son has grown up mostly drinking water instead of juice or soda as a result and I think we're all better for it.

I don't care for diet sodas much but I do like Zevia, which is a stevia-sweetened soda. The black cherry and caffeine free cola are my favorites. Every now and then I'll buy a six pack and indulge myself for a week.

Nailed it!

I've tried giving up soda a few times unsuccessfully. But the post here by the OP has inspired me to give it another shot. Besides, no drink is better for you than water! Thanks for the inspiration.

Just curious

What does the location, North America vs. Tasmania, have to do with the decision?

I'm guessing worries about high fructose corn syrup vs cane/beet sugar?

Good for you I gave up soda more than 20 years ago, but sadly I replaced it with coffee so I'm still getting caffeine a few times a day.

I put down the Diet Coke about 8 years ago, maybe longer? As I've gotten older I've become extremely sensitive to caffeine. I just don't touch the stuff anymore. Having said that, once in a while, I crave a Ginger Ale, black cherry or grape flavored soft drink. I had a Ginger Ale about two years ago. I love water and if I want something fizzy I'll get some tonic and flavor with lime or lemon.

We avoid added sugar in all our foods with very few exceptions... I do like a little Kentucky fusion lemonade on hot summer days which is Jim Beam and Limonata which is mildly carbonated and has less sugar that other soda.

Consider that in North America the sweetener of choice in most sodas is high fructose corn syrup... your body does not metabolize this like glucose and has to process it in the liver where it converts to fat before it can be utilized. It does not provide the same energy boost as glucose so even after a full soda you may not feel sated and reach for another.

Sodas sweetened with cane sugar should still be consumed in moderation but are more satisfying and cause less cravings... fountain soft drinks can contain even more high fructose sweetener than bottled sodas and this is by design.

This is why fructose has a lower glycemic index than glucose and can also cause non alcoholic fatty liver disease in those who just can't kick the soda habit.

In the many years we have gone sugar free I can see the benefits to ourselves and our children, who have no weight issues... they are also picky about their sodas and will pick up Jaritos soda when we go shopping as it is sweetened with cane sugar and has less sugar than many sodas.

Good for you, hope you can keep it up.

I tried going caffeine free and made it less than a month, it is tough and I don't think I will do that again. As for carbonation and sodas in general, I will have a club soda with my lunch throughout the week and potentially a Mexican Coke every 2 months or so. Overall the wife and I don't eat much sugar. We both grabbed a "Lemonade" (one called Simply Lemonade) which was "all natural", this past weekend. Well it tasted like it was a pound of sugar in a 12oz bottle. Should have bought a water, lesson learned.