So here it is, I was a serious Mt Dew addict for over 12 years drinking up to 8 cans a day, I have tried to stop before, but on Aug. 8 was my last can. I have had very little caffeine since then. It seems like such a ridiculous thing to be addicted to but it was out of control for me. I used it as a tool to manage stress. I still struggle with the cravings in the morning. I have replaced it with water and an occasional sweet tea. I have one soda left in the fridge because I know that if I let someone drink it, I will have a problem. With it there it is a choice that I make personally every day. Does anyone else struggle with this and want to join me in being soda free? There are no meeting for soda addicts but I was so addicted to the stuff that I would choose the restaurant we went to based on what soda they served. I don't want to go back to the way I used to be.
My "drug of choice" was Mountain Dew. I drank my last can in May of 2010. Out of all the things I've given up, it might be the thing I miss the most...
Add me to the list of Mountain Dew addicts. I probably averaged 6 cans a day, but I'm sure there were plenty of 8 can days.
I've been free for a couple of months, but it still calls to me. Ah sweet nectar of the gods, how I miss you. It is the one thing I can not allow myself to have even in moderation because drinking one sip is like unleashing the Kraken. Must. Not. Be. Done.
I was a diet soda drinker...diet coke, diet pepsi, didn't matter. I would drink anywhere between 4 and 8 cans of soda a day, and would literally stock up on 5-10 fridgepacks for the week for both myself and my fiance.
I gave it up cold turkey. It was one of the hardest things to do, and I still miss the fizzy sometimes (I might consider a sodastream for this later on). To help me cut it, I did drink more coffee at the start of my day , and switched to an occasional alcoholic beverage at night (I know, not a good replacement, but once I was off the soda, it was easier to wean myself off the wine as I really only like to drink that in moderation).
Now I'm okay with just water. If I want some flavor, I'll add a slice of lemon or a couple tablespoons of unsweetened cranberry juice. I refuse to get soda anywhere...I sneak a bottle of water in my purse when we go to the movies, I get water at restaurants, etc. I know that if I even take a sip of soda (even things like root beer, orange soda, 7up....the only thing I will allow myself to drink is ginger ale and that's only during travel cause I get an upset stomach and that helps), it will be like opening the floodgates and I won't be able to give it up again.
I feel better for giving it up, but those first couple of weeks I was pretty miserable. My fiance still drinks soda (he had quit the same time I did, but gave in to temptation at a movie we went to see and can't seem to cut it again), but I get angry if he brings it into the apartment. If he wants to drink it, fine...he can get those single 20oz bottles when he wants it. But no fridgepacks, no 2 liter bottles, etc. We have very few "hard limits" in the apartment, but soda is one of them.
Oh, I didn't even think of the movies. I have tried so hard not to put myself in a situation that I would struggle. This last weekend was my first camping weekend without soda ever. Our friends brought stuff for their families and it really stunk. My husband drink pepsi and I really dislike that stuff, but my brother lives with us and drinks mt dew. I start student teaching on monday and the teacher I am paired with keeps soday in a fridge in her class. I don't look forward to it.
This is kind of like a different planet for me, since I absolutely hate anything that is too sweet. Diet coke is perhaps the only thing I can drink and only if it is cold. But I grew up on carbonated water. I cannot drink plain water. So, how about drinking carbonated seltzer water and add some stevia if you need it to taste sweet and some lemon/lime/orange juice and/or herbs like fresh mint? There are commercial flavoring agents you can add that have no calories. I prefer natural and have no experience with artificial flavors, but there are plenty of posts here from other people. Otherwise, drink the diet version. A little bit of aspartame is better than all that sugar.
I was a Diet Coke addict. I would buy the 1.25 liter bottles every morning before work for $1, they would be finished by 5 PM. They were the very first thing I gave up when I quit losing weight. I replaced them with water and 2 cups of black coffee a day. My husband has a Mt Dew addiction, there is nothing I can do about that, but it doesnt bother me because I have never liked regular sodas. The combination of the sugar/carbonation gives me an upset stomach. As long as we dont have diet in the house I'm ok.
I was also a Mtn. Dew addict! I was probably up to the same amount as you in cans as well. However, I also quit cold turkey. The withdrawls from caffeine sucked so I drank sweet tea up until this year, which is just as bad for you but now I'm only on water. Once you get over the craving, the taste of soda will be weird for you. I know it hurts to drink soda now, and I've only had soda on planned breaks from my diets and only ginger ale when I do drink.
I tried diet for a year and actually gained weight
This is common. People think they're drinking diet and therefore can have more food. Unfortunately people are terrible at estimating calories so they over compensate.
This is why, in my opinion, diet soda is more strongly correlated with diabetes than regular soda.
By the way - I'm not saying this is what happened with you. I'm speaking in general terms. Bottom line - if you switch to diet and nothing else changes you'll have fewer calories than before. It's not rocket science.
I used to drink about six cans of soda every day for a few years. I stopped because a gastroenterologist (stomach/intestinal doctor) told me how harsh that was on my body and I believe that the huge soda intake caused me to have serious stomach problems, I needed medical treatment for the issues. I don't drink diet coke very often any more, actually I don't like the taste much at all unless I have a slice of lemon in the soda. I drink more low calorie juice and diet tea which I don't think is very healthy either but at least it doesn't have all of that carbonation.
Well, to each their own but I am much happier drinking less soda.
I will be happy to get to the one year mark without soday. Right now I just want to get to the one month. I get discouraged so easily and diet soda was not the answer for me.
I was a Diet Coke addict. I stopped more than a year ago. It tastes bad to me, now, but I'm still very careful. I stopped once before long enough that it tasted bad -- and I still managed to get myself addicted again!
Mornings are when I miss it the most. I think for lots of people whatever you drink in the morning is going to be one of the most difficult habits to break. I switched to hot tea and I've even been drinking it this summer. I figure coffee drinkers keep drinking their coffee hot in the summer so I can have my tea that way as well.
Soda addict
