But is soda consumption all that bad?
[post_ads]"Like pretty much everything, it's the dose that makes the poison," says nutritionist Shereen Lehman, MS, a nutrition expert at Verywell.
"One serving of soda (sugary or diet) probably isn't going to do any
harm. But when it turns into five, six, or more cans a day, then you're
dealing with extra calories from the sugar and plenty of bloating."
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Diet soda cuts out the calories, but doesn't address the bloating,
Lehman says. "And while science shows all the non-caloric sweeteners are
safe, sometimes they just don't agree with people's bodies," she says.
Some people report bad physical reactions to sweeteners in diet soda,
including headaches and allergies, says Lehman. Others say they think
drinking diet soda makes them crave real sugar—and consume more of it.
In addition, she points out that diet sodas tend to have more caffeine
than sugary versions, which can lead to over-caffeination.
All of which is reason for many to want to quit the stuff altogether. But how do you break the habit of a lifetime?
In part, Lehman says, by treating it like a habit. "If it's hard to
give up, then go slow," she advises. "Cut back, swap in mineral water or
flavored water. But look at the labels—some of the flavored waters are
actually sweetened. And if you backslide and go back to your habit, then
don't beat yourself up over it. Just try again."
Sometimes, it helps to get inspiration from people who've gone
before. These five women kicked the soda habit for good—here's how they
did it. (Eat to rev up your metabolism—and look more radiant than ever—with Prevention's new Younger In 8 Weeks plan!)
1.
Karen F., sleep-deprived working mom and writer
Karen F., sleep-deprived working mom and writer
How Much Soda She Drank: At least two sodas a day
How She Quit:
"The moment I realized what my nausea was about, which was also the
moment the stick upon which I had urinated revealed two pink lines, in
that moment I gave up everything that I could think of which might
potentially hinder a growing being. In that moment, I gave up soda. And
sushi. And smoking. And never looked back."
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2.
Aubrey Bach, writer and marketer
Aubrey Bach, writer and marketer
How Much Soda She Drank: Two to four Diet Cokes a day—as in those big 32- or 48-oz. Diet Cokes you buy from convenience store soda fountains.
Why She Quit:
"When I decided to move from Southern California to Seattle, I didn't
realize that I'd be leaving the land of plentiful drive-thrus behind as
well. In coffee-loving Seattle, the only place I could get my morning
fresh-from-the-fountain fix (I never drank coffee in the morning—it was
Diet Coke all the way) was by walking to the 7-11 five blocks from our
house. I wish I could say that I gave up soda for health reasons, but I
was really just tired of being humiliated regularly as I trudged past
all the cool Seattleites at their local hipster coffee shops sipping
espresso on my journey every morning (and every lunchtime, and every
afternoon, let's be honest)—so I decided to give up all soda cold
turkey."
Bach says the withdrawal surprised her.
"I've never experienced actual withdrawals or had a real addiction to
a substance, but holy hell, after a day I literally thought I was
dying. After some home remedies for that situation had gone horribly
awry, combined with extreme moodiness and fatigue, I headed to the
doctor convinced that I had some horrible disease. About 10 minutes into
the appointment she realized just how much soda I was drinking every
day and gave me a prescription for...a morning cup of coffee."
[post_ads]Her Advice for Would-Be Quitters:
"I found great comfort in seltzer water, so learn to embrace La Croix
or buy yourself a SodaStream. Also, since Diet Coke was my nemesis, I
found that any artificial sweeteners gave me massive cravings, so I
swore off those altogether as well. Also, if you need extra
motivation—even though diet soda doesn't actually have any sugar in it, I
lost about 5 pounds after swearing off Diet Coke and artificial
sweeteners."
4.
Amy Beal, editor
How Much Soda She Drank: Up to 12 cans of Diet Coke per day.
Why She Quit: "When we decided to try and get
pregnant three years ago, I knew the Diet Coke had to go. I decided
that, no, in fact, I did not want to run my own experiment and see if I
could produce a baby who is one-third artificial sweetener."
How She Did It: "For me, having replacements were
key: seltzer water, gum, hard candy. Popping a can was tied to so many
specific events—having one after the gym, for the drive home after work,
while grocery shopping, etc.—so the idea of having NOTHING made it
harder. I found that none of the replacements were as satisfying as a
Diet Coke, of course, but it still helped to have something in my hand
and mouth. And because they were less satisfying, I was able to just
ease off those, too, eventually."
5.
Elana Hopman, a calligrapher in Birmingham, MI
How Much Soda She Drank: A few cans a day.
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Why She Quit: "After drinking so much for so long, it felt more like a habit for me than an addiction. Whenever someone made a comment about me drinking too much pop, I would respond with: 'It's better than crack' or some other quip letting them know it wasn't really so bad. I honestly didn't think it was doing any harm to my body. [Then] I started watching a few documentaries on Netflix about healthy eating and food processing in our country (Forks Over Knives, Food, Inc.) and the negative health effects of soda. After seeing some of those visuals, I quit cold turkey."
Her Advice for Would-Be Quitters: "Think about the reason behind quitting before you do it. Once I knew how serious the health issues were, it was easier to view Diet Coke as being harmful to my body, rather than a zero calorie treat I could enjoy whenever I wanted.
"Find a new habit. So much of my addiction was just that this is how I always lived. I started to order club soda at restaurants, stopped adding Diet Coke to the cart when I went grocery shopping, and told everyone who would listen that this was the new me. It was probably really annoying to some, but it helped me stay accountable."
