Buy Walking VideosHow To Quit Soda
I quit drinking soda cold turkey on January 26th. It has almost been two months since I started and I thought I would give you folks some pointers on how to become carbonation and caffeine free.
Firstly, decide why you’re doing this. Do you want to get off caffeine? Is it the carbonation? Is it just the sugar? If it’s just the caffeine, then there are tons of alternatives. The same is true for people who want to limit the carbonation or cut their sugar intake. Whatever your reasons for restricting these items are up to you, but it helps to know what your goals are.
Secondly, choose substitutes. If caffeine is the item you want to limit, you can choose other sodas such as Sprite and Root Beer. If sugar is the problem, you can choose from a wide variety of diet sodas. If carbonation is what you’re trying to avoid, there are tons of flavored waters and juices to choose from. When I was quitting, I was avoiding all of the above and I wanted to limit my intake of artificial sweeteners, so I just stuck with water and herbal tea.
The next step is preparation. If you are going off caffeine, you’re going to have caffeine withdrawals and you won’t have much to turn to. I had headaches for four days in a row and no pain reliever that I took relieved any pain. What you are going to need is time. Expect to be a little under the weather for a week. Treat it like a flu or a cold. When you are tired, sleep. Give yourself permission to sleep twelve hours if you need it. You’ve been hopped up on sugar and caffeine for so long that your body is going to need to remember what it’s like to be awake naturally.
One thing that helped me was a rice bed buddy. I bought this one at a craft mall, but you can make one yourself. I’ve also seen them sold at Walgreen’s drug stores made into various shapes like booties, eye masks and shoulder covers. Mine is a simple piece of fabric sewn into a rectangle. Inside it is dry rice: simple. I just put it into the microwave for two minutes, wrap a towel around it (it will be very hot when it comes out) and lie down with it over my face. It smells a little like rice and it’s warm on my aching head and temples. It helped me go to sleep when I had the caffeine withdrawal headaches.
The next step is to listen to your cravings. I found myself craving pop when I was thirsty. I didn’t realize I was thirsty, I just thought that I wanted a Diet Coke. I drank about a gallon of water a day the first week. I don’t know if I had been dehydrated and my body was catching up on the water it needed or if I just used the water as a crutch to get past that first week. Either way, listen to your body.
Finally, remember that this too will pass. Some have reported caffeine withdrawals for weeks, others are able to get past the worst of it in a few days. No matter how long it takes for you, remember, there is an end to it. There must be some reason you decided to go off pop in the first place, concentrate on those benefits and know that the negative effects will wear off. Be patient with yourself.
How to Quit Soda Quicklist
1. Decide why you are doing this.
2. Find appropriate substitutes.
3. Be prepared by giving yourself extra time for sleep.
4. Stock up on remedies and substitutes.
5. Listen to your cravings.
6. Be patient with yourself.
Remember, this advice is never more useful than the advice of your doctor. Please contact your doctor if you plan on doing anything drastic with yourself. I haven’t noticed any drastic effects of being off caffeine, carbonation and artificial sweeteners except that water is far less expensive than Diet Coke. Good Luck!
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March 12th, 2006 at 9:47 pm
I decided today that I would like to start trying to get off the caffeen. I have been drinking 1-2 Cokes every day for about 8 years now and it’s just something I don’t want to be craving all the time. This was the first thing I came across in my search and it reaffirmed much of which I figured would be the case. Thank you for the heads up.
April 4th, 2006 at 8:47 am
I decided to quit soda cold turkey a couple days ago. I can’t beleive how hard it actually is. I have the worst headache’s in the world, but my body keeps craving the soda. I have found myself drinking more water. Ever since i’ve quit, my body feels dehydrated, which i’m sure it is. Thanks for the heads up on what is to come.
April 11th, 2006 at 7:09 pm
Yeah I’ve been off sodas and coffee for about a week and a half. I’ve quit before but never cold turkey. It’s completely horrible!!! I fall asleep driving in the morning, I’m burning up hot, and I go through a ton of water!!!! I mean- I am drinking all the time. I can’t remember stuff as well either. Whoo. Who knew caffeine had this kind of effect on people.
June 2nd, 2006 at 7:32 pm
I have put on the pounds in the gut I drink 1-2 pepsis a aday if not more. I tried for 2 days a the headaches came majorly. I have to try again because of my gut I have inerited via this hard to resist taste. its not he sugar its the taste I love about it. Wish me luck. I was able to quit smoking 3 yrs ago hopefully I can do this.
August 6th, 2006 at 8:44 pm
Well I drink about 86 oz a day of Diet Coke. A lot. Some days more. I had surgery about 6 months ago. I naturally didnt want pop. Oh Lordy. I had a headache for 4 days throwing up, Nothing took away the pain. I even got re-admitted to the hospital because the Doctors thought it was from my surgery. Then light bulb. I asked for tea, and 2 sodas, drank those and 30 min later my headache was GONE, No nausea etc. I have got to get off of this stuff. I dont think I can do it cold turkey. Is there any other suggestions to wean off of it.
September 27th, 2006 at 2:20 am
I consider myself fairly good at quitting things. I’ve quit smoking after 5 years and I’ve also quit eating McDonalds after 20 some years. The best way to quit something is cold turkey. I know, it’s really difficult. I like to think of it as a promise to myself. I promised myself that I would never smoke another cigarrette, so how can I let myself down? You have to realize that your life will change forever once you quit something. Things will never be the same, and you will never ever stop craving that thing. Many of my friends smoke and eat at McDonalds, and I’ve had thousands of chances to break my promise, but I never have. As time goes on, things get easier, the cravings come less frequently and they leave faster. Make sure you understand that they are only temporary. Also, be aware of who is around you. The people around you will try to get you to break your promise, but they can’t get into your head. Only you have the power over yourself. So no matter how many difficult situations they put you in, just remember that you simply are not going to do that thing anymore. As time goes on, you will learn to be proud of your accomplishment. One month, 6 months, 2 years. Soon you will forget marking the time and it will just be a part of your life. Talk to someone who is diabetic. Ask them about drinking soda. Listen to what they say. They usually say, I just can’t drink soda, plain and simple. That should be your attitude. I just won’t do it. I’m not going to wish you good luck, because luck has nothing to do with quitting things. Just decide for yourself and do it!
October 28th, 2006 at 12:36 pm
I found a way to help not have as bad withdrawal. Drink as much soda as you want the day before you’re going to quit, then starting the next morning go cold turkey.
November 2nd, 2006 at 4:24 pm
I have Diabetes Type II, I love my diet soda but these last few months my body is really not doing well, so here I am looking for a way to give up the last of the last, my diet dr. pepper, so I have taken a week now and split half diet dr pepper with diet root beer. Checked my sugar still to high, so this next monday I go cold turkey on my pop. I really do believe it will feel like the flu but being a diabetic, what do I have to really lose, alot…..I can go into a COMA OR CHANGE MY HEALTH HABITS…….I CHOOSE HEALTH!!! GOOD LUCK TO ALL.
November 5th, 2006 at 12:26 am
I drink 2 to 3 Diet Dr. Pepper everyday. I drive to the local quickie store to buy it, because if I have it in the house I drink it constantly. I know it is bad for me, because if it can destroy a penny and other things, what is it doing to my insides? I lost weight the last time I quit for a week. I know it’s Diet, but it really does make you gain weight. This is a serious addiction. There is a reason why the ingredients are not available and it’s not because it’s a secret?! I will quit!!!! Thank you for all your comments and support.
November 9th, 2006 at 11:43 pm
Well I am trying to quit Dr. Pepper my favorite drink ever. I have been drinking atleast a 2 liter a day now for years. I have noticed my waist starting to spread so I have to do this, thanks so much for your input on quiting.
November 15th, 2006 at 9:16 am
If I taper down 20 ounces per day, I do not get the withdrawal headaches. I drink the same hours in the day that I usually do. Like from 8AM to 5PM but do 20 ounces per day less. Some may need to taper down by 10 ounces per day. When I get the urge, I brush my teeth, drink water, exercise or just get busy. (this will work for tobacco also. Three days and the drug addiction is gone, but still have to fight the tobacco habit).
November 29th, 2006 at 7:19 pm
My parents have raised me on cokes since I was about 2. Since then I have been drinking between 2-3 liters of Cola a day. I have attempted quiting before, I went for a week then I snapped and beat up my younger brothers, then my mother pretty much forced a coke down my throat. Well that was two years ago and I have gotten down to about a liter and a half a day. I have started again, but instead of just going completly cold turkey I drink a cup of coffee every morning and drink juices throughout the rest of the day. It has been four days and I havent killed my roommates so I guess I might be able to break the addiction to colas.
December 10th, 2006 at 6:42 pm
Well I JUST quit drinking pop 4 days ago and this post was VERY helpful!!! I had NO idea why I’ve been so tired and drained….its the lack of caffine. I went cold turkey! I’m doing fairly well and haven’t had a craving….took a few aspirin to help with the headache the first day and went to the accupuncturist the second and he treated me for the craving - it REALLY helped. I haven’t craved one pop at all….my only “symtom” is I’m just wiped out at the moment…I burn the candle at to many ends….drank 2-3 pops a day (always LOTS of ice with a little pop) but apparently enough to keep me going. I’m healthy in all aspects of my life…this was one that needed to go…although I don’t have the craving…I still want a Dr. Pepper….but 5 days now….then 6 and before I know it I won’t want any - anymore! I met a doctor who told me all the horribles about pop….and have tried before - but the words he shared….motivated me that moment. I’m off to drink another bottle of water
Best wishes to all of you quitting pop too! I can only imagine how difficult it must be for those with more serious adictions….
January 10th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
Hi, I’m on my second day of just water. No diet sodas, I’ve got a terrible headache and was vomiting earlier. I finally broke down and had a sip of soda, which eased my headache, but its still there dispite the Motrin. I really don’t think I can take this headache for four days like some of the others have written. I didn’t even think that I took in that much caffine. I’m not a coffee drinker, just some soda. Anyway, I hope I will remember what it took to get off caffine if I ever decide to start drinking soda again. Good luck to everyone!
January 28th, 2007 at 10:48 pm
Gees! I really feel like I have no hope after reading all these comments. I drink between 3 to 4, two liters of diet coke… for almost the past 10 years. I’m 32 btw. I was actually dx’ed with MS 6 years ago. I sometimes wonder if it’s actually aspartame poisoning. I have tried to quit several times but have never been able to due to the side effects ( i was getting migraines) I have made it a couple of times for two weeks but than would relapse… I NEED HELP:)
March 17th, 2007 at 11:39 am
First day of giving up the much loved brown fizzy liquid that I drink with every meal…DIET COKE….I feel so irritable..finding my lovely husband terribly annoying, feeling really tired and depressed/anxious/unsettled. Have just emptied a full bottle of diet coke down drain as it was calling to me from the fridge!!! I found this very difficult to do 2 litres wasted!!! I know it is not good for me and since I googled it yesterday was unaware of the serious side effects of drinking the volume that I do every day. I just hope and pray that I can persevere with the withdrawal symptoms that I am now expecting but know that I am no longer alone in my addiction. Thanks for allowing me to comment.
March 22nd, 2007 at 6:37 am
day 4/5 have been going through HELL!!! developed symptoms of a severe cold/flu…palpitations wanting to eat lots of anything….really difficult…as I type this I would just love a can of Diet coke…have to keep going…its not going to be easy…so tired lethargic and feeling anxious.
Not going to give in.
March 29th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
I have quit cokes cold turkey March 18th, I know this has not been very many days, but I don’t crave them this time. I usually drink 3 32 oz diet vanilla cokes a day.
I made a commitment to quit to honor my grand daughter who has pancreatitis. The first few days I thought of cola I thought of her, so it has been easy, I have been extremely tired, I guess it is the withdrawel.
I have been drinking juice and teas with no sugar or a little, I feel like I need to stop this also and mostly drink water.
April 1st, 2007 at 4:02 pm
I am having a very hard time giving up my pepsi.son calls it my “gin”.I have gaines weight.I have his wedding in 5 months and want to look good in a gown..please help me get the strength and determination to do this…thanks
April 1st, 2007 at 10:07 pm
I’m at day 20 without soda now. Before, I was drinking upwards of 8 12 oz cans of soda a day, once one was done I’d grab another one.
I also hardly ever drank water because soda was all I thought I needed. I made a decision 20 days ago that I would give it up, so far so good. The headaches weren’t too awfully bad, it’s just the taste that I miss.
I almost gave up yesterday, but instead I treated myself to a juice. I’m trying to drink nothing but water, but that’s damn near impossible.
Luckily I have someone who is cheering me on through this ordeal, which is what everyone needs. Find someone who will hold your hand and get you through the cravings. It can be done.
Good luck everyone.
April 2nd, 2007 at 7:57 pm
I inadvertently went cold turkey off Diet Pepsi 4 days ago. The first day was fine… so, I thought I should just stop drinking the stuff all together. I get so bloated and I know it’s the soda. (I quit years ago and lost 20 lbs in two weeks - water weight I’m sure). I also get this wierd prickly feeling all over my skin. It’s wierd. Maybe a toxic build up?
The second day was ok. I was starting to feel a bit queasy.
Third day: I thought my head was going to explode. Dang it.. it snuck up on me. Every other time I’ve attemped this the headache started right away. I spend all yesterday either asleep or in the shower with the lights off or throwing up.
My husband went to the store and bought me a regular Pepsi. The migraine (mostly) went away in about an hour.
Arggghh!!
Hopefully, tomorrow will go better when I stop having regular pepsi. I’m not so attracted to the stuff (seems way to sweet) as I am to Diet Pepsi.
Wish me luck
April 10th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
I’ve been off soda for over 3 weeks now. I had headaches at first but the desire never stops.I have lost 6 pounds but I have not energy at all. I’m very irritible and going through a down period psychologically. I didin’t realize how good Coke my me feel.
May 3rd, 2007 at 11:49 pm
I was having the headaches too…try a cup of coffee in the morning and a cup at nite…..lemonaide became my subsititute
May 7th, 2007 at 7:31 am
I have fought obesity all my life and it didn’t help that I was raised on Dr. Peppers. I will quit for a while and then start back. I come to work with a 32 oz. or 44 oz. drink every day and then when I am out on the road somewhere, I have at least a can with me. I constantly drink. I like Propel but like my drinks more.
Have recently had increased health problems. Non-insulion diabetic, two stomach surgeries, liver problem, blood clots. One thing after another. I am 51 and weight 259 lbs. and need to do something so I can see my grandchildren grown. I have done it once before and after a few weeks, the weight started coming off. To those trying to quit, you can do it and I must start soon.
May 7th, 2007 at 7:35 am
I was drinking 2-4 cups of coffee a day and 4-8 Dt MTn Dews. I was BUZZING. I have to have a heart test tomorrow and have to be caffeine free for 24 hours. I have had withdrawals before so I started weening last week. 3 days ago I had 1 cup of coffee and 1 Mt Dew.
Yesterday I had none, the headache was so bad that I took 1 sip of Coke and immediatly felt better.I did however sleep most of yesterday, and that is unlike me.
Today I have had none and tomorrow is the test.
I have come this far and I really think that I am going to go all the way! I think that a soda every now and then will be ok.. but I don’t want to be dependant on this again. my head still hurts a little, and I know that it will go away…
but I actuallu feel a little better today. Slowly weening has been better than cold turkey.
Even decaf coffee has some caffeine in it…
I welcome any ideas, and good luck to you who want this for yourself!
June 26th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
I read all the responses, and waited. I wanted to find out as much as I could before I decided to quit. I was drinking four to five cans of Mellow Yellow PER DAY. I knew it couldn’t be good for my body, and I’ve had a history with headaches since I was a kid, so I knew that withdrawl would come quick and hard.
If there’s any advice I can give anybody on quitting caffeine (from someone who was definitely addicted), cold turkey is the way to go. It hurts, HURTS! But without your body being shocked back into the lack of caffeine, it won’t be able to heal on it’s own. Your body will remember.
I quit seven days ago, and my withdrawl lasted about four days. It was intense, and the headaches came on strong, and I felt ornary and aggrivated at everyone, and I had the shakes, and I had no energy. But after four days, it was gone.
Four days, guys! As compared to living with this addiction, or taking several weeks to get off of it. I did take Excedrin Migraine during the those four days, and it does have caffeine in it, but it doesn’t take away all the symptoms. Most of that, you’ll have to tough out for three to five days. I’m still working through it a little!
But you guys can do it! Just believe and you will receive!
June 26th, 2007 at 7:37 pm
I decided tonight to go off of Diet Coke cold turkey. Lately I’ve been drinking 7-8 cans a day (at least), and I’m pretty sure it’s going to kill me if I don’t stop. I’m only 19, and I just lost 40~ lbs. this past year from dieting. I do martial arts, so losing a few extra pounds and eating right would probably help my stamina a lot. Plus, this stuff is really addictive! I’ve tried (and failed) to quit many times before. Sooo… I’ve decided it’s just time to do it. If I could beat binge eating, I can beat this.
Oh, a suggestion for people trying to kick soda but find regular water blah: try the Crystal Light on-the-go drink mix pouches. They’re really not half so bad for you. I’m not sure if they use aspartame or not, though, so you might want to check that first.
July 6th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
It has been 1 month since i had a drink of soda.It all started when A friend of mine was telling me how she was going to go on a water diet for a month. I thought what a good idea and we could support each other.I started out with removing all the soda in my house. on day 2 I opened my kitchen cabinet and there was a big bottle of soda I missed. My daughter asked for a dring so i poured the soda in a glass. I stood my ground and fought the urges. Last weekend i went shopping with some friends when we left the store everyone bought a can soda.i did hold the unopened soda can to my mouth and everyone laughed. obviously I still have cravings but they are coming less and i am getting stronger!!
I have a 17 year old son who has a problem with marijuanna.He is in an out patient rehab i’m going to give up soda completely and pray my son will give up his addiction too.
July 17th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
Thanks for the article and encouraging posts. I’m on day 2 sans soda. It has been brutal. Terrible headache all night last night. Dreamed the devil was attacking my head. I wondered around the office today and kept forgetting where I was going. It was crazy. I am exhausted. Glad to know I’m not alone. Thanks.
July 24th, 2007 at 6:14 am
A study just came out about how diet soda is bad for you too, so this is probably about the 10th time I’ve actually tried kicking my soda habit. Everywhere I go I am surrounded by it. School and work both have vending machines stocked with 20 oz bottles (once its open I have to finish all 2.5 servings). I can’t get a quick meal without having to choose the one non-soda option amongst a full assortment of Coke and Pepsi products.
When I quit I my appetite is insatiable and I usually gain weight. I’ve started to use No-Doz to curb my caffiene withdrawl symptoms… well since then I am not actually going through withdrawl. Soda just seems to quench my thirst better, makes me feel kinda full, and the sugar rush is also addictive.
This go around I am going to make a better plan: a No-doz with breakfast, stock up on Gatorade and juice, a light beer with dinner, and a half nodoz when I start craving more soda. I dont really care if my calorie intake doesnt really change much. Its going to be one battle at a time and just kicking my coke habit is at the top of the list.
July 26th, 2007 at 12:32 am
Hi my name is Terri i’m 20,after reading that article it inspired me,about 2-3 weeks ago i quit drinking pop for a week,and was going through withdrawl head aches,and getting sick like the flue i figured it was flu since i had my brothers cold but i guess must of bin from the pop not being in my system,im getting married next year we want to start having kids so im looking at quiting,your email has inspired me alot,ive bin wanting to loose weight in my stomach for years,but after drinking pop for so many years it’s hard to i only weigh 120,i use to accutally be 95-98 pounds,i’d like to get down to 110 though,but thank you for having thsi article up and hearing about the symptoms now i know what to expect,i wanted to thank you for inspiring me to getmyself healthy
July 28th, 2007 at 12:28 am
Wow, I thought I was alone in this. My problem is drinking Coke and Vault at my work. Fountain drinks are free, and I just go and get one whenever I feel thirsty. I don’t know how to stop. I’m thinking of trying it cold turkey. But not there yet. I just can’t decide. I know the different health problems I have, I would benefit from if I stopped drinking cokes. And I know I should but the temptation is so great, that I can’t stop it. I will give it my best shot tomorrow.
July 31st, 2007 at 1:37 pm
I stopped drinking Pepsi about 2 weeks ago. The headaches weren’t nearly as bad as I thought they would be. I think it is because I decided to drink only water. I have read that one should drink half their body weight in water each day. So if one weighs 150 lbs. they would drink 75oz. of water each day.
The past few days a new side effect showed up…I am always tired and have no energy to do anything. My body must really be in “the depths of dispear” since it no longer gets Pepsi as its main source of fluid.
I am hoping this passes soon. Maybe in a few days I will feel better.
August 1st, 2007 at 8:29 am
I keep reading the words “cold turkey” in regard to quitting and I gather it’s a euphemism for quitting “in one shot.” What I’ve found that helps (and I should know, I’ve quit diet pop six times!) with getting over the withdrawal period is emptying out a can of your favorite pop and filling it with water and drinking that instead. For me, it wasn’t so much the caffeine or the carbonation I craved so much as having the can in my hand. Drinking water out of the can helped me psychologically.
August 4th, 2007 at 10:07 pm
Hello to all and hopefully your quitting efforts are going great. I gave up my love for the can around three years ago in June. I made a vow to quit pop one night and from the next day on I wouldn’t abuse it like I had in the past. I weighed around 242 lbs and within 3 months had dropped 15 pounds (I drank around 8 cans of Coke daily). I admit the first couple of days sucks major ass. After a week had passed, my body and mind didn’t crave the only thing that would ever quinch my thirst. I started to really feel better about myself after those three months and started exercising 20 minutes 3 times per week. I am now down to 208, have a clear complexion (yes i looked like a 12 year old going through puberty until I quit), pop is very hard on some peoples faces. I now love how water feels going down my gullet. I now have control over myself a lot better and will enjoy a coke at dinner time about once per month or every other month. Pop is fine when drank in moderation, I just was abusing the hell out of it. My advice: Get a water bottle and keep it with you at all times for the first little while. When you think about that tasty can, drink some water.
October 1st, 2007 at 8:58 am
Hello all, I just quit again for the second time, I hope this time it sticks… I drank about a 2 liter of Coke a day for the last 15 years or so, first thing in the morning and right before bed, anytime I could. I’m on day 6 now and my head feels better but I have terrible gas, I keep belching and my stomach feels like crap… Hope I didn’t do too much damage.
October 3rd, 2007 at 3:37 pm
I hear all of you. I just stop drinking soda 2 days ago and going thru hell. its me hard. the tirdeness and not wanting to do anything. I would have 12 ounce coke about 1:00pm and the another 32 ounce later and then another 12 ounce about 10:00pm. I miss the cokes and pepsi so bad, been nervous and yelling at my roommate, walking around jumpy and just off blance. the tirdness is the worse just want to sleep all the time. Can someone help me cause going out to my skin here. thanks
November 7th, 2007 at 10:54 pm
I decided to quit drinking pop cold turkey at the beginning of october. In my house I have a pop machine and that was literally all I drank. It wasn’t really hard. I had headaches and that crap but I knocked it out by drinking a lot of water and alot of unsweetened tea. I already feel the affects: I’ve lost weight and I am in a better overall mood. So t those who are trying to commit to it, its definitely worth it.
November 17th, 2007 at 8:03 pm
I’ve been drinking anywhere from 1 to 12 cans of Pepsi a day. I’m severely addicted to it. As soon as the case I have is gone, I’m quitting. I want to lose weight and I don’t want to get diabetes later in life.
Health for the win!
November 23rd, 2007 at 7:22 pm
I have probably quit and relapsed back into drinking soda at least 6 times since 1994. What usually happens is that I realize (or a female friend or partner notices)that I’m getting a gut. This always seems to be accompanies by sedentary living coupled with drinking 4-6 Mountain Dews a day. Also, while drinking this much soda, I can barely stay awake from around 2-5 PM each day, which is from the sugar and carbohydrate crash. I’m irritable, depressed, sleepy, unless I have a soda, which temporarily relieves the feeling, but the long-term ill effects on my health and well-being are not worth it–AND I KNOW IT. Thus, it sends me into a shame spiral. I see and feel myself getting progressively more unhealthy, yet I feel powerless against the causes. SO, I then usually join a gym AND quit soda simultaneously. My withdrawal headache usually lasts a full day, and I spend a good part of it lying in bed after taking an Alka-Seltzer and putting a cold wash cloth on my face. It really does feel as though your skull is going to explode, or that your skull is trying to force its’ way out of your skin with all its might. I also drink lots of water, and it is really hard on your body at first, because it flushes your system. Sometimes, my skin will become blotchy, and have gas, sweats, chills, body odor, which is all attributed to my body attempting to force out the toxins from every possible exit point it can, including the pores. It’s a trial-by-fire, but if your body is experiencing any of these symptoms, you should try and look at it like I do: If whatever you are quitting had such a hold on your mind and body that it would cause such awful suffering upon its absence, then it simply can’t be natural and/or good for you in the long run. If you can’t quit it for good and keep relapsing, that’s even more proof that it isn’t natural.
And I’m among the thousands of people that have quit several times and relapsed as well. Upon this writing, I am attempting to quit cold turkey once again. I am 31 years old and have been making an effort to not drink soda with meals, avoid fast food, and eat more fruits and vegetables. I also live on a very modest income as a property inspector and musician with no health insurance. It’s time to face facts and get (and stay) as healthy as I possibly can.
If I have any advice it is that cold turkey is the way to go. Alka Seltzer tablets, water, rest, and a cold wash cloth are your best friends.
Also, just think about the calories. 6 cans of Dew a day equals, what, about 1,080 calories. Um, that’s HALF OF YOUR DAILY CALORIC INTAKE, especially if you are a sedentary person. The most basic way to lose weight is to decrease your calories and increase your physical activity.
Hope this helps. Thank god tomorrow is a Saturday, because I’m expecting one hell of a headache. I hope it passes quickly and I can hold out this time. No, scratch that. I WILL hold out this time.
November 25th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
After seeing a picture of myself taken this past summer at my mom’s it sent me into a huge reality check. I had noticed that my day was spent around when my next Coke fix would be. If I was going home from work, I would think if I had pop at home. At night, did I have pop for the next morning? If I was visiting someone for the weekend, would they have Coke, should I take some? It was taking over my life. I don’t like diet pops at all the taste is awful. I really appreciated the others stories about what they did, it helped me a lot.
So after looking at that picture and looking at my “habit” I decided to stop cold turkey. I talked with my husband about it and convinced him to get off of his Diet Pepsi.
I first started by drinking green tea to help get some caffine. And when the headaches started I took 1 excedrin at a time. I was really surprised, I did not have the killer headaches some people had described above. I did have a dull headache for 9 days though. I tried not to drink too much green tea to help get me get off the caffine kick. I am caffine and sugar free. The sad thing is I have not lost one pound! I haven’t changed my eating habits either.
I think about Coke often and wish I had one to drink…. I really miss it. I miss the taste, the clink of ice in a glass, the sound the can makes when you open it.
I have replaced my Coke with water. No juices or other sugar ladened items. Just water, a glass of milk at dinner and maybe a hot chocolate now and again through the week.
My husband replaced Diet Pepsi with coffee but he is still hooked on the caffine.
I haven’t even had one glass of Coke in the past 14 days. It is too early to try a can. I feel better about myself for doing this and that I can visit someone and not take my addiciton with me. I am hoping the weight will come off. One thing at a time! Good Luck.
December 11th, 2007 at 12:46 pm
I am so glad I have found this website. Today is day 1 for me, so I appreciate all of the advice !
December 17th, 2007 at 5:05 am
I have quit soda numerous times only to fall victim to my own desires over and over again. i have weaned. I have gone cold turkey, and i have gone substitution for a week to break my urges for that particular soda, then stop that all together. I am a Mountain Dew addict. other than jolt or higher caffeinated drinks like vault/energy drinks. MTDEW has the highest caffeine for all of the other off the shelf sodas.
Today is my 12th day. I have lost 6 pounds. The headaches are always horrible when i go without caffeine. I am prone to migraines to begin with and NEED caffeine to dialate the blood vessels. On the other hand. I am not supposed to have it, because it can leave lumps in breast tissue. Excedrin did help with the headaches.. but MOST people don’t understand that excedrin has caffeine in it. Thats why when i get a headache everything else over the counter wont work for me. but it is true. Anyways.. Soda kept me tired, running to the bathroom, bloated and i usually crashed in the afternoon- feeling like i hadn’t slept for days. On other days i could stay up all night and not feel a thing. I was drinking anywhere from 3-8 probably more 12 oz cans a day.
December 17th, 2007 at 5:10 am
I did want to add that my appetite was out of control for about 2 days. i endulged it. i had double cheeseburgers and snapple. It eased a little of the pain- i am not saying cheeseburgers are healthy by any means… but when you quit regular non diet soda, you will get the caffeine headaches compounded with carb withdrawal headaches. With how bad my headaches are i cant chance getting both. of course, i am on to better choices and have an occasional cup of coffee in the morning. My reason for quitting number one is caloric intake reduction. secondly is the price/habit. and thirdly is the caffeine, actually this and the second one is about equal. I will enjoy SOME coffee but not a ton. Also beware a lot of hot teas have caffeine in it too.
December 28th, 2007 at 2:09 pm
I’ve been a Coke drinker for many years now. My typical morning regiment throughout college and into my adult life has been a coke in the morning like most folks would have coffee, a coke to carry with me and then usually 1 or more at night. Recently I was on a 4-5 can a day habit, not counting fountain drinks when I went out to eat.
Honestly, kicking the can isn’t as bad for me as the fountain. I LOVE fountain sodas.
Here I am thought on day 3 of no soda. Caffiene headaches? Strangely, not a one. But I ramped down my soda/caffeine addiction over the course of about two weeks. I went from that enormous amount to 1 soda a day just before I quit and that helped a LOT.
January 7th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
I just turned 22. I work as a programmer so I sit around almost all day everyday except for weekends. After work, I usually just want to rest because I am very mentally drained. However it doesn’t keep me from wanting to stay up until 2,3 am in the morning. I wake up and am so tired that the first thing I do is head towards the fridge for a soda.
During the work day, I’ll take ginko and ginsing but then I’ll usually have about 3-4 sodas and often I drink 1-2 or more energy drinks a day. I do not eat barely anything and I am usually pretty active on weekends but I can’t seem to drop any weight at all.
Anyway, but I know that my problem is that I have a horrible schedule and I make up for it by taking in large amounts of fake energy. So in short, break one bad habit (not sleeping) and the other will be much easier.
January 14th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
I drink about 3 2-liters of diet coke everyday. I weigh about 275 and will be having lapband surgery on Wednesday (in 2 days). You can not have carbonated drinks with a lap band. So here goes…I need to quit the diet coke. I can’t believe how addicting it is…I tried to quit about 4 months ago and couldn’t do it. Now I’ve got to do it cold turkey. I appreciate all the advice on handling the caffiene withdrawal. I definitely need to go out and get some exederin.
January 30th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
I drink 4-5 44oz dr peppers a day…im fat,tired,and irratable.. i cant seem to stop.dr pepper is worse than crack..and im an addict!
February 4th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
I tried quitting cold turkery last year, was doing really good until i got my truck stuck in a ditch. laughs by the time we pushed it out i decided to get a Dr Pepper saying ‘one wouldnt hurt’ then poof on ‘em again. now i’m trying to quit yet again. was 115 pounds 5 years ago, before of dp i’ve gained weight and now i’m 160 pounds. gonna come check on this site reguarly and hopefully re reading ya’ll’s posts will help
February 17th, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Thats so true when you get off soda pop don’t even pick up one. I quit for a year then I thought one won’t hurt then weeks later I had another then it went down hill from there. Just like drugs your body remembers the caffine and wants it again. Also I lost a ton of weight when i quit.
February 18th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
I’ve gone on this site a few times - I actually have it bookmarked. I’ve tried probably five or six times to stop drinking pop. Aaah, Pepsi…Nectar of the Gods.
Lots of reasons to quit and you all know them just as much as I do - weight gain, the damage it does to the body, the cost, but my main reason right now - I feel pathetic that a stupid drink has such control over my life.
This is my one addiction, my biggest problem, and I really feel if I can get over this, then any future issues will be easier to manage. Because this one is truly the hardest for me.
I’m pretty good with the going cold turkey, but when the going gets tough and life gets in the way of my good intentions, I quickly turn back - always with shame, but not enough to keep me from the pop.
I have two kids, and I just think I’m teaching them such a bad habit, and I’m truly embarrassed that I can’t stop. It’s just incredibly disrespectful to myself to treat my body this way.
Wish me luck - I’m going to get some Advil and water.
March 11th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Ugh, my wife and I talked about me quiting yesterday. I didn’t really think that it would be that hard, until my sister-in-law sent me this post. So it is 4 p.m. and by now I usually had at least one in the morning and sometimes one in the afternoon. I don’t know if the headache is real or if I subconsciously gave it to myself. Well wish me luck and oh, btw, is there a support hotline for quiting Dr. Pepper?
March 19th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Tomorrow I am quitting Mt.Dew. I drink around 4 or 5 daily. I have put about 25 to 30 pounds of weight on in the last 3yrs. My BMI is over what I should be and I feel bloated and my skin doesn’t look that great. I need to do this for several reasons. Most important is better health! Wish me luck because I am sure I am going to have some really tough withdrawls! Congrat’s to all of you for quitting!!!!!
March 27th, 2008 at 7:02 am
As I’m writting this I have a headache (still) and I am getting hot flushes. And really tired. This is my 6th day on a detox diet eating just fruit, and drinking fruit juice and decaf coffee and Tab. I thought the withdrawals would be over by now! Oh well, I must be nearly through it all!
Thanks for this site and good luck to every one.
April 8th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Today is the day i am quiting drinkin soda and others that contain caffine and sugar because i am puttin on weight and its tough on my heart and i have been gettin head aches drinkin all the sugar and caffine i have decided. to subsuitute. with water and vegatables and been chewing alot of gum to get my mind off of it.
April 22nd, 2008 at 4:46 pm
I give up soda for Lent every year. This year it seemed like I lost over 10 pounds, all in my gut area! I’ve never been able to sleep so well, have so much energy, and not have that caffeine-induced up and down feeling. Well after Easter, I had to have my soda again! Bad idea. It’s only a month later and I’ve put all the weight back on, if not more! Without soda, I’m irritable and tired. I can’t eat dinner without it. But now I’m feeling heavy again, sweating alot, and I hate those caffeine high feelings, followed by a big crash! Not to mention it has a terrible affect on my acid reflux condition. I haven’t had problems with acid reflux in 1 year, and I haven’t even had to take medicine for it. But quitting soda and starting to drink it again has bought the acid reflux back worse than ever. So I’ve been thinking about quitting again. I can’t say I’d ever quit for good. Like someone else here said, I don’t really crave the caffeine, or the sugar, it’s the “cola” taste that I love. I even eat cola flavored gummy worms, bottle caps, and popsicles. I don’t know what to do, but I think I have to quit again. Summer is here and I’m feeling fat and bloated all because of the soda again! I’m glad to have found this forum, because it so accurately addresses what you go through when you quit cold turkey. When I quit before Lent, I went through real withdrawl, with nausea and terrible headaches. And I never get headaches! So I’m going to quit again. The best thing to do is drink lots of water, natural fruit juices (sugar and additive free), as well as eating a lot of fruits and vegetables. I also found that once I cleansed my system like this, I didn’t even want to eat junk food anymore, no more craving chips or doughnuts! Enough of my carrying on.
Wish me luck, and good luck to the rest of you!
May 16th, 2008 at 7:01 am
I’ve been trying to quit off and on for years. I’m a very health conscious person, but just can’t seem to kick this terrible habbit. I don’t get headaches to bad, or naseua, but whenever I quit I find myself feeling incredibly sad. It seems like nothing in the world can make me happy, and all I want to do is cry. I am normally a happy person, but as soon as I stop drinking diet coke I’m floored by depression. Once I made it through quiting, and was off diet coke for a few months but my energy level was extremely-low the entire time. I do find it is easiest to quit during the summer time, and I think that I am going to try to do more mood-boosting activites to get me through it this time around (yoga, staying active and outdoors, sleeping and more sleeping).
Also, a friend of mine that tried to quite smoking was prescribed a small dose of anti-anxiety medication by her doctor for about a week to help her through it. I wonder if something like that might be helpful for quiting diet coke addiction?
June 3rd, 2008 at 9:25 pm
i drink about 8-16 pops a week and i need to quit im scared of geting diabletes so i hope this turn out well and i need to try to lower it to like 4 pops a week or something its just too addicting i just cant quit
June 22nd, 2008 at 9:11 pm
I drank about 4 sodas a day when I first quit. I went cold turkey. It wasn’t easy and I felt drained all the time. The headaches was the worse but eventually it calmed down. This lasted for about a week or so. Then I was off of them for about 2 years. I’ve gone cold turkey 2 times already, this is going to be the third time I do it and hopefully the last. Trust me when I say that if I can do it, anyone can. Don’t be afraid of the pain. It will eventually go away and you’ll feel a ton better.
Just remember when you get off of them to stay off. It is easy to fall into old habits. Good luck to us all =)
July 3rd, 2008 at 8:09 pm
I congratulate and applaud those of you who are trying to quit cold turkey. It is very hard and I know all too well. This site is great. I thought I was the only one that had a hard time quitting.
I am almost embarrassed to tell how many sodas that I drank a day. My day began with a Coca Cola, then once I got to work another, then around 10:00 another, a can at lunch was a must have, one around 3:00 and then one for the rest of the day at work. I would get home another and then one after the other until I went to bed. At least 10 cans a day.
2 years ago, I quit drinking the soda and lost 45 pounds in 7 months and I mean it just dropped off week by week. I was getting so scared that I started to drink the soda again and lo and behold, I gained back the 45 pounds plus, because I am so addicted to the stuff. I can’t even take a sip.
I tried so many times to quit and I always ended up back in the same boat with a soda in my hand. I had severe headaches and felt so bad that I needed to have that can of soda. I come to the conclusion that I must have an addictive personality and that one and only coca cola sends me spiraling down the wrong road. I displayed the symptoms of an alcoholic without the alcohol, just the soda.
I have tried cold turkey and I got so sick that I could not even function and I wonder why I kept on drinking the stuff. There is nothing good about it, the weight gain, the bloating and dehydration to just name a few. I was so sick and finally found that I had a severe overgrowth of yeast. I could not go alot of places, because perfume bothered me, smoke bothered me, I had severe chemical sensitivities that I could not even use them to clean, and if I went anywhere that had any type of mold, I had severe reactions. I could not even finish a sentence, my mind was just lost. I developed allergy after allergy and had severe sinus problems. So please, listen to me and my story and quit now. Do yourself a big favor. Soda brought me nothing but severe health issues.
This time I successfully quit, the first day, I drank my morning soda and then I told myself that I could have another soda, if and only if, I drank the largest bottle of water that I could find on my way to work. I just kept rotating the soda and water for a few days and found that I did not have the massive headaches and the flu like feeling. I then substituted the soda with lemon water and rotated between the lemon water and regular water.
I see an accupuncturist and she told me that the lemon in the water helps to rid your body of the toxins from your liver without alot of side effects. To my amazement, she was absolutely right. I no longer had the cravings. All my health issues have disappeared.
The point I am driving home is to quit drinking soda. If quitting cold turkey is for you, then you must do what is best for you. Weaning myself was the best for me since I drank so much soda.
Moral of the story do what is best for you. Good Luck and thanks for sharing!
July 9th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
I soooo badly want to quit my soda habit. I do drink water and teas also but Mt. Dew, regular or diet is my favorite “poison”. I smoked a pack and a half of cigarettes every day for about 10 years and was able to quit that cold turkey. That was ALOT easier than this.Maybe if they would ban sodas in public places like they have done with cigarettes. I need some support,please!!!!
August 3rd, 2008 at 11:38 pm
wow, this article was written in 2004, got first comment in 2006 and we’re in 2008 still with the same problems — quitting these soda craziness … today, soda is cheaper than water and much more addictive than before … so hard to quit, so easy to reach for one and too delicious to forget — sugar ?? how abt the sodium in one can ???
..nothing tastes as good as thin feels …
September 2nd, 2008 at 5:52 am
I made a decision last night that i was quitting soda .. along with quiting some rec. drug use.. I’m scared by mid week the headaches and other withdrawls symptoms will be too hard to handle.. the adivice on this site is very helpfull and then benefit of all of this quitting is going to be WEIGHT LOSS!!!!
September 9th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Wow! I hear you all with regards to quitting caffeine and sugar! I am too used to driking one or two cans of soda a day plus fruit juice and chocolate and candy. I am tired to death of sugar and soda and want to quit badly. The only problem is I work a stressful office job as a legal secretary and I need that energy buzz to get me through the day. I have tried to wean off it and have reduced the habit to one soda day plus an occasional piece of chocolate. That plus an inactive lifestyle is wearing me down. I am tired all the time and drink green tea every day to counter it, but it’s still not enough energy. I am going to try to quit all soda and candy for good and join a gym. I am afraid that I won’t be able to hack it after seeing all these comments, but I still want to try. I also want to cut out my beer drinking as I have a small beer gut. I am tired of being tired and want to feel normal again, which shouldn’t be all that hard for a man like me in his thirties.
September 14th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Hey all, Its been three weeks since i quit soda cold turkey. There was one time when we (me and my bf) went out and he orderd a large drink like we always do to share and it was so familiar that i didn’t even realize it till we had shared nearly the whole 52 0z and as soon as i did i was like woah what the hell i was tricked lol so ya i didn’t have a single sip after that and since then.
Good Luck to everyone and i hope you wish the same for me. 
Moral of the story watch out. dont let familiar activities jump out at you unexpectedly to soon. sooner or later it will be second nature to just not drink it without thinking but if you let your guard down too soon your body will just go through the motions and trick you.
so like others have said, keep listening to your body but don’t ALWAYS give it what it wants
September 14th, 2008 at 10:16 pm
Oh ya! I meant to tell you all that i am thirsty ALL the time, but i have been reaching for water almost everytime, and for lunch at work instead of the employee free drink i have a v8 splash
September 19th, 2008 at 10:51 am
Prior to two years ago, I rarely ever drank pop, but once I started, I wanted one every day. The afternoon work slump hits and I’m dying for a pop. I quit for a month a little while ago, and slowly have been starting back up again. Starting today I’m quitting pop again. I’m not a big fan of water, but don’t really want the calories or aspartame effects of any substitute, so I think I’m just going to quit straight up. I’m definitely going to miss my Cherry Cokes!
September 24th, 2008 at 5:32 am
I am going through the withdrawals right this moment! All I can say is I don’t want to imagine what heroin addicts go through when they have withdrawals. I just started a raw foods 21 day detox diet and I think the caffeine cravings are worse than any of the junk food cravings. Deep down I know that all I need to do, to make this migraine go away, is to have some caffeine; but I will NOT let the addiction get the best of me!
I am going to try the lemon water thing, does anyone have any other suggestions?
Good luck to anyone quitting cold turkey like me.
September 24th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
This was great to read and to see that I’m not the only one with this problem. Sheryl of July 3, 2008, your comments described me almost to a T! I’ve been struggling with giving up this caffiene and pop for a while. I know I can do it as I’ve done it before…. years ago but in recent years got hooked on the Pepsi again….then would quit and then get hooked again…. but as of late it has really affected my health. I’m 46 and into perimenopause, caffiene and soda and all that sugar are a huge NO, NO for any woman getting into that time of their life (it can be a hard enough time without doing things that just aggravate it) and I know this and so have finally made that decision to give up the pepsi cold turkey. I gave it up September 19. I’ve had some bad headaches and am surviving those so far. Thankfully I’m an at home mom so can be at home while going through this as right now I’m into the feelings of feeling so tired and blah on some days and just need to rest a bit then can get back to my work….I really hate feeling like that but from everything I have been reading it will pass and so gives me great hope to stick it out. I can’t let myself down. I’ve sat and thought of all the great things about drinking pop and the caffiene….to be honest there is nothing good about it….the negative list is so long….makes no sense to keep drinking it, it just plain isn’t good for a person. Sheryl mentioned the addictive personality, can’t just have one….it is like an alcoholic which has really worried me a lot lately. Alcoholism runs rampid in my family….my dad is an alcoholic and so is my mother. My granfather was and had an uncle that died from it. I don’t touch the stuff and never would because I’ve seen what it has done to all of them….honestly the taste is just plain disgusting to me but have often thought that if Pepsi was alcohol I’d be drunk constantly…that is how hooked I’ve been on it! So for me going cold turkey is the only way to go, I can’t just have one and leave it at that. Other pop does nothing for me so am not bothered by any of that and don’t even care to drink any other. I really feel I’m going to kick this habit….will take some time but I know I can. I have been drinking a lot of water and do drink a few glasses of iced green tea a day, it does have a little bit of caffiene so I think that has helped stave off the headaches but not so much that it gives a person a buzz like drinking the pop with caffiene and all that sugar! So many on here may not know it, but you are truelly helping more people then you realize with your comments and suggestions. I wish everyone here the best….we can all do it!
September 25th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Dr. Pepper is my crack! I want to quit because I know it’s not good for me. But, I just get depressed thinking about it. I’ve had so many good times drinking Dr. Pepper with friends. That evolved into consuming a can or 2 daily. Now I’m almost at a 2 liter a day. I admit it’s out of control. I am very much a health nut in other aspects of my diet, but I just can’t seem to quit. I guess you just really have to want it through and through in order to be successful.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
I had a life alter surgery when I was 11, i quite every sport i did, and picked up drinking soda. Not no 1 can a day, but many, some days it could go up to 12 cans if i had some freinds over. Now, at 19 years old, and 246 pounds, there is nothing more i want to do then to quit. ive tried MANY times but my urge to drink it just for the taste was overwhelming and i was always thirsty. Now at college, trying to quite once again, i walk into Cafitaria and everyone is drinking soda! It’s great to be able to read other peoples stories on how they quite soda so i can urge myself not to drink soda. Thank you everyone and wish me luck!!
October 9th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
I have been soda pop free for 4 years and 10 months now. It feels great! And you are right with everything you said. Those steps are great and truly will help someone if they are looking to quit drinking soda. Good article.
October 21st, 2008 at 4:38 pm
I’m so thankful to read everyone’s stories. I too need to give up my one Dr. Pepper a day and am nervous about the headaches and lack of energy. With 4 kids I need to be on top of my game. Hopefully I can do this, because I know how badly I need to.
October 25th, 2008 at 8:35 am
It has been 4 1/2 weeks since I first posted on here and thought I’d check in….I haven’t had one drop of Pepsi and I am proud of myself. I could care less about other kinds of pop, Pepsi was always my weakness. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be…had a few headaches but nothing too bad. I do drink a lot of water now and also my green tea but I drink mine iced and no sugar…I can’t stand it as a hot tea. I think it really helps once you have made your mind up it will happen. Don’t feel bad if you have to start over more then once…I had to but finally this last time was the right time. It all just clicks when it is right so don’t get discouraged…good luck all of you….you can do it!! God Bless! Wanda
October 25th, 2008 at 8:38 am
I forgot to say in my other post that I do feel so much better physically and am sleeping better at nights. I’m not a great sleeper to start with and was really getting very little sleep when drinking all this pepsi with the caffiene but now that it is out of my system I’m doing much better and do feel more rested then I had been!!That bloated feeling is gone too…what a wonderful feeling! Again, good luck to all of you…I will keep you in my prayers…you can do it!
Wanda:)
October 31st, 2008 at 7:42 am
I have been drinking about 10 - 12 liters of diet coke a day for about 15 years now, it all began when I worked for a comapny that services all those convenience stores. They would offer me free fountain drinks so I began drinking diet coke to avoid the sugar and calorie intake of regular soda.I’ve tried several times to quit but can’t do it for very long, the last time I quit I managed to stay off it for about a month. I went out for dinner with my wife and thought one drink would be ok but as my glass became empty the waitress would bring me a refill without asking.The worst part is the terrible headaches while trying to quit, my wife just doesn’t understand. She doesn’t believe how hard this actually is, if I manage to successfuly quit this time I now know that one drink can hurt.
November 6th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Hey Russ - it is probably the double-whammy of caffeine and aspartame making you feel so bad!
You can get the caffeine in other ways - they even make caffeinated gum now, and for those with a big addiction (which is probably LOTS of us!), they make Stay Awake pills available where you find tylenol - each pill is like one cup of coffee. It helps to get through the caffeine withdrawals, which I believe is harder than the aspartame.
The aspartame withdrawal will probably make you feel like you have the flu. I’ve heard it many times over. I encourage you to give it up though. My beloved dad had changed from Coke to Diet Coke in the last few yrs of his life, and developed diabetes a couple yrs AFTER changing to diet coke! He also was more addicted to that than to regular soda! Aspartame has some beastly chemical affects on our systems and brain, and really should never have been put on the market.
Check your other foods too - are you getting more aspartame elsewhere? It sneaks in so many places!
Wanda - way to go!
You are encouraging me today, because I need to get off regular Pepsi! I changed from Coke to Pepsi a few yrs back, but had pretty much gotten off of it. Then I moved to a place that had only well water, and no way was I drinking the iced tea from that! Bleah! So, I allowed myself to get back on Pepsi. Bad idea! I am back to drinking way too much, and really want to get rid of it entirely. I don’t eat much, so not concerned about the calories, but AM concerned about what others have said about it leaching calcium! It would surely explain a lot, including some of the dental troubles I am having now (which I cannot afford to get fixed, leaving me in a really bad positibn!). I am bookmarking this site to check back in and see how folks are doing - and I hope to have some good news myself too! : )
November 10th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Try a caffine pill like “no-doz” for the headaches, this worked really well for me. Wait to take it untill your really feeling awfull and it will dull the headache for awhile.
November 12th, 2008 at 8:35 am
I have been drinking soda my entire life. I’m sort of upset with my parents for allowing me to drink it as a kid, they let me drink all the soda I wanted which was normally 3+ cans a day at 5 years old. Now I can go through a 12 pack of Diet Pepsi in a day if I have nothing better to do. I find that I can quit for about a week but as soon as I feel anxious about something I’ll start chugging Diet Pepsi.. or worse, alcohol. Every time I’m in a social situation I feel like I HAVE to drink a Diet Pepsi or a beer, or I’ll have a panic attack. I want to quit, it’s ruining my teeth and I hate feeling so dependent on the stuff. I just feel incredibly anxious and sad for no reason when I don’t drink soda. It sucks.
November 13th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
I quit soda about 4 months ago and now whenever I look at a glass of soda, I don’t feel drinking it. It just feels disgusting. I feel better overall, and I’ve lost 8% body fat. All I drink is water. No light gas, nothing, just pure water. The feeling of purity is replaceable by nothing.
Quit soda, it’s worth it!
Gaston
November 13th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Also, make sure you do this transition:
Soda –> Juice –> Water—->
2 weeks 2 weeks Forever!
Also, drink as much water as you can. I drink around 3 litres of water a day. That’s about 100 ounces.
Good luck!