stop drinking soda

I stopped drinking soda mid-January. I have cleared 6 months without having one ounce of soda. Some days have been tough, but overall this has been great!

Some of my friends think I am a bit nuts now, though. I get offers of pop and refuse. Knowing I used to drink solely pop, they wonder what’s going on.

I feel better and I encourage people to stop drinking soda. You’ll be so much more healthy!

Alright, in two more days, I’ll mark this as complete. No pop for 4 weeks! I know those who drink pop are thinking “No big deal.” But for those of us who could not go one day without a pop this is really good. I have a friend who tried to stop drinking pop last week after reading my update, and she could not.

I have tried so many times in the past year to quit drinking pop, and this is the first success that lasted more than a couple days.

Strangely, it gets tougher and easier at the same time. Yesterday I went out to lunch and it was hard not to order a pop. But, I had a lemonade/tea instead.

Nothing fills the gap when I want a pop. It isn’t the sweet or the fizz or the caffeine … it’s all of it put together. And if I sub something else that fits the bill… well, what’s the point of having stopped drinking pop?

It has been about 3 weeks since I stopped drinking pop. I think my complexion is clearer, my hair falls out less when I wash it, my weight loss picked up, and I feel good about this. I read today somewhere on 43things that after 21 days of doing it, something is a habit. I’m not sure you can make a habit out of not doing something, but hopefully I’m off pop for good.

I think I’ll go until the 17th, which will be one month, and mark this as complete, even though it is on-going.

It has been two weeks. Got a little difficult today. I’m craving pop and candy. Gave in and worked a Snickers bar into my calories for today, but no pop.

I get daily reminders sent to me about this. Unfortunately, they come 3-4 pm here, which is smack in the middle of my day. I like to do end of the day reports because I could always break and run get a pop in the evening.

However, this is Day 8. I started Tuesday of last week (mostly because I had run out of pop and did not go anywhere and get any). So, one full week without pop. This may seem stupid, but I have not done that in awhile. The last time I was off pop was when I was nursing my son, who could not tolerate the pop in my diet. It was easy to give it up then. It was for his health. (I subbed wild cherry kool-aid, btw, so did not really reduce sugar intake. I did lose quite a bit of weight then, though.)

I am very proud of myself for going one week without pop, and am going to try to keep going … for good.

No pop yet. But, I seem to be developing a coffee habit. I’ve drunk more coffee in the past 7 days than in the previous month. That should be easy to stop as I have to make an effort to get it (I don’t even know where our coffee maker is.) And I don’t feel too well after I drink it.

I missed the update yesterday, but no pop yesterday nor today. Yesterday I really wanted a pop at the end of the day because I did a lot of hard work and that used to be my reward for working like that. But, none.

Today I would like a pop, but I won’t have one. I have been pretty proud of myself not having pop.

Day is more or less done. No pop today, but I’m tired. I think remaining caffeine has probably left my system.

It is not yet 7pm, but we’re in for the night and there’s no pop here. Had to psych myself through not stopping to grab a pop on my commute home, but I knew I would be pleased with myself if I did not and I certainly did not need it!

Alright, today is nearly over. I had no pop today, although I had to resist stopping at the convenience mart on the corner on the way to my car.

Tomorrow should not be too hard to avoid drinking pop. I expect the nasty headaches will start up soon. I have not had an alternative caffeine, so I’m surprised that I have not had them yet.