One of the biggest challenges new dieters face is cutting out excess sugar. A major sugar culprit is soda. A 2012 Gallup poll found that nearly half of Americans drink soda on a daily basis. An average can of soda contains around 39 g of sugar. As you can see, cutting out soda from our diets can have a huge effect on our health, as it will minimize our overall sugar intake. But, this is sometimes easier said than done. Many struggle with cutting out soda as it may have been a long-established habit for them to drink. We’ve compiled some great tips and tricks you can use when tackling your soda addiction.
1. Write down your ‘Why’
Writing down the reasons as to why you want to stop drinking soda can be of great benefit. It’ll allow you to remember why you started your new habit to begin with and can act as a great source of motivation.
2. Get educated
Nothing will make you more ready to drop soda than by reading what actually is in it. Calculating just how many calories or sugar were coming from your soda drinking habit may help motivate you to stop as well. Especially if you consider the negative health effects of such a high sugar intake.
3. Find healthier alternatives
There is a plethora of healthy drinks that can help satisfy your thirst, soda doesn’t have to be an option. Some great alternatives are:
-Sparkling or Soda Water (with no added sugar)
-You can mix this with a protein shot to make ‘Protein Soda’
- Water
- Unsweetened Green and Herbal Tea (iced or hot)
- Unsweetened Coconut, Cashew, or Almond Milk
- Coffee (iced or hot, with no sugar)
Find what tastes best for you, and stick with it! REMEMBER: Diet soda is NOT a good replacement
4. Drink more water
Quench all your thirst with water, it’s the healthiest option. There is a lot that you can do to increase your hydration, and this will help stop your soda cravings. You can read up about some hydration tips here
5. Change your routine
There may have been a specific time in the day where you expected to receive a soda, so the habit may be in place through a routine. Subbing out soda in this routine can be pretty effective. Try replacing soda with a healthier drink mentioned earlier, right after your usual cue.
Works Cited:
3 Proven Strategies To Quit Soda For Good! (n.d.). Retrieved from Food Babe.
American Soda Consumption: Half Of Us Drink It Everyday, Study Says. (2012, July 25). Retrieved from HuffPost: https://news.gallup.com/poll/156116/Nearly-Half-Americans-Drink-Soda-Daily.aspx?utm_source=google&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=syndication
Hart, M. (2014, September 19). I Tried to Quit Diet Soda 4 Times. Here's What Finally Changed My Ways . Retrieved from Greatist: https://greatist.com/connect/attempts-quit-diet-soda#1
Saad, L. (2012, July 23). Nearly Half of Americans Drink Soda Daily. Retrieved from Gallup: https://news.gallup.com/poll/156116/Nearly-Half-Americans-Drink-Soda-Daily.aspx?utm_source=google&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=syndication