Published April 19, 2022, 12:34 p.m. by None
When people think of living a healthier lifestyle, they think of eating well and getting more exercise. However, what you drink has an impact on your health, too. If you find that you have a soda pop habit that you can’t seem to kick, now is a great time to stop. Why is Soda Pop Bad for You? Soda is bad for you because it is loaded with sugar. This leads to weight gain, insulin resistance, sugar addiction, and more. Studies have shown that drinking soda increases your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Diet soda doesn’t have the sugar but it still has harmful additives and artificial sweeteners that wreak havoc on your body. If you have a soda habit, take a look at the following methods you can use to beat it today. 1. Keep a Quitting Journal The first step towards quitting soda pop is to make a firm commitment to cutting this unhealthy drink out of your life. It is easy to decide to have “just one” and you will have trouble stopping if you don’t commit to it. You can keep a quitting journal where you write about your commitment to stop drinking soda. Keep track of your long-term health goals and how you plan to achieve them. When you want to have a soda, reach for your pen and write about it. Sometimes you need a distraction from the craving and when you write in your journal, this gives the craving time to pass. You will feel stronger and more resolved to stay away from soda. 2. Make a List of Reasons to Quit. You should also make a list of the reasons why you want to quit drinking soda. You can buy some sticky notes and stick the list on your refrigerator, by your keys, and on the cupboards. Every time that you think of having a soda, look at the brightly colored lists. Remind yourself why you are quitting. The key to sticking to your commitment is to remind yourself why you have made this choice. You will gain strength and conviction the more that you make it tangible. 3. Make a Plan You will be more successful if you make a plan before you quit. You can go cold turkey or you can ease off the soda. Everyone is different so you need to choose the plan that works best for you. You can make a daily plan, a weekly plan, or a breakdown over time. As you wean yourself off of the soda, you will notice that your craving slows down. Sugar is highly addictive and when you cut back, your cravings will slow down. You may think that diet soda is different because it doesn’t have the sugar but the aspartame triggers a similar physiological response. Whether your soda addiction is for diet or regular soda, make a plan and stick to it. 4. Stock up on Healthy Alternatives Different people miss different aspects of drinking soda. One person may simply be addicted to sugar and another person might crave the fizzy feeling of soda on his or her throat. You can choose alternatives to help you move away from soda. If you love the fizz, you can get flavored mineral water. It will have the fizz without the calories, sugar, and caffeine. If you have become dependent on caffeine, you can substitute it with black or green tea. You will get a natural dose of caffeine and actual health benefits without calories and sugar. You will want to avoid replacing soda with other drinks that are high in sugar, such as juices. Water is always the best choice and you can find water with a little flavor and fizz. 5. Increase Your Water Intake You should try to drink the equivalent of eight glasses of water each day, which will keep your body hydrated. If you pay attention to your water intake, you will not get thirsty and reach for a soda. Try to drink half of your water before you allow yourself to have any soda at all. You will find that it is easier to avoid soda if you stay hydrated. 6. Be Kind to Yourself If You Slip up You need to be kind to yourself if you have a day where you blow it and drink your soda. It might happen once in a while. Your body is quite likely to be dependent on some of the ingredients in the soda, especially the caffeine. If you give in to the cravings, you can still keep going, finish your soda and keep moving forward toward your goals. 7. Understand Your Addiction It may sound unusual to call soda an addiction but people who are used to drinking a lot of soda (or as little as one soda a day) experience discomfort when they quit. You might feel irritable, moody, fatigued, or foggy in your head. Your body has used the sugar and the caffeine to create artificial energy and it may take a few days for these feelings to pass. 8. Make Lifestyle Changes While You Are Quitting You may need to make some lifestyle changes while you are quitting your soda habit. If you are feeling tired, go to bed earlier for a few days. If you have time, you can take a nap. Sleep is important because your body restores itself while you are sleeping. You can increase your exercise. Go out for a walk or start doing yoga. You will be making healthy lifestyle changes that will help you remember what your goals are. Conclusion Drinking soda can be a habit that is hard to quit but there are ways that you can make it easier on yourself. You have to be committed to quitting and then you can employ any of these tools to see it through. Keep a journal, and remind yourself why you have made this choice. When you find yourself free of your soda pop habit, you will feel great.
