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2008-11-09 5:47 PM

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Subject: 4 weeks to quit soda challenge
Do you feel addicted to soda? Do you wish you could drink less, or quit it altogether, but find you can't? Are you sick of spending money on soda?

This thread is for those who want to cut out soda for health benefits, weight loss, or other reasons.

Here's how we'll do it.

1. Evaluate how much soda you're currently drinking. If you drink more than 2-3 cans of soda a day, you may want to cut back in the first few weeks instead of quitting cold turkey to avoid caffeine withdrawal symptoms.

2. Decide why you want to quit soda. Think about what other beverages will work best for you.

3. Set your goals for each week.

4. Check in here every Monday with how you are doing. And note any changes you discover along the way, such as less of a sweet tooth, less thirst, energy, weight loss, etc.

Here are topics for each Monday:
Week 1 (Nov. 10-16): Post why you want to quit drinking soda and how much you are currently drinking.

Week 2 (Nov. 17-23): Post your favorite alternatives to drink other than soda. Some may want to eliminate aspartame altogether, but that is a personal choice.

Week 3 (Nov. 24-30): We're almost to Week 4! How much soda are you drinking now? What are the obstacles you are facing?

Week 4 (Dec. 1-7): Try to completely avoid soda this week. If you do have a soda, though, just get back on track and keep going. Those who can completely avoid soda during this week will be crowned "soda challenge victors."

I plan to make a soda tracker to put in your training log if you wish.

You may join the challenge at any time, simply post the answers to the questions that you missed.

Good luck!


2008-11-09 5:50 PM
in reply to: #1798497

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Subject: RE: 4 weeks to quit soda challenge
Two other notes:

1. This thread is NOT intended to debate whether soda, diet soda, aspartame, etc., are OK. This thread is for those who would like to cut out/down on soda for their own reasons.

2. However, if someone is a nutritionist/doc/etc. and would like to post some health information about giving up soda or drinking more water, that is welcomed for extra motivation.
2008-11-09 5:56 PM
in reply to: #1798497

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Subject: RE: 4 weeks to quit soda challenge
I am currently drinking about one to two 20-ounce soda bottle (typically regular Pepsi, although sometimes Diet Dew) at work per day.

I want to quit soda because:

1. Soda robs calcium from the bones. This is especially relevant to me right now because I'm injured.

2. Diet soda has been linked to weight gain, and regular soda is full of empty calories.

3. I feel thirsty when I drink only soda. Also, I have read the dehydration can contribute to plantar fasciitis because the gastroc and soleus muscles in the calf can stick together when not properly hydrated.

4. It's expensive! When I get a soda at work, it's $1.37 each, and sometimes I buy more than one. At a restaurant, a soda is $2 to $3 or more.

5. Every ounce of soda I drink is less water I'm drinking.

6. It makes me feel out of control. I have powerful cravings for soda.

7. Regular soda has corn syrup in it, which is not a paleo diet food. Modern man consumes more fructose in 1/2 of a soda than our ancestors had in an entire day.

My goal for this week is no more than 3 sodas Monday-Sunday.

Edited by Offthegrid 2008-11-09 5:59 PM
2008-11-09 6:43 PM
in reply to: #1798497

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Subject: RE: 4 weeks to quit soda challenge
Here's the code for training logs (it won't appear this wide in your logs):


GoalActual
Prior to challenge: N/A20 oz. daily
Week 1:GoalActual
Week 2: GoalActual
Week 3: GoalActual
Week 4: GoalActual



Edited by Offthegrid 2008-11-09 6:44 PM




Attachments
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soda.txt (1KB - 29 downloads)
2008-11-10 9:22 PM
in reply to: #1798542

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Master
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Subject: RE: 4 weeks to quit soda challenge
I think this is a great challenge...and one I am going to have to think about. 
2008-11-11 5:44 AM
in reply to: #1798497

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Subject: RE: 4 weeks to quit soda challenge
I thought about this thread yesterday afternoon. I was just reaching for a Coke and thought of your committment, and said to myself, I should do that too.

So I'm in. But I'm going cold turkey.



2008-11-11 8:06 AM
in reply to: #1801258

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Subject: RE: 4 weeks to quit soda challenge
prof40 - 2008-11-11 6:44 AM

I thought about this thread yesterday afternoon. I was just reaching for a Coke and thought of your committment, and said to myself, I should do that too.

So I'm in. But I'm going cold turkey.



You're braver than I!

I'm going to work hard today to avoid soda so I can meet my weekly goal. It is so tough!
2008-11-12 4:40 AM
in reply to: #1798497

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Subject: RE: 4 weeks to quit soda challenge

I'm in! 

I've done really well this past week (only 1 Diet Coke all week)

I'll post answers to the ?? later today.

2008-11-14 7:42 AM
in reply to: #1798497

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Subject: RE: 4 weeks to quit soda challenge

I'm in!!!! On avaerage I say I have about 1 20oz bottle during the day and one 12oz can with dinner for a total of 32 ounces.

Why quit???

1) Soda is deydrating and there are healthier alternatives out there

2) $$$$$$

3) I grew up watching my dad drink nothing but soda all the time, now he has diabetes, not necessarily the cause, but I feel a contributing factor, and I don't want to go through that

2008-11-14 8:51 AM
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2008-11-15 5:57 AM
in reply to: #1798497

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Subject: RE: 4 weeks to quit soda challenge
I've had a craving for something sweet for 2 days, and that's usually when I reach for a Diet Coke. But I've found some herbal tea bags in the cupboard, and they seem to do the trick. I keep telling myself that I do not want to put chemicals into my body. I mean, seriously -- how refreshing can something artificial really be?

Of course, it's not like wine or beer are health foods, either.

Anyway, I think I'm at day 10 today: no soda, no coffee, no caffeine. Which means I've probably saved about $30 in unconscious spending at gas stations, and another $10 in coffee at the grocery store.

Funny, though, as I don't feel $40 richer.


2008-11-18 8:17 AM
in reply to: #1798497

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Subject: RE: 4 weeks to quit soda challenge
Well, I'm the organizer of this challenge, and I certainly did NOT meet my goal in week 1. I just have been eating a lot of junk food because I couldn't stand up too long (because of foot injury) to cook healthy foods and prepare food for work.

Here's to a better week 2, though!

Week 2 (Nov. 17-23): Post your favorite alternatives to drink other than soda. Some may want to eliminate aspartame altogether, but that is a personal choice.


I've been transitioning to more iced tea. The version I'm using does have caffeine, but for now I'm more concerned about sugar and the calcium loss.

I've upped my water intake, and I'm trying to drink a 32-ounce Nalgene bottle of water before drinking the iced tea at work.

Another alternative I like is kombucha. It's fermented tea, so it's carbonated. But it doesn't have a lot of sugar and only has 40-60 calories per bottle. It is expensive, but maybe one day I'll make my own. In any case, I want to pick some up today.
2008-11-18 8:32 AM
in reply to: #1798497

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Subject: RE: 4 weeks to quit soda challenge

Well, I did about what I wanted to, but I had some help from some stomach problems that forced me to drink more water to clear what ever it was out-some kinda stomach bug, again.

As far as alternatices go, I like tea both black and green teas. I prefer to drink my tea hot which is weird because soda is cold. I'll also have a coffee of some sort to get me going in the morning instead of a soda.

Yesterday I went all the way til dinner before I had a soda.

2008-11-18 9:55 AM
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2008-11-18 1:51 PM
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Subject: RE: 4 weeks to quit soda challenge
Ooh, it's 3 p.m., and no soda -- I'm going to make it today! *does a happy dance*

I bought kombucha for tomorrow, so no excuses.
2008-12-01 8:39 AM
in reply to: #1798497

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Subject: RE: 4 weeks to quit soda challenge
OK, it's week 4 -- time to go for broke, HTFU and go a week without soda.

How's everyone doing? What have been your obstacles?


2008-12-02 3:44 PM
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Subject: RE: 4 weeks to quit soda challenge
I'm on day 2 without soda -- it must be all downhill from here, right?
2008-12-04 10:11 PM
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Subject: RE: 4 weeks to quit soda challenge

How's the quittin' today Susie?

2009-01-02 2:20 PM
in reply to: #1839660

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Subject: RE: 4 weeks to quit soda challenge

I'm going to bump this one back up. I drink way too much Diet Coke and the occasional Monster/red bull/amp. Im quitting because I feel like I need it to make up for lack or perceved lack of sleep.  I'm going to replace soda with water, ice tea (brewed no sugar/artifical) or seltzer. I want to move away from artifical sweetners and save a few bucks. recently I moved from the 20oz to 2L and keep it in the fridge at work and find myself drinking nearly a L a day. I drink DC for breakfast 2-3 times a week. So I'm a bit of a DC addict and need to stop. I'm going to go cold turkey and after 3-5 days have 1/2 a glass and realize how gross diet soda is. 

3 months ago I gave it up for a few weeks and felt great.... new year new me 

2009-01-08 10:58 AM
in reply to: #1882980

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Subject: RE: 4 weeks to quit soda challenge
Week one done - 0 Soda - 1 MD cup of tea. So as far as I can tell I have had no artifical sweetners in a week! 
2009-01-11 12:16 AM
in reply to: #1798497

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Subject: RE: 4 weeks to quit soda challenge

I'll dive in head first on this. I quit cold turkey on Wednesday night. I was probably averaging close to a 12 pack of pop a day usually Mt Dew and Coke.

3 days in and feeling great. Been getting my moneys worth out of bathrooms lately as I have switched all that drinking to water.



2009-01-29 12:34 PM
in reply to: #1900396

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Subject: RE: 4 weeks to quit soda challenge

4+ weeks no soda!  

 the occasional Coffee or tea, but limiting my artifical sweetners. I find That I don't even really reach for a soda, or want one anymore.  

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