I had someone email about how they too could stop drinking soda, so I thought I would share my “secret” to stopping.  And for those of you who do not have a soda - well, let’s just call it what it is - a soda addiction, you probably won’t believe that there are people with soda addiction.  I liken it to being an alcoholic in the sense that you get uncontrollable cravings for it.  I am assuming it’s the sugar because after you stop drinking soda and try to drink one again, it tastes nasty even though when you were a soda junkie, it tasted, oh, so good and you couldn’t live without it!

For the past 5 years, I was up to anywhere between 4 to 5 Mt. Dews a day.  A lot of people drink coffee in the morning…well, my “coffee” was Mt. Dew.  I had one before breakfast, with breakfast, with lunch and dinner, sometimes just as a “snack.”  I went nowhere without one in my hand…it was my constant companion, my friend, so to speak.  I was absolutely out of control and my pants getting way too tight for my liking was ‘proof in the pudding.’  So about a month and a half ago, I decided I wanted to “wean” myself off the Dew.  It took me about a week, but I got down to only drinking 2 a day.  Well, the next week, I kept my Dew in the frig instead of sitting right in front of me.  That helped a little.  But I got tired of the “Oh, I really shouldn’t drink this,” the up and down to the frig every few minutes to get a sip, etc., etc.  So about a month ago, I decided to STOP the insanity and just go cold turkey.  Best move I EVER made!  I feel so much better.  I actually have more energy.  What I did to get me through that first week (because I had to have something cold to drink and wasn’t ready to up my water intake) was drank sweetened (with organic sugar) ice tea, but I quit the tea the second week in and went with water instead.

Yes, there was withdrawal symptoms.  I didn’t get headaches like most people do, but the 2nd and 3rd week in, I was so tired I thought I had something wrong with me and talked to a doctor who told me caffeine withdrawal is very “punishing” and yes, the horrible fatigue was being caused by withdrawal.  I upped my iron (because I’m anemic as well) and made sure to get a good night’s rest.  I was also very, very irritable for those 2 weeks.  I don’t know what to suggest for that other than just roll with it and try not to kill anybody ;-)  Seriously, meditate, use relaxation techniques, be good to yourself, pamper yourself, do things that will make you feel better.

I will add that we have ate out several times in the past month and instead of ordering a Dew, I have drank iced tea or ordered a Pepsi, and I had a Mt. Dew the night before last.  Tempting fate, I know, but I wanted one to see if I had overcome and wouldn’t go on a Mt. Dew binge…and I didn’t!

There’s no better feeling than having that monkey off my back!

If you decide to stop drinking soda, it will be the best thing you ever did.  You won’t be a “slave” to the soda/sugar anymore, you WILL have more energy, and your waistline will thank you for it.  Good luck!