Q: I couldn't stomach another Diet Coke after I watched yourDaily Dose video about it. What can you suggest that I do to move away from it (or any soda) and stay off of them for good? — Cheryl Brightman (via email)
A: Quitting soda isn’t easy, but it is well worth it. It’s no secret nowadays that soda is bad for you. Whether it’s regular soda loaded with sugar, calories, and chemicals or diet soda loaded with artificial sweeteners and chemicals, the negative effects facing soda drinkers can range from obesity and bone loss to diabetes — and some studies even suggest links to cancer. Bottom line, the sooner you quit, the better off you’ll be.
In addition, soda is costly. According to the National Soft Drink Association, the average American drinks 600 12-ounce servings of soda a year. That’s roughly three a day at $1 a pop — or about $1,000 a year! Over a decade you will spend as much as $10,000 — not to mention the amount it will cost you in health-related medical issues down the road.
So, where do you start and what do you do? The first step is to call a spade a spade and admit it’s an addiction — both chemical and behavioral. I’m a huge believer in the cold turkey approach. Take the hit, get over the hump, and move forward. Not an easy thing to do, but doable nonetheless and utterly necessary.
Second, prepare yourself to feel like crap for a bit until your body has detoxed from soda and broken the chemical addiction. I don’t have a scientific answer on how long this will or should take because everyone’s body is different, but what I can tell you, based on personal experience, is that you will feel badly for around a month. I remember that when I quit I felt exhausted and grumpy for about 30 days and sported headaches off and on for the first week or so.
The best way to manage the biochemical aspects of your detox is to make sure to stabilize your blood sugar with balanced meals (some protein, fat, and carbs) every 3 to 4 hours. Hydrate with water as much as possible to help flush out chemicals and boost your energy. Don’t go cold turkey on quitting caffeine though. Caffeine in the right dose and the right form actually has health benefits — from accelerating metabolism to better cognitive function — so allow yourself around 200mg a day from a clean source. A natural energy product, like EBOOST, an all-natural green tea drink I endorse, is the option I choose. Or you can grab a regular cup of coffee. Just remember that coffee is dehydrating and if it’s not organic you have all the pesticides, etc. so be smart with the product you choose.
Next, from a behavioral standpoint try switching to carbonated water and adding some natural flavor to it like a splash of juice. When Bob Harper and I quit soda we both became obsessed with a product called Soda Stream. It allows you to create your own soda. It carbonates water (you can even control how carbonated you want the water) and allows you to flavor naturally either with their products or you can do it yourself by adding a splash of juice or a couple slices of lime. This allows you to get the fizz and some flavor without the chemicals, calories, or even the cans and bottles, which also protects the environment.
Again, this won’t be easy, but after you get over the hump you are going to look better and feel better in every way.
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