Affiliate Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.
The satisfaction of opening a cold soda. It is a damn good feeling – I know. There is nothing like coming home after a long day, dropping your keys, grabbing a coke, and hearing that fizz as you taste that crisp, bubbly concoction of goodness. Now, you’re probably thinking “Crap, Now I want a Diet Coke – Wasn’t this post supposed to help me quit drinking soda?” Okay, yeah you’re right. But what if I told you that you could still enjoy those fun quirks that make soda so refreshing, without actually drinking soda? I have done it myself, so I can fill you in on what to expect, as well as share with you the tricks to being successful – without feeling as if you’re going to literally go cray cray.
How to Quit Drinking Soda – Once and for all!
I lay it down in some simple steps below, but before you decide if you’re capable, read them all. Trust me on this. 😜
Step 1: Get Soda Out of Your House
Yep. You’re thinking “Whoa, whoa – This is bonkers!“. I know this first step sounds like words spewed from the mouth of a lunatic, but trust me here. Steps 1 & 2 are the hardest, BUT all the steps after that, actually make these first 2 steps easy-peasy!
Step 2: Make it Public
You are more likely to succeed if you let everyone you know that you are done with Soda. This will help you feel more accountable & will make you less likely to give into temptation, as your friends & family will be less likely to offer you a coke, avoid drinking one in front of you, or perhaps even joining you in ditching the cola for good! If they don’t understand, why you want to quit drinking soda, just let them know why it is important to you. This is an important foundation in order for you to get started, otherwise you will say “Screw this, Maybe next year” and get back to your old habits…AGAIN.
Step 3: Remind yourself WHY you want to quit drinking Soda…
Before you strut on over and slay step 4. What are your reasons for wanting to ditch the pop? Are you sick of the sugar? Don’t need/want the caffeine? Do you just want o save money? There are many reasons you could be going after this, but if you need even more reasons on why it is a healthy choice, just check out the following reasons that serve as a great reminder:
- Easy Weight Loss – One of the easiest way to lose weight (if you currently drink tons of soda) is to cut it out of your diet! (Yes, even if you only drink diet soda, thanks to a little thing called insulin).
- Better Oral Health – According to Colgate, “The acids and acidic sugar ingredients in soft drinks can soften tooth enamel, contributing to cavities“. Most of us know this already, but who would actually think preventing further damage to their enamel was a bad thing?
- Better control of Caffeine Intake – If you ditch your beloved addiction to Dr. Pepper, Mountain Dew, or whatever your go-to can of fizz is, you’ll be less likely to intake too much caffeine absentmindedly! It just might be the underlying cause to any issues you may have with sleeping, irritability or anxiety.
Those are just some of the great benefits of quitting soda consumption, but we also have to address the elephant in the room: Diet Soda. It is devastating that something that has no calories and zero sugar can still be bad for you, but the science says that this is in fact true. As guilt-free as my Diet Sunkist feels while it’s dancing down my throat, there are actually risks to worry about, including diabetes, dementia, heart disease & stroke.
Step 4: Find a Satisfying Alternative to Soda 🥤
This part is what is going to help you succeed. I have only been able to make it this far without soda because of these tips and tricks. All of these alternatives to soda that are listed below, are ones that I use personally that always fulfil my soda craving! If you are wanting to ditch the carbonation from your diet as well, I only recommend that you cut that out later after you get used to making your own mixtures. You don’t want to cut it all out at once. Take your time, fam. Take your time! 😂
Delicious Alternatives to Drinking Soda (Don’t knock them, until you try them!)
All of these recommendations are 1 can of seltzer water and 5-10 drops of MiO or half a cup of juice but the ratio is totally up to you.
- Orange Vanilla: Plain Seltzer Water + Orange Vanilla MiO
- Cranberry Lime: Cranberry-Lime Seltzer Water + Diet Cranberry Juice
- Lime Lover: Lime Seltzer Water + Lime Juice & Fresh Limes
- Strawberry Sweetness: Strawberry Seltzer Water + Strawberries
- Watermelon Wave: Plain Seltzer Water + Strawberry Watermelon MiO
- Cherry Craze: Cherry Seltzer Water + Cherry MiO
Note: None of these options have caffeine, so if you are like me, and you NEED caffeine, All I can say is Coffee, Coffee, Coffee. 🙂
Anyhow, All you need to do is experiment until you find a flavor you like – EXPERIMENT, BABY! I’m tellin’ ya – on days where I really want a diet cherry coke, I find that mixing in some cherry MiO to my seltzer water satisfies that want completely. Now, get on with yo bad self and give it a shot! Go tell Fanta who the real BOSS is. Make the soda quit YOU – the real snack. 😂😂😂
