It is time to stop drinking soda. It releases dopamine in your brain which is a natural reward, and the more you drink the more your body craves it. It can lead to withdrawal symptoms if you are addicted to soda pop. The first step to quitting this unhealthy habit is to understand your triggers.
The first step in stopping your soda pop addiction is to realize that it’s not as easy as you think. Quitting cold turkey can be hard, and you may end up feeling guilty later. Instead, make gradual progress and gradually decrease the amount of soda you drink every day. You can substitute healthier, more nutritious beverages if you are unable to resist your cravings. You can also substitute soda with a fruit juice to help you resist your cravings.
The second step in how to get rid of your soda pop addiction is to replace it with something else. In addition to drinking water instead of soda, you can replace your current beverage with a sugar-free gum. If you feel the urge to do push-ups or walk, it is a good idea. It will distract you from the underlying cause of your addiction, allowing you to focus on the task at hand.
Are you a soda addict? Here are some tips to help you cut down on your soda habit.It’s everywhere! You won’t find any other soda anywhere, even if you tried to buy it. Until you stop drinking soda, you might not be aware of how prevalent Coke and Pepsi are in our society.Some people drink several cans of soda per day. If you find yourself going to the grocery shop at 10 p.m., your fridge is empty, or when the drive-thru attendant says the soda machine is down, you know that soda drinking is a bad habit. You might be suffering from a serious soda addiction if you can only drink one soda per day.Why stop drinking so many sodas?
Why would you make an effort to quit drinking soda? Soft drinks aren’t a “dietary don’t” as the beverage industry has shown.
Tracey Halliday, spokesperson for American Beverage Association, stated that all beverages in the industry — including diet and regular soft drinks — can be part a healthy lifestyle when they are consumed in moderation.
Many health experts believe that Americans aren’t always drinking their sodas in moderation. Many experts believe that we should reduce our intake of sweetened soda, which includes fructose (a high-fructose corn sugar often found in sodas), and sugar. According to an article published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 21% of the daily calories are from beverages. Between 1977 and 2001, the percentage of calories Americans consume from sweetened soft drink and fruit “drinks”, has tripled.Barry Popkin, PhD director of the University of North Carolina Interdisciplinary Obesity Program, said in an email interview that “Many people forget or don’t realize how many calories they consume in beverages, yet beverages are major contributors to the alarming rise in obesity.”Popkin assembled a group of experts to create the first Healthy Beverage Guidelines in 2006. They recommended that people drink more water, limit high-calorie drinks with little or no nutritional value, and consume less alcohol. So is simply switching to diet soda the answer? Not necessarily, some experts believe.
Popkin stated that there is no evidence that artificial sweetness is harmful for you. However, the Beverage Guidance Panel found the data to be very limited and was hesitant about recommending them.
Michael Jacobson, the executive director of the advocacy organization Center for Science in the Public Interest(CSPI), suggests that diet soda drinkers should opt for those sweetened with Splenda whenever possible.
CSPI labels the soda sweeteners as “avoid”, Acesulfame K, saccharin and aspartame. But it gives the label “appears safe” to Sucralose (Splenda). FDA approval has been given to all of these sweeteners. In a 100-page report published by Critical Review in Toxicology September, an expert panel stated that it was certain aspartame does not pose any health risks. However, CSPI believes that those on its “avoid list” need to be tested more often or better.
Jacobson still believes that “less is more” when it is about alternative sweeteners. However, he admits that diet soda is better than drinking regular soda, which contains 10 teaspoons sugar.
How do you kick a soda habit?
According to experts, there are only four steps to quitting soda.
1. Get up and get your head straight. Jacobson says that you must make a decision to stop drinking soda. It doesn’t matter if you are trying to reduce your soda intake, but it does require a commitment.2.Switch to Diet Sodas. Paul Rozin, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, suggests that gradually switching to diet sodas will happen. In an email interview, he said that he would reduce the amount of sugared sodas he drinks by one per day. You should reduce the number of diet sodas that you consume if you are consuming more than one soda per day.3. Go Caffeine-Free. Popkin and Jacobson believe that caffein is mildly addictive and is why soda is so hard to quit. As you try to kick the soda habit, you should look for caffeinated soft drinks that are not caffeine-laden. You’re actually kicking two habits if you are addicted to caffeine in soda. Popkin states that it takes several weeks for the craving to go away.4. Stock up on alternatives. To make it as easy as possible to give up soda, keep plenty of non-soda beverages on hand.
What are some soda alternatives?
Below is a list non-soda beverages to consider. The drinks with calories are rich in important nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin A.
1. Give Soymilk a chance. There are many brands and varieties of soy milk. You can choose one of the lower-calorie options if calories are a concern.
2. Don’t skimp on skim milk. Skimmilk is a great option to increase your intake of calcium, protein, and other essential nutrients. Skim milk is only 85 calories per cup. The Beverage Guidance Panel recommends two cups of nonfat or at 1% milk per day and fortified soy drinks.
3. Pimp Your Water. For soda-lovers, water can be a bit boring. You can get around this by adding non-caloric flavor to your water. You can add a sprig or slice of lemon or lime to your water. A slice of cucumber or frozen strawberry are great options for subtle flavors.
4. Popkin suggests that green or black tea can be a healthier choice than water for those who like flavored drinks. Tea is low in calories and rich in powerful phytochemicals such as the antioxidant found green tea and epigallocatechin galate (EGCG). There are many great-tasting black and green teas available at specialty and supermarket stores. Look for teas that are caffeine-free if you’re trying to cut down on caffeine.5. You can think outside the juice box. 100% vegetable juice is rich in nutrients. However, the Beverage Guidance Panel suggests consuming no more than one cup per day. They also have a lot of calories (about 100 calories in a cup of fresh carrot or orange juice). A homemade juice spritzer can be made to reduce those calories. Combine one part of seltzer water, mineral water or club soda with one portion 100% fruit juice (try fresh orange). You can also try new flavors of vegetable juice at your supermarket. They are not very low in calories but each serving has a portion of fruit and a portion of vegetable.6. The Coffee Cure. Coffee can be a healthy, delicious, and calorie-free alternative to soda for java lovers. You can find low-caffeine coffees at coffee shops and in supermarkets. To keep your coffee low-calorie, you should avoid adding syrups, cream, or whole milk.7. Get your water on the go with this handy guide. Water is the best option to quench your thirst and hydrate your body. It would be so easy to have cold, refreshing water at all times. And if people were reminded to drink water throughout the day, they’d be more likely reach their daily goal. Keep water bottles in the refrigerator and take one with you every time you go out of the house. You’re more likely to drink chilled water if it’s in your car or at your desk at work.
