Giving Up Diet Soda

Maybe I should say "cutting back" rather than "giving up."  Because I know that if I tell myself I can't have something, I only want it more.  And this cut back kind of came about on it's own, not through a conscious decision.

We went on vacation, and I drank WAY too much soda on the trip.  Like all day every day.  And by the time we got home, I just felt sick of soda and like I needed some water.  And I read yet one more article about how diet soda messes with your weight because it messes with how your brain/body/stomach/appetite/whatever processes sweetness, and somehow THAT one clicked.

So I skipped soda for a day.  Then two.  Then three.  Then on the fourth day, I had one.  And it tasted awful.  I didn't even finish it.

Then I went a whole week before I had another one.  And it tasted awful and I didn't even finish it.

So I went another week.  Then I had one.  And it gave me a MAJOR headache.  So, now it's been five days again.

I can't say whether I've lost any weight or not, because the last time I stepped on a scale it was so horrifying that I just haven't done it again.  All I know is that I've cut way back on my diet soda intake and I'm drinking a lot more water, and in the long run, that's bound to be healthier for me.  And the water tastes better to me right now, so that's what I'm drinking more of.

Chug-A-Lug

So, as promised I've been trying to get my 8 glasses of water a day.

This lead to questions from my son about how much water HE should be drinking each day- which of course lead to google - and there I learned that 8 glasses of water a day is the generic answer.

The REAL answer is to take your weight. Divide it by 2. Drink that many ounces of water per day. So 8 might NOT be your real answer either.

I've read many times that we get a good amount of water from our food. So I'm still going with 8 glasses. It is at least a starting point.

So here's what I did to try to hit 8 a day.

1. Wide mouth, PBA free 16 ounce water bottle . Wide mouth because that makes it easier to clean. PBA free because I worry about that kind of thing. 16 ounces because that is about what we consider a "serving" - and it gives me credit for 2 glasses with only one fill - and it is easy math. I kept this bottle at my desk. I try to fill it up every day or anytime before I leave my desk area so that when I come back I can quickly grab this very cold beverage without much thinking.

2. I still used some flavor packets. But I drank plain water between each flavor. For plain water - I really need it to be ice cold. This involves either ICE or it needs to be pre-chilled. No water fountain has yet to deliver the temperature that I require. I have access to ice in the main kitchen - but my backup plan is to take a ziplock bag and put some in my own fridge in my work area.

3. This was much more successful on workdays than weekends. I was able to pace myself - by noon I should be about half done. By the time I leave I should have 8 glasses down. It is not likely that I will not drink anymore all afternoon / evening. But really, I simply can not predict how much beverage will be at my disposal - and it varies greatly based on our schedule for the day. That being said, there are days with odd schedules or back-to-back meetings. These were more challenging to stay on track.

4. This doesn't seem to happen by accident. It requires some focus. It requires some attention to make sure you are on pace and that you are trying to get some percentage of these drinks as pure water.

5. Even with my flavor packets - I'm slightly frustrated. Many have calories. (Look closely - they will say 5 calories per serving - but there are 2 servings per pack.) Many others have artificial sweeteners - I'd rather avoid these - call me boring, but I'm trying to ensure my food is actually "food". And almost all are from artificial flavors- again, I'd prefer real. But I guess real doesn't often come in powder form. In an effort to find something more "real" but still convenient to use - I'm hoping to try out a product called True Lime, True Lemon, and True Orange. I'll let you know what I think about it - calorie free, all natural - price very similar to other flavorings.

Overall, all my drinking did help me feel satisfied longer. Did it kill my ice cream cravings? No. But any little bit helps!

What about you? Did you up your water intake? Do you have any strategies that help you succeed?

The Answer is WATER

What is the best dietary supplement for weight loss?

What diet -friendly drink should you consume to ensure you will add many steps to your day? (think potty breaks)

What is the most natural cleansing / body detoxifying item on the planet?

What substance (when there isn't enough) is one of the 4 most common causes of a headache?

What is one of the easiest ways to reduce your "eat out" bill?

What are you probably not drinking enough of?

What does your brain need a lot of in order to properly function?

What kind of weight do unhealthy diets help you shed?

What should you go grab a tall glass of right now?


Clearly, I'm on a water kick. Because I consider myself to be a pretty heavy drinker (of liquid - not alcohol). And while I've been paying attention...I have noticed that while I do drink a lot - not very much comes in a "pure" state. I have water flavors added in, I drink lots of iced tea, but I'm not doing so good at giving my body it's 8-8ounces of water per day...and I am CERTAINLY not getting a good portion of that without something mixed into it.

So this week - and on upcoming weeks. I challenge myself (and you) to count your fluid intake. Meet the minimum of 8-8 ounce servings and make sure at least half of those are"pure"...plain water (though fruit or fresh herbs mixed into them is still "pure" in my book).

In a week, we'll do a check in and see how it's going...how you met the challenge, if you met the challenge, and strategies to help others...