When it comes to guilty pleasures, soda is right up there with gossiping and crushing entire pints of Ben & Jerry's at a time; you know it's not great for you, but it just feels so. darn. good.
Really, though, if there's anything worth cutting from your diet—it's soda. Easier said than done. But a few simple techniques might help you (finally) figure out how to stop drinking soda for good.
Take a hard look at what you’re really drinking
Be honest about how many sodas you drink in a week. Add them up by keeping a food diary for seven days. For sticker shock, use a calculator to add up how many calories and sugar grams you’re guzzling in that period. Take some time to think about the negative health consequences that you suffer from drinking soda and really take it to heart. Unless you really want to quit, you will not succeed. Create a strong desire in your heart and mind to stop drinking soda and sweetened drinks – this is the first very important step!
Ease off soda slowly.
Can’t go cold turkey? You don’t need to. Try cutting back by a fourth the first week, half the second week, and so on until you can quit soda completely. Each week you will be one step closer to meeting your goal and steadily improving your health as a result!
Replace soda with delicious alternatives so you don’t miss it.
Drink lots of clean, filtered water instead of soda. Purchase a refillable water bottle and keep it with you at home, at work, and in your car. Plus, find other fizz! Miss the refreshment and mouth feel of sodas? Don’t worry, you can still drink fizzy drinks that taste refreshing, and that are not loaded up with crappy chemicals.