I Stopped Drinking Soda for 30 Days
Here is how this has changed my life
Soda is a classic American staple. Everyone drinks it and everyone loves it. However, I don’t know many people who would argue against the point that soda is diabetes in a can.
Yet, studies have shown that most Americans drink at least one soda daily. This is especially alarming since Coke contains 39 grams of sugar. For perspective, the average male is supposed to have 36 grams of sugar per day!
I used to drink soda every day, and these facts hit me like a wall. I knew something needed to change, so I decided to cut out soda for a month.
Here’s what I learned.
- The first week is the hardest
If you’re an avid soda drinker, and you decide to cut out soda, then the first week will be the hardest. You will experience withdrawal symptoms and you will notice soda everywhere you go.
Every time you go to the store.
Every time you go out to eat.
Every time you watch ads.
You will see Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, Mountain Dew, and every brand of the sugary addictive beverage. Every can of soda will be alluring to you.
Resist the temptations! Once you get past the first week, it will be easier to say no to soda. I was too deep into the challenge to fall into temptation, so saying no became a habit.
2. You will have more energy
You will have a lot more energy built up after the first week. The reason is simple:
Soda dehydrates you because it has a lot of caffeine which is a diuretic, according to Dr. Richard-Lopez. The more dehydrated you are, the less energy that you have, according to NBC News.
If you replace soda with water, you will have more energy to get things done each day!
After the first few weeks of not drinking soda, I started doing things I normally don’t do: I wrote every day, worked out multiple times per week, and read whenever I got the chance.
It sounds a bit crazy, but your motivation to do more work increases once you cut out soda.
3. Your body will change for the better
When you cut out soda, you cut out all that sugar that comes with it. If you replace it with water and other healthy alternatives (unsweetened tea and black coffee) then you will lose a lot of weight.
A lot of people told me that they noticed my weight loss. I had more energy and my attitude improved when I lost weight. Cutting out soda can only go so far in weight loss, but it’s a big step if you want to shave off a few pounds.
You’ll feel a lot better about yourself on an everyday basis! It really does change a huge portion of your life.
4. It’s hard to go back to soda
Eventually, I tried soda again, but this time it tasted different. The once refreshing and cold beverage didn’t satisfy me.
I felt like shit after half a can so I threw it out. That’s when I knew that I couldn’t go back to soda.
5. I cut out every sugary drink
Once you cut out soda, you end up cutting out other sugary drinks too. For example, sweet tea, energy drinks, and fruit-flavored drinks.
We forget that soda isn’t the only sugary drink. A bottle of Snapple Green Tea contains 30 grams of sugar!
“Healthy” soda isn’t any better
What about the zero sugar options? In order to sweeten the beverage, soda companies add artificial sweeteners. For coke zero products, these sweeteners contribute to weight gain and an increase in disease risks. (Full disclosure, the research is a bit inconsistent, but given the history of soda and health problems, why not just stick to water and other healthy alternatives?)
Diet sodas aren’t any better either. They’re linked to type-2 diabetes, heart problems, weight gain, and an increase in the likelihood of strokes.
Here are some alternative options that won’t kill you
Obviously, you should always drink water but what about other drinks?
My go-to options are unsweetened tea and black coffee. Now, I know what you’re saying: “They don’t taste good!”
That’s the problem. When you drink only sugary drinks, your taste buds go all crazy. Your pallet doesn’t know the difference between sweet and unsweet. Fruit is sweet, but soda is too sweet.
So, you need to fix your pallet by drinking water, unsweetened tea, and black coffee. But, there are more benefits than simply fixing your pallet.
A study shows that black tea provides antioxidants, which remove diseased cells from your body. It also contains theaflavins and thearubigins, which reduce cholesterol and lowers blood sugar levels. Other benefits include a decrease in body fat, a lower risk of death from heart disease, a lower risk of heart attacks, and a lower risk of strokes.
What about black coffee? It boosts energy levels, lowers the risk of type-2 diabetes, contains antioxidants, decreases body fat, supports brain health, and decreases depression.
In other words, your body will benefit from these two super drinks! The road to cutting out soda is difficult, but it can be done!
Start today, and keep track of how you change over the 30-day period! I guarantee that you won’t regret it.
