6 Tips to Break the Soda Habit

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mason jar glass with orange drink and red and white straw next to laptop and cell phone with 2 small white bowls of blueberries and nuts and silver can of energy fruit drink

I’m a mom of three, wife of an active duty military member and blogger – I am a busy mama.  Since my husband is often away on military duty, I am always on parenting duty. It can be exhausting. I’ve been focusing lately on living a healthier lifestyle so that I can be at peak performance as a mom and just for myself. Recently, I’ve been working to eliminate the soda habit from my busy afternoon routine.  Through trial and error, I’ve found 6 tips to break the soda habit that have worked for me.

Any busy woman understands that afternoon energy drag. For some reason, I’ve always needed an afternoon energy pick-me-up.  I’ve never been a coffee drinker, but I have been a diet soda drinker for years.  I enjoy the carbonation and the energy boost that it gave me each afternoon.  I’ve made the commitment to break that habit and find better alternatives to daily soda.  These are 6 tips that have worked well for me.

6 Tips to Break the Soda Habit

Just Don’t Buy It

If you don’t have it in the house or in the office, you can’t drink it.  Don’t go through the drive-through or  buy it at the convenience store. Just don’t buy it.

Eliminate Food or Environment Triggers

I love to eat popcorn as an afternoon snack.  Unfortunately, popcorn and soda are an unbreakable combo to me.  Now I choose different afternoon snacks so that I don’t feel that compulsion for soda as a link to my snack food.

overhead view of mason jar glass with red and white straw and orange drink next two 2 small bowls of blueberries and nuts next to laptop and cellphone

Sometimes the environment makes me think sooo-oda.  For me, sitting on my couch in the afternoon blogging is associated with drinking soda.  Now I make sure to sit at the table in the afternoon while I’m working and that helps me derail the soda compulsion.

Add Some Fun 

mason jar glass with red and white straw and 3 orange ice cubes next to blue ice cube tray with orange ice cubes and can of energy fruit drink

We all know that we should drink more water but often it just doesn’t seem like a fun enough replacement for my afternoon soda. I like to add some fun by adding ice cubes made from fruit juice or an energy drink, like V8 V-Fusion + Energy, which tastes like fruit.

Add Bubbles to Your Nutritious Drink

One of the big reasons that I like soda is that I like the carbonation.  I like those bubbles in my drink.  I’ve discovered that if I add seltzer water to a nutritious drink,  I enjoy it as a much better choice and don’t miss the soda.  Adding seltzer water has made it much easier to give up the carbonated soda craving.

Substitute a Natural Energy Drink

2 packages of canned energy fruit drink next to bottle of water and glass jar with red and white jar

 In addition to the carbonation in soda, I crave the afternoon energy boost from caffeine.  I’ve chosen to substitute a nutritious energy drink to give me the energy boost that I need in the afternoon.  V8 V-Fusion + Energy Drink  provides a natural energy boost from Green Tea and offers a combined serving of fruit and vegetables in just 50 calories.  

When I was out running errands, I dropped by Walmart to pick up my favorite flavors; Orange Pineapple, Peach Mango and Diet Strawberry Lemonade.  

Get the Flavor from a Different Option

There are times when I miss the taste of soda.  I plan ahead for those times by keeping hard candy on-hand that is flavored like my favorite soda.  I can enjoy the flavor that I miss with a piece of hard candy and then enjoy a refreshing and nutritious drink instead.

jar with orange drink and red and white straw next to cell phone and laptop with small bowls of blueberries and nuts and a drink can

Which is your favorite tip to maintain natural-energy in the afternoon and keep up with your busy life?

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18 Comments

  1. I stopped drinking soda almost a year go. I can’t say I have not drink it… sometimes at a party or a place where there is not much of an option of drinks, well, you gotta settle. But It helped me to start leaving it like periodically. I would drink one soda everyday, so I started to drink it on specif ones. Later only on weekends, later only one day of the weekend, till I would not need it *I was addicted, headaches, sweats, and averything when I tried to stopped all together* Now, I can eat anything and drink just water or juice. Bet decision ever!

  2. These are great tips! I struggle with moderation when it comes to my soda intake, and it SO depends on whether the stuff is in the house to begin with. Case in point: I’m drinking a soda for breakfast as I write this :/

    1. I struggle with moderation in soda drinking, too, Aimee. Kicking the habit has been difficult, but I am making progress and I’m with you that not having it in the house is probably the biggest help of all.

  3. I need to quit drinking soda too! I hate that I drink it, and have been trying to quit forever. You have some great tips here… I will try them!

    1. Kicking soda has been a long process for me, but these tips are helping greatly. Wishing you the best in kicking your habit.

  4. I keep drinking soda when I start the first taste of one bottle. For example if I have 2 littler of soda I can’t stop drinking until it finishes. These will be helpful tips. thank you for sharing them
    Susan.. Have a nice weekend.

    Sweet

    1. Sweet, I’m exactly the same way. These tips have been helping me, though. Enjoy your weekend, too.

  5. The grandparents gave my kids their first taste of soda and now that is all they ask for. These are great tips!

    1. Oh, no! That wasn’t fair for the grandparents to do to you. The longer you can keep kids away from soda, the better. Hope these tips help you as much as they’ve helped me.

  6. These are great tips! I love the idea of flavored ice cubes. One of my big triggers is pizza. For some reason, I really crave soda whenever we have pizza night at home. I’m going to try the seltzer water and see if the carbonation is really what I’m craving.

    1. Pizza is one of my triggers, too, Corinne (just like Mexican food and hamburgers). I hope the seltzer water helps for you, too.

  7. This article is clearly devised to prop up one product by maligning another. Bottom line: soft drinks can be enjoyed in moderation and integrated into a healthy, active life, just like other sources of calories.
    -American Beverage Association

    1. I agree that soda can be enjoyed in moderation. Any product consumed in excess is a poor habit to develop. Many of us need to work on moderation in our lives and these are simply tips for those who are working towards moderation in their beverage consumption.

  8. What is wrong about drinking diet caffeine free soda??? It’s more liquid in your body. Have we decided that artificial sweeteners don’t hurt you (if we haven’t figured that out, why not??????) So, I don’t get it. Some peeps love water, some peeps like caffeine free diet soda, both can be filling, what’s the drawback? I think it’s that almost anything in life that’s enjoyable is a “No No”.

    1. Elizabeth, I don’t know that there’s anything wrong with drinking any beverage and I enjoy most different beverages out there. I’ve been working towards moderation in my consumption of beverages and find that other people have, as well. Other than water, I think moderation is a goal for most people in drinking any beverage. As long as it’s legal, I think any beverage in moderation is a “Yes Yes.” 🙂

  9. I am definitely needing to cut back on my soda intake. I’m up to 52 ounces or more a day! My son is finally starting to give me a consistent 4-5 hours of sleep so I need to start cutting my soda intake back.

    1. I have been in your shoes, Stacey (with 3 children, I truly do understand). Happy dance for more sleep! Enjoy! 🙂

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