The FOFC No Soda Dynasty

[Zippo]

Are you guys keeping track if not drinking any soda is helping with control of weight? Might be interesting to see if there's any correlation between the two.

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by Godzilla Blitz

I'm still hanging in there, but I'm starting to forget why I am doing this. I look at my wife's Cherry Coke at dinner and I think, "Wow. That looks great. I'd love a Cherry Coke." And then I realize I can't have one, and I think, "Now, why can't I have one...?" and I can't seem to come up with a good reason.

Right now I'm just relying on the fact that I knew there were good reasons when I started this, and I must have known what I was doing. Which is pretty stupid reasoning on my part, but I'm sticking with it for now.

My reasons are mostly health-related.

1) The acid in soda (diet or regular) eats away at your teeth and insides.
2) Regular soda is more unhealthy than, say, a candy bar. Moreover, it provides no positive health benefits.
3) I have less snacks/junk food when I don't have soda.

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by Zippo

Are you guys keeping track if not drinking any soda is helping with control of weight? Might be interesting to see if there's any correlation between the two.

For me, it hasn't helped at all.

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

I am still a little unclear after reading Jeeber's posts. How does one have a craving for Coke and what does it *feel* like? I'm not sure I can relate to craving a food that you want to have some all of the time.

I rarely drank soda before I started this, so it's not like I was constantly craving a Coke. But when I did want one, I would go ahead and drink one. Now I can't do that. And it's a craving just like I sometimes get cravings for Thai food or Indian food or mexican food or hot dogs. I just start to think that a Coke sounds REALLY good right now and would totally hit the spot. It's a mental thing, not a physical craving.

Does that clear it up at all?

[Poli]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

H2O, brother. It's free...

Yep. I don't drink tea anymore, either. It's been milk, water, or lemonade...and lemonade is usually just if and when I eat out.

I thinking of eating some Wendy's or Culver's today. I'm beat up from the gym. Today's my day off. Bacon Butter Burger Deluxe Jumbo sounds oh so good right now.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Originally Posted by Zippo

Are you guys keeping track if not drinking any soda is helping with control of weight? Might be interesting to see if there's any correlation between the two.

Hard to say definitively if the not drinking soda has been the leading cause, but after three months I'm down about four pounds, which calorie-wise is about right considering how much soda I was drinking each day. So yes, I'd say it's been about a pound/month for me of very gradual downward progression. Although that doesn't sound like much, it's been a painless way (occasional cravings aside) for me to keep losing weight.

Fudging this is the week or so when I tried the Atkins diet and lost some weight, but I pretty much ate that back up over Christmas. Outside of that, only the cutting soda has been the consistent behavioral change, so I think I can attribute the weight loss to the soda.

More importantly, I have definitely reversed the trend of adding a couple of pounds/year for the past four years.

[Radii]

I fell off the wagon badly around thanksgiving I think(early december if not thanksgiving). Unfortunately I've had a history of being very all or nothign when it comes to drinking soda, which makes moderation very hard for me. But in the couple of weeks since work started back up after new years I've caught myself having 4-5 cans of soda a day on work days. That's just insane, and stupid. If I feel real bad over the next few days I may have one with lunch, but I'm drinking water at the moment and intend to start over with this early next week.


If anyone else fell off but is getting back on and wants me to update the dates on the front page, let me know.

[Kodos]

I have fallen back into Cherry Coke's evil clutches. I must start to fight back again.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Ok, I've found my motivation to stick with this thing: the documentary Supersize Me.

If anyone is looking for inspiration, that might do the trick for you. I finished the documentary at 11:45 at night, and then immediately went out jogging.

[gi]

As of December 23rd, I no longer drink soda. Thought I was having a heart attack, went to the hospital and discovered that I have acid reflux. I guess drinking over a gallon of soda a day will catch up to you when you get over 30. Amazingly, (sarcasm), I feel a whole heck of a lot better since I switched to water.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Originally Posted by gi

As of December 23rd, I no longer drink soda. Thought I was having a heart attack, went to the hospital and discovered that I have acid reflux. I guess drinking over a gallon of soda a day will catch up to you when you get over 30. Amazingly, (sarcasm), I feel a whole heck of a lot better since I switched to water.

Good work. Keep it up. I hope the acid reflux goes away for you.

After watching the documentary, where the guy suffers constant food cravings, I realized that those types of "cravings" for me have diminished since I've quit soda. I generally have more consistent energy throughout the day.

[Radii]

the soda = fat thread on the front page is reason enough to bump this.

its the height of soccer season so I'm out running around with my son's soccer team two practices a week, the weather is starting to turn a bit nicer, in no time I'll have the lawn mower back out every sunday again, my wife is making a concerted effort to drop a few pounds, we're making a concerted effort to cook more, dine out less, there are vegetables on the table at least 4 or 5 nights a week.. I just have no excuse at all not to follow this through and drop the damn sodas and seriously try to drop some weight this year.

After I leave work today, I'm back on the wagon. I'm going to be very angry at myself if I don't take advantage of this opportunity to seriously drop some weight myself, and it all starts with the soda.

[Kodos]

http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...0&page=1&pp=30

Add me too. I'm finishing my Cherry Coke that I have right now, and tomorrow I'm starting my no soda stage. I clearly can't gradually wean myself like I tried before.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Originally Posted by Kodos

http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...0&page=1&pp=30

Add me too. I'm finishing my Cherry Coke that I have right now, and tomorrow I'm starting my no soda stage. I clearly can't gradually wean myself like I tried before.

Woot! Go Kodos and Radii!

I'm still hanging in there. No sodas since October 5. At this point, it is very easy now to keep going. I don't miss the soda at all any more. At somewhere around the four-month mark, if I remember correctly, the cravings almost completely went away.

Weight goes back and forth and with recent exercise it's hard to get a handle on how much fat I'm losing in comparison to adding muscle, but overall I seem to be losing about a half-pound a month just from this alone, which is much better than the gaining weight trend I was on before starting this.

[JeeberD]

Stil haven't had any soda (except for that one tiny accidental sip at work) since the thread started...

[Godzilla Blitz]

Be nice to see an updated list. (Hint hint, nudge nudge)

I can try to do it if you don't have time, Radii.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Godzilla Blitz

Be nice to see an updated list. (Hint hint, nudge nudge)

I can try to do it if you don't have time, Radii.

I'll go through it during work tomorrow and update everyone that's posted.

[primelord]

So we're all back on soda then?

[JeeberD]

Heh, no. I had a tough test at the Rangers game last night. We were in the company suite for the company my fiancee works for and they had some free drinks. Problem was, they were all sodas. I could have gone for beer, but you had to order a six pack, which was a minimum of $24. Screw that. Luckily, there were cups and ice so I just filled my cup up with ice and got some water from the suite bathroom. Problem solved...

[Neuqua]

Despite being an Asstro's fan, Jeeber does me proud.

[Northwood_DK]

No soda for me since day 1. I was planning to do this until we were to travel to Spain 01Feb but I have kept it going. Lots almost 5 Kg in the process.

[Godzilla Blitz]

I'm still hanging in there. I was tempted to quit at the six-month mark, but resisted the urge.

Overall, it's pretty easy to stick with it now. I automatically ask for water cups at fast food restaurants, and I feel much better having kicked the habit. More consistent energy.

Before, if I ate MacDonalds, I'd feel crappy an hour later. Now, I only feel semi-crappy an hour later.

[Swaggs]

Bump... anyone still going strong on this?

[Godzilla Blitz]

Yup. 7 months down. 5 months to go.

You?

[JeeberD]

Still soda free! However, I did have a sip of punch a couple of weeks ago that I think may have had Sprite in it. Just to be safe I didn't drink any more after that initial sip...

[Swaggs]

Originally Posted by Godzilla Blitz

Yup. 7 months down. 5 months to go.

You?

I was following, but never made the pledge. I have gone over to diet full-time, and for me, that was a huge plunge. I am pretty sure I couldn't go two weeks without Diet Sunkist.

[Kodos]

I am a weak, weak man, but am still trying to quit.

[Radii]

Every time i've posted in here so far, i've almost immediately backtracked and failed. This time, I've got some great motivation going and am not posting until its been a week and a half off the sodas. I started up on Atkins, as part of that of course can't have sodas anymore, and am off to a very good start. I think April 28th was my last soda this time through.

[JeeberD]

So who's still going strong?

*raises hand*

[Franklinnoble]

Uhh... I switched to Coke Zero a few months back. Does that count?

[Kodos]

Who is a miserable failure?


**raises hand**

[Franklinnoble]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Who is a miserable failure?


**raises hand**

Do you mean with regards to this dynasty, or just in general?

[Lorena]

Yikes, I had totally forgotten about this... I had a Diet Vanilla Pepsi just today. I'm with you Kodos, a miserable failure :o

[JeeberD]

So does that mean I'm the weiner? YAY!


So where's my prize?

[Northwood_DK]

*raises hand*

Its water all the way for me now (and coffee). Guess its getting close to 9 months now.

[Terps]

I didn't post in this thread in the beginning, but I've been off of soda since around when the thread started.

[Passacaglia]

I gave up along time ago (I think my last post documents this), but I should really go back on it -- don't want to be a fattie at my wedding!

[Godzilla Blitz]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

So does that mean I'm the weiner? YAY!


So where's my prize?

I'm still hanging in there.

Was in Japan for a few weeks, unable to read the forums for a bit. Very tempted to quit this while over there, because I like sampling unusual sodas in different countries.

Nevertheless, I really hope I can make it the rest of the way. Over 9 months down.

[RPI-Fan]

Unfortunately I started drinking soda again when I realized how much more expensive orange juice & milk were than it.

Now that that's not much of an issue any more, I'm easing my way back into the no-soda thing. I still have it when I'm at a restaurant, or something, but I'm no longer keeping any at home.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Wow. I just weighed myself this morning for the first time in more than a month. I've lost five pounds since I started doing this in October. There have been swings up and down, of course, but I seem to be losing about a half pound/month on average. There is clear movement downward in weight.

That's not much, I realize, but I was only about 12 pounds over my ideal weight to start with, and this is the first year in the past four years that I haven't added a pound or two.

I think I've exercised about the same amount as last year. Giving up soda is the only consistent change that I have made in diet.

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by Godzilla Blitz

I'm still hanging in there.

Was in Japan for a few weeks, unable to read the forums for a bit. Very tempted to quit this while over there, because I like sampling unusual sodas in different countries.

Nevertheless, I really hope I can make it the rest of the way. Over 9 months down.

I'm worried about if I'm going to be able to keep this up while I'm in Barbados for my honeymoon in a few weeks. I haven't heard or read anything saying that you shouldn't drink the water there, but I have heard that it's a very European island, and they don't drink much water besides the expensive bottled kind.

[JeeberD]

H2O was plentiful in barbados, so there was no soda temptation. Just another month or so to go!

[SackAttack]

Don't worry, Jeebs. I'll drink the Mountain Dew for you. Go get 'em!

[Godzilla Blitz]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

H2O was plentiful in barbados, so there was no soda temptation. Just another month or so to go!

Way to go, Jeebs! Congrats on getting married, as well. We're in the home stretch now.

It's funny, though, the other day I was at an Eddington's (soup and sandwich place) for lunch. Before, this would have been an automatic soda spot. But it never even crossed my mind to get a soda. I automatically got water. I realized that I had broken the addiction.

Now watch, this week I'll pull a Koren Robinson...

[JeeberD]

Just one week until my year is up...can I resist temptation for seven more days?

[Toddzilla]

Wow - this is my first time reading this thread through, and I'm pretty impressed. Those of you who have stuck by the no-soda plan should be very proud. Those who have not, well, I wouldn't call you a failure, and you're certainly not miserable. It is kinda hard to fathom how addictive something as meaningless as a soda can be.

Me?

Well, I gave up regular soda about 8 years ago when I tried Adkins for the first time. Switched to diet soda which I absolutely hated. I was on the diet for about 6 months - then one of my senior managers who was the Adkins hard-core guru dropped dead of a heart attack (this was 1998 when lots of bacon and meat were the rage) - lost some weight and stopped. But I never switched back to regular soda. Too sugary. I got used to the taste of nutrasweet, even though I still don't like it. I worked at a dot.com for about 18 months back in 2002 and they provided us with free food and soda, and it was here that I discovered Diet Mountain Dew. All the DMD I could drink! I was up to 6-8 sodas a day. I got laid-off as the company went under and cut back to 1-2 a day. Today I'll have a DMD in the morning on my drive to work to wake up, and I'll have another on the way home to keep my eyes open. At restaurants I'll have ice tea, and at work the soda machine only offers coke, diet coke, and sprite at 75-cents a can, so I drink water.

Strangely - hypocritically? - we do not let our 4-year-old daughter drink sodas. I'll give her a little sip of my DMD - which she calls "Daddy Drink" - but she doens't like the taste. It reminds me of the parents who let their kids sip their beers, and it makes me feel like a heel. She only likes to drink water or milk.

[JeeberD]

And yesterday was one year!

Anyone think that I can make it two?

[Godzilla Blitz]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

And yesterday was one year!

Anyone think that I can make it two?

Congratulations! Well done!

Are you going to try for two?

I think I'm going to try to allow myself one soda a week. As much as I don't crave soda, I really like Cherry Coke.

I might try to give up chocolate or something next year.

[Kodos]

My problem is that Cherry Coke is my favorite drink on the planet.

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by Godzilla Blitz

Congratulations! Well done!

Are you going to try for two?

Thanks! And sure, why not?