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Slap in the face

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face slap
4K views 51 replies 34 participants last post by  LuLuBleen 
#1 ·
I just gave myself a slap in the face..

I for years have loved my Mt.Dew, but due to cost, last year I went to the generic version of it.. Well, I decided recently I need to cut back on it, and started last Monday..

I was drinking at least 3 cans an hour, more in the summer at approx 15 hours a day.. A couple nights ago I was talking to my best friend about it and I decided to do some calculations..

By my calculations (which were double and triple checked) on a daily bases for the last year (going my the calories on a can of the generic) I have been drinking at least 8550 calories a day in just soda.. That is on top of anything I ate that day.. Prior to going the generic route, I was doing over 10,000 calories a day just in soda..

Well, starting last Monday I changed my drinking habits and in doing that, I cut out -8170 calories daily and am now only doing 380 cal a day in soda .. At this time I still have 2 cans a day, one with lunch and one with dinner, but that will stop as soon as this 12pk I have is gone..

Going from at least 8550 calories a day in drink to minus -8170 a day, I think that is a good start... I'm not dieting at all as my eating habits aren't bad and I don't believe in dieting..

I knew my drinking all the soda had something to do with my weight, but I didn't realize till the other night how much calories it actually was.. Years back I was given a 2400 calories a day limit, oooops.....

Just a little vent/wow post!!!
 
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#3 ·
Yow, I don't think I could even handle drinking that much soda per day, much less want to do so! Maybe you can "cut" your 2 cans with some seltzer water or something else to stretch them out.

Fantastic that you put a stop to it. That can't have been anywhere close to healthy for your body OR your budget!!
 
#4 ·
Holy cow! I used to drink a lot of Mountain Dew, but that was when I was in the military and on my feet from 5am to midnight five days a week. I found the only way that I could cut back was if I went cold turkey. The only time I get it now is if my inlaws go to the US and well, that hasn't been in a while. You notice that once you cut back or give it up all together that it just doesn't taste the same anymore.
 
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#5 ·
I hear ya. It's a horrible habit that I have been trying to break myself of as well. It's hard to do it though. The caffeine withdrawls are terrible....but cutting down slowly doesn't work because it is right there still.

I know how much I could save and how much better I would feel but those headaches are evil.

I wonder if there is less of something in the generic that makes it easier to cut down but you're still getting some, ya know?

Hugs. This is one of my goals this year as well. This and cigarettes. They just have to go. It's hard work but I am working on it.

Wondering if I should just go cold turkey from both and just suffer the wrath for the month or so it takes to get it all out of my system. Or if there is an easier way that isn't going to make me so unpleasant to be around. Hmmmm....
 
#39 ·
Wondering if I should just go cold turkey from both and just suffer the wrath for the month or so it takes to get it all out of my system. Or if there is an easier way that isn't going to make me so unpleasant to be around. Hmmmm....
I quit cigarettes cold turkey, twice...the 2nd time it took.I'd advise doing the soda first. One problem with quitting smoking is that part of the habit is putting something in your mouth all the time, if you haven't quit the soda yet, you might be tempted to add MORE soda. If, on the other hand, you quit the soda first, found whatever substitute works for you and THEN quit smoking, you'll not be fighting BOTH urges all the time.

Or, at least that's what I'd do!

Judi
 
#6 ·
Slap me while you're slaphappy will ya? I've gained 6 pounds in the last month and DH told me he noticed I was drinking at least 2 Pepsi's a day!! This is from someone who use to only drink that a week maybe. I started cutting back on Friday and have already lost a pound. It doesn't help that I'm laid off and doing a lot of sitting around doing nothing while DH is sleeping. So today I was a good girl and had some grape juice. Good for you for taking the time to do the numbers crunching, and good luck.

Cat
 
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#7 ·
Former Mt Dew addict here, too. When I quit it, I lost about 30 pounds right off the bat. I had terrible withdrawal symptoms from the loss of caffeine, but I couldn't just cut back...it was either all or nothing with Mt Dew and me! Now, you couldn't pay me to drink the stuff....I can't believe I ever thought it tasted good!
 
#8 ·
Holy smoke! Good luck to you and I bet you will drop some weight fast. I try not to drink too much of my calories. I drink one Diet Coke a day and if I don't have it, I won't cry. I used to be a heavy pop drinker years ago.
 
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#10 ·
At this time I still have 2 cans a day, one with lunch and one with dinner, but that will stop as soon as this 12pk I have is gone.
Are you going to quit consuming caffeine altogether? Those caffeine withdrawal headaches are terrible. Maybe you already know if you've cut down to two cans a day from forty-five. :thud:

Perhaps you could have a glass of unsweetened iced tea at lunch and dinner and plenty of water throughout the day? You'll be consuming so much less sugar, the weight will just melt off of you. :D

Good luck! :)
 
#11 ·
Thank you all for your posts!!!!

Sadly my calculations is not an exaggeration, it is at the minimal end, it was for sure at least 3 cans a hour, but at sometimes more, like all summer... Surprisingly, other than my weight, I am healthy..

I did completely cut out for one day and had a major headache.. I am not a cold turkey person, when I do that, I always fall back.. I am a limit it type and then I can cut off and stay off.. Today I will just be having one, missed lunch, so today just with dinner..

I can't drink straight water, after 2 bottles my stomach gets upset, but for some reason, when I flavor it, I'm ok.. So, I have been flavoring my bottles of water with packets of no calorie flavorings.. I am on my second week and no problems.. When weather gets better, I will be drinking sun tea with lemon..

Hubby wasn't surprised at all with the calculations, but is happy I finally realized it...
 
#24 ·
Thank you all for your posts!!!!

Sadly my calculations is not an exaggeration, it is at the minimal end, it was for sure at least 3 cans a hour, but at sometimes more, like all summer... Surprisingly, other than my weight, I am healthy..

I did completely cut out for one day and had a major headache.. I am not a cold turkey person, when I do that, I always fall back.. I am a limit it type and then I can cut off and stay off.. Today I will just be having one, missed lunch, so today just with dinner..

I can't drink straight water, after 2 bottles my stomach gets upset, but for some reason, when I flavor it, I'm ok.. So, I have been flavoring my bottles of water with packets of no calorie flavorings.. I am on my second week and no problems.. When weather gets better, I will be drinking sun tea with lemon..

Hubby wasn't surprised at all with the calculations, but is happy I finally realized it...
Nice to know that I'm not alone. My DH always looks at me like I'm nuts when I say that...but yeah, water upsets my stomach. Unless it's super hot and the water is ICE cold.
 
#12 ·
Wow, I can't imagine drinking that much regular sugared pop (soda) on a daily basis. I have drank diet pop since the early 1970's. I NEVER drink sugared pop and I'm STILL over weight! LOL. I probably have 3 diet pops a week.

I can't imagine that much caffeine either. I have 2, maybe 3 coffees a day, and I have more jitters and anxiety than I can handle. How did you sleep?
 
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#14 ·
How did you sleep?
I've always had odd sleeping habits, even before the soda.. My nightly average sleep is ~ to bed at 3 to 4am and up at around 11:30am... Some days I'll be up at 8 to 10am, but bed time usually always averages 3 to 4am
 
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#18 ·
thanks for making me feel better....

i was drinking probably a 6 pack a day but recently cut back to iced tea and just a can a day....and i have noticed weight loss...not much roughly 6 lbs in a month...but that is without changing any other diet issues....
 
#19 ·
I think you should reward yourself with the savings $$

By my guess using $2.50 per 12 pak, and 45 cans per day you will be saving $9.38 per day!! $3301.76 per year!! Wowser!!:eek:
 
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#25 · (Edited)
Amazing how things come out when you calculate them.... I do plan on putting half of the savings away, who knows, maybe for new clothes as I only wear sweats....
 
#20 ·
re the caffiene withdrawl
you can buy caffiene tablets
i use them to keep migraines at bay - never really drank caffiene unless it was with a neal ( pizza night with a cola etc )

there is a brand that is in walmart that was under 4$ for 100 tablets = i break them in half and take 1/2 one when i feel a migraine coming on .

calorie free ( or close to it )
 
#21 ·
ditto on the "jet alert" from walmart
 
#22 ·
I am so amazed that you are willing to give it up, just like that. That is so awesome!!!!! It is going to do wonders for how you feel!! (once you get over the initial withdrawls)
 
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#23 ·
I don't think I could drink 36 ounces of anything in an hour, let alone for multiple hours. You had to have been peeing constantly.

The benefits of cutting that soda out are immense. Weight, real energy, less tooth degradation, monetary, space saving, it goes on and on.
 
#26 ·
You had to have been peeing constantly.

The benefits of cutting that soda out are immense. Weight, real energy, less tooth degradation, monetary, space saving, it goes on and on.
On the first one LOL!!! and no, that only happens one week a month and also when I drink a lotta ice tea...

Like I said, I'm not doing this for dieting reasons, but the weight loss this might bring will be welcoming... I am doing it more cos' I am tired of being dependent on it and the cost... The "real energy" wouldn't hurt either..
 
#27 ·
Hey Syn D,

You could try switching to something else that's cold with some caffeine in it, like green tea? Make yourself some iced green tea with fruit in it. You can try the Lipton Green Tea iced tea with citrus if you'd like. Green tea, even when warm, has a lot less caffeine in it than Mountain Dew. I went from being a heavy Mountain Dew drinker to being a heavy coffee drinker to having green tea once in the morning. It's a good way to help combat the caffeine withdrawal headaches, put more water into your body and give you some awesome health benefits at the same time. If you don't like your green tea without anything in it, I'd suggest some honey.
 
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#29 ·
Sadly, I don't know how to make ice tea with out the heat of the sun and wont have heat for awhile... I tried making hot tea and refrigerating it like the box said, but it didn't taste right..
 
#28 ·
This is like the best support group, Thank you all!!!!!!!!!!

My hubby and my best friend are good, they know how to handle me... My mom is a negative person and not very good at support, she means well, but it just doesn't come out right...
 
#32 ·
Yikes! I'm glad you figured that out sooner rather than later.

I try to drink no calories, except for honey in my tea, or occassional wine, beer, or Coke Classic. I started about 10 years ago when I decided to lose weight, lost 45 or so pounds and am still keeping it off!

You'll save a lot of money this way, too!
 
#33 ·
I'm an iced tea addict :) I only like the kind they make at restaurants so I literally drive through every day to get one. Still way cheaper than all of that Mountain Dew. I go to Steak and Shake usually and get a monster sized one for $1.00 so I don't feel too badly about it. Oh, and you don't want to replace Mt. Dew with sweet tea- you will have the same issue. I drink unsweetened with nothing in it. It is a nice change from water. I also drink sparkling water- I buy it at Walmart or Kroger- just the generic brand. It is basically just bubbles in a can. That and regular water. I have one or two cokes a week.
 
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