Ditch the Soda

I would say the majority of the population in the United States drinks carbonated beverages.  I call it soda but you may call it pop, cokes, or cola regardless it's all the same type of drink.  These drinks are characterized by a high sugar content or fake sugar content, artificial colors, artificial flavors and signature CO2 fizziness.

So what's the harm, it's just a tasty beverage right?  I often hear from diet soda drinkers "Mine has no sugar in it so it must be healthier."  Quite the opposite is true in fact.  I'll add a short list below of all of the concerns related to soda consumption.

• Empty calories leading to excess calories.
• Not getting enough vitamins and minerals.
• Tooth decay.
• Diabetes.
• Bone density/ Bone thinning.
• Diet soda may not help you lose weight in fact it may help you gain it instead.
• Heart Disease
• Depression
• Addictive
• Artificial colors/flavors
• High Acid content

Soda can really be addictive and it can be difficult to stop. I used to drink several sodas per day without ever thinking of the consequences.  Then I started having acid reflux issues.  I knew that drinking soda exacerbated the issue.
 I vowed to stop drinking soda.  For the longest time I never had not even one for years, now I'm to the point I may have one if I'm out but I never keep it in the house.  I also found it's best to wean yourself off.  I changed what I was drinking and replaced soda with tea and juice.
Some people think that switching to diet soda is a quick fix but in fact it's just as bad.  While they may be short on calories it doesn't necessarily mean it's good for your or that you will lose weight from drinking it.  In fact, many people actually gain weight from drinking diet sodas. Diet sodas also have many of the same health risks as regular soda like tooth decay and bone thinning and it's also been linked to heart disease and depression in women.
Below are some great ways to wean yourself off soda:

1. Cut back.  Figure out how many sodas you drink a day and work on cutting one out per week until you are down to zero.  So if you start out drinking 5 sodas a day then for the first week cut it down to 4 then the next week down to 3 and so on.
2. Water it down.  Trick your brain by adding water to your soda so you are actually drinking 1/2 water and 1/2 soda.  This way you are still hydrating while cutting back.
3. Track your calories.  Figure out how many calories you are drinking.  Soda is full of empty calories.  For 120 calories you get virtually no nutrients, nothing that makes your body better.  Think about how many calories you can save by giving up soda which could in turn cause weight loss.
4. Drink Tea.  Make the switch to unsweetened tea or tea sweetened with a healthier sugar with a lower glycemic response. 
5. Drink More Water.  If you're craving a soda, drink water first.  The water will not only hydrate you better but may also stave off your craving for the sugary drink.

Sources:
http://greatideas.people.com/2015/03/05/how-to-break-your-soda-addiction/?xid=socialflow_facebook_peoplemag