Here are some ways to help get over a soda addiction:

1. Just do it – lack of will power is a lame excuse. The reality is that you just want to drink soda.
2. Stop buying it and stocking the refrigerator – as the saying goes, “Out of sight, out of mind.”
3. Baby steps – still have one cup of instant cappuccino or coffee in the morning to stave off caffeine withdrawals.
4. Healthier steps – Drink green tea for the caffeine and anti-oxidants and try not to add sugar to sweeten it.
5. Replace it – single serve packets of sugar free lemonade or fruit drink mix that you can pour in a water bottle.
6. Consider calories – one can of Pepsi has 160 calories, which is a large portion of a meal’s worth.
7. Stick to water when dining out – also helps to save money at restaurants, which we’re all trying to do in this economy.
8. Tell others – many people are in the same boat and can give you support, encouragement and suggestions.
9. Exercise – It’s recommended for any type of addiction, and will help you feel better faster.
10. Look forward to being a happier, healthier you. It may take a few days, or a few weeks, but your body will thank you.

I’ll expand a bit on the tips above to explain and provide some specific examples from over the last week… Even though many people consider a soda addiction a relatively minor thing compared to getting over alcohol or drug addiction, it’s far more common and difficult to eliminate than you might think. Heavy soda drinkers can experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop drinking soda due to the high levels of sugars, sweeteners and/or caffeine. Some of the symptoms may include headaches, drowsiness, difficulty concentrating and fatigue.

I was afraid that I’d have bad headaches, which happened in the past when I’d go a day or two without soda. So far, this past week has been pain free. This is most likely due to the fact that my morning cup of instant cappucino is still part of my daily routine. The part I changed is that I no longer buy Pepsi, keep it in the refrigerator, or bring it to work. According to OverCaffeinated.com, the average American adult consumes more than three times the daily amount of caffeine required to create a physical dependence. So, eventually, I may try putting an end to caffeine entirely.

Instead of drinking Pepsi, which can be very syrupy, I’d much rather have a bottle of water with a single serve packet of lemonade mixed in. I’m not a fan of plastic bottles and they adversely affect the environment, so I reuse one, filling it with filtered water. Soon, I’ll probably buy a permanent solution that I can throw in the dish washer.

My wife has recently started counting calories, a practice that I’ve never been fond of. I realize now that it’s smart to, at the very least, consider the number of calories you’re consuming and that soft drinks can provide 1/3 to 1/2 of the calories you should have in a meal, or almost twice as much as you should have in a snack.

Yesterday, I met my wife and her coworker for lunch. We try not to eat out much, so we can save money, but agreed that dining out would be a nice treat. Normally, I’d order a Coke or Pepsi at a restaurant, but opted to stick with water, which not only kept me on track, but saved me $2.00. When I mentioned that it had been almost a week since I’d had a Pepsi, my wife’s coworker said that he had also stopped drinking soda recently. It made me feel better about what I was doing.

If you’re giving up sodas to improve your health, or lose weight, you’re on the right track. Working out, running, or just getting out and doing stuff can also help move you along that path. Drinking soda can actually cause your body to pack on the pounds. Think about the following from EmbraceLiving.Net:

One 330ml can of Coke contains around 160 calories. Assuming you drink one can of Coke everyday: that’s 4800 extra calories every month or 1.4lbs. In a year, that adds up to 57,600 extra calories or 16.8lbs!

And now there’s word they’re making it better…

On April 20, 2009 PepsiCo will start to sell Pepsi and Mountain Dew with real sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Some speculate that this may be due, in part, to the Jewish celebration of Passover, and will only be available until June. And, supposedly, it will be priced the same as regular Pepsi.

High fructose corn syrup is among the ranks of those things we’re told to avoid, like trans fats, saturated fats, MSG, etc. Lately the debate about the dangers, or benefits, of HFCS has been heated. Studies show a direct link between increased use of HFCS and rising rates of obesity, yet the Corn Refiners Association has struck out on a nationwide multi million dollar campaign to tell you otherwise. Personally, I don’t have an opinion on whether or not HFCS alone is a cause of obesity, but I think it’s clear that if you eat or drink any products with large amounts of sweeteners, artificial or not, your diet needs work…

Every so often I toy with the idea of switching from Pepsi to, say, green tea. But, green tea is so bitter that I need to add sugar, which probably defeats most of the healthy attributes. I don’t recall ever having Pepsi with real sugar, so I am definitely looking forward to this. I may have to put off weening myself of this syrupy goodness for a while longer.

Let’s just hope they don’t bring back Crystal Pepsi…

Personally, I’ll always think of the 1971 version when I thin of Pepsi. I don’t think the new logo, and especially the new font, will have the same lasting effect. It almost looks like it’s a generic off-brand attempt at a cool logo. But, again, if people are like me, it’s not going to matter. Pepsi is the brand and either people like Pepsi, or they like Coke. A logo isn’t going to make someone switch. It may just make our beloved beverage of choice harder to find…