The 65 Pound Soda!
Thursday January 26, 2012
Got ya on that title, didn't I!
So, I know most of you out there realize and know that drinking soda leads to weight gain. Many "losers" out there lose weight just by cutting back or quitting drinking soda all together. Don't forget that fruit juices, even if they are 100% fruit juice, can add up in calories as well. One might do better to eat a piece of fruit & get the fiber as well vs. drinking it and especially to excess.
A regular 12 ounce can of soda has approximately 140 calories. Some have a bit more or less. On top of that there is around 40 grams of sugar!!!
Let us assume that 140 calorie number. If you drink 3 sodas per day, that is 420 calories per day. If you do that 7 days a week, that is 2940 calories per week. There are 52 weeks in a year so that adds up to 152,880 calories extra per year!!! There are 3500 calories per pound so that is about 44 pounds extra per year!!!! YIKES!!!!!!
So back to my 65 pound soda. My hubby & I ended up talking to a young guy while we were out one day. He had a Kings Hockey pin on & my hubby likes the Anaheim Ducks so that got the conversation started - hockey talk. 
Somehow we got to the subject of his weight. He told us he had lost close to 100 pounds!!! He showed us a pic of him at 300 pounds! Of course I wanted to talk to him about this since this is my love - health & fitness!
I asked him if he changed his food, added in exercise or both. This is what he told me:
1. He used to work a desk job but quit that & was now a server at a local restaurant. Along with that, about 2 months ago, he took up ice hockey.
Now he lost the weight over a year or more so I knew it had to be food....
2. He told us he used to drink AT LEAST a 6 pack of soda a day!!! He said he lost his first 65 pounds doing almost nothing but NOT drinking soda!!!!
I think people lose track of how calories add up & small changes add up. Even if he had cut back to 3 sodas, he still would have lost about 33 pounds! Add in changing your food choices & exercising - well, it adds up to weight loss & a healthier life!
If you are one that has a 65 pound soda OR juice addiction OR even half of that, try to take small steps to reduce the amount you drink. You don't have to do it all at once! Baby steps lead to big results!!!! You can do this with food too BUT you have to know what you are taking in. Ya got to be honest with yourself & read labels so you are armed with the knowledge to take the small steps!
Anyone else out there have a weight loss story based on cutting out soda or too much juice?
PS: Alcohol has a lot of calories too so beer drinkers or excess wine or hard liquor drinkers - take note!
Posted by truth2beingfit at 1/25/2012 9:55 PM 
Categories: Nutrition, Health, Weight Loss, Challenges
Tags: soda Weight Loss Nutrition
Categories: Nutrition, Health, Weight Loss, Challenges
Tags: soda Weight Loss Nutrition
Finally something I can brag about! I haven't had soda in years, not even diet. I don't miss it one little bit but it was a struggle to quit drinking it. Was I a sodaholic?
Speaking of diet drinks, there is some evidence that artificial sweeteners increase sugar cravings. I never liked the taste of those anyway.
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**tiptoes away**
one a day --needed or not here.
always needed
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Carla - 1 is not the prob!
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Good for hockey guy!
My weight problems were from the calories that you chew.
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If you look back at old pictures of me, I know EXACTLY when I was drinking alcohol, fat Karla = drinking Karla
Booze was my killer, or at least one of the problems :p
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I can't remember the last time I had a regular soda!
Hockey was a tough game for me because I never was able to learn to skate backwards!
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I used to drink real sodas, but only when we went out to eat. I cannot stand diet soda, so I just switched all together to selter water or unsweetened ice tea. I found I don't like to have a sweet beverage with my meals and the food tastes better without those competing tastes.
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I can't say I have a story, but yes, I do know cutting out any & all high sugary beverages is a MUST to weight loss. Just can't imagine a success story based on drinking a 6-pack of cola or junk juices.
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When I was growing up my parents bought only diet soda because the other was supposed to rot our teeth. So I never ever liked the kind with sugar. Phew, one bullet dodged.
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Isn't that crazy how something as insignificant as giving up soda could help him lose so much? I wonder how many more years he tacked on his lifespan because of that one sacrifice. It's really encouraging to hear stories like that.
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well i haven't had regular soda since we were kids drinking Pepsi with you and dad.... but since Ray and I started running we have also cut out diet coke which we think has helped a lot. i can't believe how we used to crave it everyday. now we only indulge when we occasionally eat out. we feel a lot better without it! good thing coffee is so good or i might be more upset... great info, thanks, Jody!!
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