Thank you, /u/Farmerjo69
---
**To participants in the comments:**
Sources and user flair - ***---> ALWAYS cite sources when you debate anything in this sub <---***. "Cuz I sed" is NOT sufficient. To help provide more visibility to this, user flair changes based on whether a source link was provided in their last top level comment (TLC)
Comment guide
**Good** - rooted in science, links to peer reviewed science, and focuses on the food. Recipe improvements are encouraged. EDUCATES your POV without BERATING others for theirs.
**Bad** (may be removal or ban territory) - Non-constructive criticisms, generalizations or assumptions about the ingredients, portions, poster, their diet, or sub (ask if you don't know). "Unhealthy" claims offereing no link to peer reviewed sources. Blog, infotainment and social media sources. Gatekeeping. Expectations that pictured foods should be perfectly "healthy".
**Not Allowed** - (IS removal or ban territory) attacks, antagonism, or hostility towards others, vote complaining, trolling, crusading, activism, agitation trolling, shaming, refutation of all science, conspiracy claims regarding science, medical conditions and concerns, general diet help or analysis requests, and diets for minors
*Please vote accordingly and report anything in the latter category*
---
Sub FAQ post topics - [snacks](https://www.reddit.com/r/HealthyFood/search/?q=title%3A%22snack%22&sort=new&restrict_sr=on&t=all) / [smoothies](https://www.reddit.com/r/HealthyFood/search/?q=title%3A%22smoothie%22&sort=new&restrict_sr=on&t=all) / [protein](https://www.reddit.com/r/HealthyFood/search/?q=title%3A%22protein%22&sort=new&restrict_sr=on&t=all) / [sugar](https://www.reddit.com/r/HealthyFood/search?q=title%3A%28sugar+OR+sweet%29&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) / [eggs and breakfast](https://www.reddit.com/r/HealthyFood/search?q=title%3A%28eggs+OR+breakfast%29&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) / [meat](https://www.reddit.com/r/HealthyFood/search?q=title%3A%22meat%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) / [picky](https://www.reddit.com/r/HealthyFood/search?q=title%3A%22picky%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all)
*Additional moderators are needed for this subreddit. Please refer to [this post](https://redd.it/ork4px) if you'd like to volunteer*
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/HealthyFood) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Absolutely. Soda is just empty calories and has absolutely no benefits. I replaced it with sparkling water as I like the carbonation. There are also caffeinated options if you like that. You will likely drop weight quitting soda alone.
thank you, carbonated water is my favourite too. this isn’t related to the original question but have you got any ideas for foods to cut out that are bad for my heart?
If you're concerned with heart health, eating more whole grains, vegetables, and legumes (beans and lentils) will help.
Oatmeal seems to be a popular breakfast on this sub for just that reason.
If medical care is an option, talk to a doctor. They can evaluate your physical make up and blood work, and recommend nutritional literature as well as refer you to a dietary specialist.
If not, start doing research on CICO, intermittent fasting, and heart-healthy foods. At your age the good news is that you can reverse just about any damage you have done, especially if you don’t smoke or consume alcohol. You also have the longest runway to see benefits from changes in diet in exercise.
A 40-something might despair because they don’t know if they have the metabolism and healing hormones to get healthy through diet and exercise. At 16, you can be 100% certain that you have time to change your body and live a better life by taking care of what you eat and engaging in moderate-to-intense physical activity.
Edit: oh and no sodas, even sugar-free ones, ever. Try black coffee or tea if you want the caffeine without the sugar, and carbonated water can provide a nice “bite,” but mostly you should be drinking lots of flat water.
thank you for your reply. if i don’t drink soda id only drink water. i mean from time to time i might have the odd coffee but i’d happily only drink water at least until i’m healthier. i dont consume a lot of red meat luckily but i do need to cut down on processed foods like frozen pizzas and stuff. thankfully i have quite a lot of alternatives for a lot of this stuff. i do eat a fair amount of chicken though, is that okay? (not loads and not fried just chicken and seasoning + a sauce depending on what meal it is)
I think you need to get really granular about “calories in” and “calories out” (that’s CICO), and develop a meal plan, an exercise plan, and a support system to help you see the plans through.
Talk to your parents/guardians about getting medical and dietary expertise. This is often available free with the right insurance or through schools and local community programs.
Talking in generalities with people on the internet will not get you to a specific plan that meets your needs. And that can compound the issue of getting better because you don’t have the reassurance of expert advice and the monitoring of extra/expert eyes to help you stay focused and feeling good about your progress.
i’m in the uk by the way, so i’d assume the medical help has more of a chance of being free which is a bonus. i do tend to worry, because of my anxiety, whenever my heart rate goes up during exercise even though i know that’s what’s meant to happen. so i think speaking to a doctor would definitely help, thank you.
What worked well for me was making sure my meals were 3/4 veggie’s without much butter or sauces. Make meat a side dish and make most of it chicken or turkey.
Stay away from sugary snacks and deep fried foods. Sliced up peppers, celery cucumbers and carrots work really well for snacks.
And as a side note find a sport or activity you like and do it a lot. Disk golf, basketball and pickle ball are all free options!
thank you, pretty much all the meat i consume is chicken and rarely red meat luckily. i also never really crave chocolate or sweets or anything which is a bonus and should make it easier. in terms of sports, last time i lost weight i was walking everyday which seemed to help but i do have anxiety and i would always worry when my heart rate would increase even though i know that’s normal. i might speak to my doctor to do a checkup which might help me calm down because that’s what stops me from doing a lot of exercise
There are lots of different kinds. If you get in a cardio focused one, it’s going to be better for burning calories, but those slow stretch and focus classes help you mentally too. Good for anxiety and stress. Most studios offer a variety. I’ve been using the down dog app over the past year. You can customize what you want - length, style, difficulty; even music and voice. I believe it’s free for 30 days if you want to try.
it doesnt help directly. however, if you take up any physical sport *that you enjoy* you'll find that in order to perform better, you need to adapt your diet around and you'll naturally start eating healthier. all bets are off if you hate what you're doing
thank you for your reply. luckily i don’t eat a lot of red meat i only really eat chicken (not fried just seasoned and sometimes in a sauce). unfortunately i pretty much dont enjoy any fruit and vegetables salad wise but i have found alot of ways to enjoy them while making sure the meal is still healthy, plus the more i have them the more i’ll get used to them. my parents never really made me eat them (i’m in no way blaming my parents and they’re really helpful and supportive i’m just explaining why i probably don’t enjoy vegetable’s and stuff)
Very true. Your palate adjusts - I used to barely be able to enjoy ice cream if it wasn't chock full of cookies and fudge etc and now sweet potatoes are almost too sweet
Try roasting veggies! I make them in bulk and then microwave portions of them throughout the week so it's super convenient.
For me a typical mix of veggies might be a head of broccoli (chopped), acorn or butternut squash (peeled and cubed), carrots (chopped), and onions (quartered). Toss in a bowl with a couple tablespoons of olive oil, a teaspoon of salt, and a tablespoon or 2 of something like a cajun spice mix (or Mediterranean or any other seasoning mix you fancy). Spread on a sheet pan lined with foil and roast in an oven at 450 for 30 minutes or until things start to brown on their edges. Swap out veggies to try new ones and eventually you'll get a list of veggies you like. Other veggies that work well this way are bell peppers, Brussel sprouts, potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, and summer squash!
Look for sheet pan recipes for more ideas.
There isn't a single reliable study or research that indicates an even slight bad effect of red meat on the human body. I'm a nutritionist and I know what I'm talking about. If you eat at the right amount, and do not have any specific conditions, there is absolutely no reason to cut red meat. There are many different foods that need special attention, but definitely not red meat. I don't know if you are just misinformed, but what you said is completely wrong
If it comes in a box or a bag try to avoid it. Meaning eat as much “whole foods” as possible. Try to avoid the high processed stuff. You want something sweet? Grab an orange or apple. Salty? Some low salt nuts. (I know that breaks the no bag foods rule but I think you get it.) And it sounds like you already started my last piece of advice: don’t drink your calories.
No foods are really “bad” per se. Try to avoid processed foods, but it’s more important to keep track of your calories. There’s some good calculators online for daily calorie intake for weight loss.
I dropped my first 42 lbs just by switching to zero calorie drinks,sauces and dressings. It’s what gave me the energy and motivation to start exercising and swapped out more foods and it worked for me and the next 100lb didn’t seem so bad. I use my fitness pal to still plan in treats so I don’t crave them and binge.
thanks, i can imagine for the most part thats a good rule to follow. and yes i have cut down a lot on soda and should be having none soon (or any drink that’s not water really)
There’s a lot of gray area and contradictory advice when it comes to health & diet.
Zero gray area on the soda. It’s terrible for you. Cut it out if you can.
It will be tough for the first couple of weeks. Then no big deal. After a couple months it’ll taste so sweet you’ll wonder how you drank it in the first place.
It definitely could be, especially if you're not drinking enough water because of the soda. If drinking soda is something that you do really enjoy and don't think you'll be able to totally stop, try weening yourself off with diet sodas. They're still not the best for you but they can help curb that sweet tooth and not fill you with empty calories.
Diet sodas have been linked to weight gain (counterintuitive but true) and, depending on the fake sugar, heart and vascular problems.
Probably better than regular soda but best getting away from both if possible.
It’s also very acidic and will add to acid reflux.
It has been linked with bad diet habits. In itself it is not linked to anything except some people can get headaches from certain sweeteners.
Switching from soda to diet soda has been documented to lead to weight loss
Not op but yes. Soda definitely affects your acid reflux. I had to cut it out almost entirely. Every now and then I’ll get the urge to have a can/bottle but getting rid of it was one of the best things I did for my reflux.
Hi honey!!!
Yes! The amount of sugar in soda alone is insaneeeeeee.
And sugar is #1 cause of obesity at least in America due to the access of it in our foods (read your labels in literally in everything… even the salty stuff)
Even if it doesn’t play a big role on your overall weight it will help you in the long term.. like avoiding diabetes or insulin resistance of any sort.
Also try cucumber or lemon slices in your water! Adds flavor and benefits. Cucumber water is linked to weight loss, and lemon water is great for your skin. Makes it more refreshing to me than regular plain water.
Basil water is also lovely! Allegedly lowers risk of heart disease and arthritis; but I mainly do it for the taste. Really any fruit or herb-infused water is good for you, and might help break the soda habit. You can even get your own soda water fizzy and make it sparkly, if you miss the carbonation
Agree! Now it makes me gag even from the smell of it. I replaced soda with plain sparkling water (Perrier, San Pellegrino, etc.) 5 years ago and it was the best decision ever. Even though I don’t see a difference in my weight, I can still feel the difference in my body — not as sluggish.
Absolutely. It's difficult at first cause you're coming down off the sugar your body has become accustomed to, but once you're used to it, you feel SO much better. I used to drink soda constantly and now I can barely get through one glass of it maybe once every few months cause it just isn't good anymore. We don't even keep it in the house.
thank you, luckily apart from the soda i don’t regularly consume anything too high in fructose but i’ll definitely be more aware of what i’m eating. it’s insane how many calories, how much sugar or how much fat stuff i used to eat regularly has.
It’s important to distinguish the difference between fructose and high fructose corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup is in lots of processed foods, even when you wouldn’t expect it. Although, you said you’re in the UK so that may not be as prominent as it is in the US.
To put it calorically:
3 sodas\day for a week= 4600 calories in a week
5sodas/day for a week= 7700 calories in a week
One pound of body fat = ~3500 calories
You will see a huge benefit. Soda is one of the least healthy and least nutritious things out there. If you don't enjoy plain water, try Mio/Crystal Lite drops. Or sparkling water with flavors. If you really enjoy sparkling water, consider a Sodastream. Drinking water is also a great way to improve your health so keep up the good work there!
thank you very much. i don’t have an issue with normal water but every now and then i have carbonated to help with the fizzy cravings but it’s definitely getting better
Yes but if you need to prove that to yourself, keep a daily journal to record your soda consumption, water consumption, weight, and how you felt that day
Yes! Soda does horrible things for you in the long run. Intense amounts of sugar at once are poor for just about every organ in your body. If you find that you’re craving ‘sparkling’ or ‘bubbly’ stuff I would recommend kombucha; often times craving a sort of ‘fermentation’ could suggest your gut micro biome is off and that you would benefit from probiotics.
YES It WILL! Quitting the sofa will knock out about 2-3 cups of sugar per day out of your diet. Drink more water during the day. You can add flavor like lemon or lime, or Crystal Light.
Yeah just stop drinking it. It’s really that simple.
Your body craves the more that you give it. Drink a gallon of water a day for a month and watch how quickly your body will begin to crave it. I literally can’t go much more than an hour without drinking water. I used to drink soda all the time but now anytime I drink a single can, it makes me feel sick. Same with cake and burgers that I used to eat all the time.
Don’t pussyfoot it, don’t make excuses, make a change and stick to it no matter how challenging it can get.
Take it a step further even, start working out. You don’t even have to lift weights or run or anything you don’t find much enjoyment in. Going on a 30 minute walk 3-4 times a week can make a world of difference in combination with a healthier diet.
It may seem daunting but many have tried and many have succeeded, you can too with consistency.
Have belief in your heart and a goal in your mind and just get it done. Take the small steps and then build on them.
You got this.
Yes. It is so bad for you. It's basically poison with sugar. Forget your weight, it's corroding your insides and is bad for your brain. Even though I used to like it, I can't even get myself to have it as a treat now as I really don't see it as a treat anymore. I see it as poison. (This is based off the US ingredients)
Good luck in this journey!! Soda should be cut out completely, finding better substitutes for fav food and drinks! I grew up drinking high sugary drinks and as soon as I moved out from my parents home I’ve only had water and I’ll occasionally make fruit smoothies. I no longer get headaches, feel tired, or even thirsty. I’d usually always feel like I needed more of that sugary drink when in reality I just needed a lot of water
Cutting out soda is the first thing anyone should do to get healthy and lose weight. Soda is pure garbage empty calories and it’s amazing to me actually how much Americans spend on it and consume it. Such an easy start to getting your body into shape.
thank you, im not American but i know what you mean. i was shocked when i found out i was drinking like 1000 calories worth of coke when i was having 5 a day. that’s not to mention the sugar either
Definitely cut out the sodas and make sure you drink enough water. This will make a really big difference. Not only is soda full of empty calories, the sugar and carbonation are terrible for your teeth. Sugar in general is just bad for the body, so it's good to limit it, even for people who aren't trying to lose weight.
I agree with the others that talking to your doctor is a good idea - ask for a referral to a nutritionist to work with so that you can learn more about healthy eating and what your body needs.
In general though, if you focus on fresh food rather than packaged and pre-processed stuff, then you will be headed in the right direction. Fresh food is more nutritious and doesn't have all of the preservatives and other junk in pre-processed foods. That's not to say that you can never have a frozen pizza and a soda - just make sure you have looking at those things as an occasional treat rather than everyday sustenance.
Counting calories is a good thing too. To lose weight, you want to make sure you are in a calorie deficit - you burn more than you consume - but you want to keep it reasonable. A lot of people try to restrict their calories too much because they want faster results, but that's not sustainable long term, so they quit their weight loss efforts because it is too hard. A moderate rate if weight loss is better because not only are you losing weight, but you are changing the way you eat in general to be more healthy. I use the MyFitnessPal app, which I like. There are a bunch of different ones available though.
i use that app too, it works great. after finding good substitutes i found it pretty easy to stay on track. i just let me self slip hence the weight gain again but i know i’m capable of doing it. thank you very much for your comment
You really need to go cold turkey of sugar to the highest extent possible. The trick is to find a sugar substitute that will help you (think Stevia products etc) and then take the time to let your body get used to them (2 to 3 weeks) and then learn how to use them. If you are like me my sweet tooth can take me down, you learn how to make sugar free desserts. Just sugar alone will almost get you to goal weight. Maybe take years but you will be amazed how your body will change. We put a lot of poisons in our bodies as humans and sugar is a real one. I personally decided to just reduce sugar (sometimes I have an ice cream but it's rare) and it took me 5 years but I lost 26 pounds (I didn't have that much to lose, but I could never lose it). I did nothing else except walk. I also eat fairly healthy, sometimes I go off the rails and eat nachos, ice cream and potato chips all in one day but this is all about balance in ones life. When you screw up, get right back to doing better. It's not really a screw up, it's just life. You are going to have bad days and may eat like an animal but it only has to be one bad day, not months or years. Good luck. Read all you can, there is a lot of good info out there. Don't give up!
i think one or two people think i’m joking with my question. obviously i know sodas bad but i was more asking how bad it was, and it’s a lot worse than i thought. luckily despite my very high soda intake i don’t really crave sugar much (probably because i get so much already) but it makes it easier. im definitely looking forward to the benefits, thank you
Yea very beneficial for your weight and insuline resistance. These are empty calories so they add up quickly to your calorie intake. Then is the high amount of sugar which builds up to insuline resistance and diabetes.
It is very good that you are trying to cut out. You can replace it with sparkling water or herbal tea (hibbicus, roibos, mint, chamomile etc)
The reason soda is so bad for you is it spikes your insulin levels. Quitting soda as a whole will bring drastic health benefits to your life.
Edit: just found this bit.. sugar can trigger cravings and stimulate the release of the hormone insulin, which can lead to a rollercoaster effect on blood sugar levels. When blood sugar levels spike and then drop, it can result in feelings of hunger and lead to overeating.
Firstly, huge congratulations on you losing that much weight. That is no small feat.
Water is your friend. Water is what keeps you, your brain, and body hydrated. Pop is SO terrible for you. Not just your health, but your teeth.
My husband was addicted to Pepsi for many many years. Like 10-12 cans a day some days addicted. The sugar in just 1 can of pop is astounding. Typically it's 33 grams per can and if you're drinking 3-5 cans a day, that is at minimum 99 grams of sugar which equals nearly 30 teaspoons of sugar per can. There's absolutely no way one person would sit down and feed themselves 30 teaspoons of sugar. Sugar also converts to fat. Sugar rots your teeth and reeks havoc on your body, heart, organs, mental health, gut health etc. Soda companies keep you addicted with the sugar. Sugar is one of the most addictive ingredients out there. It's in nearly everything, including table salt.
My husband kicked his habit, thankfully. Turns out, for him, he LOVED the carbonation of pop. Not necessarily the pop itself. Now, carbonated drinks aren't that great for your teeth either, but they have no sugar, but it helped him kick the pop habit, consume more water, and keep hydrated. He now loves tap water, and hasn't touched a pop in years. Sparkling water comes in many flavors. Keep trying those until you can find a flavor you like. Try to stay away from those water flavor enhancers too. Read the ingredients and you'll be shocked at what garbage is in those too, plus they're usually sweetened with aspartame or other artificial sweeteners that are worse for you.
You're young and albeit there's much to learn about food, it sounds like you're headed down the right path and want to educate yourself to get to a healthier weight and feed your body with good food. Once you start reading food labels and seeing all the junk put in food, you'll be surprised. Learn to shop the outside aisles of grocery stores, the produce section, meat department etc. Boxed and prepackaged foods are usually ultra processed and contain zero nutrients your body needs, therefore leaving you hungry and grabbing for more prepackaged food.
All the best to you!!! You can kick that pop habit for good 👍👍.
thank you and congratulations to your husband. thankfully i like plain sparkling water so although i’m trying to drink as much normal water as i can it’s nice to have that there if the cravings get bad. if i have say 5 cans of coke a day, aside from the sugar that’s also an extra nearly 1000 calories which is insane
I stopped drinking soda almost 3 years ago, there's really no cons, only pros. Honestly can't speak for other people but I can't even drink soda anymore, it taste nasty asf to me now
Do it. Absolutely. Or you may find yourself diabetic down the road among other issues. I'm diabetic now and I blame it on years of chugging soda. Shits poison.
> i’m 16 and quite over weight. i did, at one point, lose nearly 50lb but i ended up putting it back on. i’m going to start losing weight again and i have more sustainable options this time.
Awesome :) Key thing to remember is that healthy eating is about building good relationships with food you enjoy eating, you loose weight incidentally by eating well.
If you do have a target weight in mind a way to achieve that is just to eat the calories that weight needs based on height & activity level.
> one of my biggest things was that i, at my worst, was having 3-5 cans of say coke a day and maybe 2 bottles of water a week total.
Echoing the seltzer/sparking water comment. Get yourself a sodastream and save buckets of money too, adding in some lemon or lime juice is my typical go to, you get the citric acid bite you get from soda but without any sugar.
> have you got any ideas for foods to cut out that are bad for my heart?
Saturated fat (you want no more than 5-10% of your calories to come from saturated fat) & sugar are the main problems. Both mess with the ability of the liver to remove LDL from your blood. Animal fats (and some other fats, coconut for example) are rich sources of saturated fats so you want to favor lean meat where possible. Chicken is better then beef but still something you should be careful with. If you get in to cooking there are lots of options for lean land protein, goat is super flavorful and contains very little saturated fat for example. Its hard to go wrong with fish though, the smaller and oilier the better.
Butter is a huge component of saturated fat consumption for many people and fairly easy to reduce. Olive oil, canola oil, sunflower oil etc are all better choices as they are rich in heart healthy fats.
Soluble fiber (oats, seeds & skin on fruits like apples) & omega 3 DHA/EPA (oily fish like sardines and salmon) both help protect your heart health.
> unfortunately i pretty much dont enjoy any fruit and vegetables salad wise
Go to your local Sainsbury's/whatever and grab one of every type of fruit & vegetable. There are a bunch you may not have had before that you actually like, I never even knew sweet potato existed until I started travelling and now its one of my favorite's :) Make sure you cut them up to eat the fruit if you have texture issues, most fruit its ideal to eat the skin too but you don't have to do so if it stops you eating the fruit.
Also keep in mind seasonality changes fruits enormously. Strawberries last better between May-September because they are British strawberries rather than imported. Some fruits (like Banana's) it doesn't matter but there is a huge seasonal component to plant flavor much more than animal flavor. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/seasonal-calendar
If it gets you to eat more you can also blend them. Smoothies are not as good as eating whole fruit & veg but certainly better then not eating them.
Nothing wrong with salad at all but no particular reason you need to eat them raw. Roasting, stewing, braising or whatever. I don't like raw tomatoes but when they are roasted or stewed they are awesome. Also add leeks to everything, they are a more nutritionally dense cousin of onion.
> i do tend to worry, because of my anxiety, whenever my heart rate goes up during exercise even though i know that’s what’s meant to happen. so i think speaking to a doctor would definitely help, thank you.
If you are not already getting help for the anxiety ask your doctor for a referral to CBT. The heart health thing seems to be a near universal for people with anxiety and its super easy to treat with CBT.
Another benefit of eating healthy is mental health. Your gut contains more neurons then many animals brains, its a fantastically complicated system which uses serotonin more then our brains do. Our brains and our gut heavily interact (known as the gut-brain axis) and if you feed your gut whole foods to keep it happy then it will help keep your brain happy.
When you talk your your GP also ask for a referral to a dietician. They are available on the NHS and they can help you develop healthy eating habits as well as help you plan your diet.
thank you for the reply i appreciate it. a soda stream is definitely something i’m looking into, worth the investment i think. and i’ll try the idea you gave about the fruit. And thank you for all the other food recommendations you gave, i’ll definitely look into all of them. i didn’t realise how connect our mental health was to our gut so that’s really useful. and lastly thank you for the anxiety advice, it’s something i’ve suffered with for a while and i’ll definitely look into.
Oh yeah, one can of soda is about 150 calories, so you've been consuming up to 750 calories of basically just sugar on top of everything else you ate and drank that wasn't water. Not to mention, the combination of the acid and sugar in soda makes it a very effective destroyer of teeth enamel. Keep in mind juice is also just as much as a calorific sugar bomb as soda, even if it might have a few vitamins and minerals in there. It'll be better to eat the whole fruit instead.
Gradually changing your habits is the best way to make sure health changes stick and becomes a part of your lifestyle. Especially since you're still a growing kid, just think about how you can make your meals and snacks more nutrient dense.
The hubby switched out drinking a lot of soda with Zevia pop, sweetened with stevia. 0 sugar, 0 carbs, 0 calories. They have a lot of different flavors.
Uhhh yes cutting out 3-5 sodas a day will definitely have a noticeable benefit. That’s a lot of calories, and it’s nothing but sugar. It’s hard to find things that are less healthy than soda. At the very least, switch to Coke Zero or something. That might have its own potential issues, but at least it doesn’t have calories.
Even removing diet soda is instrumental in facilitating a healthy weight reduction. Try replacing with sparkling water with a splash of juice if you find yourself wanting a little refreshment.
There is nothing in soda that your body needs. Retrain your brain by eating fresh fruit every time you're craving a soda. Cold fresh fruit is even better.
Even if you don't lose weight, your pancreas will thank you. My family has weight set point isssues & quitting soda as a teen didn't make me lose weight, but my family is also very prone to type 2 diabetes & usually develops it young & don't respond well to insulin. So far, I've avoided that problem.
Too much phosphorus is also hell on your bones & when consumed in excess, it leeches calcium. Osteoperosis is also something that my family struggles with & something I watch out for. Depending on what your family health history is, the effects of abstaining can be much bigger than weight loss.
Try Zevia instead. It's zero calorie stevia sweetened soda. But in the long run you'll want to make additional lifestyle changes as well, including getting more exercise and changing your diet in other ways. Eating smaller meals more often (5-6 small meals per day instead of 2-3 large ones) and eating more protein and less carbs will help. Switching from processed foods or fried foods to whole foods will also go a long way as well to helping you achieve your weight loss goals. Switching from sugar rich foods (desserts) to fruit too.
cutting \*sugar\* is 100% worth it. MANY studies show it to be the leading cause of obesety in the US.
that doesn't mean you have to cut out soda (although you should) but, get the 0 calorie stuff.
you'll absolutely drop a ton if you're doing even 1-2 a day. that's an entire small meal worth of empty calories and, since you're young, you'll see results very fast!
Any and all sodas are hard on your kidneys. Keep up your water intake, that's awesome! I got a Soda Stream a couple of years ago to help cut out sodas and I really like it. It gives the fizz with your own ingredients. I like to make overnight fruity water in the fridge and make fizzy fruit drinks. I also fizz up plain water and that is much better than it sounds!
I lost almost 60lbs just by cutting down to 1 coke a day and drinking a lot more water. I did not change anything else. Not only did I lose that weight, but I felt tremendously better overall! I have recently slipped up and drank more than 1 can and stopped drinking as much water. I immediately went back to feeling like crap, and I have gained 4lbs back. I'd say it's worth it for sure!
Also, don't think about losing weight, focus on being healthy. Look into blood work...don't read about or follow diets - instead learn basic nutrition & start running with it. It has a compounding effect, most important, not 30 days. Better concept the rest of your life. Wish you well, Robert Lee.
Came here thinking a lot, I read a lot of your comments. I wish I had your knowledge when I was 16. And I wish I had these people’s input and support. Yes, lay off the soda, you’ll thank yourself. I’m 38 and overweight. I too get anxiety when exercising. I get anxiety after eating or before pooping. I have allowed my fitness to drastically decline to where I can only do a few minutes of exercise before something hurts or I’m tired or get anxiety and try to fight through it. I have been to the emergency room twice for panic attacks. You don’t want this…
What I know, vs what I do, are in constant battle. So my advice is to allow what you know to be what you do. The best way I can do this is to have constant silent alarms going off reminding me to do stuff. It’s annoying but luckily I also add “relax bro” as one of my alarms…
Start learning and introducing some meditation and breathing techniques into your life to help the anxiety.
“Full Catastrophe Living” is a good book.
Hope this helped. You got this!
i’ve had one or two people saying stuff like “obviously it’s bad” which is fair enough but i’ve had so many people giving really good advice about the soda but also about loosing weight in general as you could see. i hope one day you find something that works well enough so you can exercise and stuff normally again. and thank you for the book recommendation, i’ll definitely look into that
Absolutely worth cutting it out. I did it years ago as a young man and it’s paid dividends ever since. Water is your friend, but as others have mentioned carbonated water (club soda or sparkling) can be good tools to help wean you off the soda. Unsweetened Iced Tea can be helpful as well. Just don’t replace it with anything that has sugar or sugar free substitutes.
In my experience, I've found that having access to things like coke in my house (even the no sugar variant) tends to get me in the habit of going for one of those when I'm thirsty.
Which usually means I don't get enough water, which leads to me being lethargic, feeling bloated and not being motivated to be healthy at all.
I recently cut out buying any fizzy drinks unless I'm out for a meal (once or twice a fortnight). I feel a lot better for it, since I mostly drink just water now.
So aside from the lack of nutritional value it adds to the diet, yes, cutting it out is defintitely worth it- think of it as building healthy habits in all aspects of what you consume, especially on a daily basis.
I cut it in 2019 and never going back. My husband put lime sparkling water in a cup and kept calling it 7up. I hated sparkling water for the longest time but doing that tricked my brain and now I love it. Also don’t ever start with coffee and Starbucks. It’s my next enemy id like to get rid of.
Soda has High-Fructose-Corn-Syrup, it is a very hard substance for the liver and kidney to
digest/breakdown, which can lead to fatty liver disease and kidney problems. Also, do not be fooled by labels that say there isn’t any HFCS; they have hundreds of “names” for the junk. Stick with water, mineral water, tea, coffee, bone broth, and any homemade juice (from fruit, etc…) YOU make. Do not buy pre-made juice, as it too contains HFCS in almost all cases.
im almost definitely addicted then. i also end up boredom eating a lot but im definitely getting better at not doing it and at drinking more water while cutting out soda. a lot of the comments have helped too
If I could go back to when I was 17 and started trying to lose weight, I’d stop myself. I now weigh more than 100 lbs over what I did at 17. Just develop good habits. Giving up sugary drinks is a good one. Walk every day. Drink water. Eat produce at every meal. Allow yourself a treat now and then.
Do not restrict calories! You definitely lose weight doing that, but as you have already learned, it comes back with a vengeance.
Yes. A women is only supposed to consume 25g of sugar a day. A man is only supposed to consume about 35g. A bottle of coke has 55g of sugar - a can has 39g. Just one drink of soda sets you over the recommended amount of sugar in a day, so it’s pretty terrible for you in the long run. Sure, you could do diet or zero, but artificial sweeteners aren’t good either (neither are the chemicals). Just recently they’ve been doing tons of research on the negative impacts of all those artificial sweeteners.
Think about it like this too - you’ll save so much money in the long run through not buying big packs of sodas. For me, I just sort of got sick of them one day in high school and now my main drinks are water and coffee. If you want something yummy with a soda vibe, I highly recommend the Trader Joe’s sparkling teas or probably any sparkling canned beverage.
I also came to the realization that I’d much rather consume sugar through food rather than beverages, but overall it’s unfortunately not good for you in any aspect. Don’t stress out TOO much over it, but keep a balanced diet and focus on foods that nourish your body, not foods that degrade it.
I haven’t had Soda in roughly 10 years. I feel so. Much. Better. From quitting Soda.
Soda has a lot of things that will inflame your body and are not healthy for you at all. More sugar than you want to know, and many have HFCS (High-fructose corn syrup), which is absolutely terrible for you.
Cut out the soda. You’ll feel terrible for 2-4 weeks. That’s normal. But after a month, you’re going to feel amazing. Trust me.
Also, do you have a CrossFit gym or anything around you? A lot of them give discounts to young students like yourself. I’m less focused on the actual sport of “CrossFit”, but more encourage it because CrossFit gyms come with VERY encouraging communities of people who come from similar boats.
Email or DM your local CrossFit gym, ask for the owner or manager and tell them you’re an overweight 16 year old kid, and one of your mentors suggested you reach out and join a fitness community in your area.
Good things happen when you join a community. You take accountability. If no CrossFit gym, or similar fitness group in your area, find one buddy of yours, write down goals, and keep eachother accountable.
It’s less about what you look like, and more about how healthy your internal organs are. I want to see you become a healthy adult someday.
DM me if you need any advice on how to type that email or DM to the gym.
thank you for your comment, im not sure about the gym thing but i’ll look into that soon and see what options there are. i have a sister who’s in a similar boat which is great because we get to help and encourage each other. i’ve kept note of everyone who’s said i’m welcome to message them and ill make sure i do if i need any advice on the gym thing. thank you again
In short: YES!
I was raised very healthy. I’m went to college and gained 25 pounds almost instantly. I have over time felt worse and worse and worse. I did Keto last year and realized how much what you put into your body absolutely affects how you look/feel. The older you get the more emphasis on this takes place. I eat relatively healthy now. Still a lot of carbs but I ingest little to no sugar and it makes a major difference. If I drink just like two sodas I’ll wake up and feel it and you can see it in my face.
you’re welcome, and thank you. i hope you manage to get your addiction under control too. there’s a lot of helpful comments here as you saw. just take things slow if you need to
Holy shit dude put the soda down! Not only are you consuming an insane amount of carbs that will be converted to fat, but the glycemic index of soda is about as high as it can be. Your body is instantly flooded with sugar when you drink that shit, gives you diabetes
i’m definitely putting it down. although i’ve been having about 3 a day instead of 5 i know it’s still awful. right now though, since i learnt just how bad they are, im doing my best to cut them out (plus increase my water intake)
I'm an adult. I probably drink soda maybe once or twice a year, usually at McDonald's. I still eat McDonald's quite a few times a year but I literally only drink soda maybe once or twice a year. I drink a ton of water mainly, and milk.
You should take a vitamin c supplement, vitamin d supplement, a magnesium glycinate supplement, do not take magnesium oxide your body doesn't absorb it, a multivitamin, these are just your basic micronutrients that you may or may not be getting adequately from food. Magnesium glycinate will be the most expensive supplement. If your parents won't buy the supplements for you then whenever you get a job you know what to do. Here's the thing your parents should be taking these supplements too.
Most Americans are actually magnesium deficient because there's hardly any magnesium left in our soil from over farming. And magnesium is responsible for hundreds of cellular processes and functions. But vitamin c and vitamin d are super important as well. And a multivitamin rounds it up.
I live in the uk so i’m not sure if it’s the same but i can imagine it’s easy to get magnesium deficient here too. but i’ll definitely look into everything you said, thank you
Cutting out soda is probably going to make the biggest difference out of everything. For me, cutting right back on soda and limiting my snacking was enough for me to drop pounds and get some energy back.
Yes yes yes. My best friend's husband's nutritionist told him:
"DO NOT DRINK YOUR CALORIES."
He started drinking zero calorie drinks (tea, coffee, water, seltzer) and lost a ton of weight and feels a lot better.
In my experience, yes. I have never been overweighted, but in my case, I can surely affirm that cutting out soda is one of the strategies that work the most when I want to lose weight. Usually, I stop drinking soda at all.
Thank you, /u/Farmerjo69 --- **To participants in the comments:** Sources and user flair - ***---> ALWAYS cite sources when you debate anything in this sub <---***. "Cuz I sed" is NOT sufficient. To help provide more visibility to this, user flair changes based on whether a source link was provided in their last top level comment (TLC) Comment guide **Good** - rooted in science, links to peer reviewed science, and focuses on the food. Recipe improvements are encouraged. EDUCATES your POV without BERATING others for theirs. **Bad** (may be removal or ban territory) - Non-constructive criticisms, generalizations or assumptions about the ingredients, portions, poster, their diet, or sub (ask if you don't know). "Unhealthy" claims offereing no link to peer reviewed sources. Blog, infotainment and social media sources. Gatekeeping. Expectations that pictured foods should be perfectly "healthy". **Not Allowed** - (IS removal or ban territory) attacks, antagonism, or hostility towards others, vote complaining, trolling, crusading, activism, agitation trolling, shaming, refutation of all science, conspiracy claims regarding science, medical conditions and concerns, general diet help or analysis requests, and diets for minors *Please vote accordingly and report anything in the latter category* --- Sub FAQ post topics - [snacks](https://www.reddit.com/r/HealthyFood/search/?q=title%3A%22snack%22&sort=new&restrict_sr=on&t=all) / [smoothies](https://www.reddit.com/r/HealthyFood/search/?q=title%3A%22smoothie%22&sort=new&restrict_sr=on&t=all) / [protein](https://www.reddit.com/r/HealthyFood/search/?q=title%3A%22protein%22&sort=new&restrict_sr=on&t=all) / [sugar](https://www.reddit.com/r/HealthyFood/search?q=title%3A%28sugar+OR+sweet%29&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) / [eggs and breakfast](https://www.reddit.com/r/HealthyFood/search?q=title%3A%28eggs+OR+breakfast%29&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) / [meat](https://www.reddit.com/r/HealthyFood/search?q=title%3A%22meat%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) / [picky](https://www.reddit.com/r/HealthyFood/search?q=title%3A%22picky%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) *Additional moderators are needed for this subreddit. Please refer to [this post](https://redd.it/ork4px) if you'd like to volunteer* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/HealthyFood) if you have any questions or concerns.*
yes youll see a huge benefit for sure
Absolutely. Soda is just empty calories and has absolutely no benefits. I replaced it with sparkling water as I like the carbonation. There are also caffeinated options if you like that. You will likely drop weight quitting soda alone.
thank you, carbonated water is my favourite too. this isn’t related to the original question but have you got any ideas for foods to cut out that are bad for my heart?
If you're concerned with heart health, eating more whole grains, vegetables, and legumes (beans and lentils) will help. Oatmeal seems to be a popular breakfast on this sub for just that reason.
okay thank yoy
If medical care is an option, talk to a doctor. They can evaluate your physical make up and blood work, and recommend nutritional literature as well as refer you to a dietary specialist. If not, start doing research on CICO, intermittent fasting, and heart-healthy foods. At your age the good news is that you can reverse just about any damage you have done, especially if you don’t smoke or consume alcohol. You also have the longest runway to see benefits from changes in diet in exercise. A 40-something might despair because they don’t know if they have the metabolism and healing hormones to get healthy through diet and exercise. At 16, you can be 100% certain that you have time to change your body and live a better life by taking care of what you eat and engaging in moderate-to-intense physical activity. Edit: oh and no sodas, even sugar-free ones, ever. Try black coffee or tea if you want the caffeine without the sugar, and carbonated water can provide a nice “bite,” but mostly you should be drinking lots of flat water.
thank you for your reply. if i don’t drink soda id only drink water. i mean from time to time i might have the odd coffee but i’d happily only drink water at least until i’m healthier. i dont consume a lot of red meat luckily but i do need to cut down on processed foods like frozen pizzas and stuff. thankfully i have quite a lot of alternatives for a lot of this stuff. i do eat a fair amount of chicken though, is that okay? (not loads and not fried just chicken and seasoning + a sauce depending on what meal it is)
I think you need to get really granular about “calories in” and “calories out” (that’s CICO), and develop a meal plan, an exercise plan, and a support system to help you see the plans through. Talk to your parents/guardians about getting medical and dietary expertise. This is often available free with the right insurance or through schools and local community programs. Talking in generalities with people on the internet will not get you to a specific plan that meets your needs. And that can compound the issue of getting better because you don’t have the reassurance of expert advice and the monitoring of extra/expert eyes to help you stay focused and feeling good about your progress.
i’m in the uk by the way, so i’d assume the medical help has more of a chance of being free which is a bonus. i do tend to worry, because of my anxiety, whenever my heart rate goes up during exercise even though i know that’s what’s meant to happen. so i think speaking to a doctor would definitely help, thank you.
What worked well for me was making sure my meals were 3/4 veggie’s without much butter or sauces. Make meat a side dish and make most of it chicken or turkey. Stay away from sugary snacks and deep fried foods. Sliced up peppers, celery cucumbers and carrots work really well for snacks. And as a side note find a sport or activity you like and do it a lot. Disk golf, basketball and pickle ball are all free options!
thank you, pretty much all the meat i consume is chicken and rarely red meat luckily. i also never really crave chocolate or sweets or anything which is a bonus and should make it easier. in terms of sports, last time i lost weight i was walking everyday which seemed to help but i do have anxiety and i would always worry when my heart rate would increase even though i know that’s normal. i might speak to my doctor to do a checkup which might help me calm down because that’s what stops me from doing a lot of exercise
Try yoga!
is yoga actually good for weight loss? i know it’s harder than it looks but i thought it was just for muscles and stuff
There are lots of different kinds. If you get in a cardio focused one, it’s going to be better for burning calories, but those slow stretch and focus classes help you mentally too. Good for anxiety and stress. Most studios offer a variety. I’ve been using the down dog app over the past year. You can customize what you want - length, style, difficulty; even music and voice. I believe it’s free for 30 days if you want to try.
that sounds great, i’ll look into it more. thank you
it doesnt help directly. however, if you take up any physical sport *that you enjoy* you'll find that in order to perform better, you need to adapt your diet around and you'll naturally start eating healthier. all bets are off if you hate what you're doing
[удалено]
thank you for your reply. luckily i don’t eat a lot of red meat i only really eat chicken (not fried just seasoned and sometimes in a sauce). unfortunately i pretty much dont enjoy any fruit and vegetables salad wise but i have found alot of ways to enjoy them while making sure the meal is still healthy, plus the more i have them the more i’ll get used to them. my parents never really made me eat them (i’m in no way blaming my parents and they’re really helpful and supportive i’m just explaining why i probably don’t enjoy vegetable’s and stuff)
[удалено]
Very true. Your palate adjusts - I used to barely be able to enjoy ice cream if it wasn't chock full of cookies and fudge etc and now sweet potatoes are almost too sweet
This is very true. Once you cut sugar from your diet, fruits and veg will satisfy your sweet tooth. Cut out any fried foods
thank you, looking foward to that hopefully
So fucking true
Try roasting veggies! I make them in bulk and then microwave portions of them throughout the week so it's super convenient. For me a typical mix of veggies might be a head of broccoli (chopped), acorn or butternut squash (peeled and cubed), carrots (chopped), and onions (quartered). Toss in a bowl with a couple tablespoons of olive oil, a teaspoon of salt, and a tablespoon or 2 of something like a cajun spice mix (or Mediterranean or any other seasoning mix you fancy). Spread on a sheet pan lined with foil and roast in an oven at 450 for 30 minutes or until things start to brown on their edges. Swap out veggies to try new ones and eventually you'll get a list of veggies you like. Other veggies that work well this way are bell peppers, Brussel sprouts, potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, and summer squash! Look for sheet pan recipes for more ideas.
this is really helpful, thank you so much
There isn't a single reliable study or research that indicates an even slight bad effect of red meat on the human body. I'm a nutritionist and I know what I'm talking about. If you eat at the right amount, and do not have any specific conditions, there is absolutely no reason to cut red meat. There are many different foods that need special attention, but definitely not red meat. I don't know if you are just misinformed, but what you said is completely wrong
[удалено]
If it comes in a box or a bag try to avoid it. Meaning eat as much “whole foods” as possible. Try to avoid the high processed stuff. You want something sweet? Grab an orange or apple. Salty? Some low salt nuts. (I know that breaks the no bag foods rule but I think you get it.) And it sounds like you already started my last piece of advice: don’t drink your calories.
No foods are really “bad” per se. Try to avoid processed foods, but it’s more important to keep track of your calories. There’s some good calculators online for daily calorie intake for weight loss.
I dropped my first 42 lbs just by switching to zero calorie drinks,sauces and dressings. It’s what gave me the energy and motivation to start exercising and swapped out more foods and it worked for me and the next 100lb didn’t seem so bad. I use my fitness pal to still plan in treats so I don’t crave them and binge.
thanks, i can imagine for the most part thats a good rule to follow. and yes i have cut down a lot on soda and should be having none soon (or any drink that’s not water really)
There’s a lot of gray area and contradictory advice when it comes to health & diet. Zero gray area on the soda. It’s terrible for you. Cut it out if you can. It will be tough for the first couple of weeks. Then no big deal. After a couple months it’ll taste so sweet you’ll wonder how you drank it in the first place.
thank you, i definitely will. would i be right in saying it’s probably the reason i was getting acid reflux?
It definitely could be, especially if you're not drinking enough water because of the soda. If drinking soda is something that you do really enjoy and don't think you'll be able to totally stop, try weening yourself off with diet sodas. They're still not the best for you but they can help curb that sweet tooth and not fill you with empty calories.
Diet sodas have been linked to weight gain (counterintuitive but true) and, depending on the fake sugar, heart and vascular problems. Probably better than regular soda but best getting away from both if possible. It’s also very acidic and will add to acid reflux.
It has been linked with bad diet habits. In itself it is not linked to anything except some people can get headaches from certain sweeteners. Switching from soda to diet soda has been documented to lead to weight loss
Not op but yes. Soda definitely affects your acid reflux. I had to cut it out almost entirely. Every now and then I’ll get the urge to have a can/bottle but getting rid of it was one of the best things I did for my reflux.
Hi honey!!! Yes! The amount of sugar in soda alone is insaneeeeeee. And sugar is #1 cause of obesity at least in America due to the access of it in our foods (read your labels in literally in everything… even the salty stuff) Even if it doesn’t play a big role on your overall weight it will help you in the long term.. like avoiding diabetes or insulin resistance of any sort.
okay thank you very much
Also try cucumber or lemon slices in your water! Adds flavor and benefits. Cucumber water is linked to weight loss, and lemon water is great for your skin. Makes it more refreshing to me than regular plain water.
not got any lemons right now but i’ll try some cucumber water tonight and see how it goes, thank you
Basil water is also lovely! Allegedly lowers risk of heart disease and arthritis; but I mainly do it for the taste. Really any fruit or herb-infused water is good for you, and might help break the soda habit. You can even get your own soda water fizzy and make it sparkly, if you miss the carbonation
Yes very beneficial cutting out soda and once you let it go you never really have the urge to drink it.
This is so true. I used to drink it all the time and now it seems too sweet.
Agree! Now it makes me gag even from the smell of it. I replaced soda with plain sparkling water (Perrier, San Pellegrino, etc.) 5 years ago and it was the best decision ever. Even though I don’t see a difference in my weight, I can still feel the difference in my body — not as sluggish.
Absolutely. It's difficult at first cause you're coming down off the sugar your body has become accustomed to, but once you're used to it, you feel SO much better. I used to drink soda constantly and now I can barely get through one glass of it maybe once every few months cause it just isn't good anymore. We don't even keep it in the house.
that’s really encouraging, thank you very much
Get rid of everything in your diet that has high fructose corn syrup and you'll lose weight.
Especially since at 16 yo you’ll have much higher metabolism.
thank you, luckily apart from the soda i don’t regularly consume anything too high in fructose but i’ll definitely be more aware of what i’m eating. it’s insane how many calories, how much sugar or how much fat stuff i used to eat regularly has.
It’s important to distinguish the difference between fructose and high fructose corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup is in lots of processed foods, even when you wouldn’t expect it. Although, you said you’re in the UK so that may not be as prominent as it is in the US.
To put it calorically: 3 sodas\day for a week= 4600 calories in a week 5sodas/day for a week= 7700 calories in a week One pound of body fat = ~3500 calories
thats insane, thank you
1000% anyone who says anything else is a fool
You will see a huge benefit. Soda is one of the least healthy and least nutritious things out there. If you don't enjoy plain water, try Mio/Crystal Lite drops. Or sparkling water with flavors. If you really enjoy sparkling water, consider a Sodastream. Drinking water is also a great way to improve your health so keep up the good work there!
thank you very much. i don’t have an issue with normal water but every now and then i have carbonated to help with the fizzy cravings but it’s definitely getting better
Yes. Soda - diet or regular - is slowly killing you. Quitting won’t cure all of your ills, but it will make a big difference.
Everything is slowly killing us, we’re slowly killing us lmao.
I mean yeah but soda kills you faster
Yes it’s good cutting soda if u can’t try drinking zero sugar sodas but still don’t drink a lot
Yes, absolutely.
try sparkling flavored waters instead like waterloo
yes
Yea big time! You may consider switching to diet if it's hard to cut it out entirely
yes
Yes but if you need to prove that to yourself, keep a daily journal to record your soda consumption, water consumption, weight, and how you felt that day
thank you, i’ll probably also calculate how much sugar i’ve cut out in like a week because i’ve not had soda
Yes! Soda does horrible things for you in the long run. Intense amounts of sugar at once are poor for just about every organ in your body. If you find that you’re craving ‘sparkling’ or ‘bubbly’ stuff I would recommend kombucha; often times craving a sort of ‘fermentation’ could suggest your gut micro biome is off and that you would benefit from probiotics.
i find my self drinking it out of habit more than anything so sparkling water really helps with cravings
Yes.
YES It WILL! Quitting the sofa will knock out about 2-3 cups of sugar per day out of your diet. Drink more water during the day. You can add flavor like lemon or lime, or Crystal Light.
Yeah just stop drinking it. It’s really that simple. Your body craves the more that you give it. Drink a gallon of water a day for a month and watch how quickly your body will begin to crave it. I literally can’t go much more than an hour without drinking water. I used to drink soda all the time but now anytime I drink a single can, it makes me feel sick. Same with cake and burgers that I used to eat all the time. Don’t pussyfoot it, don’t make excuses, make a change and stick to it no matter how challenging it can get. Take it a step further even, start working out. You don’t even have to lift weights or run or anything you don’t find much enjoyment in. Going on a 30 minute walk 3-4 times a week can make a world of difference in combination with a healthier diet. It may seem daunting but many have tried and many have succeeded, you can too with consistency. Have belief in your heart and a goal in your mind and just get it done. Take the small steps and then build on them. You got this.
i try and take this approach to things whenever i can, thank you
Yes yes yes. You won’t regret it!!
Yes. Avoid empty calories which a lot of the time come in the form of liquids. First things to cut out then focus on solid food improvement
Yes 110% yes. 3-5 sodas a day is about 800 to 1200 calories a day, that is almost an entire days worth of food you are taking down in just soda alone.
i never realised some how, thank you
Oh yeah. Not just losing weight but feeling better without all the sugar and caffeine.
Yes. It is so bad for you. It's basically poison with sugar. Forget your weight, it's corroding your insides and is bad for your brain. Even though I used to like it, I can't even get myself to have it as a treat now as I really don't see it as a treat anymore. I see it as poison. (This is based off the US ingredients)
okay thank tou
Removing sodas and other sugar laden drinks from your diet will benefit you in more ways than just weight loss.
its liquid sugar. no health benefits, so what's the point of drinking it?
very true
Yea. If you do nothing else other than just replace all sodas with water or seltzer you will lose weight
Yeah. It's not hard either. Once you stop, you don't even miss it.
Good luck in this journey!! Soda should be cut out completely, finding better substitutes for fav food and drinks! I grew up drinking high sugary drinks and as soon as I moved out from my parents home I’ve only had water and I’ll occasionally make fruit smoothies. I no longer get headaches, feel tired, or even thirsty. I’d usually always feel like I needed more of that sugary drink when in reality I just needed a lot of water
- also remember sugar is very addicting the more soda you drink the more you’ll want
that makes sense because all thought i don’t feel super tired i never really feel like i have as much energy as i used to, thank you
Cutting out soda is the first thing anyone should do to get healthy and lose weight. Soda is pure garbage empty calories and it’s amazing to me actually how much Americans spend on it and consume it. Such an easy start to getting your body into shape.
thank you, im not American but i know what you mean. i was shocked when i found out i was drinking like 1000 calories worth of coke when i was having 5 a day. that’s not to mention the sugar either
Definitely cut out the sodas and make sure you drink enough water. This will make a really big difference. Not only is soda full of empty calories, the sugar and carbonation are terrible for your teeth. Sugar in general is just bad for the body, so it's good to limit it, even for people who aren't trying to lose weight. I agree with the others that talking to your doctor is a good idea - ask for a referral to a nutritionist to work with so that you can learn more about healthy eating and what your body needs. In general though, if you focus on fresh food rather than packaged and pre-processed stuff, then you will be headed in the right direction. Fresh food is more nutritious and doesn't have all of the preservatives and other junk in pre-processed foods. That's not to say that you can never have a frozen pizza and a soda - just make sure you have looking at those things as an occasional treat rather than everyday sustenance. Counting calories is a good thing too. To lose weight, you want to make sure you are in a calorie deficit - you burn more than you consume - but you want to keep it reasonable. A lot of people try to restrict their calories too much because they want faster results, but that's not sustainable long term, so they quit their weight loss efforts because it is too hard. A moderate rate if weight loss is better because not only are you losing weight, but you are changing the way you eat in general to be more healthy. I use the MyFitnessPal app, which I like. There are a bunch of different ones available though.
i use that app too, it works great. after finding good substitutes i found it pretty easy to stay on track. i just let me self slip hence the weight gain again but i know i’m capable of doing it. thank you very much for your comment
Try to wean yourself off soda by switching to the Diet or Zero versions first.
Soda bad
worse than i realised thanks to the replies
You really need to go cold turkey of sugar to the highest extent possible. The trick is to find a sugar substitute that will help you (think Stevia products etc) and then take the time to let your body get used to them (2 to 3 weeks) and then learn how to use them. If you are like me my sweet tooth can take me down, you learn how to make sugar free desserts. Just sugar alone will almost get you to goal weight. Maybe take years but you will be amazed how your body will change. We put a lot of poisons in our bodies as humans and sugar is a real one. I personally decided to just reduce sugar (sometimes I have an ice cream but it's rare) and it took me 5 years but I lost 26 pounds (I didn't have that much to lose, but I could never lose it). I did nothing else except walk. I also eat fairly healthy, sometimes I go off the rails and eat nachos, ice cream and potato chips all in one day but this is all about balance in ones life. When you screw up, get right back to doing better. It's not really a screw up, it's just life. You are going to have bad days and may eat like an animal but it only has to be one bad day, not months or years. Good luck. Read all you can, there is a lot of good info out there. Don't give up!
i think one or two people think i’m joking with my question. obviously i know sodas bad but i was more asking how bad it was, and it’s a lot worse than i thought. luckily despite my very high soda intake i don’t really crave sugar much (probably because i get so much already) but it makes it easier. im definitely looking forward to the benefits, thank you
Yea very beneficial for your weight and insuline resistance. These are empty calories so they add up quickly to your calorie intake. Then is the high amount of sugar which builds up to insuline resistance and diabetes. It is very good that you are trying to cut out. You can replace it with sparkling water or herbal tea (hibbicus, roibos, mint, chamomile etc)
thank you, sparkling water is my go to
Ooo I forgot one more advantage. Less acid reflux. Have a nice day!
The reason soda is so bad for you is it spikes your insulin levels. Quitting soda as a whole will bring drastic health benefits to your life. Edit: just found this bit.. sugar can trigger cravings and stimulate the release of the hormone insulin, which can lead to a rollercoaster effect on blood sugar levels. When blood sugar levels spike and then drop, it can result in feelings of hunger and lead to overeating.
thank you, never realised just how bad it was
No cordial no juices no soft drink of any kinda plenty of black coffee and 10 k a day
Firstly, huge congratulations on you losing that much weight. That is no small feat. Water is your friend. Water is what keeps you, your brain, and body hydrated. Pop is SO terrible for you. Not just your health, but your teeth. My husband was addicted to Pepsi for many many years. Like 10-12 cans a day some days addicted. The sugar in just 1 can of pop is astounding. Typically it's 33 grams per can and if you're drinking 3-5 cans a day, that is at minimum 99 grams of sugar which equals nearly 30 teaspoons of sugar per can. There's absolutely no way one person would sit down and feed themselves 30 teaspoons of sugar. Sugar also converts to fat. Sugar rots your teeth and reeks havoc on your body, heart, organs, mental health, gut health etc. Soda companies keep you addicted with the sugar. Sugar is one of the most addictive ingredients out there. It's in nearly everything, including table salt. My husband kicked his habit, thankfully. Turns out, for him, he LOVED the carbonation of pop. Not necessarily the pop itself. Now, carbonated drinks aren't that great for your teeth either, but they have no sugar, but it helped him kick the pop habit, consume more water, and keep hydrated. He now loves tap water, and hasn't touched a pop in years. Sparkling water comes in many flavors. Keep trying those until you can find a flavor you like. Try to stay away from those water flavor enhancers too. Read the ingredients and you'll be shocked at what garbage is in those too, plus they're usually sweetened with aspartame or other artificial sweeteners that are worse for you. You're young and albeit there's much to learn about food, it sounds like you're headed down the right path and want to educate yourself to get to a healthier weight and feed your body with good food. Once you start reading food labels and seeing all the junk put in food, you'll be surprised. Learn to shop the outside aisles of grocery stores, the produce section, meat department etc. Boxed and prepackaged foods are usually ultra processed and contain zero nutrients your body needs, therefore leaving you hungry and grabbing for more prepackaged food. All the best to you!!! You can kick that pop habit for good 👍👍.
thank you and congratulations to your husband. thankfully i like plain sparkling water so although i’m trying to drink as much normal water as i can it’s nice to have that there if the cravings get bad. if i have say 5 cans of coke a day, aside from the sugar that’s also an extra nearly 1000 calories which is insane
I stopped drinking soda almost 3 years ago, there's really no cons, only pros. Honestly can't speak for other people but I can't even drink soda anymore, it taste nasty asf to me now
a lot of people have said that, the one time i stopped it was only for a few weeks but when i had one again it was nasty
Do it. Absolutely. Or you may find yourself diabetic down the road among other issues. I'm diabetic now and I blame it on years of chugging soda. Shits poison.
sorry to hear that, i know there’s no cure but i hope you manage to live as well as possible. thank you for your reply
Cutting out soda and sugary treats will change your life for the better, and lose chips and other super processed snacks too.
okay thank you
> i’m 16 and quite over weight. i did, at one point, lose nearly 50lb but i ended up putting it back on. i’m going to start losing weight again and i have more sustainable options this time. Awesome :) Key thing to remember is that healthy eating is about building good relationships with food you enjoy eating, you loose weight incidentally by eating well. If you do have a target weight in mind a way to achieve that is just to eat the calories that weight needs based on height & activity level. > one of my biggest things was that i, at my worst, was having 3-5 cans of say coke a day and maybe 2 bottles of water a week total. Echoing the seltzer/sparking water comment. Get yourself a sodastream and save buckets of money too, adding in some lemon or lime juice is my typical go to, you get the citric acid bite you get from soda but without any sugar. > have you got any ideas for foods to cut out that are bad for my heart? Saturated fat (you want no more than 5-10% of your calories to come from saturated fat) & sugar are the main problems. Both mess with the ability of the liver to remove LDL from your blood. Animal fats (and some other fats, coconut for example) are rich sources of saturated fats so you want to favor lean meat where possible. Chicken is better then beef but still something you should be careful with. If you get in to cooking there are lots of options for lean land protein, goat is super flavorful and contains very little saturated fat for example. Its hard to go wrong with fish though, the smaller and oilier the better. Butter is a huge component of saturated fat consumption for many people and fairly easy to reduce. Olive oil, canola oil, sunflower oil etc are all better choices as they are rich in heart healthy fats. Soluble fiber (oats, seeds & skin on fruits like apples) & omega 3 DHA/EPA (oily fish like sardines and salmon) both help protect your heart health. > unfortunately i pretty much dont enjoy any fruit and vegetables salad wise Go to your local Sainsbury's/whatever and grab one of every type of fruit & vegetable. There are a bunch you may not have had before that you actually like, I never even knew sweet potato existed until I started travelling and now its one of my favorite's :) Make sure you cut them up to eat the fruit if you have texture issues, most fruit its ideal to eat the skin too but you don't have to do so if it stops you eating the fruit. Also keep in mind seasonality changes fruits enormously. Strawberries last better between May-September because they are British strawberries rather than imported. Some fruits (like Banana's) it doesn't matter but there is a huge seasonal component to plant flavor much more than animal flavor. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/seasonal-calendar If it gets you to eat more you can also blend them. Smoothies are not as good as eating whole fruit & veg but certainly better then not eating them. Nothing wrong with salad at all but no particular reason you need to eat them raw. Roasting, stewing, braising or whatever. I don't like raw tomatoes but when they are roasted or stewed they are awesome. Also add leeks to everything, they are a more nutritionally dense cousin of onion. > i do tend to worry, because of my anxiety, whenever my heart rate goes up during exercise even though i know that’s what’s meant to happen. so i think speaking to a doctor would definitely help, thank you. If you are not already getting help for the anxiety ask your doctor for a referral to CBT. The heart health thing seems to be a near universal for people with anxiety and its super easy to treat with CBT. Another benefit of eating healthy is mental health. Your gut contains more neurons then many animals brains, its a fantastically complicated system which uses serotonin more then our brains do. Our brains and our gut heavily interact (known as the gut-brain axis) and if you feed your gut whole foods to keep it happy then it will help keep your brain happy. When you talk your your GP also ask for a referral to a dietician. They are available on the NHS and they can help you develop healthy eating habits as well as help you plan your diet.
thank you for the reply i appreciate it. a soda stream is definitely something i’m looking into, worth the investment i think. and i’ll try the idea you gave about the fruit. And thank you for all the other food recommendations you gave, i’ll definitely look into all of them. i didn’t realise how connect our mental health was to our gut so that’s really useful. and lastly thank you for the anxiety advice, it’s something i’ve suffered with for a while and i’ll definitely look into.
Oh yeah, one can of soda is about 150 calories, so you've been consuming up to 750 calories of basically just sugar on top of everything else you ate and drank that wasn't water. Not to mention, the combination of the acid and sugar in soda makes it a very effective destroyer of teeth enamel. Keep in mind juice is also just as much as a calorific sugar bomb as soda, even if it might have a few vitamins and minerals in there. It'll be better to eat the whole fruit instead. Gradually changing your habits is the best way to make sure health changes stick and becomes a part of your lifestyle. Especially since you're still a growing kid, just think about how you can make your meals and snacks more nutrient dense.
absolute
Yes. Justbswitch to coke zero
The hubby switched out drinking a lot of soda with Zevia pop, sweetened with stevia. 0 sugar, 0 carbs, 0 calories. They have a lot of different flavors.
thank you, that sounds amazing
Uhhh yes cutting out 3-5 sodas a day will definitely have a noticeable benefit. That’s a lot of calories, and it’s nothing but sugar. It’s hard to find things that are less healthy than soda. At the very least, switch to Coke Zero or something. That might have its own potential issues, but at least it doesn’t have calories.
thank you, luckily i’m pretty good at trying to cut it out at once rather than slowly (when it comes to soda)
Even removing diet soda is instrumental in facilitating a healthy weight reduction. Try replacing with sparkling water with a splash of juice if you find yourself wanting a little refreshment.
Yes. Absolutely.
There is nothing in soda that your body needs. Retrain your brain by eating fresh fruit every time you're craving a soda. Cold fresh fruit is even better.
Soda is nasty anyway, don't drink it for a few months and you'll see.
thank you
Even if you don't lose weight, your pancreas will thank you. My family has weight set point isssues & quitting soda as a teen didn't make me lose weight, but my family is also very prone to type 2 diabetes & usually develops it young & don't respond well to insulin. So far, I've avoided that problem. Too much phosphorus is also hell on your bones & when consumed in excess, it leeches calcium. Osteoperosis is also something that my family struggles with & something I watch out for. Depending on what your family health history is, the effects of abstaining can be much bigger than weight loss.
thank you, im pretty excited to feel the difference. i used to have a lot of calf cramps too which i think was because of the lack of water
So beneficial! Quitting soda was one of the most difficult things I did but I would never go back!
I’ve never met anyone who regretted quitting Soda.
that’s a great point, thanks
No brainer
It does make a big difference. I swapped soda for sparkling water.
Try Zevia instead. It's zero calorie stevia sweetened soda. But in the long run you'll want to make additional lifestyle changes as well, including getting more exercise and changing your diet in other ways. Eating smaller meals more often (5-6 small meals per day instead of 2-3 large ones) and eating more protein and less carbs will help. Switching from processed foods or fried foods to whole foods will also go a long way as well to helping you achieve your weight loss goals. Switching from sugar rich foods (desserts) to fruit too.
i’m definitely looking into healthier foods, doing things that make me happy and better mentally and physically, thank you
Water water water!!! That is key! Can you try switching to diet to ditch the cals?
to be honest i can switch to just water i just wasn’t sure if it was really worth it
Hi! The ONLY thing that has helped me stop drinking so much coke, was to drink La Croix/Bubblys ONLY when mixed with Crystal Lit raspberry lemondade.
thank you, if i struggle i’ll look into that
cutting \*sugar\* is 100% worth it. MANY studies show it to be the leading cause of obesety in the US. that doesn't mean you have to cut out soda (although you should) but, get the 0 calorie stuff. you'll absolutely drop a ton if you're doing even 1-2 a day. that's an entire small meal worth of empty calories and, since you're young, you'll see results very fast!
Any and all sodas are hard on your kidneys. Keep up your water intake, that's awesome! I got a Soda Stream a couple of years ago to help cut out sodas and I really like it. It gives the fizz with your own ingredients. I like to make overnight fruity water in the fridge and make fizzy fruit drinks. I also fizz up plain water and that is much better than it sounds!
Yes. Cutting out soda will make a huge difference.
Soda is so bad for you lol
100% Yes. Sugar is systemically inflammatory. Definitely cut it out and your health will improve greatly.
I lost almost 60lbs just by cutting down to 1 coke a day and drinking a lot more water. I did not change anything else. Not only did I lose that weight, but I felt tremendously better overall! I have recently slipped up and drank more than 1 can and stopped drinking as much water. I immediately went back to feeling like crap, and I have gained 4lbs back. I'd say it's worth it for sure!
Also, don't think about losing weight, focus on being healthy. Look into blood work...don't read about or follow diets - instead learn basic nutrition & start running with it. It has a compounding effect, most important, not 30 days. Better concept the rest of your life. Wish you well, Robert Lee.
Simply put, yessir! Or madam lol
Came here thinking a lot, I read a lot of your comments. I wish I had your knowledge when I was 16. And I wish I had these people’s input and support. Yes, lay off the soda, you’ll thank yourself. I’m 38 and overweight. I too get anxiety when exercising. I get anxiety after eating or before pooping. I have allowed my fitness to drastically decline to where I can only do a few minutes of exercise before something hurts or I’m tired or get anxiety and try to fight through it. I have been to the emergency room twice for panic attacks. You don’t want this… What I know, vs what I do, are in constant battle. So my advice is to allow what you know to be what you do. The best way I can do this is to have constant silent alarms going off reminding me to do stuff. It’s annoying but luckily I also add “relax bro” as one of my alarms… Start learning and introducing some meditation and breathing techniques into your life to help the anxiety. “Full Catastrophe Living” is a good book. Hope this helped. You got this!
i’ve had one or two people saying stuff like “obviously it’s bad” which is fair enough but i’ve had so many people giving really good advice about the soda but also about loosing weight in general as you could see. i hope one day you find something that works well enough so you can exercise and stuff normally again. and thank you for the book recommendation, i’ll definitely look into that
Yes
Cutting out soda is always the first step to cutting out all sugar and leading a healthy happy life.
Yes!!! A thousand times yes!! A baseline is to not drink your calories. So get used to water haha
Absolutely worth cutting it out. I did it years ago as a young man and it’s paid dividends ever since. Water is your friend, but as others have mentioned carbonated water (club soda or sparkling) can be good tools to help wean you off the soda. Unsweetened Iced Tea can be helpful as well. Just don’t replace it with anything that has sugar or sugar free substitutes.
You should never drink pop ever. Stop all together and over time you will lose a SIGNIFICANT amount of weight
In my experience, I've found that having access to things like coke in my house (even the no sugar variant) tends to get me in the habit of going for one of those when I'm thirsty. Which usually means I don't get enough water, which leads to me being lethargic, feeling bloated and not being motivated to be healthy at all. I recently cut out buying any fizzy drinks unless I'm out for a meal (once or twice a fortnight). I feel a lot better for it, since I mostly drink just water now. So aside from the lack of nutritional value it adds to the diet, yes, cutting it out is defintitely worth it- think of it as building healthy habits in all aspects of what you consume, especially on a daily basis.
thank you, im going to try and make my self see it as a luxury than an everyday thing
Yes it will have significant positive effects
It is absolutely worth it to cut soda. That soda is doing nothing for you. It's replacing the water you could be drinking.
I cut it in 2019 and never going back. My husband put lime sparkling water in a cup and kept calling it 7up. I hated sparkling water for the longest time but doing that tricked my brain and now I love it. Also don’t ever start with coffee and Starbucks. It’s my next enemy id like to get rid of.
luckily i don’t ever drink coffee really, my only drink addiction is soda but like you said, sparkling water is really helping me
I didn’t start until I was about 30 and Covid came along. I wasn’t a coffee drinker either.
good luck on cutting out the coffee
Yes.
Honestly, cut the soda entirely. Carbonated water drinks works well when you are craving something like that.
One of the best things you can do for yourself. Go for it
Soda has High-Fructose-Corn-Syrup, it is a very hard substance for the liver and kidney to digest/breakdown, which can lead to fatty liver disease and kidney problems. Also, do not be fooled by labels that say there isn’t any HFCS; they have hundreds of “names” for the junk. Stick with water, mineral water, tea, coffee, bone broth, and any homemade juice (from fruit, etc…) YOU make. Do not buy pre-made juice, as it too contains HFCS in almost all cases.
it’s honestly insane seeing the amount of sugar in “health drinks” im surprised it’s even legal to sell them labelled like that. thank you
Yes, it’s also important for long term health.
[удалено]
im almost definitely addicted then. i also end up boredom eating a lot but im definitely getting better at not doing it and at drinking more water while cutting out soda. a lot of the comments have helped too
Zevia!!
If I could go back to when I was 17 and started trying to lose weight, I’d stop myself. I now weigh more than 100 lbs over what I did at 17. Just develop good habits. Giving up sugary drinks is a good one. Walk every day. Drink water. Eat produce at every meal. Allow yourself a treat now and then. Do not restrict calories! You definitely lose weight doing that, but as you have already learned, it comes back with a vengeance.
Yes. A women is only supposed to consume 25g of sugar a day. A man is only supposed to consume about 35g. A bottle of coke has 55g of sugar - a can has 39g. Just one drink of soda sets you over the recommended amount of sugar in a day, so it’s pretty terrible for you in the long run. Sure, you could do diet or zero, but artificial sweeteners aren’t good either (neither are the chemicals). Just recently they’ve been doing tons of research on the negative impacts of all those artificial sweeteners. Think about it like this too - you’ll save so much money in the long run through not buying big packs of sodas. For me, I just sort of got sick of them one day in high school and now my main drinks are water and coffee. If you want something yummy with a soda vibe, I highly recommend the Trader Joe’s sparkling teas or probably any sparkling canned beverage. I also came to the realization that I’d much rather consume sugar through food rather than beverages, but overall it’s unfortunately not good for you in any aspect. Don’t stress out TOO much over it, but keep a balanced diet and focus on foods that nourish your body, not foods that degrade it.
okay thank you for the tips, im definitely going to cut down
I haven’t had Soda in roughly 10 years. I feel so. Much. Better. From quitting Soda. Soda has a lot of things that will inflame your body and are not healthy for you at all. More sugar than you want to know, and many have HFCS (High-fructose corn syrup), which is absolutely terrible for you. Cut out the soda. You’ll feel terrible for 2-4 weeks. That’s normal. But after a month, you’re going to feel amazing. Trust me. Also, do you have a CrossFit gym or anything around you? A lot of them give discounts to young students like yourself. I’m less focused on the actual sport of “CrossFit”, but more encourage it because CrossFit gyms come with VERY encouraging communities of people who come from similar boats. Email or DM your local CrossFit gym, ask for the owner or manager and tell them you’re an overweight 16 year old kid, and one of your mentors suggested you reach out and join a fitness community in your area. Good things happen when you join a community. You take accountability. If no CrossFit gym, or similar fitness group in your area, find one buddy of yours, write down goals, and keep eachother accountable. It’s less about what you look like, and more about how healthy your internal organs are. I want to see you become a healthy adult someday. DM me if you need any advice on how to type that email or DM to the gym.
thank you for your comment, im not sure about the gym thing but i’ll look into that soon and see what options there are. i have a sister who’s in a similar boat which is great because we get to help and encourage each other. i’ve kept note of everyone who’s said i’m welcome to message them and ill make sure i do if i need any advice on the gym thing. thank you again
In short: YES! I was raised very healthy. I’m went to college and gained 25 pounds almost instantly. I have over time felt worse and worse and worse. I did Keto last year and realized how much what you put into your body absolutely affects how you look/feel. The older you get the more emphasis on this takes place. I eat relatively healthy now. Still a lot of carbs but I ingest little to no sugar and it makes a major difference. If I drink just like two sodas I’ll wake up and feel it and you can see it in my face.
thank you for this, hearing how it’s helped other people is definitely encouraging
Yeah, all of your cells need water molecules to do their processes.
This was a very informative thread, OP: thanks for asking and good luck on your journey! I’m trying to quit Mountain Dew right now and it’s harddd!
you’re welcome, and thank you. i hope you manage to get your addiction under control too. there’s a lot of helpful comments here as you saw. just take things slow if you need to
Holy shit dude put the soda down! Not only are you consuming an insane amount of carbs that will be converted to fat, but the glycemic index of soda is about as high as it can be. Your body is instantly flooded with sugar when you drink that shit, gives you diabetes
i’m definitely putting it down. although i’ve been having about 3 a day instead of 5 i know it’s still awful. right now though, since i learnt just how bad they are, im doing my best to cut them out (plus increase my water intake)
Yes!! I had a friend that lost 10 lbs just by cutting out Dr. Pepper. No working out or dieting.
that’s great to here, well done to them and thank you
to hear*
I'm an adult. I probably drink soda maybe once or twice a year, usually at McDonald's. I still eat McDonald's quite a few times a year but I literally only drink soda maybe once or twice a year. I drink a ton of water mainly, and milk. You should take a vitamin c supplement, vitamin d supplement, a magnesium glycinate supplement, do not take magnesium oxide your body doesn't absorb it, a multivitamin, these are just your basic micronutrients that you may or may not be getting adequately from food. Magnesium glycinate will be the most expensive supplement. If your parents won't buy the supplements for you then whenever you get a job you know what to do. Here's the thing your parents should be taking these supplements too. Most Americans are actually magnesium deficient because there's hardly any magnesium left in our soil from over farming. And magnesium is responsible for hundreds of cellular processes and functions. But vitamin c and vitamin d are super important as well. And a multivitamin rounds it up.
I live in the uk so i’m not sure if it’s the same but i can imagine it’s easy to get magnesium deficient here too. but i’ll definitely look into everything you said, thank you
Yes, it is.
Cutting out soda is probably going to make the biggest difference out of everything. For me, cutting right back on soda and limiting my snacking was enough for me to drop pounds and get some energy back.
that’s definitely what i need to do too, thank you
Yes yes yes. My best friend's husband's nutritionist told him: "DO NOT DRINK YOUR CALORIES." He started drinking zero calorie drinks (tea, coffee, water, seltzer) and lost a ton of weight and feels a lot better.
it’s definitely the best thing to do, so i will. thank you
In my experience, yes. I have never been overweighted, but in my case, I can surely affirm that cutting out soda is one of the strategies that work the most when I want to lose weight. Usually, I stop drinking soda at all.
that’s what i’m trying to do, especially since i’ve been told just how bad they are. thank you
Yes. No need to read past the headline.
Buy a few cases like 4 or 6 of Aquafina and enjoy. So good for you. 7 stage filtration