Dr. Oz doles out a 28-day plan to kick your soda habit
(Quit your soda habit with a 28-day plan)
By Brittany Anas
If you’re a soda addict, the sugary drinks can be your diet’s archnemesis. A 12-ounce can of cola packs nearly 40 grams of sugar and 140 calories. Empty calories, that is.
And all of you diet soda drinkers who think you’re in the clear — think again. The jury is still out on whether zero-calorie diet soda causes weight gain, but some studies have found that regular diet soda drinkers tend to weigh more than non-soda drinkers. Among the theories is one that soda drinkers don’t drink enough water. Other research has concluded the artificial sweeteners intensifies sugar cravings.
Numerous scientific studies are stacked against diet soda when it comes to overall health — with findings that link the artificial sugary fizz to medical problems such as kidney problems, acid reflux, weakened bones and reproductive disorders. Ay-yi-yi!
So how do you kick the habit?
Take the Dr. Oz 28 Day Challenge. According to the popular Dr. Oz show, the average American chugs 53 gallons of soda annually. If it’s a regular soda, that translates to 49 pounds of sugar.
Here’s a synopsis of his 28-day plan:
Week 1: Switch from regular soda to diet soda and add foods to your diet that are high in the amino acid L-glutamine — eggs, beans and fish — to help reduce sugar cravings. The goal is to break your sugar addiction. If you’re already a diet soda drinker, try to scale back to just one a day.
Week 2: Switch from sugar-free diet soda to drinks that are sugar and caffeine free. If you’re having headaches from caffeine withdrawal — which is common — take ibuprofen and add in foods rich in Vitamin B, like chickpeas, spinach and whole grain cereal.
Week 3: Cut your soda consumption in half — i.e. if you drink four cans a day, cut down to just two cans. Find other fizzy drinks to replace the soda — like sparking water with a splash of cranberry juice and a squeeze of lime.
Week 4: Break up once and for all with soda — even the diet and caffeine-free pops. To reward yourself, spend the money you would have spent on soda on something that’s good for your body. If you find yourself craving soda, chew on a stick of sugar-free gum.
Are you a Dr. Oz fan? Check out his book, You, the Owner’s Manual — which is all about how to treat your body in a healthy and smart way. Save on the Nook Book at Barnes & Noble Nook, where you’ll get 4 percent Cash Back on your purchase from ShopAtHome.com.
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