I kicked the soda habit 20 years ago by playing games. At first, it was a simple, “I can drink a soda with lunch if I drink 8 oz of water before then.” Repeat for dinner. (The first soda I dropped was “breakfast”. I had developed a habit in high school of drinking Dr. Pepper and eating a donut for breakfast. OY!)
I worked up to 64* oz of plain water per day. I could drink anything I wanted in addition to those 64 oz of plain water. I didn’t have to run to the bathroom a lot because I worked up the water slowly. Week 1 was 8 oz of water before lunch and again before dinner. Week 2 was 16 oz before lunch and dinner. Eventually, I just stopped drinking sodas because I was full of water! It was pretty easy because it was a “game” and I took it one step at a time.
For awhile (a couple years), I simply didn’t drink any soda at all. Eventually, I was able to have one here and there and it was no big deal. I did go through a period a few years ago where my “here and there” became a little too frequent by my standards (and my daughter, now age 13, totally called me on it). So, I made water kefir to distract me. It was tasty and I enjoyed the creative process of blending up new and exciting flavors. In the end, however, it was exceedingly time-consuming and I inadvertently killed my kefir grains. (I had given plenty away along the way, too.)
At this point, I drink mostly water and herbal “teas”. Keeping a full glass near me at home is key. Taking a stainless steel or glass bottle on the go every time I leave the house is extremely helpful, especially in the summer! I tend to get dehydrated easily in my climate, so I will periodically track my ounces (usually in June or July). The result is recalibrating my natural intake and I don’t have to think about it again for a year or so.
I also enjoy nourishing herbal infusions (a la Susun Weed). I make a quart every few days. Place 1 ounce dried herb by weight, such as nettles, in a glass Mason jar and fill with 1 quart boiling water. Cap it and let steep 4-10 hours (overnight is easy). Strain and refrigerate. I toss the herbs into the compost heap. Since my herbal infusions have no caffeine, which can be drying among other things, I simply replace the plain water equally with nourishing herbal infusions. I prefer nettles infusions cool-to-cold. I also enjoy red clover and red raspberry leaf and other nourishing herbal infusions. Susun Weed has a great book called Healing Wise and a free eCourse on her wise woman website that educates folks on the benefits of nourishing herbal infusions. The idea is to drink one quart of nourishing herbal infusions per day, 5-7 days a week. There is some fabulous evidence out there that shows these are really good for our health. I also like the taste of them!
In the winter, I supplement with hot herbal teas and bone broth if I get bored with plain water or when I am entertaining. In the summer, I supplement with sun teas (all herbs) and what I call “spa water” (muddled fruit and herbs in water).
Be patient with yourself and give yourself permission to experiment and have fun!
*BTW, 64 ounces is just a number. I’m not that strict anymore and generally drink 50-75 ounces per day, depending on thirst, activity, heat, etc.