Regular soda is definitely out because it a major calorie overload — but guess what, I don't want you drinking diet soda either! I'm a former diet soda addict myself, and believe me, it almost killed me to get off that junk. After I stopped drinking it every day, though, I could definitely feel the difference being off those chemicals!

As I've grown in the health and wellness realm, I've become very passionate about being natural and organic with what I'm putting into my body. While the FDA still doesn't ban these products, I could go on and on about research I've found about aspartame (the sweetener in Diet Coke). The main thing I want you to do is try your best to limit your exposure to it.



If strictly water (the best option!) is out of the question, drink unsweetened ice tea or coffee — both have zero calories. If you need to sweeten your coffee or tea, xylitol and stevia are better, more natural options than sucralose (Splenda). Xylitol is a naturally occurring sweetener that's extracted from the fibers of certain fruits and vegetables, and stevia comes from a South American plant.



I personally use xylitol all the time, usually one packet at a time in my coffee or tea. It's nontoxic, but since it's a sugar alcohol, you could have digestive issues if you use a lot of it. I've never had a problem.



You've hit your soda quota — now's the time to look for alternatives to rid you of your soda addiction!



Source: Jillian Michaels