Habit swap
If you change one thing about what you eat and drink, make it this. One can of cola can hold more sugar than your whole daily limit.
Drop
Sugary drinks
One can of cola can hold your whole day’s limit. Cut the drinks first and taste follows.
How to quitBuild
Water
Count your glasses and keep a steady water habit through the day.
How to build itThe verdict: Water wins on every count. Replacing even one sugary drink a day is linked to less weight gain and lower diabetes risk, and it is the easiest sugar cut to make.
Side by side
What it costs
Keeping free sugars under 10% of your daily energy lowers the risk of overweight, obesity and tooth decay.
Source: WHOPeople who drank 1 to 2 sugary drinks a day had a 26% higher risk of type 2 diabetes, in a review of over 300,000 people.
Source: Diabetes Care, Malik et al. 2010What you gain
Swapping one daily soft drink for water or unsweetened tea or coffee was estimated to lower type 2 diabetes risk by 14%, in a study of over 25,000 adults.
Source: Diabetologia, O’Connor et al. 2015Replacing one sugary drink a day with a cup of water was linked to less weight gain over four years, across three large US studies.
Source: AJCN, Pan et al. 2013Adults should have no more than 30 g of free sugar a day. Cutting sugary drinks is usually the biggest single step towards that.
Source: NHSThe swap
Add a Yes / No habit called "No sugary drinks", every day, with a reminder at 21:00.
Add "Drink water" as a Count habit: 8 glasses, every day.
At the moments you usually buy a soft drink, such as lunch or the vending machine, fill your water bottle instead. Keep it full and in sight.
Check in on both each night. Two streaks, one swap: every day you stay clear is also a day you did something better.
FAQ
Swapping to sugar-free versions cuts sugar straight away, and many people use them on the way to water. Water is still the best everyday drink.
Juice counts as free sugar. Keep it to a small glass a day, or eat the whole fruit instead.
Try sparkling water, a slice of lemon or cucumber, or cold water from the fridge. A bottle you like helps more than you would think.
General information, not medical advice. If you are worried about your health, talk to a doctor.
Drop
Caffeine
Build
Water
Some of that afternoon tiredness is thirst. A glass of water before each extra coffee cuts both.
Drop
Junk food
Build
Vegetables
Every extra 200 g of fruit and veg a day is linked to 10% lower mortality. Add before you take away.
Drop
Late-night snacking
Build
Sleeping on time
Short sleepers who slept about an hour longer ate 270 fewer calories a day, without trying.
Drop one, build one, and check in on both each night.
