We're all told about drinking two litres of water every single day, but what happens if you drink nearly three times that in soda instead?
Well, Tom Bowey did that, and he's revealed the shocking changes that have happened to his body that will make you think twice about embarking on a sugary drink habit.
Tom was so much of a sugary drink lover he was known as 'Dr Pepper Man' by his pals, as he forked out around $325 per month on soda.
The father-of-two is said to have spent $38,000 on Dr Pepper in the last decade, leading to a huge hole in his wallet.
Advert
As you'd probably expect, Tom has suffered many health implications over the years, including sleeping problems and poor oral health.
The man from Buckinghamshire in England also suffers from persistent headaches and bloating.
"For a while my teeth weren't too bad, but then I went to the dentist and he said the level of acid erosion was similar to what he'd expect in a 70 year-old," he said.
Advert
"I've basically got the teeth of a pensioner. I was also feeling really bloated all the time as well, you gain a lot of weight when you're just drinking sugar."
Speaking about how his sugary drink addiction began, Tom recalled: "It started with one [drink] with lunch and then me and my work colleagues started buying each other drinks throughout the day.
"They'd bring them over from the cafe near work. There was also a vending machine so I could just pop in and get them whenever I wanted.
"Before I knew it, that's all I was drinking and then I stopped drinking water completely."
Advert
The Brit continued: "I used to buy the 24-can multipacks, so I always had them and had at least five cans in the fridge all the time.
"I'd have my first one as soon as I woke up, and I would always take a can with me for the drive to work as well.
"I'd buy two bottles before I got into work from the shop for the morning, then I'd have another two in the afternoon.
Advert
"Then when I went home I would drink more throughout the evening before I went to bed."
With his waistline increasing too, Tom knew he needed to make some drastic changes so decided to go down the hypnotherapy path.
And these days, Tom opts for water and weak squash when he is in need of a drink.
It was a two-hour session with Dr David Kilmurry on Zoom that saw him quit completely.
Advert
"I don't look at fizzy drinks, I'm not remotely tempted," he said.
Topics: Food and Drink, Health
Callum Jones