cutting back on drinking calories

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jvmay1703
jvmay1703 Posts: 42 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Help! I am addicted to Coca Cola. Need ways in which I can cut these calories! I just have to drink something with taste and the diet drinks just don't taste the same. Any help is appreciated!

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  • newman84
    newman84 Posts: 234 Member
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    i like coke too
    maybe u should try the crystal light u add to ur water
  • melodyg
    melodyg Posts: 1,423 Member
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    Coke Zero?

    I am not big on diet drinks or sodas at all anymore but I really liked Diet Dr Pepper and Sprite Zero when I was drinking carbonated drinks. And Sonic diet cherry limeade... yum!

    Right now I am trying to limit my drink calories to milk and sweet tea. :) The milk has calories but they are healthy calories (I drink 2% at the most, usually 1%). The tea... well, for me right now some sugar is better than artificial sweeteners and unsweet tea is gross!

    Iced coffee is pretty low calorie as well, depending on how much sugar and cream you add to it.

    Another idea is flavored carbonated water... I can't think of the brand names right now but it is everywhere. I used to buy tons of it at Walmart in college!
  • cthomas1967
    cthomas1967 Posts: 16
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    Just my opinion, but IMO you cannot lose weight and drink soda. It just doesn't work. It's not just the calories from soda (which are HEFTY), but the fact that high fructose corn syrup really messes up your metabolism. For your long-term health and the sake of losing weight, you really need to figure out something else that's not full of HFCS, caffeine and other really awful chemicals. Sorry... but it's true. Denial doesn't really do you any good.

    I used to drink Pepsi like crazy, but for probably at least 10 years now I just drink water or soda water as my beverage of choice with just about every meal. Your body needs water... a lot of it, especially when you're dieting. Make the switch and be amazed at the difference it makes.

    I wouldn't try to quit cold turkey. Your body probably has a serious need for caffeine at this point. You'll have to back yourself down slowly, but I can guarantee you that you'll feel a huge difference once you've weaned yourself off it, and you'll notice it's MUCH easier to drop weight.

    Just my opinion. Good luck!
  • Kpatty
    Kpatty Posts: 41
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    Maybe you can "reward" (it sounds silly to call an unhealthy, fattening drink a reward...but you get the idea!!) yourself at the end of the week with 1 soda? Little perks can be helpful and motivating! (My addiction is chocolate! I try to do the same thing...it's hard...but it can be done)!
  • ldybugg
    ldybugg Posts: 134
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    to get started what i did was buy a 2lt of reg coke and 2ltr of zero. for a day or so do 3/4 reg 1/4 zero each time. then 1/2 & 1/2. then 1/4 reg 3/4 zero. your taste buds will adjust quite quickly. that will atleast get u off the full cal stuff. then well work on cuttin that down 2 but 1 step at a time!
  • jvmay1703
    jvmay1703 Posts: 42 Member
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    Wow glad to know I am not the only coke addict (coca cola that is) :) I will definatley try it. I have done coke zero before so I just do it and not turn back! Thanks for the suggestion on coke zero/coke reg. Great idea!
  • Michellerw1
    Michellerw1 Posts: 367
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    Substituting with coke zero might be alright short term, but you may want to limit it to 1 per day and gradually cut it out. Make a plan for yourself of how much you will drink per week and decrease it over time. The artificial sweetener is still bad for you and the carbonation can make you bloated.

    IMO you really should try to cut it out and replace with something healthier. If you like flavor try a little lemon in your water. Even a LITTLE sugar at first with the lemon. If you like fizz you can try soda water with a little juice or lemon. If you need the caffeine, brew and chill some green tea. I used to drink alot of diet pepsi and broke the habit by drinking green tea mixed with soda water and a little lemon and a tiny bit of honey.
  • jvmay1703
    jvmay1703 Posts: 42 Member
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    You are right Michellerw1! I think I am in denial! I am going to try to not drink those at all I think. In the long run it will be another problem if I keep drinking even coke zero.

    I'll keep yall updated!
  • dresdenkali
    dresdenkali Posts: 43
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    I use the generic crystal light mix, I was massively addicted to Mountain Dew, I was drinking anywhere from 3 to 6 per day :O . I quickly figured out that it was not that I was addicted to it, but the fact I craved taste. Plan water has none lol. So I make a pitcher of the drink mix a day usually and I live off that. I still have the 3 Mountain Dews in the fridge from 4 months ago when I started. I really have not missed them at all.

    Personally, I hate diet and "zero" sodas, they taste just awful to me. If I dont have drink mix I usually aim for zero calorie flavored waters.
  • msrobinson77
    msrobinson77 Posts: 177
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    I really struggled with the soda thing too. When I first switched to diet, I thought there was no way I would stick to it more than a day. I was a pretty heavy coke drinker and initially, I thought diet coke tasted aweful. After a few days, it started to taste good and now I crave it. You may want to start with a few cans of diet A&W root beer-it tastes a little closer to the real thing than most others. Good luck!
  • jvmay1703
    jvmay1703 Posts: 42 Member
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    UPDATE- day one no cokes! Water only and just tried Vitamin Water Zero. Tastes just like crystal light. Trying the crystal light tomorrow in bottled water. Can't wait :)
  • melodyg
    melodyg Posts: 1,423 Member
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    Good for you! :)
  • willis84
    willis84 Posts: 86 Member
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    I'm cutting all soda from my diet and sticking to just water and green tea. When I first started with the "no soda rule", I would add crystal light to my water because I hated the taste of just plain water. I love that it comes in so many flavors and you have no idea that your drinking water!
  • Holton
    Holton Posts: 1,018
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    Flavored Seltzer Water works for me!
  • jvmay1703
    jvmay1703 Posts: 42 Member
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    day two- crystal light and water only. You are right...cl in water taste pretty good- tried the strawberry flavor today. I feel a headache coming on though (no coke) day three here I come!
  • jvmay1703
    jvmay1703 Posts: 42 Member
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    update: It is now 7 months later and I am still drinking water and crystal light/wylers/other 5 calorie add in drink mixes! I did drink a coke just to see what my reaction was. I won't lie- the first sip after so long was good but the fact is that water is cheaper and really I like the taste with the crystal light. I have gotten over drinking coke when I go out and occasionally I will order sweet T. But overall I have stuck to this! Thank you all very much for the suggestions! Now for the next 7 months- just joined the gym today!!! Looking forward to making this lifestyle change!
  • melodyg
    melodyg Posts: 1,423 Member
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    Great job! I have discovered Propel fitness water since my last post on here and LOVE it!

    It was actually funny reading my earlier post. ;) Now I drink mostly skim milk and unsweet tea (sometimes with a little sweetener in it). Still the occasional diet Coke and flavored tea but I love water so much more now too!
  • anacinhansen
    anacinhansen Posts: 3
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    I LOVE Bolthouse farms organic or 100% natural drinks. You get flavor and not all the sugary stuff, they are really good for you and fill you up like eating the calories would. My favorite is vanilla chai tea, it tastes like drinking a pumpkin pie lol love it!
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    I'm sorry :( As a child and teen I drank close to 8 cans of pepsi a day. As a teen, I'd add 3 cans of red bull to that! Then I was told by my doctor to STOP the caffeine completely, or live with fainting twice a day, every day. I don't much like falling down, so I had to quit my pepsi/red bulls cold turkey.

    Now it's been years, and I find I can sneak in a can or two a WEEK and be ok, even if I am very lightheaded afterwards.

    What worked for me MIGHT work for you!! Just drink water, and tons of it. I learned to love the taste and now when I do have that can of soda, it is SO sweet it is tough for me to drink the entire 12 oz. Usually lasts me all day long!

    Best of luck to you, I know it is very difficult!
  • mielikkibz
    mielikkibz Posts: 552 Member
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    Help! I am addicted to Coca Cola. Need ways in which I can cut these calories! I just have to drink something with taste and the diet drinks just don't taste the same. Any help is appreciated!

    I thought the same, but kept drinking the diet cokes, and now I can't drink regular cokes, it tastes funny!!

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