Dr Pepper Addiction
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aslane55
Posts: 2 Member
I've got a serious problem with Dr. Pepper. It's nothing for me to have at least 3 20oz bottles in a day, and that's probably on a conservative day. I need to lose some weight, but I think that is my biggest obstacle. I keep trying to start over and do good for a few days and then right back to my old habit. I got on the scale today and was only one pound less than my weight when I was nine months pregnant with my first child. I have got to get this under control. I have RA and my doctor has already told me it would help if I would lose weight. I do okay with exercise and am actually training for my first half-marathon in February. (I do walk/run intervals) I know I'm working against my training and it would be much better if I cut the soda, but I can't seem to do it. Anyone have any advice or success stories?
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Replies
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have you tried switching to a diet type of soda or like coke zero? really the biggest issue with Dr Pepper is the calories but diet soda's have zero calories9
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If you’re drinking the full sugar stuff then yes, it probably is stopping you losing weight. 20oz of Dr Pepper is 250 cal - 3 bottles a day minimum = 750cal.. that’s half of my daily calories
options for cutting it back or stopping
1. Cold turkey (although, this doesn’t seem to be working)
2. Switch to diet Dr Pepper - at least that will bring your calories way down... and if you don’t like it as much you might drink less
3. Swap it for a different sugar free drink that you’ll find easier to limit
4. Swap it for something with a completely different taste (coffee or broth maybe) - sounds weird but it might get the sweet craving and knock it on the head if when you feel like it your body instead gets sugar free coffee or salt (bitter or salt are obviously very different tastes)
5. Keep drinking it and fit it into your daily calorie allowance - this might be difficult to do and you’ll be wanting to be really careful with what else you’re eating to ensure you are getting a decent amount of nutrients out of your other food if 50% (or even 30% depending on your allocated calories) are coming from soda
Good luck!5 -
They make diet DP6
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I used to drink Dr. Pepper daily (not as much as you, but still too many extra calories). I don't like Diet Dr. Pepper, so that wasn't going to work for me. I just tapered down, drank some tea (I don't like coffee), and started drinking more water. If I craved a fizzy drink, I'd have a carbonated juice drink. Watch out for caffeine withdrawals. If you don't replace it with another caffeinated drink, you'll want to taper slowly.
After drinking mainly water for a few months, my skin looked amazing and I found I wasn't craving Dr. Pepper any more. I have one very occasionally (maybe every few months) but no longer miss it.2 -
diet.
I used to drink dr pepper like crazy as well. I switched to diet. It kind of sucked at first, like every drink was a bit of a disappointment, but after a little while I got used to it and now I actually hate regular soda.6 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »They make diet DP
They even make caffeine free regular and Diet Dr. Pepper!
OP, my advice would be to switch to diet DP. If you are getting yours out of a vending machine that does not have diet, switch to a different diet soda or bring your own. If you can't stand the taste, wean yourself down and find something low or no calorie that you do like the taste of that you can use as a substitute.
Remember that Dr. Pepper has caffeine so if you decide to stop drinking it cold turkey you need to start drinking something else with caffeine like coffee or take caffeine pills and wean yourself off with those.3 -
Are you logging? Pre-log your drink every time you take another serving. Sometimes seeing the damage in black and white can really help.
Try to switch to diet - give it a week or two, it can take some time for your taste to acclimate.
Try making a bit of a game of every time you have a Dr. Pepper, you have to drink a glass of water or unsweetened tea before you can have another soda. Keep a tick sheet!
Set measurable goals to taper down slowly. So for the first week, I can have 2 20oz bottles per day. Again, write it down, keep track, mark it off like a to-do list. Once you go a full week limited successfully to 2 bottles, reduce the goal a little more. Keep going until you are comfortable with where you are.
Regardless of what is or isn't technically true - stop thinking of it as an addiction, that makes it something that feels like you can't overcome. You are giving it far more power than it deserves. We hear a lot about how we think can affect what we are capable of. So start thinking that this is just a habit and a craving that you can change slowly over time. Because you can
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You're in luck Dr Pepper is one of a handful of sodas that comes in a 10 calorie version (grey label). If you're having trouble transitioning to diet soda, this may help you.6
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For the record and from a fellow Dr. Pepper lover, as I mentioned in my post above I hate Diet Dr. Pepper. However, Diet A&W root beer is great! I don't drink it often, but it's by far the best tasting diet soda version I've tried (no caffeine, though).5
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For the record and from a fellow Dr. Pepper lover, as I mentioned in my post above I hate Diet Dr. Pepper. However, Diet A&W root beer is great! I don't drink it often, but it's by far the best tasting diet soda version I've tried (no caffeine, though).
I drink A&W Diet everyday. Very low acid for those with reflux issues.2 -
Thank you for all the suggestions and advice! I can't stand diet DP, but may need to just substitute that or Coke Zero if I want one. I haven't been great about logging. I think I reached the point this morning where I know that tracking and being intentional about it will be the only way I do this!1
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Definitely start tracking. Even if over your calorie goal to make yourself accountable. Then start making small changes. If you currently drink 20 oz bottles, switch to 16 ounce bottles or 12 ounce cans for a while to step down the calories slowly. Or swap one serving for a bottle of water initially. You might find it easier to cut back initially instead of abrupt stop.4
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.... I haven't been great about logging. I think I reached the point this morning where I know that tracking and being intentional about it will be the only way I do this!
I want to add my support for your conclusion regarding intentional tracking.
It has worked wonders for me - and I almost always use MFP food logging to plan my meal BEFORE I even start to put portions of anything on a plate.
I start by looking at how many calories I have left in the 'bank'.
Then I look at the Nutrition charts for Macros - and use this information to plan the next eating event. This really helps to stay on target to meet the goals. I strive to have each eating event contain the same balanced assortment of the macros. This helps me to avoid odd imbalances when dinner time rolls around.
Your carb/fat/protein goals may differ from mine; that's fine; MFP lets us customize our account to help us stay true to our individual targets.
Along with dedicated logging of everything i eat and drink, I also restrict my eating to between 7am and 6pm, and, I eat the bulk of my daily calories between 7am and 2pm. Dinner is almost always just a big pile of vegetables. (last night was 2 cups of steamed broccoli, a cup of raw cauliflower, and a raw red sweet pepper). These is my personal program I call "Nutritious Fuel in 3-steps".
I find it extremely helpful to think of food as FUEL. It is easier for me to ignore the marketing associated with food items that are often full of refined grains, added sugars, artificial sweeteners and flavors and colors, and other items of questionable value nutritionally.
good fitness to us all!1 -
A friend of mine just found small packets which you can add to water to make it taste like DP, but way healthier. Maybe try looking for something like that? Good luck!0
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I can't stand the taste of diet drinks either! I also find there is NO substitution for a certain soda craving. Do you drink them at certain times? I'd start out buying smaller bottles. If you can't buy a smaller bottle, then forcing yourself to spill a little out as soon as you open it. I hate "wasting" good money I spent on food, but you will be saving money in the long run by getting healthier. I will try to share mine with someone so I drink less. I'll also use a tiny straw so I drink it slower, or try to drink it so slow it goes flat. Sometimes I get my drink and put it right next to a glass of water.
It used to be my go-to stress release and I drank it every day. Now, I can usually substitute with tea. But, I still have cravings every once and a while, and I totally let myself enjoy it when I "need" it. It's like a can a month, though, and I never drink the whole can.
I also agree with the tracking, that is a good start. The best start.0 -
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janejellyroll wrote: »
I need to know more. I already have the SodaStream to carbonate my water.0 -
janejellyroll wrote: »
I need to know more. I already have the SodaStream to carbonate my water.
As a Dr. Pepper snob (Sonic fountain or real sugar from a can, please) I have my skeptical pants on
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janejellyroll wrote: »
I need to know more. I already have the SodaStream to carbonate my water.
As a Dr. Pepper snob (Sonic fountain or real sugar from a can, please) I have my skeptical pants on
You need some actual skeptical pants to go with your nope shirt.6
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