Ideas For Alternatives to Pop

relentless2121

Hi Everyone, I went off Diet Pepsi and Nestea Zero a few months back as I am preparing for surgery and this new chapter in my life. I mostly drink water and some coffee. I am really missing my Nestea Zero. It got me thinking to post a new thread on alternatives to pop. I'm looking for ideas for refreshing drinks (non alcoholic) that we may not be aware of.

Last night at my Craving Change workshop that is part of my Bariatric Program, it came up that Country Harvest Lemonade Powdered Sugar Free mix was allowed. I didn't think that Iced Tea that was powdered and sugar free mix was allowed. I find Crystal light way to sweet and my first sample of a generic Mio type iced tea flavor just isn't cutting it for me.

I could use some help here. Other than making homemade iced tea by boiling tea bags and adding lemon juice and sweetener, what cold beverages have you discovered on your weight loss journey.

I appreciate you suggestions and input as in the hot summer I really crave a little flavor to my water. lol. :drinker:

Thanks everyone and thanks for your suggestions.

sue100194

I love True Lemon products. The lemonades are really good and sweetened with Stevia. I order from the website to take advantage of their multipacks. I also like the 100% powdered lemon or the orange ginger to shake into my water, or use on a chicken breast. .

garber6th

I love True Lemon products. The lemonades are really good and sweetened with Stevia. I order from the website to take advantage of their multipacks. I also like the 100% powdered lemon or the orange ginger to shake into my water, or use on a chicken breast. .

I really like these as well. Also, Vitamin Water Zero is sweetened with Stevia. I find that drinks sweetened with Stevia aren't overly sweet for me.

teachren

Why are you eliminating Nestea Zero? Are you not wanting the artifical splenda? Or is it just because it was too habit forming and you're going cold turkey?

There is no carbonation in Nestea. I do drink it on occasion now as a "treat". I am trying to limit my artifical sweetners so that's why I consider it a treat but if you are going to drink MIO or Crystal Light it is essentially the same thing.

Now that I am a year out I drink some sparkling water with lemon or lime when I feel like I need a "drink"...instead of grabbing a beer! I can have a bit and it doesn't bother me but everyone is different.

Last summer I wasn't drinking anything like the Nestea so I would just have slices of lemon or lime in my water. Fresh mint or cucumber both give a little flavour too.

pattycakes726

I really like Bai5. A little pricey, but delicious and comes in several interesting flavors. Clementine is my current favorite.

rpyle111

Mio (and the generic) are good for me. I use one squirt in a liter and it isn't too sweet for me.

Mangopickle

I use very highly diluted crystal light and any generic knock off. Vitamin water zero when on super sale. Lots (3 cups usually)of Kroger carbmaster skim milk cause it only has 60 cals and i need the extra 11g protein, calcium, vit d and iron in it. I drink vast amounts of coffee and tea tho much of it is decaf or dark roast which really lowers the caffeine intake.

relentless2121

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I will look into them and see which products are available in Canada. I've seen Mineral Water flavored bottles but have never tried them.
I know that lemon slices in water is very refreshing but I've never gotten into the habit of doing that, but I will give it a try.

I was told that along with giving up pop that I also needed to stop the cans of Nestea Zero. I really do need more clarification on that as some people question why I was told to stop.

I like the idea of watering down the Crystal Light as I do find it too sweet but just don't seem to care for the flavors. I am probably just missing the fiz but haven't found it very hard to give up pop. I can't say that when I was out to dinner recently that I didn't miss the Diet Pepsi like my friends were drinking, but It's a small price to pay.

Thanks for all of your ideas everyone. I really appreciate it.

authorwriter

I'm not much into sweet with my water. I like making up a big pitcher of cucumber or fruit water. Just slice cucumber or orange or lemon or lime or whatever you want into the water and let it sit for a bit in the fridge. Very refreshing. Cucumber and orange are my favorites. Don't add sweetener. It's crisp and clean tasting.

relentless2121

Thanks Authorwriter. I've had water with lemon or lime but never cucumber or oranges. Do you take the skin off the cucumber and oranges? :drinker:

authorwriter

No, just slice them into the water skin and all. Thin slices. you'll see. it doesn't take long for the flavor to infuse. It's very pretty, too. make it fresh every evening for the next day.

ATXHeather

My surgeon wants me off of all caffeine. That might be why you can't have the Nestea?

I use a product called Stur, which you squirt into your water. It is sweetened with Stevia and very light tasting. They have a sample pack on Amazon.

relentless2121

I only have to ween down off of caffeine before I have the surgery. I am a big coffee drinker, especially early in the day.
I think it's got something to do with the Nestea Zero being in a can. I have to get to the bottom of this with my Bariatric Team. I really don't enjoy the flavored Crystals or drops much because of the dye. I made some tonight with a no-name Safeway powder and some of it clusters around the top of the glass and then I spilled a bit on the counter and it was a bright red mess. lol. :explode:

I guess I can live with the drops that are flavored Iced Tea.
I will see a lady at my class this week who had the surgery done here a few years ago. She told me that I could have the Country Harvest Sugar Free Lemonade. I'm not much of a lemonade person other than sliced lemon in water.

I will take a look for the Stur here in Canada but not sure if they sell Stevia based products here yet. I will soon learn.

Thanks everyone for all of your suggestions. I will definitely try them. :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

loriloftness

I am also in the process of getting off pop and caffeine. I am going to try infused water. I think I could make a fruit infused water, based on the same idea as making sangria. I think peach & orange slices would be good. I've also seen apple slices & cinnamon sticks. I've had cucumber infused water and that very refreshing, especially on warm days. I think now is the time to experiment so we have some skills ready for post-surgery. Good Luck!

Richie2shoes

I have an iced tea maker and use celestial seasoning herbal teas mixed with regular tea when making a pitcher. Peach, rasberry and black cherry are excellent. For me, 4 regular teabags and 2 of the celestial seasoning bags are the perfect blend. When I don't feel like making a pitcher, I use our Keurig to make it by the glass. We have one of the inserts that allow you to use your own coffee, so I take the filter out of that, shove in two teabags and one herb tea bag, use the 12 oz setting and brew it into a large tumbler filled with ice.

I grow my own stevia plant and use the leaves to sweeten the tea.

pawoodhull

I am a huge coffee drinker and weaned myself onto decaff before the surgery to avoid the side effects of going cold turkey. I added one scoop of decaff to each pot, increasing the decaff and decreasing the regular until it was all decaf. No headaches!

I drink plain water but also really like the Green Tea Peach Mango Chrystal Light. Sometime plain water in the afternoons makes me feel like I'm starving! I also really like Sparkling Ice. It's a carbonated flavored water with zero calories and zero sodium. You have to really watch the sodium levels in some of those flavored waters. Now I will tell you that 3 years out from surgery and my tummy still doesn't like carbonation, so I sip a little and then shake the carbonation out. Like I said, no calories and no sodium, so it's worth the effort to get rid of the carbonation.

ATXHeather

I also really don't like artificial sweetners or dyes, which seem to be in a lot of the recommended weight loss products. I like Stur because it is 100% natural and I can throw it into my purse. They have an iced tea one that I like.

loricrain

I like infused water...I add peach slices, mango....any fruit you like, really is refreshing!

weeziebeth

I really just like plain unsweet ice tea with a big squeeze of lemon-decaf is fine. I do have a 'special blend' that some seem to like. I use 3 bags family size decaf tea bags (your favorite brand) and 2 bags decaf constant comment. It adds a little orange flavor. Occasionally I will add a little splenda, but not often and not if tea is particularly fresh.

DixieD79

Thanks for all the suggestions! I think I will try making orange water tonight!

One thing I have some to crave lately is ice milk! I get the fat free milk and pour it in a cup of ice. Plus there's a little protein in it!

NoXCuses4me

How about a nice iced coffee? Decaf if you don't want the caffeine... yum!

I also like Iced chai tea.

Ditto ont he cucumber infused water. Much tastier and more rrefreshing than you might think!