Sugar, why do I love thee?

FairyMomma408
FairyMomma408 Posts: 41
in Food and Nutrition
I have an unfortunate love for sugar and caffeine. I looooooove sweet tea.

I've only just now been able to pull away from Mountain Dew and all its annoyingly yummy, fruity friends. I looked at the ingredients for Game Fuel, I was wondering if it had orange juice in it too. Listed at the bottom? Brominated Vegetable Oil.....EWWW!!! I couldn't bear drink anymore, I just imagined drinking a bottle of vegetable oil. Looked at a bottle of regular Mountain Dew and it has it also.

I've been brewing a mixture of green tea and regular tea (mostly to use up the regular)

How should I start to decrease my sugar intake though? I generally fill my big pitcher up with about an inch of sugar :( Eyeing a bottle of Coke my Almost MIL brought over :(

Replies

  • CloverCreeper
    CloverCreeper Posts: 178 Member
    The only way I was able to cut back is to stop drinking everything but water.

    Not for the weak of heart, but it worked for me!

    Stevia is an option, it just takes a while to get used to the taste.
  • riveraphx
    riveraphx Posts: 380 Member
    I like getting the venti iced green tea from starbucks and ask them to stir in 2 packets of splenda. it's so yummy.
  • FairyMomma408
    FairyMomma408 Posts: 41
    CloverCreeper, I keep trying the nothing but water but I always eventually break, I almost made it with some crystal light mixed in but I keep looking for the fizz. Gotta get groceries tomorrow, I think it's time to try water again.

    That sounds really good riveraphx, I might have to try that! I do love green tea anyways :) Never had anything with Splenda though
  • pickledginger
    pickledginger Posts: 172
    Maybe try some Splenda while you are out? Packets everywhere! I have seen some knockoffs in the stores, too.

    And if you need the fizz, there's always Seltzer water. I used to mix one part cranberry juice to one part bubbles.
  • ParkerH47
    ParkerH47 Posts: 463 Member
    You have three options:

    Be gradual about it take it down day by day and make goals for yourself to decrease slighty - probably your best bet but will be time consuming. though likely the most long lasting
    Or...
    Cut it out cold turkey, while your taste buds will eventually adjust and your will start to lose the cravings in a week or two, if it is a strong love, it could be pretty difficult and you would likely set yourself up for a binge
    or....
    Try sweeteners, but in my mind they dont taste as good, they arent particularly much better for you than sugar (though it will decrease your calorie intake)
  • ParkerH47
    ParkerH47 Posts: 463 Member
    hmm if its the bubbles you like - try mixing crystal light with soda :wink:

    or try the fancy sparkly waters and add - lemon, lime, and a tiny tiny splash of honey or something
  • FairyMomma408
    FairyMomma408 Posts: 41
    I think I'll buy a little Splenda tomorrow, but I'll also decrease the sugar gradually.

    I haven't tried Seltzer water before. I'll have to mark that on the list too :)
  • fittocycle
    fittocycle Posts: 827 Member
    Personally, I have to go cold turkey. And I just did, two days ago. I have to-those little Hershey kisses were taking over my house!:happy:
  • FairyMomma408
    FairyMomma408 Posts: 41
    hmm if its the bubbles you like - try mixing crystal light with soda :wink:

    or try the fancy sparkly waters and add - lemon, lime, and a tiny tiny splash of honey or something

    Both of those sound good

    As weird as it sounds, I think its the burning sensation when you swallow really fizzy soda that I like. Makes me sound like a freak
  • jesswait
    jesswait Posts: 218 Member
    I used to love sweet tea. I switched to hot tea and tried out different teas until I found some I really liked the taste of. I was able to start drinking them without sugar. Now I can't stand how sweet, sweet tea tastes so I don't even want it anymore. Now I pretty much only drink water and plain tea. I occasionally have almond milk in chai, I used to sweeten it but now I don't really need to anymore.
  • red9812
    red9812 Posts: 85 Member
    I love the fizziness too - I can't drink flat or warm soda, it's just not as fizzy! i think the tonic/seltzer and cranberry juice might be good. I'll have to give that a try.
  • BogQueen1
    BogQueen1 Posts: 320 Member
    I used to drink Mountain Dew all the time. I loved it icy cold from a can, nothing better. Now? I can't stand it. Can't drink it. Can't even finish a half a can. Once you stop drinking it for a while, when you go back to it, you probably won't even like the taste anymore.

    As for drinking more water, try Mio. It gets a bad rap around here because of the ingredients (Propylene Glycol), but it has a good taste ( the strawberry watermelon and the fruit punch are pretty good) and if you decrease the amount gradually, you can wean yourself down to drinking straight water.

    Oh and uh. Google brominated vegetable oil. It's suspected to do all kinds of terrible things to your short term memory and such.
  • Sul3i
    Sul3i Posts: 553 Member
    Sugar is a weakness of mine too!! I switched to sweetener... at first half sugar half sweetner then cut out sugar however I still can't shake the chocolate cravings and I'm a cake lover! I just don't buy em... don't loom at em try not to think about it.. however I treat myself on occasion :). Good luck sweetheart!
  • FairyMomma408
    FairyMomma408 Posts: 41
    jesswait, do you know if any hot teas taste good cold??? I like the hot teas that have there own sweetness to them never even need sugar but I just don't like the hotness, I have to have most my beverages just above cool, too cold gives me headaches, too warm makes me feel overheated.

    I know red now I'm craving some cranberry fizzy goodness :)

    OMG Aschindler!!!! I just thought it sounded gross.....My fiance drinks MD all the time, he's been saying his head has been feeling weird, like he can't remember things! He is SO not drinking that anymore!!!! Thank you so much, I never would have thought to look it up!
  • Sul3i
    Sul3i Posts: 553 Member
    I used to drink Mountain Dew all the time. I loved it icy cold from a can, nothing better. Now? I can't stand it. Can't drink it. Can't even finish a half a can. Once you stop drinking it for a while, when you go back to it, you probably won't even like the taste anymore.


    I used to drink dew all the time in high school n now I find it awful lol I thought I was weird! I won't drink it no matter how thirsty n its the only thing avail (hubby always has dew). Ick!!
  • jesswait
    jesswait Posts: 218 Member
    jesswait, do you know if any hot teas taste good cold??? I like the hot teas that have there own sweetness to them never even need sugar but I just don't like the hotness, I have to have most my beverages just above cool, too cold gives me headaches, too warm makes me feel overheated.

    I know red now I'm craving some cranberry fizzy goodness :)

    OMG Aschindler!!!! I just thought it sounded gross.....My fiance drinks MD all the time, he's been saying his head has been feeling weird, like he can't remember things! He is SO not drinking that anymore!!!! Thank you so much, I never would have thought to look it up!

    As far as teas that taste good cold too, I like Yerba Mate, Slippery Elm Bark, Jasmine Green Tea, Peppermint and Plain Black Tea cold, also chai/red tea is good cold with milk. Some green teas taste good cold and some are horrible, it varies by brand. I've yet to find a chamomile that I can drink cold.
  • sprinkels29
    sprinkels29 Posts: 46
    I get sick from sugar due to an auto-immune disorder, I used to drink an energy drink a day and other sodas. I felt like fiend when I quit, I would walk by 7-11 and the craving would just jump. But I refused, I relapsed once but have been off sugar for over a month now. I can honestly say I don't have cravings for it anymore....it's taken a bit but I just don't. If I do want a soda ill treat myself once in awhile to a mexican coca-cola which is made with cane sugar or sometimes I'll get a Starbucks drink ! You can do it!!!
  • Molly_Maguire
    Molly_Maguire Posts: 1,103 Member
    You could try it cold turkey, which works best for some people, or you might find that just slowly cutting back works best for you. Try putting in only 2/3 of the sugar you normally would in your tea, then 1/2, and so on. OR while you are cutting back, you might try different sweeteners that are less processed, like agave nectar or honey.

    Either way, good for you for realizing that this is not a lifestyle you want to continue long term, nor will it allow you to LIVE long-term! Gotta cut back on that white stuff. Good luck!
  • Barkingshelties
    Barkingshelties Posts: 3
    I gave up soda years ago and it took me a while to leave the sugar or artificial sweetener out of my iced tea. A few times a year I make my version of soda which is sparkling water (2 parts to 1 part) fruit juice, real fruit juice with no sugar added. But you have to be careful because the fruit juice has a lot of calories, it's sort of a healthier soda. My favorite is pomegranate mixed with orange flavored sparkling soda. I swear sugar craves sugar, it takes me about 3 weeks to get off it. If you eat or ate the typical American diet, it's really hard to get off sugar it's in more foods than it should be.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    CloverCreeper, I keep trying the nothing but water but I always eventually break, I almost made it with some crystal light mixed in but I keep looking for the fizz. Gotta get groceries tomorrow, I think it's time to try water again.

    That sounds really good riveraphx, I might have to try that! I do love green tea anyways :) Never had anything with Splenda though

    You should buy some diet soda, or I like coke zero tomorrow. If you are in a position were you know you are going to break, I'd rather drink that than whatever happens to be closest. You seem like you are struggling day to day to be on this diet. Really you should be thinking big picture here. Are you never going to drink soda for the rest of your life? If this is your lifestyle choice then by all means keep at it.
  • FSL010
    FSL010 Posts: 65 Member
    I would say eat/drink less than the day before everyday, this way you will eventually be able to control your sugar cravings. Don't just stop sugar cuz then you will eventually get frustrated and eat a lot of sugar at the end. And don't drink diet sodas, they have more chemicals than the regular ones which makes it even worse than regular ones, you can look it up.
    I tried eating/drinking no sugar but after the 3rd day i got mad and ate a whole 8in cake with some chocolate chip cookies and tea. Still regret that... lol
  • fittocycle
    fittocycle Posts: 827 Member
    Sprinkels-I love those Mexican Cokes too! We buy them once a year for Christmas. They taste so much better without high fructose corn syrup!
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    Throw your sugar and sugary foods away, only go grocery shopping on a full stomach so you don't crave fatty or sugary things, don't walk up the aisles that contain your weaknesses, buy some sucralose, xylitol or stevia for sweetening. If you are buying sugary things from a vending machine or coffee shop on a daily basis, stop carrying money and stop even walking or driving past those places. It's a habit like any other, there are triggers and associations you need to break.
  • ninjapixie87
    ninjapixie87 Posts: 124 Member
    At this point, I drink MOSTLY water. Here's what I did:
    - Seriously cut back on my soda. Stopped buying it and stopped getting it when I went out. After a while, I didn't really miss it. I still keep a few diet sodas around for when I really crave one, but I very rarely drink soda now.
    - Started mixing my sweet tea with unsweet. Then started getting unsweet and just adding a little splenda. I grew up in the south, and I've been a sweet tea addict for years...it was hard for me to cut out the sugar in my tea, but I don't really miss it now.
    - Started drinking Crystal Light. Juices still have a lot of calories and sugar, so I would use Crystal Light instead when I wanted something flavored to drink. Gradually, I cut back and drank more water without flavoring. I rarely use Crystal Light now.

    I've also noticed that the more sugar I eat, the more I crave! I try to snack on fruit when I want something sweet, but I don't always have fruit around.

    Some friends have told me that they quit sugars cold-turkey for a week or so, and didn't miss it afterwards. I've been meaning to try it, but I will probably wait until after the holidays. (So my cravings end with the holidays and I don't drag out the goodies binge.)
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    jesswait, do you know if any hot teas taste good cold??? I like the hot teas that have there own sweetness to them never even need sugar but I just don't like the hotness, I have to have most my beverages just above cool, too cold gives me headaches, too warm makes me feel overheated.

    Wow, it sounds like you're super picky about what you drink. You might have to make some compromises. Sweet drinks are sort of addictive, and the more you drink the more you'll crave.

    You really would benefit tremendously if you could justget used to drinking water, coffee, and tea (all w/o any sugar!). You'll probably have to put artificial sweeter in your coffee and tea at first. Try and decrease the amount you use over time.
  • FairyMomma408
    FairyMomma408 Posts: 41
    jesswait, do you know if any hot teas taste good cold??? I like the hot teas that have there own sweetness to them never even need sugar but I just don't like the hotness, I have to have most my beverages just above cool, too cold gives me headaches, too warm makes me feel overheated.

    Wow, it sounds like you're super picky about what you drink. You might have to make some compromises. Sweet drinks are sort of addictive, and the more you drink the more you'll crave.

    You really would benefit tremendously if you could justget used to drinking water, coffee, and tea (all w/o any sugar!). You'll probably have to put artificial sweeter in your coffee and tea at first. Try and decrease the amount you use over time.

    You all are soo wonderful!!!!! Thank you all so much for your advice :)

    ahamm, yes, I am super picky about what I drink, I wish I weren't. I can't regulate my body temperature very well, so I try to limit shocking temps. I don't drink much coffee at all, when I'm not drinking soda, which I haven't in almost two days, I drink tea or soy milk. I'll probably have to decrease slowly, that way everyone here isn't being cut off.

    Gonna make tea soon and I'm going to start measuring the amount I put in. I used to add only a cup, of course then certain people ask me why its not sweeter. I'm in a place now though where no one will say that/ it won't affect me.
  • deb3129
    deb3129 Posts: 1,294 Member
    I pretty much cut out sugary stuff cold turkey, and while it was a struggle in the very beginning, I do not crave it at all now. It literally helped me to break a lifelong pattern of eating crap. Now when I think I want a bite of something sugary that my kids or someone else has, and I actually try it, it tastes icky. This is no small thing for me!

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