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Ways to avoid calorie heavy drinks

KateEMD

One of my biggest cravings is pop (soda for you crazy people who don't call it pop

) and sugary lattes. I have been trying to figure out ways to get what I am craving but lower the calories. I have found a new love of seltzer water that is naturally flavored. This gives me the flavor I like and the bubbles but not all of the sugar. 0 calories in a bottle so I can drink as much as I like. I have also found that a coffee that has flavor in the grounds is awesome and I don't have to add any sugar or cream. Right now I found a cinnamon hazelnut coffee that is only a few calories a cup and tastes amazing!

What is your trick to avoid those drinks that taste so good but are heavy in calories?

Replies

cursiny

Diet coke here. I know that isn't good either. Mostly I just drink water. Have it every where I go!

jen_howard

I haven't figured out how to avoid sodas completely, and I crave them ALL the time. I will allow myself Crystal Light, and if you make it with carbonated water it's like a soda. But normally I just drink it like koolaid. I allow myself the occasional soda (in a can), though, because if I refuse to ever do it then I end up completely purging on it and drinking, like, 6 sodas in a single day.

bgelliott

I cut them out cold turkey and now I cant stand and of them. I drink water and coffee only. My coffee I take with 1 stevia and 3 tsp of powder cream! Got used to it and now I don't even like the other stuff.

mrsamanda86

I drink lots of water, tea, and coffee. I still have a homemade latte a few days a week, but have stopped using creamer altogether. I just use some splenda to sweeten the coffee/latte up and that seems to work just fine for me. Although, it's not quite as delicious as a skinny pumpkin spice latte with an extra pump of caramel lol
I've cut out carbonated beverages completely other than a very rare energy drink or diet soda, they just make me feel bloated and gross...I don't love the taste as much as I used to anymore.

climbing_trees

I almost always have a water bottle or thermos of unsweetened tea/black coffee with me. When you're not thirsty, you don't really feel the need to buy a drink!

Saves on calories, and on money! I certainly can't afford anything about a $4.25 coffee that is basically an ice cream shake haha

DawnieB1977

I've never been a fan of fizzy drinks like coke, but I do like fizzy water. I drink tea and coffee, just with milk. We don't tend to do creamers in England.

I do like lattes or cappuccinos, but I always get them skinny, and I don't have them every day.

SailorKnightWing

My brother is a big fan of the Zevia and Honest Fizz brands of soda. They're both sweetened with stevia and have no calories. They're too sweet for my taste.

brower47

I drink diet soda from time to time and I use sugar free coffee mate, hazelnut is my favorite. I weight out the grams in a serving and my coffee only has 20 calories while still being sweet and creamy.

jogy

I am a diet cola addict. I will quit cold turkey because today I took the time to read about all it's negative effects on the web. I just googled "why diet soda bad for you" and BANG!!! One of the effects in question is that when you drink any diet drink, that sweet, message your body receives tells it that calories are coming. But because no calories came, your body will send you a message that you need to eat sweets to get those calories it was supposed to received in the first place. That would explain a lot of my cravings!

mmphilma

I drink Walmart brand's Crystal Light packages in bottles of water. I have one bottle that refill a few times a day and put one of those in them. If you need the caffiene, they have energy packets with some b vitamins and caffeine in them. If i have a day that I'm really dragging I'll drink a couple bottles of water with the energy ones in them and it perks me right up- plus I'm drinking water. They're only 5 calories a peice. Plus between all the different brands they have about a gazillion flavors. Just make sure to see the calorie count on them- some are no better than pop.

CarlaTurc

I used to ONLY drink Cokes (that's soda or pop for all of you non-southerners - LOL). I would only drink maybe 1/2 glass of water a day!! I used to HATE the taste of water. It took me almost 2 weeks on my diet before I even liked drinking water. I was drinking 4 - 5 NON-diet Cokes or Pepsis every day!!!!! Now I don't keep them in the house. I stop in the morning on my way to work to get a large DIET Coke from Sonic on my way to work. I love the caffeine kick (I don't drink coffee) and it feels like something special.

ariamythe

I suppose I am in the minority, in that I have never really had a craving for sodas. I like a good root beer now and then, but generally sodas made my stomach feel bloated so I never consumed them. So avoiding them has been as easy as not buying them and having them in the house.

Coffee is another matter. I used to be a Starbucks-a-holic. Like when the Pumpkin Spice Latte hit a couple months ago, I would often be the person buying them everyday, and sometimes even more than once a day, and always in the Venti size -- 500 calories a drink! I have weaned myself off the mixed coffee drinks by moving over to brewed coffee with a flavor shot. Their "Blonde Roast" with a shot of vanilla is spectacular, and about 50 calories a drink. [Yes, I know you can get a sugar free shot, but I can't stand the taste of aspartame.]

Mr_Excitement

That's a good idea with the coffee-- I've never heard of flavored grounds before.

I drink diet coke. Not a ton of it, but I usually have some each day.

chandanista

I drink water and black coffee because it's free.

When I want to indulge, I drink diet sodas (a few times a week) and skinny lattes (one or two a month).

Randomly I drink the full calorie stuff, but it's very rare and always on a "I just don't care anymore!" day, aka PMS. It hasn't been worth it yet...tastes, to me, about the same as the "skinny" version.

Siansonea

I have one sure-fire way to avoid calorie-heavy drinks: I drink something else. Works every time!

Mommybug2

It is hard at first but it is simply not worth it to drink your calories. Take baby steps and replace one thing at a time. I started by replacing full calorie with diet then limited myself to 1 diet pop a day. During this time I made sure I drank mainly water at work, which is way easier then replacing drinks at home (and it helps that the office water tastes good). At home our tap water doesn't taste so good so I started drinking propel zero (which is also great after a good workout). My last vice was Bottled Starbucks Frappacino, which was the last full calorie drink I indulged in. I recently discovered Bottled Starbucks Low Calorie Iced Coffee (which literally has 130 less calories) - at 50 Calories it is awesome and guilt free. Don't get me wrong I still treat myself to a tall skinny mocha every now and again

But to be honest I can't even stand the full calorie stuff any more (soda or coffee). It is way too sweet and just doesn't even taste good.

If you give up pop for 1 month I think you will find you just don't like the sugary syrupy taste anymore.

Lizzy622

Keep the ingredient list to a minimum. Water is great but if bored I add a lemon or lime slice or a slice of ginger. I try to eat food that isn't too processed or has too many ingredients so I try to do the same with my drinks.

sugaraddict1180

Tea! This can actually replace quite a few cravings. If you are looking to replace the carbonation of the soda, like you said, carbonated water is great. If you want to replace other cravings, try tea! You can get just about any flavor and flavor combo. I LOVE sea salt caramels so now I am drinking a sea salt caramel tea with no sugar....and like my name says...I'm a sugar addict!

seltzermint555

I'm one of those longtime diet pop/soda fiends who somehow finally managed to give it up. I stepped down gradually over a few years though, and now I don't have it in the house. I drink 1-2 cans per month now and don't even enjoy it all that much anymore!

In the meantime I started to really like LaCroix. It's available in cans, all natural fizzy water...it packs that carbonated punch of soda, and for me the can thing was an added benefit as I always drank pop/soda in a can. The peach-pear and grapefruit flavors are best IMO but I don't really crave it anymore, either.

I used to drink 3-4 Starbucks mochas or lattes every week at my heaviest, and didn't even think twice. Now I don't get those. In fact I used to have the Starbucks "gold card" with my name on it and everything...I cut it up. Now I go to a local coffeehouse that makes such excellent brewed coffee (over ice or plain) that I take it black! I usually do get a pastry with it, every 2 weeks when I meet my best friend there...but at least that's better than a pastry AND a latte, right? ;-)

For my morning coffee at home, I use a splash of milk. I have just recently stopped adding sweetener and don't miss it. I also prefer flavored coffee. Sometimes if I am with family or in a restaurant I'll wind up putting non-dairy creamer or half n' half in my coffee and it makes me instantly feel queasy! I can't believe just a year ago I poured that stuff in my coffee...not that it's horrible, but to me it's horrible now. 1% or 2% milk is perfect for me. If I am drinking coffee I don't really like (Folger's at work, rare for me!) I do add a packet of Splenda though.

seltzermint555

Tea! This can actually replace quite a few cravings. If you are looking to replace the carbonation of the soda, like you said, carbonated water is great. If you want to replace other cravings, try tea! You can get just about any flavor and flavor combo. I LOVE sea salt caramels so now I am drinking a sea salt caramel tea with no sugar....and like my name says...I'm a sugar addict!

wha!? SEA SALT CARAMEL TEA?

Where did you find this? Must have.

ktsimons

I was a diet Dr. Pepper aholic, but I quit cold turkey once I decided to finally lose the weight. I did find that drinking soda made me want more sugar and that nothing was ever sweet enough.

I started drinking tea - flavored tea really helped me cut down on the soda without too many cravings...caffien in the day and herbal at night.

Followingsea

Seltzer/soda water. I'm super excited because Polar just put out their Limited Edition line for this winter. Mint chocolate? Buttered rum?! Strawberry champagne?!?!? SIGN ME UP.

Followingsea

Tea! This can actually replace quite a few cravings. If you are looking to replace the carbonation of the soda, like you said, carbonated water is great. If you want to replace other cravings, try tea! You can get just about any flavor and flavor combo. I LOVE sea salt caramels so now I am drinking a sea salt caramel tea with no sugar....and like my name says...I'm a sugar addict!

wha!? SEA SALT CARAMEL TEA?

Where did you find this? Must have.

Teavana has one, I think

Brige2269

I cut them out cold turkey and now I cant stand and of them. I drink water and coffee only. My coffee I take with 1 stevia and 3 tsp of powder cream! Got used to it and now I don't even like the other stuff.

Yes, Same here. I stopped my 3 a day diet coke habit about 5 years ago. Moved to tea, and got tired of it, and cut that about 2 years ago. Today, just water with lime (the best!) or lemon and my morning coffee with raw sugar only.

ldrosophila

Sodas are my downfall I could make a meal out of them. It's pretty much cold turkey or nothing with me. I crave them all the time.

Since my pregnancy I have not been successful. Not helping that the only thing that doesnt make me feel crappy is soda.

ldrosophila

Tea! This can actually replace quite a few cravings. If you are looking to replace the carbonation of the soda, like you said, carbonated water is great. If you want to replace other cravings, try tea! You can get just about any flavor and flavor combo. I LOVE sea salt caramels so now I am drinking a sea salt caramel tea with no sugar....and like my name says...I'm a sugar addict!

Yum! This works too find a flavored tea you love. I love blueberry tea.

sugaraddict1180

Tea! This can actually replace quite a few cravings. If you are looking to replace the carbonation of the soda, like you said, carbonated water is great. If you want to replace other cravings, try tea! You can get just about any flavor and flavor combo. I LOVE sea salt caramels so now I am drinking a sea salt caramel tea with no sugar....and like my name says...I'm a sugar addict!

Yum! This works too find a flavored tea you love. I love blueberry tea.

mmmm blueberry tea! yummy!

sugaraddict1180

Tea! This can actually replace quite a few cravings. If you are looking to replace the carbonation of the soda, like you said, carbonated water is great. If you want to replace other cravings, try tea! You can get just about any flavor and flavor combo. I LOVE sea salt caramels so now I am drinking a sea salt caramel tea with no sugar....and like my name says...I'm a sugar addict!

wha!? SEA SALT CARAMEL TEA?

Where did you find this? Must have.

Teavana has one, I think

Thats the one! I mix it with My Morning Mate (which is supposed to be a coffee version of tea)

summer8it

If you like frothy coffee drinks, don't give them up -- make them at home, and save yourself the calories and the money! I now have a lovely espresso machine with a steam wand to froth my (almond) milk, but a cheaper option is to buy a battery-powered milk frother, which range from $2- $20. Pour some milk in your mug, add sweetener if desired, heat it for a few seconds in the microwave, whip it up with the milk frother, and then pour in your hot coffee.

If you like frappe-style coffee drinks, I love to make them with protein powder. You can make them with regular ice and coffee, but if you have leftover coffee, pour it in an ice cube tray and use those for your frappes! I just drank a frappe made with coffee, chocolate protein powder and half a cup of almond milk... 150 calories, 25g protein, lots of delicious.

KateEMD

Thanks everyone for these awesome ideas! I love tea too and I found this lemon ginsing tea that really fills me up if I want to snack at night. I also didn't know you could get a portable frother! That might be my new investment.