Substitute for Sugar-y, Carbonated Drinks

199by2012
199by2012 Posts: 12
edited September 30 in Food and Nutrition
I am addicted to Pepsi. Plain and simple. What have you substituted your "daily soda" for? Did you go through withdrawals? How long until you didn't crave it anymore? Any and all feedback is welcome.
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Replies

  • ambie35
    ambie35 Posts: 853 Member
    I used to be hooked on diet coke 2-4 cans a day. I stopped cold turkey. I got headaches for about two weeks. I now drink water and tea and am down to about 4 cups of coffee a week.
  • MeAgain2011
    MeAgain2011 Posts: 66 Member
    Seltzer water, splash of cranberry, lime.
  • Kristin111365
    Kristin111365 Posts: 77
    Crystal light Energy, it has caffeine. I still have one or two diet cokes a day buy I am trying to cutt back even more.
  • rthompson81
    rthompson81 Posts: 305 Member
    My "treat" now is iced tea with Splenda. I used to drink diet cokes, but then I realized they were giving me awful headaches. I did get some caffeine withdrawals, but nothing an Advil wouldn't take care of, and now I feel much better without the cokes!
  • julwills
    julwills Posts: 286 Member
    I bought a soda stream maker!! Seriously it's awesome. I promise I'm not trying to be an add but I love mine. It's just water and you had carbonation to it through CO2. Then you can add whatever you want to it. They have soda mixes that taste like the real thing but with way less cals and chemicals. Or I've started adding Mio to it then I have a yummy flavored soda with no calories and not many crazy chemicals.
  • dont_u_mean_carrots
    dont_u_mean_carrots Posts: 58
    I love coke, I first started by every other day have one, then moved to less and less days. Check out sierra mist. No caffine and sugar no HFCS. It's not as awesome as a coke or pepsi (if that's your flavor) but it's a fizzy fix when you need it and since you may not like it as much as the others a case tends to hang around a bit longer :laugh:
  • aray379
    aray379 Posts: 131
    If you want a substitute you could try the flavored carbonated waters they have. I believe they are low/no calories but I think they do use artifical sweetners. Also, Celsius is a carbonated "diet" drink that is suppose to burn calories. I haven't tried it much but I don't remember it tasting bad.
  • nph1960
    nph1960 Posts: 57 Member
    Switch to water. You need to get past your sugar addiction if you are going to make real progress on your health and fitness committment.
    It will be very tough for several days. But remember, "if you are going through hell, keep going".
    Best of luck to you!
  • ashley0616
    ashley0616 Posts: 579 Member
    Tonic or sparkling water with fruit juice
    Or if they are available in your area, Izze drinks. They are just fruit juice and sparkling water, 100% natural, no added anything. And DELICIOUS. :happy:
  • kraszco1
    kraszco1 Posts: 13 Member
    I haven't been a fan of carbonated bev. for about 20 years. However, when I get a craving for something to drink other than water, I add 2 droppers of a flavored stevia to my 16oz bottle of water. It adds a little pizzazz without any calories. My favorites are Berry, Chocolate and Vanilla. Even my husband thinks it quite tasty and he won't consume anything that might be healthy for him! :)
  • Jenncoc86
    Jenncoc86 Posts: 203 Member
    Check out stevia, it is a natural cal free sweetener that comes from a plant. Steavs soda taste great and is a better choice then artificial sweeteners.
  • wickedcricket
    wickedcricket Posts: 1,246 Member
    I'm cricket & I'm a coke addict (coca cola) I even have coca cola ornaments for my christmas tree & collect coke polar bears and vintage coca cola santas

    one day at bed, bath & beyond I saw this demonstration for a system to make your own soda at home. I think 'great, that will save $$'
    soda is nothing more than carbonated sugar syrup. it's basically the same as swigging a bottle of mrs butterworth's pancake syrup.

    once I started reminding myself of this, it's MUCH easier to pass on it and now I rarely have them- don't even buy soda anymore or keep it around. Fruit 2 O water is a great substitute for me but also learning to live w/o 'sugary' in every swig - I drink iced tea w/ lemon, iced coffee and icy cold water
  • kraszco1
    kraszco1 Posts: 13 Member
    nph1960, I agree 100%! As long as you are going THROUGH it, you will come out on the other side! Just don't stop and roll around in it by sneaking one every now and again, it will just make it last longer!
  • staceyseeger
    staceyseeger Posts: 778 Member
    I add NUUN electrolyte tablets to my water. They are fizzy like Alka Seltzer and come in all sorts of flavors. It's only 4 calories & zero sugar & fat.
  • CoCoMa
    CoCoMa Posts: 904 Member
    Flavored water would be your best bet, but honestly, I just love that carbonated soda taste. I occasionally drink a diet soda sweetened with Splenda, and aspartame free. The withdrawls won't be fun, so hang in there!!
  • auntiebabs
    auntiebabs Posts: 1,754 Member
    COOOOOFFFFFEEEE.

    It's got the caffeine you crave, but you can wean yourself off of the sugar bit by bit.
    I need 1/2 pkt of sugar in my morning coffee, but I don't take any in my afternoon coffee.

    That sure beats the amount of sugar in soda pop!

    My original intent was to make the switch so I can gradually wean myself of the sugar/caffiene habit. but now I"m reading that 1-2 cups of java a day has health benefits.

    And I really like my coffee so I'm not stressing it.
  • auntiebabs
    auntiebabs Posts: 1,754 Member
    Switch to water. You need to get past your sugar addiction if you are going to make real progress on your health and fitness committment.
    It will be very tough for several days. But remember, "if you are going through hell, keep going".
    Best of luck to you!

    I'd deal with one addiction at a time

    PHASE 1)
    COFFEE
    helps you get over the need for sweet you can add sugar and wean yourself down

    PHASE 2)
    Water
    If and when you feel it's time to deal with the caffeine addictions
  • cedarhurst2006
    cedarhurst2006 Posts: 378 Member
    I gave up Diet Pepsi and it was hard. I went cold turkey and headaches came for about a week and a half. I drink a lot of flavored seltzer now and unsweetened fruit tea. Maybe also try the FUZE drinks and Vitamin Water Zero. I used to drink those when I first gave up soda, not so much anymore. For a treat, I take the Vitamin Water Zero waters and pour them into the popsicle molds you maybe remember as a kid to make a frozen pop with zippo calories as it is so HOT!!!
  • blwood860
    blwood860 Posts: 31
    I used to always have to order a Coke at a restaurant, but once my boyfriend started always ordering water, and I saw how much money I saved, I stopped.

    I drink a lot of Starbucks green iced tea, unsweetened. It has a minty taste, which I love. And when I get black iced tea, for some reason I can drink it sugar-less. I know a lot of people need at least little bit of sugar, but I have grown to love it unsweetened. It's an acquired taste, I guess.

    Other than that, I just drink water. If I want to drink something sweet, Diet V8 Splash Berry Blend is awesome (haven't tried the tropical blend). It only has 10 calories a serving, 0 g fat, 3 g carb, and 2 g sugar.
  • felly07
    felly07 Posts: 43 Member
    I buy carbonted (fizzy) water and then add fruit squash.
  • spngebobmyhero
    spngebobmyhero Posts: 823 Member
    i've never been a soda drinker (except for the occasional Dr. Pepper!), but I love flavored seltzers, especially Polar brand. There are no artificial sugars, but they are sweet and fizzy and zero calorie.
  • zenchild
    zenchild Posts: 680 Member
    My husband and I go through a 12 pack of La Croix every week. It's just carbonated water with natural flavor (lemon, lime, grapefruit, berry, plain). It's something other than plain water all the time.
  • cedarhurst2006
    cedarhurst2006 Posts: 378 Member
    My husband and I go through a 12 pack of La Croix every week. It's just carbonated water with natural flavor (lemon, lime, grapefruit, berry, plain). It's something other than plain water all the time.
  • cedarhurst2006
    cedarhurst2006 Posts: 378 Member
    My husband and I go through a 12 pack of La Croix every week. It's just carbonated water with natural flavor (lemon, lime, grapefruit, berry, plain). It's something other than plain water all the time.

    Is there any sugars in that? Where do you buy that?
  • Louiselesley
    Louiselesley Posts: 166 Member
    I also went cold turkey from all sodas and just switched to plain water or squash (pink grapefruit and orange are my favourite) i also drink pure fruit juices cause i love them (and tough if anyone tries to convince me they are bad for you!)

    i got headaches and i felt pretty awful but now? NOW i feel sick if i even have a sip of one! I full stop can't drink ANYTHING fizzy anymore without feeling horrible
  • cydonian
    cydonian Posts: 361 Member
    It sounds silly but I used to be addicted to sodas as well (still am a little). I'm not a fan of diet soda so I bought a 12 pack of that instead and whenever I had a soda craving, I'd drink one. It tastes SO wrong to me and I was able to slowly wean myself off (simply by not having the soda I actually wanted laying around -- I was getting some of the caffeine and not the calories at least!) I can go a few days without having any caffeine now.

    I can't think of a substitute that will make you feel so 'bubbly' (teehee), but maybe seltzer water mixed with a little of your favorite juice? (Get 100% and nothing with high fructose corn syrup!)
  • cydonian
    cydonian Posts: 361 Member
    Check out sierra mist. No caffine and sugar no HFCS. It's not as awesome as a coke or pepsi (if that's your flavor)

    Agreed on this too -- but it does have natural sugar so if the person is totally trying to avoid sugar, it won't help much. If you just want out of HFCS, Pepsi also does Pepsi Throwback which has no HFCS and just sugar instead. It's got slightly less sugar as well.
  • spngebobmyhero
    spngebobmyhero Posts: 823 Member
    My husband and I go through a 12 pack of La Croix every week. It's just carbonated water with natural flavor (lemon, lime, grapefruit, berry, plain). It's something other than plain water all the time.

    Is there any sugars in that? Where do you buy that?

    There isn't any sugar or artificial sugar in it. I used to get it at Target in Oklahoma, but its regional. I'm sure you can find a brand similar where you live. In New England we have Polar.
  • zenchild
    zenchild Posts: 680 Member
    My husband and I go through a 12 pack of La Croix every week. It's just carbonated water with natural flavor (lemon, lime, grapefruit, berry, plain). It's something other than plain water all the time.

    Is there any sugars in that? Where do you buy that?

    I live in Georgia and we get it at Kroger, Publix, WalMart, Target or Costco. It's usually in the water aisle. Look for light colored boxes. Grapefruit is especially tasty.
  • dointime
    dointime Posts: 103 Member
    There is no acceptable substitute, in my opinion!!! I got so bad that I was drinking close to a 2 liter a day of pepsi. I didn't allow myself any beverages other than water for about 2 weeks, and now I don't feel addicted to Pepsi. I had headaches for several days from the lack of caffeine, but I got over it. I would actually take Excedrin Migraine to deal with the headaches because they have caffeine in them. I hope you can find a good way to get away from it, it's a terrible habit.
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