Substitute for Sugar-y, Carbonated Drinks

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199by2012
199by2012 Posts: 12
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
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    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
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    Seltzer water, splash of cranberry, lime.
  • Kristin111365
    Kristin111365 Posts: 77
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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: 783 Member
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    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: 906 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    I buy carbonted (fizzy) water and then add fruit squash.

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