Pop (or soda): should I cut it out of my diet?

katieiwoosley
katieiwoosley Posts: 15 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm working on changing my eating habits, trying to eat less saturated fats, more proteins, etc. That being said, a lot of calories and sugars come from pop (soda) I've always loved the bubbly side of the carbonated beverages, but as I've gotten older, I've found that the caffeine in it helps a lot with preventing my barometric migraines. I've tried coffee and tea for the caffeine but it just doesn't work as well. At this point I've managed to cut down to only one pop a day. At the moment my pop of choice is Mt. Dew Voltage and it has 170 calories per can. Is there another caffinated pop that would be better for me to drink, or should I bear through the migraines and try to find a caffeine supplement.
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Replies

  • watts6151
    watts6151 Posts: 887 Member
    I drink about 2 litres a day of zero
    Sugur pop, also monster zero energy drinks, if it's a hot day and I don't fancy a coffee
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    Good choice for something to save a few calories but why not simply drink diet Mountain Dew?
  • JoanDoyleFit4192
    JoanDoyleFit4192 Posts: 16 Member
    I've cut out all fizzy drinks, replaced with flavoured water (flavouring myself) and natural fruit juices (making sure they have nothing but fruit juice in the ingredients) and I feel much better, less bloated. X
  • Okiludy
    Okiludy Posts: 558 Member
    I kind of like Monster's Rehab tea/lemonade. It's got only like 25calories a can, and fills that soda void for me.

    You don't have to give up anything. Just moderate and fit your favs to your goals. If that is hard than finding low/no cal alternatives is an option. Saying that I almost gave up beer completely and it's now a bottle is a reward. At most 2 bottles a week. The also need to fit my calorie goal.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Perhaps drink the Mt Dew for a week or two. You might find that you can fit it into your calories for the day.

    Or drink Diet Mt Dew.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
    edited June 2017
    Have you tried caffeine pills instead of the tea or coffee?

    I like the fizz, so I drink soda water (club soda) with a squirt of lime or lemon juice. I also drink Coke Zero or Pepsi Max a couple times a week.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,130 Member
    Diet version of whatever you like if you're just looking to reduce the calorie intake from it. I drink sparkling water most of the day but have a diet coke with lunch and sometimes a second in the morning or afternoon if I am feeling particularly bleurgh as I don't like normal tea or coffee.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
    Okiludy wrote: »
    I kind of like Monster's Rehab tea/lemonade. It's got only like 25calories a can, and fills that soda void for me.

    You don't have to give up anything. Just moderate and fit your favs to your goals. If that is hard than finding low/no cal alternatives is an option. Saying that I almost gave up beer completely and it's now a bottle is a reward. At most 2 bottles a week. The also need to fit my calorie goal.


    Diet Dew, Monster rehab, or Monster Free-Red, white, blue or orange.
  • Rob_in_MI
    Rob_in_MI Posts: 393 Member
    I drink lots of diet Dew or the caffeinated Mio. It took a little time to get used to, but I prefer it now.
  • Muscleflex79
    Muscleflex79 Posts: 1,917 Member
    Coke Zero !!
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
    That's up to you. Some people work it into their calories. Others (myself included) switch to diet.
  • moonstroller
    moonstroller Posts: 210 Member
    I love Coke, but had some blood sugar alarms and switched to diet and then Coke Zero, but I didn't like them, then I switched to flavored seltzer water. Now if I go back to drink Coke it's far too sweet.
  • PrincessMom08
    PrincessMom08 Posts: 120 Member
    I would make the switch to diet (trust me after about a week, the weird taste is no more and it tastes normal), but I would HONESTLY still cut back. I am a diet Mt. Dew junkie, but I only have like usually one a day and that's usually with dinner. Diet Dr. Pepper is pretty good as well. I hate diet Coke but that's just me. Coke Zero isn't half bad though. I find that most stores' versions of diet soda are pretty good. I like Harris Teeter's and Publix's diet versions. But I mostly drink water now to avoid as much sweeteners (real or artificial) as possible.
  • BPCycler
    BPCycler Posts: 92 Member
    katieiwoosley wrote: »
    I'm working on changing my eating habits, trying to eat less saturated fats, more proteins, etc. That being said, a lot of calories and sugars come from pop (soda) I've always loved the bubbly side of the carbonated beverages, but as I've gotten older, I've found that the caffeine in it helps a lot with preventing my barometric migraines. I've tried coffee and tea for the caffeine but it just doesn't work as well. At this point I've managed to cut down to only one pop a day. At the moment my pop of choice is Mt. Dew Voltage and it has 170 calories per can. Is there another caffinated pop that would be better for me to drink, or should I bear through the migraines and try to find a caffeine supplement.

    I cut sodas out of my life a few years ago and couldn't be happier. Now I can't even stand the taste of it. For caffeine it's coffee or tea. Other than that I get by on water.
  • Poisonedpawn78
    Poisonedpawn78 Posts: 1,145 Member
    I cut sodas out as well a little over 2 months ago. Havent had 1 sip since. The reason I personally did not just drink diet soda is because i dont like the tastes and knew it would lead me back to regular pop because of it. So for me the option was to drop them entirely. It sucked the first 2 weeks or so but after that its been a breeze.
  • Poisonedpawn78
    Poisonedpawn78 Posts: 1,145 Member
    edited June 2017
    Normally I wouldnt suggest anything either. However if someone in this thread REALLY needs caffeine, doesnt like coffee/tea and wants it to be low calorie.

    Go look up GFuel.

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  • CMNVA
    CMNVA Posts: 733 Member
    Regarding your migraines: you say that you've tried coffee and tea and the caffeine in them just doesn't work as well. Well, caffeine is caffeine. Granted, tea has much less than coffee or Mountain Dew, but if it was the caffeine that helped (and it does), then coffee would work. I'm going to venture out and said that it is a combination of caffeine and high sugar that works on your migraines. I think that is a known fact. I had one once and tried stuff all day long (water, Motrin, eating) and the only thing that worked was a large Coke. Anyway, based on that, I don't think a Diet Mountain Dew would work for you. But it's certainly worth experimenting on.

    Or you could just say, hey, the Mountain Dew is just something I cannot give up and I'm going to work around it. I've essentially done that with my sugary hot tea. You'll just get less to eat. If you're not doing a strict low-calorie diet, it should be manageable.
  • BPCycler
    BPCycler Posts: 92 Member
    Poisonedpawn78 wrote: »
    I cut sodas out as well a little over 2 months ago. Havent had 1 sip since. The reason I personally did not just drink diet soda is because i dont like the tastes and knew it would lead me back to regular pop because of it. So for me the option was to drop them entirely. It sucked the first 2 weeks or so but after that its been a breeze.

    I agree that is the best way. Quitting cold turkey. I see people trying to quit so many things by weaning off of them or switching to their "Lite" versions, but it seldom works. If you're going to quit something, quit. I quit smoking in '89 by going cold turkey. Tried to quit drinking many times over many years but was only able to do so finally by going cold turkey. Lost my taste for fast food restaurants by quitting them cold turkey.

    May not work for everyone, but for me was better than fooling myself into thinking I can gradually lay off an unhealthy practice.

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