Everything I have read from Men's Health to the South Beach Diet says that the quickest way to lose weight is to stop drinking cokes. I also have read several places to the easiest way to save money is to stop drinking soda. Well, seeing as how I am a Southern Boy and was raised on Dr. Pepper from the nipple to the ripple, giving up that sweet elixir (that does not have prune juice in it by the way) is gonna be real rough. So I ask you, oh fellow slaves of the BBS: what are some alternatives to the good Dr. that don't cost a bundle to fatten my wallet and aren't loaded with sugar and carbs to shrinkin the dunlap tire hanging below my chest. Discuss.
Diet Dr. Pepper I know diet sucks but hear me out. Dont drink any cokes for 3 months, just drink water instead. After 3 months you will have lost your weight and then the next time you have a sandwich or whatever, drink a deit coke, dr. pepper, whatever. It will taste like heaven. Then you will be hooked and regular drinks will taste way too damn sweet. CASE CLOSED
Water is the best for you from what I've read. You need eight glasses a day to stay properly hydrated and that is if you don't exercise, you're not overweight, you don't drink alcohol and you don't drink any caffinated products. I fall into all of the catagories above. I personally try to drink 15 glasses of water a day. It takes a while to get used to it (constant urination is the biggest hurdle) but it makes a difference. I feel better now that I do this.
Actually the diet stuff is not that bad. The problem is, and I know this sounds weird, I HATE the taste of water. Hate it. My wife thinks I'm nuts. Says water tastes like nothing. From tap to Ozarka it varies but it all tastes bad. So water is not the answer to my prayers. CASE REOPENED
I have the greatest amount of respect to anybody that has given up smoking, alcohol, or drugs. I'm pretty sure that sodas are the only thing that's as close to being as addictive as those three things, and I've never been able to quit. I don't think I'll ever completely quit sodas, but I'm not drinking as much as I used to. I'm probably down to one per day from 3 or 4 per day. Sodas are definitely one of the worst items in terms of empty calories...You might as well stick a straw into the sugar canister and suck away...
You will never be able to lose weight if you dont drink water. As PieEatinFattie said, it is the best thing for you. We also drank a ton of Crystal Light.
That's just an old wive's tale, right there. He's also trying to save money, too, so the diet stuff won't help him. Try making some homemade lemonade. You can 20 of those small lemons for a dollar. Just squeeze a few of those into a big pitcher of water and toss in some Equal. You can probably make a whole pitcher for about a quarter, and it will last you a week. Stay away from those store bought juices. Most of those have more calories than sodas...
Diet Dr.Pepper is awesome. I've gotten so use to it that I don't drink anything with sugar anymore. I'd definitely be overweight if it was original DP, I go through a case every 5 days of that stuff.
Back in '98, I went on a big diet. I would dring at least 64oz of water a day, any fluid after that I would drink Gatorade. The only set back of no soda is the caffine. I don't drink coffee or tea.
Gatorade has 14g of sugar in it. Of course it isnt as much as Dr. Pepper, but basically you are drinking sugar. Water is always better.
We used to have free beverages at my office. At one point, I thought that I was drinking too much soda so I decided to try Fruit 2-O. I hated it at first but it kind of grew on me.
I don't these are all old wives. http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/mens/life_diet.shtml http://www.aarogya.com/FamilyHealthLifestyle/dietnnutrition/article/article5.asp http://www.weight-loss-i.com/diet.htm http://www.allanstime.com/Health/water.htm
The real difference with Gatorade is that they don't use HFC (High Fructose Corn-Syrup) in there drinks. HFC is what quickly stores sugar as fat. other sugars like Glucose are used as energy. I gave up drinking sugar sodas over the summer and dropped a lot of weight. the diet sodas are really not that bad after you acquire the taste for them.
Reducing soft drinks DOES make a difference! I used to drink like 3 or 4 a day. And at around 170 calories a pop that is a huge caloric intake JUST from drinks. I stopped drinking soft drinks a lot (now one a day if at all) and went primarily to WATER. At first it was just bleh but after a while I got used to it. The key to drinking water is "craving" water. And the way to crave water is to put some exercise into your routine. After exercise water tends to taste really good to the body and thus you get used to it. I am amazed how much less soft drinks I drink these days and actually dont miss them all that much.
If you don't want to spend money on the bottled stuff, get a filter for you faucet or a Brita Pitcher. It helps reduce the chemical taste you get from drinking a lot of tap water.
speaking of gatorade... they have a new energy drink (if you want to call it that.. it's more like water) out right now called "propel". the stuff is pretty good. only two grams of sugar compared to your 33 to 35 for soda pop. 10 calories. the kiwi strawberry flavor is the best. more info here
Ditto. Ice tea with sweet n low is the best way to go if you're trying to cut down on carbonated beverages.
