Diets & Weight Maintenance Support Group

Do you drink the pop from the vending machine at work? Does that same machine have water? That's an expensive alternative, but if you're working to change a habit, small changes can be easier. I just try to keep a refillable water bottle at my desk, and use good old tap water, refilling as the day goes on. And if you really want to feel good about giving up the pop, start paying yourself the $$$ you were paying for those soda pops -- literally put it in an envelope or desk drawer or whatever, and tell yourself what you're going to buy for fun with all those soda savings!! (My thing was eating lunch out. Now I pack, and have been paying myself to save for my trip to NYC later this summer...it feels really good to pay yourself for doing something good!)

Hi Leo. (and) Go "frogerina"! She has given you fantastic advice all round. Besides saving all your hard earned money..... the refillable water bottle!!!! Also...just think of all the sugar, (or artificial sweetener if you drink diet pop) you will be eliminating from your daily intake.....not to mention artificial colouring and flavouring..yuk! What a relief to your kidneys and all your other internal organs not being bombarded with all that junk ever again. If you don't add other sugary drinks (i.e. more than one or two small glasses fruit juice daily is max) and/or sugary food as a substitute you will most certainly lose weight and the added benefit to your skin and overall health....and wow! YOU CAN DO IT!!!! Go for it! Best wishes in your endeavours....

i have some suggestions for alternatives...
try a very small amount of juice (just about 2 ounces), mixed with unflavored seltzer water. this makes a great, light fruit soda. (only about 30 calories vs. 140 in 12 oz soda pop).
Even Better - Slice an orange. Spread some lemon juice on 2-3 slices of green apple. Put the apple, the orange, and half a lemon juice in a large pitcher. Fill the half the pitcher with ice cubes. Fill with water. Let it rest 24 hours in the fridge before serving. You could fill your water bottle with this at the beginning of the day. Very yummm... :)

This is a huge problem for me too. I had a friend recommend drinking flavored tea. I try to make the tea in the morning using 4 tea bags in 1 quart of water. I add about 2 tbsp. sugar. I boil the water first and add 2 cups of hot water to the tea bags. Let it steep for about 5 mins and add another 2 cups of water. On the days I remember to do this, I do great and there is a lot of flavors out there to try.

Lots of great advice!

I usually buy lemonade or fruit punch from the store, but now that I'm trying to cut out extra sugar, I'm going to start using fresh fruit (strawberries, raspberries, peach, mangoes) and their juices to sweeten my fresh lemonade and tea.

Thanks everyone, all great advice and I've been doing pretty well so far, only 2 pops since sunday- which is about 16-25 less than normal, and I just now realized when typing this that that's about $6 if I buy the 24 can cubes. $6 in 3 days. That will add up fast.

Thanks again
Leo

I do this often- just thought of something after I posted. I think the primary reason I drink so much pop is because of the convince factor- being able to grab a can on my way through the kitchen and sit and quench my thirst. Now by having a few water bottles- at least two in the fridge at all times it is just as convenient and better as a thirst quencher.

And I did the math and it's pretty scary- if I drank a full 9 cans of Pepsi per day that would total to over 400,000 calories per year (or over 100 pounds at 3500c/lb).

It must be because I'm young and have a faster metabolism (which I think is also why I'm so thirsty all the time) that I don't have trouble leaving the house because of my weight.

If anything could get me off pop it is certainly a calculator.

Thanks
Leo

Just a FYI for pop drinkers. Carbonated beverages are detriminetal to your immune system! After drinking a carbonated beverage, your body will not absorb ANY nutrients for 12 hours! Why? Calcium is the catalyst for the absorbtion of the majority of vitamins our body needs. After you drink a pop your body your will neither absorb nor produce calcium therefore no other vitamin will be absorbed either, So even if you are having an incredibly healthy meal, if you dink pop with it nothing is going into your body! An unhealthy immune sytems is also a key for weight maintenance.
Ice tea is okay but DECAF. Caffeine makes you gain weight. Water is best but if need a break water based drinks are best. No fructose or sugar subs in them.

Seltzer water with lemon or lime....also my grocery store has seltzer with flavor infused...no sugar or fake sugar I drink it like pop.

unsweetened ice tea.NOT artificially sweetened. Just no sugar added. Squeeze a lemon wedge in it if you like or some fresh mint is nice. You can add one mint tea bag to the pitcher when you make it if fresh mint is unavailable.ice coffee also works for me.