Switching from regular soda to the ICE drinks

No. You need to cut out the sugar substitutes as well. Just get rid of carbonated beverages entirely.

I was a caffeine and soda freak. There were times where I was drinking 2 2 liters a day.

However, I recently had weight loss surgery and had to cut it out. I was so afraid of getting a headache or having withdrawal symptoms. Everything went smooth and I haven't had a soda in over 2 months now. You can quit it too. It's easy.

I hate water and juice is fattening. So that's why I figured this would be a better alternative than diet soda.

Just switch to ice WATER. If you've been drinking 4 cans of soda daily, this will be the easiest few pounds you've ever dropped.

can't you americans just drink plain water?? Is it illegal in the USA not to drink anyrhing full of chemicals and/or empty calories? what the fuck?!

"I hate water". I rest my case

Is this you, Program/Major Troll?

Can it Mr. Superior Eurogay if you don't have anything constructive to add

Too funny most of the Euroguys that worked out of the London office were FAT, drank a shit load of soda/redbull during the day, just plain ole drank at night and used whatever the European version of that Mio shit is like it was...water.

So, Euroguy, tell me, can't YOU Europeans just drink plain water??? WTF

I'm not from UK, thanks God.

Seltzer is a great alternative, lemon or lime flavored (no sweeteners artificial or otherwise). I like to add a fresh twist of lemon or lime. Mineral water is also really delicious. Voss (sparkling) is also good.

More about seltzer.

OP, for a really dramatic change, you may need that Asian eye surgery you've been talking about.

American here who will say "just drink water". Jazz it up with some fruit.

I don't smoke.

I hardly ever drink.

I don't use recreational narcotics.

I don't sleep around, the way so many of you girls do.

I try to get 6, 7, 8 hours of sleep every night.

I take a Centrum every morning.

I wear my seat belt when I drive.

I weigh 100 pounds less today than I did 2 years ago.

So if I wanna eat chocolate chip cookies and drink Coke Zero, I'm gonna eat chocolate freaking chip cookies and drink Coke Zero.

R14, You go, Glenn Coco!

congrats r14 on the weight loss!

I've been trying to quit diet soda, and drink seltzer with lime or a iced tea instead.

Iced herbal teas can be great and refreshing, I'm currently making big pitchers of iced hibiscus tea. Tasty by itself, fabulous with a touch of lemon or honey, and so glamorous!

[quote]I hate water

How can you hate something that doesn't have any taste? It's water (you know, the thing that makes up 70% of your body). you can't live without water, it's that simple. I'm struggling to think of a dumber statement in all my years on DataLounge.

I've had the ICE drinks a few times and they taste really, REALLY fake and chemically (the lemon not so much). I think they'd be disappointing to you after regular soda intake.

As I've gotten older, I really don't like sweetened drinks so much anymore. Sometimes, when it's super hot I'll crave a regular soda for the quick energy (I assume). I really love the new Leaf unsweetened iced tea and unsweetened carbonated drinks. If you want a fruity flavor try La Croix or similar brands that come in cherry, lemon, raspberry, orange, etc., but don't have sugar or artificial sweeteners.

There are also Grown Up Sodas which use cane sugar, but use much less sugar than other brands. Problem is that they're hard to find and expensive. Six dollars for a four pack at a local gourmet grocery store. I just checked Amazon and it's even more expensive there.

Perrier is a good soda substitute, they have it with a bit of lemon or lime now. Try it, or San Pelligrino mineral water (carbonated).

LeCroix makes a great line of flavored seltzers. Kroger has even started to get in on the category.

All are excellent, and the Kroger brand is cheaper.

Iced herbal tea is a good suggestion. I drink plenty of water, but it can be boring. I can see why OP would want other alternatives.

Agree r18. I could never respect someone who said they hate water. What? Life survives on water. Being addicted to sugary chemical concoctions for hydration is just sad and trasy.

I agree with R19. If you are talking about that Sparkling Ice stuff, it still has artificial sweeteners so I don't think it's really a step up from soda. LaCroix is great, and 100% natural...or Arrowhead sparkling water. You could also buy a Sodastream & just carbonate your own water.

There is something extra refreshing about a carbonated or sparkling drink that can't be satisfied by plain water. I don't give a fuck if someone else wants to drink plain water for the rest of their life, but anyone who is living off their own money can spend it any way he or she pleases.

A wooden shack might provide basic shelter, you can probably survive to middle age on a bowl of gruel and a Flintstone vitamin every day, but some of us enjoy a little bit of comfort and pleasure in life. And flavor.

Sodastream is a good idea. Carbonated water with a squeeze of lemon or lime and a couple of drops of stevia. You can also get SweetLeaf liquid stevia in a bunch of flavors, which would be healthier than ICE.

Does anyone remember New York Seltzer? It's back, in the same packaging.

R1

What do you drink now post surgery?

I drink nothing but diet caffeine-free drinks and I'm contemplating having the surgery.

I can't drink caffeine because of a medical condition so I only drink Diet Lemonade, Diet 7Up/Sprite or Diet Orange.

[quote]There is something extra refreshing about a carbonated or sparkling drink that can't be satisfied by plain water.

100% agreed. Especially if there's minimal sugar. Excessive sugars in diet can cause greater thirst or can even be a symptom of incipient diabetes (and increased thirst.)

There's nothing better than a cold refreshing, non-sugary drink! I'm sure many will disagree, but if that cold sugary drink were made a staple, as it is in many diets, the obesity epidemic could to help kill our nation.

carbonated drinks are better as it fills you up. Regular soda is just sugar water. Juice (like orange juice) is simply sugar water with some vitamins and maybe a tiny bit of fiber.

I get a kick out of people who give up candy and eat fruit. Fruit is basically just sugar with some vitamins and a bit of fiber (IF you eat the peel).

In America the only people that have vitamin deficiencies are the young under five or the infirmed elderly.

I like San Pelligrino with a wedge of blood orange squeezed in it. I later found that they make canned carbonated blood orange flavor but it's 140 calories per can, so exactly the same as regular soda and not worth it.

Too much iced tea (tea in general, actually) can cause kidney stones and other kidney problems.

From R11's article:

[quote]Small amounts of carbonic acid are produced when carbon dioxide is dissolve in water to make carbonated water

As seltzer is simply carbonated water, it is somewhat more acidic than plain water. I prefer club soda which is buffered with sodium or potassium bicarbonate and usually other minerals which make it taste more like sparkling mineral water.

I was addicted to soda and weaned myself off with first ginger ale and then sparkling water and now ice cold water. I always add lemon or lime juice to one of my ice trays to add a little flavor sometimes.

What about tonic water?

[quote] I get a kick out of people who give up candy and eat fruit. Fruit is basically just sugar with some vitamins and a bit of fiber (IF you eat the peel).

Except of course a candy bar has more than twice the number of calories than are in a piece of fruit.

Switch to vodka.

Yes, Patsy! I find that the people who screech on and on about how everyone should be drinking WATER ALL THE TIME, GOD JUST DRINK WATER!!!!! are the ones drinking massive amounts of alcohol.

[quote]What about tonic water?

Though it doesn't taste like it, it's loaded with sugar. It's basically Sprite with quinine added to make it bitter.

However, if you're watching carbs, the diet tonic water tastes exactly the same with 0 calories.

I read somewhere that seltzer isn't good in terms of bone density.

[quote]I read somewhere that seltzer isn't good in terms of bone density.

I thought that we covered this:

Claim No. 2: It reduces bone density.

This myth originated from the association between cola consumption and lower bone density. The problem with applying this belief to carbonated water is that the lowered bone density had nothing to do with the beverage’s carbonation. According to Dr. Melina Jampolis, a physician nutrition specialist who explained the misconception on CNN Health, a 2006 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that carbonated colas were associated with slightly decreased bone density in older women, but other non-cola carbonated beverages were not. While this finding may have something to do with cola’s ingredients, it’s also possible that the lowered bone density was simply a result of not consuming enough calcium-containing foods and beverages, such as milk As for carbonated water, research has compared bone turnover in women drinking still water with those drinking carbonated water — after eight weeks, there was no difference.

Club soda has a lot of sodium. An 8 oz. serving has 95 mg. If OP were to drink four cans like his current soda intake, he'd be drinking nearly 25% of the RDA and more than a third if he's in a restricted group. He'd effectively be increasing his daily sodium intake by a whole hell of a lot which wouldn't be wise if he's concerned about weight and health.

Oh yeah, the difference between club soda and seltzer is that one has sodium and the other doesn't.

I think the seltzer is the sodium-free one, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

Yes, seltzer is the sodium free one. Club soda has a little more kick, but the sodium isn't worth it.

Plain water + CO2 = seltzer

Plain water + CO2 + mineral-like ingredients like sodium bicarbonate, sodium citrate, potassium sulfate, and disodium phosphate = club soda

Plain water + CO2 + quinine + sweetener = tonic water

I hope I remember this now because I've always been unsure which is which.

Club soda varies in sodium content by brand. If your doctor has you on a highly sodium restricted diet, look for a brand that uses potassium bicarbonate.

If you aren't suffering from uncontrolled hypertension, the health concerns from sodium are generally exaggerated. In the case of club soda, the natural diuretic effect of water offsets the negligible amount of sodium.

Even if someone is overweight and has mild hypertension?

Yes, R45, but if you're concerned, ask your doctor. Most bariatric doctors recommend club soda over diet sodas.

Another option is to keep around a selection of naturally sparkling mineral waters from Europe. They all have their own distinctive taste. Perrier, San Pellegrino, and Apollinaris are widely available. Ty Nant has a sparkling variety as well.

Unfortunately my favorite, Vichy-Célestins, doesn't seem to be sold in the US.

naturally sparkling mineral waters from Europe - are these ok, health-wise? These are what I am switching to.

This thread is fabulously informative.

Why exactly are diet sodas bad ?

There's no sugar in them and I drink the caffeine free versions.

Yes, R47. I forgot to mention Gerolsteiner (from Germany) which is very good. I sometimes find unusual brands at Big Lots.

R49 I think diet sodas are fine in moderation. The beef some people have with them is that artificial sweetners may also raise insulin levels in susceptible individuals.

I make my own iced teas and similar infusions. Some with various sugars, some not.

Try iced:

green tea

mint tea

mint & green tea

dandelion root tea (sweeten with sweet cranberry juice - find one without fructose or corn syrup)

You should be drinking carbonated water with cut up fruit from the market. Just add you favorite bleached, cut up fruit to a glass of carbonated water and enjoy!

R52 meant, "You might want to try drinking carbonated water...," I'm sure.

Belated thanks, OP, for the kind congratulatory post!

r18, euroguy and others on this thread might not realize most US water is undrinkable. It's loaded with chemicals like fluoride and chlorine. I have a good water filter but I still add lemon or lime slices or some other kind of fruit and drink it ice cold to make it palatable.

Iced lemon-ginger tea is fantastic, over ice or mixed with seltzer. Add a little sweetener or don't.

Hibiscus tea or those various "zinger" teas are also fantastic iced.

Can anyone comment on quinine? I know it's in tonic water, but is it safe?

I love hibiscus tea, but I learned the hard way to monitor my intake. It's very astringent and it can affect your bladder function.

R57 Quinine is safe in the amounts consumed in modern tonic water. Tonic water was originally used to treat malaria and the British in India started adding gin to it to make it tastier.

It's also good for nighttime leg cramps apparently. Though quinine pills for that purpose are no longer sold--girls were using them as an abortifacient--many online sites recommend bedtime tonic water for leg cramps.

Go for it, op.

I really LOVE the ice drinks. They don't have the caffeine of soda, but they taste great.

To me, they're light and refreshing, and I especially love the regular yellow lemonade flavor, the orange mango flavor, and the pink grapefruit. They're very citrusy and tangy, without being overly sweet.

[quote] I like San Pelligrino with a wedge of blood orange squeezed in it. I later found that they make canned carbonated blood orange flavor but it's 140 calories per can, so exactly the same as regular soda and not worth it.

I also like Perrier and San Pellegrino mineral water.

OP, I'm not the pretentious type, and avoid trendy drinks, as a rule.

However, I drink the Starbucks lemonade, and often times it was too sweet for me. So I started buying their only carbonated option, which was the San Pellegrino water, to water down my lemonade and make it a little "bubbly," as well.

My bubbly lemonade tasted great!

But I was pleasantly surprised when I tried the Pellegrino by itself. It has a very unique "flavor" to it, even though it's water.

The whole reason I look for soda options, is for a little bit of flavor, and if you want the water + carbonation + taste, I highly suggest Pellegrino water.

It's actually quite delicious!

I cut out soda for the last few days and one benefit I already experienced is I didn't have to get up in the middle of the night and pee. I'm doing well (knock wood) the last 2 weeks with eating less/better, next I need to work on stepping up my exercise. Thanks for all the suggestions!

R60

When you mention ICE are you talking about the brand of drinks?

If so you are mistaken about there being no caffeine in them.

The vast majority of ICE drinks have caffeine. Approximately 80% do.

I'm not allowed any caffeine due to a medical condition so I dilligently read all labels.

Diet sodas are fine. I drink 12 cans a day of Coke Zero.

Sugary drinks are empty calories and unnecessary. You should substitute for drinks like mineral water, or unsweetened ice teas, or perhaps have a carrot juice. If you want to lose weight for the long term, it's better to just avoid drinks with artificial sweeteners.

Yes, R62, I was talking about the ICE brand of drinks.

I honestly had no idea they contained caffeine, because they seemed more like fruit drinks.

I guess I have to start reading the labels.

That new Grape/Raspberry flavor of Sparkling Ice is delicious.

Drink GT's kombucha, the brand that doesn't have sugar in it.

Drink Kumbacha girl. You'll tank me for it.

It won't help you kick your habit or lose weight. The lost caffeine will actually make you bloat (as will switching to water). Of course if you do switch to plain water then in a month or so you will begin to lose weight nicely from being totally hydrated and less hungry, but at the beginning your body will miss caffeine's diuretic effects and also the salt that keeps your kidneys functioning so there will actually be an initial weight gain, but it should cap out at about 5 pounds at the most and reverse as you eat less.

You may also crave salty foods at first but you must limit your calorie intake.

And two weeks of aspirin for the caffeine withdrawal headaches.

Drink yerba mate.

I drank instant iced tea all day long when I was anorexic. Never got hungry and yes, I had kidney stones.

But I could wear anything.

Sparkling Ice doesn't list caffeine in its ingredients.

Sparkling Ice only contains caffeine in its iced tea products,

Exactly right, r30. I had a kidney stone or two and found out the hard way it was the tea. Green tea is a good alternative.

LaCroix sweetie!

Sparkling water with a hint of flavor and no sugar. Try it.

[quote]No. You need to cut out the sugar substitutes as well. Just get rid of carbonated beverages entirely.

Bullshit. It's simply about calories in and calories out. If you want to drink four sugar laden Cokes, go ahead but then cut your food intake by that number of calories.

I lost weight by only drinking cases of lite beer.

La Croic doesn't ring my bell. Sparkling Ice definitely does. So glad to see it's starting to be sold in the UK, too.

Diet soda helped me lose 20 pounds of fat two years ago when I was sick, unable to exercise and I developed a nasty soda habit.

Whatever it takes, OP! It can work.

I know this is an old post, but my dentist told me all carbonated drinks are really bad for your teeth, even seltzer.

Haven't been able to give them up yet.

How old are you? Just drink water. Or tea if you need a pick me up. Sheesh Americans. Nothing is consumed unless it's marketed to them.

I drink Crystal Lite

R83 they don’t have soft drinks in Europe.