Alternatives to Pop

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WinnieThePujols

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I really wanna cut down on my pop intake. I'm starting to run like 2.5 miles nightly just so I get into shape, and I know I'm going to have to cut down on the pop I drink to help with that..

I'm planning on getting a pizza tonight, but it got me to thinking: what the hell am I going to drink with it? Orange juice nor water goes down good with pizza.

I find myself having this problem when I go out to eat, too: what the hell do I drink!?

And I realize it sounds ironic that I'm trying to get into shape by eating crappy food, but at least I'm cutting pop mostly out of my diet and making a conscious effort to get some exercise in.
 
I would suggest to you lemonade. Its sweet like pop, depending on how its made, and it doesn't have the carbonation or caffiene in it.

I quit drinking pop in March, and thats really helped a lot.
 
I still drink pop but I want to drink one, at most, a day...

I'm trying to make an exception for myself, like: I can drink a pop, but only when I'm watching a sporting event, or something like that.
 
Water is your best bet. Drink a lot of it for 2 weeks, and your body will become so accustomed to it, you will begin to crave it daily. Then, you're all set, because you'll be drinking what you are craving.
 
Beer. But serioulsy do the water thing. I drink "pop" (I call it coke) maybe twice a week whenever I don't drink coffee. But I like drinking gatorade wtih my food so I may be the minority when it comes to that.
 
[quote name='WinnieThePujols']
I'm planning on getting a pizza tonight, but it got me to thinking: what the hell am I going to drink with it? Orange juice nor water goes down good with pizza.

I find myself having this problem when I go out to eat, too: what the hell do I drink!?[/quote]

Three suggestions:

Out in restaurants, try iced tea. Here at least (I know it varies by region) iced tea is generally available unsweetened, and if you have to have it sweet, you could use an artificial sweetener. Zero calories.

At home, try flavored seltzer water. This gives you the carbonation of pop with none of the sugar. Comes in 2-liter bottles in varying flavors -- lemon, lime, black cherry -- and can be found in either the pop aisle or the alcoholic beverage area of the supermarket. If you're used to pop, you'll probably be underwhelmed with the flavor at first -- it's not sweet. But it is zero calories and it's better than water.

Also at home, try 7-up Plus. I've seen it in berry, island citrus, and cherry flavors. Tastes like Cherry 7-UP, but contains fruit juice and something like 8 to 10 calories for an 8 ounce glass. This is essentially diet pop, but that makes it easier to transition from the real thing.

One last thing to think about: at first, probably none of these things is going to feel like an adequate replacement. But, as you get used to less sugar in your drinks, you won't need as much sugar in them for them to taste good. I can't drink much of anything flavored with real sugar anymore because it tastes way too sweet and actually makes me thirsty.
 
[quote name='Maklershed']I hate hearing soda referred to as "pop". Is that a southern thing?[/QUOTE]

It's more of a northwest US thing. I use to hate it when people called it "soda", then I got over being pissy over such a minor thing.
 
[quote name='Maklershed']I hate hearing soda referred to as "pop". Is that a southern thing?[/QUOTE]
Yeah, like many other things that suck.
 
[quote name='Odenat']But I like drinking gatorade wtih my food so I may be the minority when it comes to that.[/QUOTE]

Somewhere I heard that drinking Gatorade/Powerade/Energy Drinks as compliments to meals is actually worse for you than pop. If you don't use them the way you're "supposed" to (eg: as a replinisher while/after working out), it's bad for you...

Any truth to this?
 
[quote name='Aleryn']It's more of a northwest US thing. I use to hate it when people called it "soda", then I got over being pissy over such a minor thing.[/quote]
Congratulations

[quote name='WinnieThePujols']Somewhere I heard that drinking Gatorade/Powerade/Energy Drinks as compliments to meals is actually worse for you than pop. If you don't use them the way you're "supposed" to (eg: as a replinisher while/after working out), it's bad for you...

Any truth to this?[/quote]
I'd say that's probably true because Gatorade has a ton of sodium.
 
[quote name='Maklershed']I hate hearing soda referred to as "pop". Is that a southern thing?[/quote]

It's a regional thing. In the South, it's typically 'coke'.

http://www.popvssoda.com/

I have always called it 'soda', but I live in California and my parents are from the Northeast, so that's why. Before I clicked on it, I thought this thread was going to be about music.

I mentioned iced tea in my post -- the name is not regional, but what constitutes iced tea is. Order it in California, and it's unsweetened, pretty much guaranteed. In other states, it's assumed to come with sugar already mixed in and anything else would be heresy.
 
How about Diet pop. I switched to Diet and haven't looked back.

Tip though: crappy food will give you mroe problems than a can or two of pop. If you're going to nix the pop, then you'd better cut down on the crappy food. Also, if you're just trying to lose weight, walking might be a better choice for you.
 
[quote name='Greetard']Rap and rock.[/quote]

Lol, when I first read the topic title I also thought he was talking about music.

And yes, we just call it plain old "soda". Pop and coke dont work around here. Unless, of course, you actually are drinking Coca Cola... which is far superior to Pepsi by the way :D
 
No kool Aid!!! Damn you all!! There is sugar free versions that are ok. Also flavored water like propel tastes good, with only 3 grams of sugar.
 
Diet soft drinks are just as bad; not a good alternative, in the least.
 
When you go out to eat, get water because it's CHEAPEST! If not free. Why is everyone suggesting carbonation if he wants to get in shape? Don't drink anything that's carbonated if you wanna get into shape, it dehydrates you.
 
I have been trying Fresca lately. The orange tastes like Sunkist pop mixed with a splash of alka selzer.....pretty good, really. 0 calories and some chemical that makes it taste like sugar.

I also, as you may have noticed, call it "pop". Not soda or soda pop. Sodas have ice cream in them in my Southern locale.....suburban Chicago. My brother moved to California for 5 years and now calls it soda. I cringe whenever he says it. I know it's stupid.
 
[quote name='Maklershed']I hate hearing soda referred to as "pop". Is that a southern thing?[/QUOTE]

Yes. Everything is coke. If you go to a store and ask for a coke, they know what you want. If you want a sunkist and say coke, you will get a sunkist. That's how it works.

For the OP: Milk goes extraordinarily good with Italian food. Try some with your pizza. It's great.
 
OP, I call it "pop" as well- I have heard it called that during my entire life here in Ohio. When I went out to Cali for five months, everyone referred to it as "soda".

Try drinking juices (V8, Tropicana, Minute Maid, etc.), sports drinks (gatorade, powerade, all sport), or flavored water (Propel). There are tons of healthier alternatives out there, you just have to walk down the beverage aisle at your grocery store to see what I mean. Pop still tastes great once in awhile, so limit yourself to say only on special occassions or something.
 
[quote name='munch']
For the OP: Milk goes extraordinarily good with Italian food. Try some with your pizza. It's great.[/QUOTE]
Certain members of my family have given me a great deal of guff upon seeing me drink milk with pizza, but you're right, it is good.
 
[quote name='Maklershed']I hate hearing soda referred to as "pop". Is that a southern thing?[/quote]

It's a midwestern thing. I've always called it soda.
 
[quote name='Maklershed']I hate hearing soda referred to as "pop". Is that a southern thing?[/QUOTE]

Nah. Just depends on where you're from. In eastern Ky... it referred to as "pop" but never advertised as such. Up in Toronto they even advertise it as "pop."
 
[quote name='Maklershed']I know people say lol all the time but this literally had me laughing out loud.[/QUOTE]

Ergo, the acronym "ALOL" was formed (actually laughing out loud).

=P
 
I have recently found the wonders of Sunny Delight. I know it's not orange juice but it's damn tasty. Not to mention you can load up on your vitamin C. V8 is pretty good too.
 
Sunny Delight isn't good for you, it's basically flat orange soda. They just fake the funk and market it as a juice.

Also I thought this thread was about music.
 
[quote name='the ender']Water is your best bet. Drink a lot of it for 2 weeks, and your body will become so accustomed to it, you will begin to crave it daily. Then, you're all set, because you'll be drinking what you are craving.[/QUOTE]
QFT. Water is about all I drink now. Actually, a few weeks ago I had a 12oz can of Mountain Dew. That would usually last me about 2 minutes. But after drinking almost nothing but water for over a month, it took me almost 3 hours to get it down. It was just too sweet for me to handle.
 
Hey OP, I've run about 3 miles a day for the past 2 years now, and I'm a chronic diet soda drinker. Like, multiple cans/day.

I'm not saying it's a good habit, given the sodium/kidney stone concerns and all, but I wouldn't be too worried about it affecting your running.
 
Tonic for me. Rather, diet tonic, since there's somehow calories in non-diet water. And after 5, a little gin and citrus added if I want.
 
I also had no idea you were referring to soda in your OP. When I started reading your post, I actually thought you were talking about being tired of listening to pop while running the 2.5 miles. I was about to recommend some good rock, hip hop, and trance music to listen to instead. Oh well.

Oh yeah, go with water.
 
[quote name='WeaponX2099']No kool Aid!!! Damn you all!! There is sugar free versions that are ok. Also flavored water like propel tastes good, with only 3 grams of sugar.[/QUOTE]

Propel is like crack. I really couldn't get enough. It's fucking scary. The shit's addictive.
 
[quote name='projecteightysix']i havent read all 3 pages, but there's this lipton green tea with citrus, its freaking good.[/QUOTE]
Ugh, you might as well just keep drinking soda, that stuff is like pure sugar water :puke:
 
Everybody keeps slamming sugar. Most soft drinks in the US use high fructose corn syrup not cane sugar. Your body knows what to do with actual sugar, but high fructose corn syrup is not recognised by your body so insulin is not released properly. This causes more of it to be stored as fat. Google high fructiose corn syrup and I am sure you will find alot more that you don't want to know about it. The crap is used as a sweetener is so many things today as the tiny US sugar industry is protected by the government.
Now, I am not saying pop is great for you if it has sugar instead of the other stuff, but it is better. As the use of high fructose corn syrup has risen so has the average weight of Americans.
 
Just stick to water, once you get used to it it's just fine and will go with anything.

I pretty much quit drinking soda about 4 years ago or so and I just drink water or occasionally juice as my usual beverages. For me water goes just fine with any food and I find the only time I sometimes don't want water is really early in the morning, then I have juice instead.
 
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