Need your soda/tea/water tips... [Archive]

SweetChar

01-23-2025, 08:48 AM

Good morning. :)

I'm sitting here on this cold morning with a blanket over me and some warm tea in my mug. But...I've got Splenda in the tea. Part of me hates the idea of using a lot of artificial sweeteners. The thing I drink most throughout the day is Diet Dr. Pepper. Or, actually, it's usually Walmart's version: Diet Dr. Thunder. But, there's that artificial sweetener again. I have a hard time (mentally?) drinking water. I tell myself that I should be doing so and I do. For a day. :glare:

What's a gal to do???
I guess I'm not expecting any secret tips revealed from you ladies. I suppose I just HAVE to make myself drink more water. I even got a nice, new travel cup for Christmas.
It sits near my sink taunting me. ;)

HavaDrPepper

01-23-2025, 09:32 AM

I can't drink any pop at all these days. After 49 years of drinking Dr. Pepper, it was hard to change. I also have a hard time drinking plain old water. It makes me gag at times.

I've done 2 things. I drink apple juice. (Orange juice and tomato juice are also not allowed).

And, I bought a Cirkul (https://drinkcirkul.com/). This has flavor cartridges that you use with water. I'm partial to the lemonade and pink lemonade flavors. You can adjust the amount of flavor you get on the cartridge which is nice. The lower the number (0-9), the less flavor you get. I got mine at Wal-Mart in a starter pack. Wal-Mart also sells individual cartridges. It is also available at Amazon. When I got mine they only had the clear bottles. Now they come in stainless steel in different colors. And, tumblers are now available. It definitely makes it easier to drink water.

LauraOD

01-23-2025, 10:16 AM

If you are trying to get off the Splenda. Monk Fruit is a natural sweetener that tastes a lot better than stevia, I think.

Soda I was off and on for years, and I think I'm finally off. I had my last soda 12/31/2023. I really just had to get my head in the right place.

kristalund

01-23-2025, 10:24 AM

Do you like lemon in your water?
I fill up my water bottle 4 times throughout the day at 30oz so I get me 120oz day. Breaking it up like that helps.

carrie1977

01-23-2025, 11:28 AM

I love to drink Walmart's sparkling water drinks. I still get to have the bubbly but am not drinking soda.

Brendazzle

01-23-2025, 12:45 PM

I have a weird obsession with Sonic ice. I fill my water bottle with lots of ice and water from our water cooler. Once I've consumed a reasonable amount of water (the whole bottle two or three times), I sit around crunching the ice. It's a special treat for myself. Then I do it again.

I also have a water tracker in my planner and that's one of the best motivators to stay on top of drinking.

craftytam

01-23-2025, 12:50 PM

I drink unsweetened tea, so I can't help with sweeteners.
Like Krista & Carrie, I drink water with lemon or seltzer water. Those both help when I want something other than plain water.

marnel

01-23-2025, 01:36 PM

I love my crystal light or equivalent of that store brand. I know they say they are bad but I need something besides lemon �� in my water.
Coke Zero only if I step out but I don’t buy any sodas for home.
My son loves the Aldi flavored sparkling drinks we usually buy 16 at a time.
Green tea with honey it took awhile to get used to this.

JillW

01-23-2025, 01:41 PM

JillW

01-23-2025, 01:43 PM

I've sworn off full sugar Coke - this is week 2. I've been trying to drink 64+ ounces of water daily - I put lemon in it and lots of ice.
When I want something sweet I grab a Bubbl'r. It's zero sugar - they call it antioxidant sparkling water.

LynnZant

01-23-2025, 01:50 PM

I love to drink Walmart's sparkling water drinks. I still get to have the bubbly but am not drinking soda.
I'm obsessed with these. I like all the flavors except coconut and, oddly, peach. I also like zero sugar Power-aide or Gatorade when I'm riding the exercise bike. I used to get headaches with the artificial sweeteners; however, I just kept drinking them and now can tolerate them.
I've been trying to bake with Swerve. I've read that it's one to one with sugar, but it is way too sweet for that. I'll get the hang of it one of these days.

Memaw2Wm

01-23-2025, 02:19 PM

I love Pepsi, that said I now limited my Pepsi consumption to 2 cans per day. I have one in the morning (my coffee) and one after lunch (dessert).

In between I keep a 24 oz tumbler of iced water beside me that I sip on all day. Changing my Pepsi habit wasn't easy, and occasionally I'll cheat and have a third Pepsi.

BTW - my dental hygienist told me last year that they've noticed an increase in the number of teens with cavities. Most of those teens said they were drinking sparkling waters.

She mentioned it b/c I had a teen in my house. Thankfully my guy prefers water to soda. Just an FYI.

AmieN1

01-23-2025, 03:38 PM

BTW - my dental hygienist told me last year that they've noticed an increase in the number of teens with cavities. Most of those teens said they were drinking sparkling waters.

She mentioned it b/c I had a teen in my house. Thankfully my guy prefers water to soda. Just an FYI.

Yep- it's not just the sugar that's bad for your teeth- it's the carbonation & acids too. It affects the pH of your mouth making more minerals leech from your teeth than going in. Also- I think it's A LOT to do with all the energy drinks teens are drinking now- even the sugar free ones are loaded with chemicals & 'natural ingredients' that aren't great for you or your teeth. All the sugar & acid is a cavity recipe.

The best for your teeth is obviously just water. BUT if you have any drink, drink it at meal times or fairly quickly- sipping on something all day is real bad as your mouth pH doesn't ever stabilize.

THAT said- I'm a huge sparkling water fan. I love la croix, bubly and the store brands. I also like the fresca ones that have a little bit of flavor and I do think aspartame too. The San Pellegrino sparkling water has Stevia in some of their flavors. I try not to buy any sodas because if it's in the house the kids will drink it- but they tend to drink more milk & juice than I do as well. (side bar- Juice is TERRIBLE for your teeth too! ;) )

craftytam

01-23-2025, 03:42 PM

Yep- it's not just the sugar that's bad for your teeth- it's the carbonation & acids too. It affects the pH of your mouth making more minerals leech from your teeth than going in. Also- I think it's A LOT to do with all the energy drinks teens are drinking now- even the sugar free ones are loaded with chemicals & 'natural ingredients' that aren't great for you or your teeth. All the sugar & acid is a cavity recipe.

The best for your teeth is obviously just water. BUT if you have any drink, drink it at meal times or fairly quickly- sipping on something all day is real bad as your mouth pH doesn't ever stabilize.

THAT said- I'm a huge sparkling water fan. I love la croix, bubly and the store brands. I also like the fresca ones that have a little bit of flavor and I do think aspartame too. The San Pellegrino sparkling water has Stevia in some of their flavors. I try not to buy any sodas because if it's in the house the kids will drink it- but they tend to drink more milk & juice than I do as well. (side bar- Juice is TERRIBLE for your teeth too! ;) )

Well that stinks. lol! I love my sparkling water (unflavored)!

SweetChar

01-23-2025, 04:35 PM

Oh, y'all have given me a lot to chew (sip? lol) on. :p

I need to print out what Amie said about the soda effect and have it where I'll see it every day. lol I have areas of receding gums and it's possibly from too much soda. Ugh. (Dentists haven't attributed it to anything else.) I should really just stop buying it for the house. :huh: Would be a better example to Nathan, too. Rich already drinks (and likes :confused: ) water. Nathan likes it more when it's hot weather. Which is normally the case here.

Thanks for all the ideas, ladies. :hugs:

bienejen

01-23-2025, 04:45 PM

And, I bought a Cirkul (https://drinkcirkul.com/). This has flavor cartridges that you use with water. I'm partial to the lemonade and pink lemonade flavors. You can adjust the amount of flavor you get on the cartridge which is nice. The lower the number (0-9), the less flavor you get. I got mine at Wal-Mart in a starter pack. Wal-Mart also sells individual cartridges. It is also available at Amazon. When I got mine they only had the clear bottles. Now they come in stainless steel in different colors. And, tumblers are now available. It definitely makes it easier to drink water.

Cirkul has been the only way I can get water in my 15 yr old. He has some flavors he loves and takes his bottle to school every day. We have a subscription set up directly with Cirkul and get a monthly box of cartridges. I think a bottle comes free with your starter pack??? We love it!

AmieN1

01-23-2025, 04:47 PM

[QUOTE=SweetChar;1063206097]Oh, y'all have given me a lot to chew (sip? lol) on. :p

I need to print out what Amie said about the soda effect and have it where I'll see it every day. lol /QUOTE]

I can make a pretty digital scrappy one for you! lmao! :w00t:

HavaDrPepper

01-23-2025, 05:15 PM

Cirkul has been the only way I can get water in my 15 yr old. He has some flavors he loves and takes his bottle to school every day. We have a subscription set up directly with Cirkul and get a monthly box of cartridges. I think a bottle comes free with your starter pack??? We love it!

My cousin encouraged me to get it. Her granddaughters love theirs. They are 6th grade and 8th grade. She said when they want a change of flavor and the cartridge isn't empty, they put it in the refrigerator and then use it again later. I've done that as well.

I got the bottle and 4 cartridges with the starter kit.

Reading what Amie has said, it makes sense that I have had dental issues all my life. I drank Kool-Aid as a kid with Pepsi or 7-up as a treat. Had lots of cavities. I would drink chocolate milk but not regular milk. But those teeth are long gone and I have full dental implants. No cavities in them!

I can't drink anything carbonated or with caffeine which rules out my Dr Pepper and all other pop or carbonated drinks. GERD really limits what you can have. Apple juice is OK but the acidity in orange juice and tomato juice are no-no's.

carrie1977

01-23-2025, 05:32 PM

I'm obsessed with these. I like all the flavors except coconut and, oddly, peach. I also like zero sugar Power-aide or Gatorade when I'm riding the exercise bike. I used to get headaches with the artificial sweeteners; however, I just kept drinking them and now can tolerate them.
I've been trying to bake with Swerve. I've read that it's one to one with sugar, but it is way too sweet for that. I'll get the hang of it one of these days.

The Coconut and Pineapple is my favorite. :D
I also like the Cherry Limeade.
They used to have one that tasted like cream soda. It was so good. I don't think they make it anymore.

TraceyM

01-25-2025, 12:34 PM

In winter it can be nice to sip on chicken broth or a bone broth you like or even make from chicken carcass. There are also some great teas that need no additions to them such as Morrocon Mint Green Tea. I often have a glass of that near me. One last thing I started enjoying in the mornings is adding a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to a large glass of water - warming it in the microwave, and then sipping on it for the next hour or so - in fact I'm still sipping on it right now. I never thought I'd be the person to like that but I do!! In warm weather bubbly water.

karlimarie

01-25-2025, 04:55 PM

I have no advice for you, just #solidarity

'Drink more water' is forever on my list of goals. I don't mind the taste of water, my problem is that it's just so booooooring. The worst part is that when I don't drink water it becomes REALLY obvious to me - I get migraines, joint pain, my entire body just feels the ick - and yet drinking water remains a perpetual task, but never becomes a habit.

I think part of my problem stems from having ADHD. We're so good at being creative and thinking outside the box - but we suck at basic life stuff like daily care and maintenance of our flesh prison.

It's like out of sight out of mind. If water isn't in my eyeline at all times I forget that it exists. I know how ridiculous it sounds, but for example - a few weeks ago I put my water bottle in my purse and when I came home I hung up my purse and forgot to take my water bottle out. Fast forward THREE DAYS and I'm like - where is my water bottle. I finally found it in my purse and realized that I hadn't drank a sip of water the entire time it was in there. I even bought myself a fancy water bottle that connects to an app to log my water consumption and remind me to drink more - it literally has a light that flashes every hour if I don't drink. And I somehow STILL struggle!!

EmStafrace

01-25-2025, 07:20 PM

Char, It's a hard one to break drinking soda but a good one to try and tackle. I was a massive Coke drinker for many years but I can honestly say I only ever have soda as a treat or mixed with my G&T haha

Instead, I am a huge water drinker. I love my water and carry a bottle around everywhere I go and have done for years. I think one of the biggest positives for me and my family was getting a water filtration system installed in the kitchen.

Having filtered chilled water on hand has been a game changer for our family not to mention easier on the hip pocket because we all drink gallons of water now. This was something I never really saw my husband do (he's a coffee addict or a beer drinker), until we first installed a system about 15 years ago.

vicky23ny

01-26-2025, 04:55 PM

I'm not a water drinker. I struggle to drink water. The only thing that has helped me, is when I keep a water bottle near my desk, I try to finish it. I also find water to be boring. I have found a brand that tastes good and try to buy only that brand. I'm going to start drinking water with apple cider in it, to help burn off belly weight.

KristinCB

01-26-2025, 07:56 PM

my biggest tip is finding a jug/bottle/glass that you like to drink out of.. I feel like it makes a huge difference :) Do you like the cup you got at christmas?

I feel kind of like team apple or team PC there is also team straw or no straw when it comes to drinking out of bottle LOL!

another tip if having your body react really poorly to anything with carbonation and then you can't drink pop, sparkling water or anything. ask me how I know :D :D :D

LynnZant

01-26-2025, 09:12 PM

The Coconut and Pineapple is my favorite. :D
I also like the Cherry Limeade.
They used to have one that tasted like cream soda. It was so good. I don't think they make it anymore.
I think the orange cream one comes close to that. I love the red, white, blue (bomb pop flavor). That being said, I have been feeling sick lately like every night. I'm thinking it's the water. :( I used to just have about a third of a bottle at a time with no problem, but I've been treating them like booze and drinking a lot on certain nights to "party". Last night I went to sleep feeling like a total gas ball. I feel pretty good tonight and other nights when I don't have them. Just one more thing I can't have.

SweetChar

01-26-2025, 10:26 PM

Thanks again, ladies, for all of your suggestions. I'll be looking into them.
I *think* I like my new cup. It's similar to a Stanley mug. If I don't like it...I've got half a dozen other types. lol Pretty colors, different sizes. :rolleyes:

carrie1977

01-27-2025, 12:09 AM

I think the orange cream one comes close to that. I love the red, white, blue (bomb pop flavor). That being said, I have been feeling sick lately like every night. I'm thinking it's the water. :( I used to just have about a third of a bottle at a time with no problem, but I've been treating them like booze and drinking a lot on certain nights to "party". Last night I went to sleep feeling like a total gas ball. I feel pretty good tonight and other nights when I don't have them. Just one more thing I can't have.

Boooooooooooooooooooooo!

nietis

01-27-2025, 02:45 AM

If you want to get off Splenda, I think Stevia is supposed to be healthier and non-artificial. Maybe you can try that. I myself love water and I drink at least 3L a day, otherwise I feel parched.

tjscraps

01-27-2025, 10:20 PM

I'm a splenda fan ... grew up on Diet Coke so that tastes normal to me ... I figure life is too short to not have things I enjoy lol So I am *really* not any help.

Allison

01-28-2025, 12:50 PM

I had to take Topamax for a while before I figured out what was causing migraines and that stuff makes any sort of sweetener taste like swamp a** so it was easy to quit drinking soda

But my big (stupid) trick for drinking enough water is that I use a glass and it stays by the coffee maker. If water sits at my desk, I ignore it.

I made it a rule (I like rules) that I have to drink half of the glass every time I stand up or walk by the kitchen. And I can't refill my coffee if I haven't finished at least one glass. And I never leave the glass empty - if there's already water in it, it's easier to follow the rules. :w00t: :o

nesser1981

01-29-2025, 07:50 AM

I went cold turkey in 2018, I use to drink like a liter of Pepsi a day, but it was killing my stomach. I just drink water for the most part, but I like water.

I slowly switched to unsweetened tea, just half and half in my coffee, but it took a while. I will have a soda once in a while, but I avoid Pepsi until this past October and it didn’t do it for me anymore.

I feel so much better.

chinagrrl

01-31-2025, 04:25 PM

what about flavored teas like celestial seasonings? i think it tastes good on its own without any added sweetener. i also love hint water.

i stopped drinking soda when i got braces at 13yo and just never went back to it.

aussiegirl

01-31-2025, 05:58 PM

Me and my daughters actually CAN'T have stevia, splenda or sucralose. They are all items you will find in "sugarfree" or diet items. We have a reaction when we eat or drink anything with any of these artificial sweeteners in them (including cough medicine so we have to be very careful of ingredients). They will make us lightheaded, dizzy, nauseated and for me, I will be stuck in bed for a day or more unable to more much for fear of being sick or falling over.

The world seems to be going in this "sugar free health kick" but for my family, it is NOT healthy.

As far as drinking water, I do the teenage thing. I have a fun water bottle that I take everywhere and keep near me while at home. I don't drink any other drink with my lunch but water from my water bottle. I will drink pop or tea or juice with supper, and orange juice or something with breakfast. Also, I keep it near my bed because I tend to wake up with a dry mouth in the middle of the night. We don't buy a ton of pop. We buy it occassionally, and even then, it is drank with supper but not throughout the day when wanted.

To me, it's a mind thing. I know I could drink other things with my lunch, but I chose to drink water to make sure I am getting enough each day.

littlekiwi

02-01-2025, 06:46 AM

To be honest I just quit my diet coke habit cold turkey. It wasn't sitting well with me anymore so I just stopped. While I'm not drinking plain water just yet, I have swapped to no sugar iced tea, diet lemonade & some locally made reduced sugar fruit drink syrups mixed with soda/sparkling water.

Kimberly27

02-01-2025, 02:56 PM

We are huge soda drinkers here...bad I know but I like it.
Hubby is trying to drink less and we got him a soda stream to make sparkling water. You can determine the amount of carbonation and then he buys bubly drops to put in the flavor.

lizziej

02-06-2025, 08:43 PM

I drink a lot of water. I used to have Diet Caffeine-Free Diet Pepsi at work and at home until my baby sister told me some bad things about soda, especially the diet ones. It's been maybe 15 or 20 years, and I was able to just quit. I only drink it when we are on the road on a trip. We have Ozarka water at work, so that's pretty nice. I have to make sure that I am not dehydrated due to some health issues, so I keep track of what I drink. I can easily drink 8 or 9 glasses a day. Good luck! Water is so good for us!

SweetChar

02-08-2025, 03:56 PM

I'm trying y'all. :crying:
Honestly, I'm not very consistent. But...I'm trying.

Made this layout for the occasion. :D Me with my water cup.

https://www.sweetshoppecommunity.com/gallery/data/516/char_ck-tnp-OurFamilyTheSassyOne_wm.jpg (https://www.sweetshoppecommunity.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=783286&title=sweet26amp-3b-sassy&cat=500)

craftytam

02-08-2025, 03:57 PM