Soda 'hack'

[Zoe Girl]

I think that 'hack' is the word for basically good ideas.

I am needing to get off diet soda again. It has crept up with stress the last few months. My summer schedule gets done earlier and starts later so it is easier to wean myself off. But I still need caffeine and really like bubbly drinks (and can't have high fructose corn syrup). I get plain sparkling water and a powdered drink mix that has caffeine. I think the brand is Crystal Light. I mix that in my large Starbucks cold cup (watch out! it foams up pretty quickly). Very tasty and with that touch of caffeine can get me through withdrawals.

Last summer I lost a little over 10 lbs, I am more active and eat better. So I am hoping to lose the 6 pounds that crept back on.

[SteveinMN]

What are you hoping to avoid in diet soda that is not in Crystal Light?

[Zoe Girl]

oh dang, it might not be any better! Not sure why except I don't stop for diet coke all the time.

Okay my other idea I like is getting the flavored bubbly water and adding stevia if I need a sweet taste but there is no caffeine.

[JaneV2.0]

Maybe you could get used to the taste of LaCroix, and take a caffeine tablet with it.

[Zoe Girl]

I like the taste of everything, my head just starts to hurt mid-afternoon.

So I found some with stevia and caffeine,

https://www.swansonvitamins.com/to-g...kaAgF8EALw_wcB

[iris lilies]

Maybe you could get used to the taste of LaCroix, and take a caffeine tablet with it.

Omg, caffeine tablets? Sign me up!

next I just want an IV infusion.

[JaneV2.0]

Omg, caffeine tablets? Sign me up!

next I just want an IV infusion.

I have a couple of boxes of 200mg tablets I got at Grocery Outlet--Stay Awake brand. I usually just have coffee.

[catherine]

How about just drinking a cup of coffee?? I don't believe that coffee is the demon drink everyone makes it out to be. I'm sure it's a more natural, healthier drink than Coke or Pepsi.

If you had a cup of coffee in the morning to settle your caffeine craving, you could choose a bubbly non-caffeinated drink. DH and I love a Polar product called Orange Dry-it is bubbly and has real orange juice in it. It's kind of like a cheap Orangina. It comes in diet and non-diet versions and we've turned the kids on to it--even our 4 y.o. grandson LOVES it--he called it "yellow drink."

[Yppej]

If not coffee how about tea? You can buy it unsweetened. Or do you crave the carbonation?

[Gardenarian]

I think sugar/honey is somewhat better than artificial sweeteners?

Regular black tea (Red Rose, Lipton) is very inexpensive.There are lots of cheap (bulk) herbal teas. And sugar is cheap (even organic.)

Those caffeine headaches go away about a week after going cold turkey. Or you can taper off.