The Unwelcome Dress Size
I was recently looking through the photos on my iphone (the only camera I carry and actually use) from this past year and was horrified to see a larger me creep up as I scrolled through the months. This wasn’t a complete surprise as my clothes have been snug recently, but it was still a bit of a shock to see the visual evidence. My first reaction was to blame it on my travel-heavy schedule; surely sitting on a plane several times a month is hell on the hips, am I right? I knew though, as much as I would like to use that excuse, that the real culprit was my love affair with a certain beverage: Coca Cola Classic.
Have you ever looked at the nutritional content on the back of a can of Coke? I’ll save you the trauma: it’s bad. I’ve never cared for the taste of Diet Coke and am anti-aspartame, so I knew I had to find something else to calm the cravings. I also knew that the cravings weren’t because of the caffeine. I can easily go without coffee and rarely get headaches during times I skip caffeine altogether. I then read a blog post (forget which blog, sorry) that talked about how some soda cravings are actually caused by the carbonation and that substituting mineral water sometimes satisfied that. Armed with this new information, I set out to see if sparkling water would help cease my desire for Coke and help get me back into my green Banana Republic dress.
I first tried Perrier and quickly resisted the urge to spit it back out. Way too salty. Next I moved on to another brand in a blue bottle which clearly didn’t leave much of an impression as I can’t remember the name. I finally settled on Pellegrino – the one that tasted most like water and had the least salty taste.
I was thrilled to learn that I fall into the camp of being addicted to the carbonation rather than the ingredients. As long as the drink is fizzy, my mind and tastebuds are satisfied. It also allows me to still drink Coke for the taste, but has cut down the amount I consume. It’s still too soon to fit back into the green dress, but I have definitely been feeling better, even on my work trips.
Have you ever had success replacing a not-so-fab food with something else?
I *love* sparkling water and club soda, especially with a squeeze of lemon or lime. I was actually spending so much money on cases of Gerolsteiner at Trader Joe’s a couple of years ago that I wound up buying a soda siphon to make it at home. Glad you were able to find a substitute that satisfies your cravings and makes you feel better!
amy i’s most recent blog post: Nanaimo Bars
From one soda-lover to another, Canfield’s Lemon Seltzer has been a great healthier substitute… and it’s only 67 cents for a 2-liter! I love it.
I too am a carbonation addict. Now I’m going to try sparkling water to see if it works for me as well! Thanks for the tip.
holly p’s most recent blog post: the holiday season.
I haven’t used this, but have read some good reviews… http://www.sodastreamusa.com/
the packaging alone that you’d save makes it worthwhile if you’re going to drink a lot of sparkling water! I wouldn’t be interested in the mixes they sell, but I LOVE squeezing a grapefruit into a glass of sparkling water, it’s so tasty!
Coke is my nemesis. The only solution I have is to drink more water. I know a lot of my extra weight is a result of sodas.
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I really love the cheap, storebrand seltzer… flavored or not. There isn’t anything in it!
Wow…I’m the complete opposite…carbonation has always been what keeps me away from soda!
I’m with Erin, I tend to like my drinks after they’ve gone a bit flat. I’m happy to be a water lover, with the occasional splurge on flavored lemonades. Although I will say that there is a small part of me that wishes I could just cut soda out of my life and lose a few pounds, right now I’m not really sure what it is I need to cut out.
Jenna’s most recent blog post: Meeting With The Midwife: Appointment 1
I’m also a carbination lover! I realized that soda was probably not great for my teeth or weight a few months ago. Well, I already knew it was bad for me, but I finally decided to do something about it! I cut out soda completely about 2 months ago. It was hard at first, but once I got over that initial hurdle, I only really crave it every couple weeks.
My husband and I used to get gingerale or Ale 8 (definately a Kentucky drink) but now we been getting into just an off brand of sparkling water/club soda and adding juice (no sugar added of course) I like adding cranberry and fresh lime or grape juice. My husband likes cranberry rasberry, it’s delicious.
