It’s very hard for me to give advice about weight loss and soda because in my head, I know that drinking soda puts on the pounds and I feel it isn’t a healthy drink but, on the other hand, I would walk across hot coals for an ice cold Dr. Pepper right now. Kombucha satisfies my desire for something tasty and fizzy but it isn’t Dr. Pepper.
Many people have told me, and I believe it to be true – that if ever I completely stop drinking them, after a while, when I have one, it will taste syrupy and way too sweet. Right now . . I want syrupy and sweet!
When we committed to this new healthy eating challenge, I knew and accepted (as I have many times in the past) that Dr. Pepper must go. When I see the results on the scales, I know I’m doing the right thing. While I’m not comparing my Dr. Pepper addiction to alcoholism or cigarette smoking, I have a renewed compassion for anyone dealing with either of those issues. Soda drinking is NOTHING compared to either of those and yet, it controls me. The first thought in my mind this morning was this: Vince is going to work! I can have a Dr. Pepper and if Idon’t admit it, no one will ever know!
But, I would have known . . and so far, I didn’t do it.
Last night I had a bit of a headache. I told Vince I thought I would have a Dr. Pepper but then decided against it. I’m glad I didn’t do it.
I think the weight loss already tells me all I need to know.
With this plan we’re on through Omada Health, they send us a scale. The new groups begin on Sunday. We got our scales and our group and we were to begin on October 2 but because of several things we had going last week, we asked to be moved to a group that started yesterday. Part of the process is that we needed to weigh ourselves three times and our scale reading is submitted electronically. There’s no way to cheat. I submitted my weight thinking we were starting on the 2nd and that is what was recorded. According to them, a healthy weight loss for me over the next 16 weeks would be 12.8 pounds. According to me, I want to lose 30 or 40 pounds over the next 16 weeks. I understand that’s not a healthy goal . . my weight lose plans say 1 – 2 pounds per week but that doesn’t take into account that so much of my weight is from drinking soda so even without a formal diet plan, just giving up soda, I think I would lose way more weight than the average non-soda drinking person.
9/29 – My weight was submitted before knowing we were delaying our start date.
10/4 – In preparation for the new healthy eating, I cut myself to one Dr. Pepper per day.
10/5 – While at the store, I bought Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream.
10/6 – We had banana splits for our evening treat.
10/7 – I made cinnamon rolls and ate my fair share.
10/8 – We had hot fudge sundaes with bananas – or last night before the new eating plan began.
Nothing about what I did last week was healthy or “diet” in any way, except I cut back to one Dr. Pepper per day. Yesterday I probably ate more real food than I normally eat .. in a healthy kind of way.
As of this morning, I’ve lost 7 pounds. Two days last week we had a big amount of ice cream, AND cinnamon rolls. Remember . . the scale electronically sends my weight. I cannot manipulate the numbers.
This is what they say I have left to lose over the next 15 weeks, 5 days! I think I can lose that much in the next two weeks .. maybe within one week!
If these numbers aren’t enough to keep me from drinking soda, it’s hopeless.
Clara says
So you’re not a fan of diet sodas? At least a can of Diet Dr. Pepper might keep you from getting a caffeine withdrawal headache. 🙂
JudyL says
Nope. Would not use any of the artificial sweeteners ever. In fact, I’ll only drink Dr. Pepper with real sugar .. not corn syrup. I’ll get past the headache. I’m stronger than caffeine! 🙂
Pam says
I have the same “problem” with Dr Pepper. I crave it, I love it, I want it — NOW!! But I’ve been denying myself, maybe had 3 in the last 4 months…went over 3 months without…Still LOVE IT
JOYCE says
Last January I broke my leg. Was in bed awhile . My kids were feeding healthy diet and extra calories for healing. I had put on 10 lbs. By the time I got around some. But
It went right back to my former weight which is still too overweight.
From what I have saw with my kids, diet pop makes you gain more. They have a really hard time shedding weight.
I am Pepsi person. I cut out all pop because it is really bad for your bones. But we have been traveling and Pepsi is like a touch of home.
One more week and all pop goes out the door again. But you know it is that taste, that fizz and the first 4 drinks you crave. Bottled litters just do not give the same thrill.
Joyce
Diann says
I want what you want for you but I’m betting that in the future you will cave on the Dr. Pepper. When I try to diet I eat lots of things I don’t want but in the end I go for what I wanted in the fist place. For me it is chocolate..sigh
Sandie says
Judy, I’ve said it before I know you can do this!
Myra @ Busy Hands Quilts says
Good for you to work hard toward your goal in spite of today’s hardship. There are acupressure points that will help with the cravings. Easy to find on Google.
Dianne Smith says
You can do this! Proud of you!!
Deb S says
Awesome job Judy ! Proud of you for sticking to it !
Michelle says
I just finished the Omada plan, and had a lot of success with it. Don’t worry too much about losing a lot at the start, as you say, a lot of it is due to making that one simple change of giving up Dr. Pepper.
I had a dramatic shift like that at the start of my Omada plan, and then it tapered off, would go back up, then come back down. Not to sound like an ad, but I’ve lost about 40 lbs since starting it in February. I achieved my goal before the official time, and simply set another goal, using their suggested increment. I think I made that goal just as the first set of the plan was ending, and made a few more successive goals until I made it to my final goal weight. You can keep setting goals until you hit your final goal! They just want you to start off with something achievable.
In all, I think the plan worked for me because it kept me publicly accountable for the things I ate and drank, and the lessons were good reminders of how to eat healthy. I also don’t consider it a “diet” but more of a Good Nutrition Plan. Something sustainable that I still follow and enjoy.
I even went to Disney this past week during their Food and Wine Festival and didn’t put on any weight. I kept working out, kept my alcohol consumption to a reasonable level, and chose the healthier meat and vegetable offerings over the high carb loaded mac & Cheese type offerings. I ate well, and I ate in a way that my body appreciated.
That’s the other thing I noticed, when I don’t eat well, when I have too much sugar now, I FEEL it. I feel awful, twitchy, nervous, and I simply don’t like it. Now that I’ve made that association in my mind between eating sweets and feeling yucky, it really helps with my cravings.
Good luck with it, I know with its support and the support of the folks on the blog you’ll do great!
Jackie says
Years ago I was addicted to Caffeine Free Diet Coke – the full sugar kind always upset my stomach or I would have been drinking that. It’s been a long since quitting that I tried one but I distinctly remembering that it tasted fabulous! And then the gassy bloating feeling came on and I felt like an overfilled balloon. No more for me! So while I agree that you won’t like the Dr. Pepper anymore, for me it’s not because I didn’t like the taste. It was the after effects that got to me!