I bought all the recommended flavors and randomly picked one. I started with Pink Lemonade. Now, I normally hate any type of diet drink because I can taste the artificial sweetener, but this was honestly not too bad as long as it's very, very cold.
Next, I had the White Grape and drank 2 of those followed by the Pineapple Orange, the Tea and the Raspberry Ice. I decided I really like the Raspberry Ice, so I finished my eight glasses off with that flavor.
Here are my thoughts: You should probably space your drinks out over the course of the day. I did all of my water within about 2 hours and my bladder went into shock. Hell, who am I kidding, my whole body went into shock. Water? No sugar? Full enough that I didn't feel like eating everything that wasn't nailed down? WHO IS THIS PERSON INVADING CRYSTAL'S BODY?
Second, I'm sleepy. Really, really sleepy and it's only 7:30. I normally drink Dr Pepper until right before I go to bed and then I wonder why I lay awake, staring at the ceiling for 2 hours. I think the lack of caffeine and the depression over being separated from my beloved Dr Pepper has combined to basically tranquilize me.
Thirdly, ... wow. A Dr Pepper sounds really good right now. Like, REALLY good. Is there any rule that says I can't have one after I drink my eight glasses of water? Are there rules at all? Because I think I read somewhere that you shouldn't deny yourself when you're dieting, right? I mean, it just makes it worse, right? RIGHT? I can have one. One won't hurt.
DON'T JUDGE ME.
Monday, August 17, 2009
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52 comments:
If you drink THAT much Dr. Pepper, cold turkey will not be your friend. Maybe just "allow" yourself one per day for a few days. Or tough it out, and just remember how lucky you are that it's not heroin. (that's how I did it, it helped there actually were girls detoxing from heroin around me...)
Good luck :)
I don't think starting off by rationing your Dr. Pepper TO START is a bad idea, as long as you begin with maybe one (or two? I don't know how many you usually suck down on average) a day for the first week (before 3:00pm, due to insomnia issues). Caffeine withdrawal is miserable, and going cold turkey is brutal.
One of my best friends used to keep a pitcher of Crystal Light in his fridge at all times. He called it "flavor."
Good luck, sweetie!
I'm not trying to dissuade you or anything, but the headaches should start tomorrow. That will be the caffeine withdrawal. You can tough it out though! I have faith in you!
I've had Crystal Light. I'm sorry, but I thought it was really disgusting (not to be discouraging), however yes, tolerable if it is very very very cold.
Also, you're only doing this for 5 days. If you were doing it for a month, I would say ration your Dr. Pepper. But doing it for 5 days? I'd say quirt cold turkey. It won't feel great at first (I was a 5 espresso drinks a day type person, and I quit all at once) but you'll see the effects of having a healthy drinking diet quicker.
I like the iced tea, and the lemonade isn't too bad. I haven't tried all of the flavors yet! Let me know when you find more tasty ones (raspberry is not one of my faves, unfortunately, LOL).
I can't use aspartame so I've never tried Crystal Light...but I mostly drink water and unsweetened iced tea so I don't ingest a lot of sugar in my beverages. I admire you for trying it though...and one dr. pepper won't hurt you, I don't think...good luck!
Good God, Woman! Drink a Dr. Pepper! You do NOT want to go into caffeine withdrawal - it's not just headaches - you can get the shakes from it too - but the headaches are bad enough! And Crystal Light has aspartame in it??? Screw that - don't you know it can cause cancer? I say drink the damn Dr. Pepper and just tell the next damn woman you're NOT pregnant - thank-you-very-much!!!
good luck, i think u should reward urself with DP but maybe in the am not so late at night LOL as that will keep you awake..im sure 1 DPa day wont hurt....
Headaches? Is that what they call feeling like you'd like to RIP YOUR HEAD OFF because it hurts so bad when you go cold turkey on the caffeine? Oh yeah, I've been there. I recommend ingesting SOME caffeine every day or you're going to really hurt. And I don't want you to really hurt.
Besides what everyone else said, keep the crystal light with you while drinking the Dr. Pepper. I have water in front of me (or closest) and coffee in the background in the morning...water up front & a glass of wine to the side at night. I drink over 130+ oz. of water a day - this seems to work, but I'm not getting caffiene withdrawl headaches or side effects.
Dr. Pepper is to you what Coke is to me. I've quit drinking Coke twice. Both times to lose weight and drink more water to be healthier. I like the Lemon Iced Tea Crystal Light and the Fruit Punch. It tastes just like Kool Aid. I have been bad and returned to my nasty coca cola habit. I just have one teeny piece of advice. Dont give up coffee and coke at the same time. I could live without my coke as long as I had my morning coffee and one Coke zero a day along with my Crystal Light. You can do it! Go for it! And one a day is better for you than 8 a day. ;)
I already gave you my thoughts on Crystal Light. I like Strawberry Banana best, I really like Raspberry Ice too, etc...and just so you know, DIET Dr. Pepper is drinkable. Not too bad. Also, as far as giveaways, I am in training to become a certified doula (labor assistant there to concentrate on mom with massages, heat or cold, aromatherapy, assisting with position changes, etc.), so anything to help comfort a laboring mom (lotions, massagers, lip balm, you know the drill) would be great. Unfortunately, most of the stuff I will need, scrubs, a CD boombox, etc. - do not really fall under the "giveaway" category, lol. But poverty sucks. I'm having no luck through Freecycle. If you (or anyone) know of any other organizations I could try for some help, please let me know! :) I will be spending almost $1000 in December alone for my training workshop, hotel, meals, transportation....that's on top of everything else. Yikes. Anyway, enough on me. Was just trying to say girly/comfort stuff would be very welcome, lol.
Dr. Pepper and I are secret lovers. Shhhhh... don't tell the weight watchers ladies about my love affair.
I love the white grape flavor. good luck. I'm down to one soda a day or none at all. Im hoping one day I won't care for one and only have them after endurance events...like half marathons or triathlons. It's the only thing that taste the best Diet Dr Pepper :)
YEAH CRYSTAL! Way to go! I do think you should allow yourself 1 DP so you don't go into caffeine withdrawal...ick.
I rarely drink any kind of pop (although I have a glass of Pepsi beside me now), but normally I drink 1-4 litres (which is ~130 fl. oz - same as Tug) of water a day. It totally takes your body a while to adjust - I think I peed every 15 min the first few days...I was tempted by the Depends at the grocery store!! But your body does adjust and starts to use the water to flush out all the crap that's floating around in your system...and my PMS bloatiness was WAY less drinking water (so bassackwards hey - drink more water to retain less water - WTF mother nature)...
Keep it up chickie! *HIGH FIVE*
Oh...and I felt I could share about the PMS thing in this crowd LOL Not TMI right?! LOL
I'm not a soda drinker at all, mainly because my body doesn't like carbonation.
I must say, though, that I drink a -ton- of water. Close to a gallon or more each day in the summer, and about a hlf-gallon a day in the winter.
Good luck, Crystal!
I'll give up my coke when they pry my cold dead fingers off of it. But good for you, I'd say don't quit dp cold turkey, or you may feel the effects tomorrow. good luck. wow, 8 glasses of water a day. I'd never make it out of the john. :)
when i 'quit' Dr. pepper, i allowed myself one Dr. pepper in the morning. Since i don't drink Coffee, and my only other caffeine intake is iced tea, i just sorta dubbed it my coffee. but it helped with the cravings :D
the worst part for me is restaurants, there's little i can drink, i don't lime lemonades or rasberry ice teas, and water just doesn't always seem to cut it with a nice dinner :(
I've found that if I double the water amount and mix a lemonade with another berry flavor, it is really good! Then I am forced to drink twice the water as well. Since I am now nursing (and that makes you feel as though the Sahara Desert has taken up residence in your mouth and throat) I drink a lot of water. I rewarded myself by going and buying one of those fancy water bottles with the straw built in....nothing like a little "just for me" purchase to make you even more motivated.
I still have some soda everyday, and I have gotten back to drinking coffee now that the baby is here, but it is a lot less because I am constantly sucking on that water bottle.
Best of luck, and can't wait to hear all the positives you will begin to notice!
Hi crystal
I am avid reader of your blog and know with out question that you and Dr,pepper were passionate star-struck lovers in a past life. That being said i am excited that you are doing the crystal light challenge and have decided to jump on board! interestingly enough i just read about something that may let you 'cheat' and have a d.p with absolutely no guilt attached! Apparently the effects of caffeine can be reversed by drinking two glasses of water. This article is based off coffee, but focuses on caffeine, so i figure its fair game to apply it to dr.p. SO DRINK AND BE HAPPY, just be prepared to drink even more of that clear tasteless crap called water. The crystal light sounds like it helps, even if its just to satisfy the curiosity of tasting all the flavors.
http://www.askanaturopath.com/faqs/counteracting-coffee/p/208
elaina.mastrilli@ryerson.ca
Crystal
I will do it with you. I have already been doing this for a few weeks. I was drinking way too much Cherry Dr. Pepper and decided to cut back. I now only have 1 can of soda a day, usually in the morning when I need the caffiene boost and the rest of the day I drink water. I can go thru 4-8 16.9 oz bottles of water for the rest of the day.
As for the Crystal Light... I like the Energy one, which has 60 mg of caffiene each serving. It comes in a Wild Strawberry flavor. Its an ok flavor, and I kinda ignore it because I want it fore the caffiene it has. I will drink 2 or 3 of the energy Crystal Light throughout the day for caffiene boosts. Its not as strong as soda, but it helps with the caffiene withdrawal headaches I was getting.
I hope this helps...
Jennifer
Good job thus far. I know it's hard. I have my own soda addiction that I'm refusing to kick, so I get it.
As for flavors, I really like the peach iced tea.
Good job on day one, Chrystal! Your bladder will catch up in a few days and you'll definitely start feeling better after the withdrawal effects pass.
I stopped drinking Coke a few years ago and only occaissionally have a pop. When I do I usually regret it. It's never as good as I remember, which reinforces the desire not to drink it, if that makes sense. A friend recently introduced me to La Croix, which is an unsweetened soda water. I like lime best. It's my new favorite beverage and I now use them as a treat instead of ice cream.
If you don't want to go into caffiene withdrawl i suggest switching to diet dr pepper during this. It's tastes pretty much the same and I find i drink way less.
I had to quit drinking regular soda because of Insulin reistance
:(
I now drink the diet soda... the diet dr pepper and the diet cherry dr pepper are by far the two best. they have caffiene.. so I didn't have to stop both caffiene and sugar at the same time.
I did get a lil tired... but quickly got over that and WOW! I got more energy back! and I lost 15 pounds withen two weeks (I had a bad soda addiction)
Pretty soon I'll be able to stop soda all together.
I do drink the crystal light.. i like em!
I LIVE on Crystal Light! I have had gastric bypass surgery. I have to suplment with proten powder every day. That shit tastes NASTY! The only way I can drink it is by adding Crystal Light. It makes it Way better!
I guess it was cherry pomegranate I was thinking of, not mixed berry. It's tough to remember the flavors printed on the tiny little single-serving packets, and all I could remember was the color. It's good, but I still don't drink enough of it. I agree the withdrawl headaches are bad, but they usually kick my ass and I go back on the Diet Coke. I can't do the one-pop-a-day thing folks have suggested in your comments. One leads to two, to four, to twelve...I'm not that bad yet, but getting there. I have to quit cold turkey or not at all, and I'm far too close to insanity at the moment to try again now. Good luck though, I'm rooting for you.
I have a diet pepsi addiction, so I'm feeling you. I've been drinking sugar free kool aid and lemon iced tea, and that makes it much easier. I have NOT quit cold turkey because it wouldn't work for me. Tried it, not happening. I think if you want a DP, have one. Or decide how many you're going to drink a day and space them out. Rationing is working GREAT for me. I'm drinking a LOT more "water" and getting much less caffeine -- without withdrawls and headaches.
Good luck!!
It'll suck at first, but you'll feel better faster if you keep off the Dr. Pepper. If you also drink tea or coffee, keep that up so you don't have caffeine headaches.
I, too, need to lose weight, and I know that my achilles heel is juice. I don't drink water. I opt for sugar-laden berry punch or ice tea, and guzzle pepsi like a fiend. I'm sure that in the course of a day, I drink half of my recommended daily calories.
I've been considering Crystal Light in order to drink more water, but like you, I can't stand the taste of artificial sweeteners in diet drinks. I'd rather go thirsty than consume aspertame.
Crystal Light, does it really taste alright? Or is the artificial sweetener taste very present?
I get a major migraine when I go cold turkey off of caffeine, so beware!
I should get in on this Crystal Light challenge but I have a healthy fear of artificial sweeteners. Why you ask? I HAVE NO DAMN IDEA. But I do.
Are you feeling the water in your hands yet? I am, my fingers feel "skinny."
Don't forget about the "energy" flavors, they're jacked with caffeine. Just don't drink one at 10:00 while you're watching TV. I don't think I was able to go to sleep until about 1:00!!
Monday thru Friday I have 1 cup of coffee and 1 can of Diet Dr. Pepper, the rest of the day I drink water. I keep a 2 quart jug at my desk, and that definately helps. At home we don't normally buy soft drinks, so water, milk, juice and, of course, sugar regulated kool-aid for the kids (unless my husband makes it). I like the Peach Tea Crystal Light. It's also great to keep in a pitcher in the fridge.
Good Luck on your challenge Crystal! You CAN do it!!! Love You!!!
Oh sweetie. Remember sonograms? When they make you drink between 32 and 64 ounces of water? And you can't pee until long after they've finished pushing on your bladder as hard as they can? I think chugging your 8 glasses (even though I agree that Raspberry Ice is best, followed by Raspberry Lemonade for me) is akin to that.
And if you really REALLY need it, some drug stores sell straight up caffeine in happy little pill forms. I pop one or two of those per day and it helps perk me up and fade the caffeine-withdrawl headaches. No sugar, either! Who would have thought!
Oh your headache must have been something! I LOVE Dr. Pepper but it doesn't taste the same here in the frozen north for some reason. Good luck!
I am addicted to Pepsi for the caffeine, since I don't drink coffee. Crystal Light makes a yummy wild strawberry flavor that has caffeine in it. It keeps my headaches at bay. The pomegranate immunity flavor is also delicious. The others suck it.
Michelle
Crystal Light has individual packets with additives for your Metabolism. This "additive" is preemo caffiene, the likes of the amount that goes into a Mtn. Dew. Get thee some of this! It's like main lining caffiene! And there are others will less in them, so you can taper off.
I like the Green Teas -- just knowing I'm sucking down some antioxidants to counter all the prepackaged crap I've eaten during the day makes me feel less guilty. How many Crystal Lights equal a Twinkie, I wonder???
We talked about this the other day. I only buy diet soft drinks. We'll probably all end up with some Asparatame induced cancer, but, damn, we will be skinny! ha ha!
No, I just don't like the idea of drinking my calories.
Last night, Dan was having a bowl of cereal before bed, and I don't mean a little bowl, I mean a HUMONGOUS bowl. His thinking is that because Raisin and Bran are in the title of the cereal, well, that means it's healthy!
First thing I said was, "Dan, seriously, you do not need 2 and a half cups of milk for one bowl of cereal!" He's like, "I'll drink it all." So, I went to the kitchen read the calories per cup of the milk, and said, "Do you know that you are drinking 300 calories right now? Drinking it, not eating it." He said, "Really?" I said, "Yeah, and I bet your cereal is about 200 calories per cup, too!" I was wrong it was 190....but he had more than 2 cups for sure.
"Honey, if you have 300 calories in milk, you for sure have at least 400 calories in cereal, and it's 11:00 at night. 700 calories right before bed?"
"Hmm, guess I might have to start eating something else, huh?"
So, we all do it....we all just ingest what we like, and really don't think about the consequences. As they say, everything in moderation :)
Crystal.. the green tea ones are really good. I am a prior addict of Dr. Pepper. I quit drinking regular sodas when my ass needed it's own zip code. Then I became a "diet-anything-just-give-me-something-that-resembles-sugar-with-carbonation" person. You can do it!
I suggest drinking your Dr. Pepper first and then drinking your eight glasses of water (or do it in the middle of your eight). That way you can wash all of the "bad" soda out of your system with the water/crystal light. Good luck; I know you can do it!
Our Pastor will usually ask our members to participate in a modified Daniel's fast about once a year. Usually in January, thank God, after the holidays. Those of us who can will give up sweets, meats and bread. This year I added Diet Coke. I would go through at least a six pack or 2 liter per day. I decided that during these 3 weeks I would drink nothing but water. What a change!!! I am still drinking plenty of water and I usually only have a diet coke when I go out to eat and still half the time I stick to water. It has just gotten to sweet for me.
To help with the caffeine withdrawal, try some Exedrine Migraine tablets. It is aspirin, acetaminophen and caffeine. This really helped me get past the headache with that little bit of caffeine.
Good luck!!
Anna
question...I hate water but I drink flavored seltzer water that has no sweeteners or calories. That counts as water right? I need bubbles!
Hi - my name is Jill and I am an addict- A Dr Pepper addict.
I cant go cold turkey- I am having one a day and drinking my water with it.
Make sure your crystal light is ice cold and have it over ice- it makes a big difference!
jill.watkins@gmail.com
I gave up Dr. Pepper and Pepsi a year ago this month for Crystal Light. I have lost over a hundred pounds and have more energy, better moods, and all that. But I still miss the sweet caramel colored acid sometimes.
I can't do only Crystal Light, so kudos to anyone who can. I switched to diet first, which is the step I'm still stuck on! GL Crystal!
Good luck Crystal. I like most of the flavors. Be careful of the caffeine cold turkey thing you are going through. I suggest one a day or so. I think as long as you have your 8 glasses of water you should be able to do whatever you want! so there!!!
Good for you! Keep going!
Good luck, Crystal! I know you can do it. And you'll feel better about yourself than you can even imagine when you're done. I had a problem with Coke a while back there. I switched to homemade iced Green Tea with a little bit of honey. I drink that in the morning and then water all day. I found that if I kept a reusable water bottle next to me all day, it was easy to keep chugging from it. The only time I drink Coke now is with pizza, because nothing else tastes good with pizza. Mmm, coke and pizza. Uhh, where was I? oh yes, Good luck Crystal!
I was never all that into carbonated beverages, and then I made a conscious effort to stop drinking them, and it was AMAZING how much I wanted one when I told myself I COULDN'T have one!
I drink the Crystal Light packets all the time. I am not real fond of the Green Tea ones, since I'm from the South, and to me "tea" means something so laden with sugar that you can stand a spoon up in it, and could probably strip the chrome off a trailer hitch.
I like the Raspberry Ice, and the Strawberry Kiwi.
(Oh, and I know this isn't Crystal Light brand, but once you're done with the challenge, I'm really partial to WalMart's Cherry Limeade. Might be worth a shot if you are into the fruity-tasting ones.)
pass a few kidney stones. . . water becomes your best friend.
Good luck to you, I'm starting my own "Give-up-the-sweet-Dr.-Pepper-for-...now-why-I-think-this-was-a-good-idea...Crystal-light." :)
So, did you drink the Dr Pepper????
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