Okay not THAT kind of drink! But you are talking to a recovering Diet Pepsi addict.

So I'm on day 3 on being on the plan, and it's not terrible with the exception of drinking. I've read many different things about drinks, here's what I THINK I know!

• Nothing with aspartame (diet sodas, crystal light, etc)
• So I have gone to brewing tea and drinking it over ice (the impatient man's iced tea)
  • My problem is I do like a little sweetener in it. So I know I can use Stevia packets....but what is my limit on those in a day? 1, 2? I don't want to sabotage!
• I see a big announcement that PowerAde Zero is approved while on the program. But it didn't say how many, is it 1 serving from the bottle? the bottle is 2.5 servings, so that would end up being like 1.5 carbs?
  • Again I don't want to sabotage!!

Other than that it's actually been ok. I mean did I want a piece of First Communion Cake my friends had left over from the weekend....ABSOLUTELY!!! But I did walk away. I also had an omelet this morning, which was WONDERFUL and made me feel like I wasn't an astronaut eating space food.


Anyway again thanks for being so friendly and welcoming, I'm eager to see what my results are after the first 2 weeks of being on this....I don't want to weigh in the first week, because if I don't lose anything or very little I think I might fall off the wagon. So I think I should give it a good 2 weeks to work...is that wrong?


~Michael

Hi and welcome! I am two weeks on IP and down 10lbs (which I know is has a lot to do with quitting my 3 cokes (real coke) a day habit.

I really encourage you to try to keep you water clear as much as possible as you will develop a craving for it just like you used to with Diet Pepsi. I find that I really enjoy water without the sweet...which I think is a really good habit for life.

My coach said "ICE" brand drinks are appoved. THey sell them in bullk at my Sams Club. I decided I really didn't need them right now since sweet drinks are my BIGGEST trigger into "carbland". From what I read, there are differing opinions on Crystal Light and Mio enhancers.

I do really enjoy the Peach Mango drink packet as a sweet treat drink. I reminds me of a cocktail...just have to pretend there's a little rum in it!

Good luck, and I'm sure you will be BLOWN away by this diet. I cannot believe how my body has changed in just two weeks.

There is some variation on the whole "carbonated beverage" front... Definitely need to stick with the no Aspartame, though oddly, a few coaches allow one per week (though we know not all coaches stick to protocol and some make "house rules" as we call them). There is the science that carbonation and the alkaline IP aren't the best companions... I think you may have already read about that. But I will say many people do opt for a little carbonation during the week... sparkling water (with or without adding flavoring), Sparkling Icec Cascade Ice (my personal favorite) as others sweetened with approved sweeteners.

Rule of thumb for "extras" like Splenda/Stevia, Walden Farm Products, etc. is no more than 5 "servings" per day (one packet, one serving shown on bottle, etc). Obviously many products already have sweeteners in them so this limit keeps you within reasonable boundaries.

I haven't heard specifics about the PowerAde so maybe someone else will jump in.

I like flavored teas (cinnamon, apple, orange, etc.) and after I brew a cup, I often take the bag and put it in my water bottle to let it sit. It gives just a "hint" of flavor so I am not always drinking plain water. I also add a couple drops of lemon or lime or Mio-type product. I absolutely prefer those to be literally a hint of flavor so I am not even adding one serving!

The problem with the carbonation is if it has phosporic acid. Not all carbonated beverages (especially plain seltzers) have it

If you're doing tea, do yourself a favor and use decaf or herbal teas.
If you're concerned about stevia, get some stevia drops. The packets have carbs (<1 gram so it shows up as zero on the nutritional label). The liquid does not have carbs (same with Splenda/sucralose).

And each and every day, try to drink a little more plain water than you did the day before, until water becomes your hydration of choice. You'll be so suprised how quickly this IP plan changes our tastes & desires.

Ohh wow wonderful info about the drops, I ALMOST got those, and then got e packets instead. I will get the liquid form instead. GREAT tip. I'm adding 1 packet to about 42 oz of iced tea, so hopefully that isn't too terrible.

Thanks for the tip JLUS! I had given up sodas a few months back because they were always just too strong for me, but I am a JUICEaholic! Anything peach/mango flavored and I was all about it! Not that juices are any better than sodas, I just preferred them. So cutting the juices was a big sacrifice for me but I have been doing fine with just the water. My Coach told me it was ok if I add a few slices of lemon or lime, but cautioned me to stay away from trying to mimic lemonade or limeade as many of his clients would get too comfortable and go overboard with the splenda or stevia.

im having a lot of trouble with the drops - mine comes out a hard stream and I keep ending up with things that are too sweet so i have been staying with the packets. i will have to keep trying for carbs sake.

Mine has a dropper, rather than a squeeze bottle. I use SweetLeaf brand

Hey Michael welcome aboard. As far as the first weigh in is concerned guys always tend to have a good one. My first weigh in after only 5 days was 8.5 lbs and my second weigh in was 6. So if i had waited 2 weeks it would've been 15 which should be more than just encouragement.

If you ever want some fraternal encouragement we have our own forum call "men on ip" we are volume 6. These women really know their stuff so i encourage you to continue to browse their post. I encourage you to join us guys as well. It really helped me enjoy this site more. Either which way welcome to the diet, you are going to knock it out.

My trick for replacing the soda pop-- is to keep one of the togo cups/lids and have package of straws at my desk. I find that the familiarity of the cup helps with my water intake. I put one slice of lemon or lime in or some lightly brewed herbal tea.
Good Luck!!

Thanks Mason, I didn't find the "Men on IP" thread when I searched? Can you share the link please?

I bumped it up for you... It is a thread in this group (not sure where you searched) but it is usually on the first or second page of this group''s posts.

Here's an idea if you like to use Mio, etc... use a large water bottle (mine is 750 ml - 3 cups, but you could use a 1 litre bottle - 4 cups) that way when you just put a tiny squirt in - don't squeeze, just pinch lightly & quickly - it's enough to very slightly flavour the whole bottle. It's too sweet for me on its own so I usually add a tsp of lemon or lime juice to my bottle as well if I am 'sickened by the thought of plain water' at that moment. I usually drink plain water - but sometimes if I feel like a cheat sort of treat... I do this instead.

I will have to try this, sometimes the copious amounts of water become a little overwhelming for me.