Is Watered down Sweet Tea still OK ?

I am 9 months post op and my weight loss has slowed down considerably. I am down 89 lbs since I started, with some of that pre-op loss. I am at 197 now.  I have not been able to give up my sweet tea, I drink it everyday and I water it down, so basically one large sweet tea lasts me all day since I mix it almost 70% water to 30% tea. Probably a stupid question, but as our loss is going to slow down, is this what is slowing me down now that my body is probably getting used to this new routine?  I basically eat no white carbs at all... always protein first, but have an occasional cookie and eat fruit also. I never drink soda and don't drink alcohol..... I am just not sure I can give this up?  Advice?

How many calories is in it?  If you drink the whole thing, even watered down, you're still getting all those calories.

Can you use Splenda instead of sugar?  Or less sugar, so you get fewer calories?

I drink a ton of tea, just sweeten it with stevia vs. sugar.    Crystal light ice tea with some raspberry Davinci sugar free syrup is also really yummy and has no calories.  

 

You have to do what you have to do to get by, but I, personally,  wouldn't want to waste any calories on the emptiness of sweet tea.

lighten up the sugar in the tea by replacing it totally, or by half at least, if its more appetizing to you, with stevia. giving it up is another option. personally, i don't think this surgery is about giving things up, but learning healthier habits. that being said. if sweet tea is getting in your way right now and you find yourself too attached to it, then its worth examining the connection and looking to break it. 

I actually found individual diet tea today it's gross! I'm from the south so we like our sweet tea. I have had it but i let ice melt and only have maybe half of it over an hour not much at all.

I'm going to try the stevia because Splenda is nasty!

Sorry newbie here, my name is Ramona. Over the years, Ive read much to help me on this forum. Thank You Im 4 years out after RNY. Weight is staying off . no problems- but severe dumping if I eat wrong foods. I LOVE my sweet tea with Nuctress made by Splenda. Very few calories and taste great.I believe my surgery made me much healthier.I would do it again and recommend it. Thank You💝

A large sweet tea at McDonald's is 220 calories.  Drinking one every day of the week, watered down or not, is 1540 calories per week, or about 1/3 of a pound.  So it's probably not the smoking gun but it's a factor.

Unless...

You're really drinking more than one per day.  Or McDonald's is a bad reference because you're drinking a bigger, sweeter tea.

You need to journal all your caloric intake to get a real idea of what's going on.  The bottom line is you're probably eating too many calories.

I hesitate to respond to this because I think you should journal it and move on...yes, it's empty calories but there is a mental thing of feeling satisfied and sometimes, I don't care- water just don't cut it.   I sometimes go half and half or like you 70/30 if I can control the amount...but 95% of the times I go unsweet with splenda and a sweet low and sometimes a equal too...the combination of all three with fresh lemon to take the bite of the sweetner out...works for me....is it as good as sweet tea?  Heck no, I've lived in GA all my life...but again I just have to feel like i"m getting a little reward out of this thing called life....I watch everything else and I take my hits when I know I haven't done what I"m supposed too.....I hope this makes sense.  It's why I've exercised for 4 days straight and hoping to make it all 7.....prove to myself I can and see if it can jump start my month.  :)   

Again, this is just my opinion.  

Sherry

I don't think that is a bad opinion, Sherry.  You are right, sometimes you can look inside yourself and say, "hey, this is one thing I really get joy from and I'll give up the other things so I can have it".   As long as you don't fool yourself into thinking that about too many different things, and you don't feel that you aren't moving forward, I can understand that mentality.

Thanks for all the replies, but Sherry, I think you really get what I am going thru... I am a South Carolina Girl and I just hate all those fake sweeteners... but I really think it has an impact on my slow weight loss..... actually when I checkd the McD's website, it showed the Large sweet Tea has a whopping 286 calories and one a day for a week is "2002" freaking calories!!  Holy Crap... I feel I must give this up but Lord knows, I dont know how I am going to do it!!!  Plus, I really need to up my exercise too.... thanks for letting me vent and your kind words... but everyone was right, I need to re-examine this sweet tea thing.... thanks....