7 ms·

One thing with the beverages is that if you choose to not drink them, you will most likely be the weird one in most social situations. Especially if you cut on

by kfk 11y ago

One thing with the beverages is that if you choose to not drink them, you will most likely be the weird one in most social situations. Especially if you cut on alcohol. I have nothing against drinks in general, but they should be an exception, not the rule. We should not drink beer or cola or any of this stuff on a daily or almost daily basis. Mainly because they introduce a truckload of useless calories that do no good to us and do not even fill our appetite. Now, that's the logic, and it's a sound logic, go explain that to people every time you are drinking water in a pub and they go: "ehm, uh, you don't drink?". Which, by the way, if not explained properly can seem like you are a recovering alcoholic, if explained properly will make you sound like a food/diet nazy.

brianbreslin 11y ago
My solution for when I don't feel like drinking. Fizzy water with a lime in it, people assume its a vodka tonic.
- ricklancee 11y ago
  That seems like a really good idea, might try it next time
- mulletbum 11y ago
  This is the same as a friend of mine. He drink Cranberry juice. It's too strong to just drink, so you sip it. Because of that, it makes it seem like you have drink on you. Or people could just stop being so nosey and judgemental. Option 1 is easier though.
- cjrp 11y ago
  Yep, lime and soda is common in UK pubs for people who don't want alcohol but also don't want a sugar overdose.
  - jka 11y ago
    To clarify a little bit - 'soda' in the UK refers only to fizzy water / 'club soda' - i.e. unsweetened. (this isn't the case in the US, where it can refer to pretty much any canned sweetened drink - Coca Cola / Sprite / Dr Pepper / etc)
    - redcalx 11y ago
      Thanks. I've long wondered what soda actually is!
    - dublinclontarf 11y ago
      Sparkling water?
- larrywright 11y ago
  This has been my go-to for years.
mholmes680 11y ago
sounds like the social situation needs to change, not the explanation. assuming you're in your 20s now... don't worry, by age 35 there's less explaining and less criticizing.
- will_work4tears 11y ago
  To expand upon this, typically, people at that age have learned moderation or are teetotalers due to choice or recovery. Not a lot of binge drinking woo-boys/girls in their mid to late 30s and beyond, and the exceptions to that rule are probably faced with some societal judgement. The alcoholics (more so the ones in denial) and the one-off regular drinkers that scoff at teetotalers are probably the only judgement giving ones. I was probably getting close to alcoholism myself and felt touchy around people that didn't drink (well, only the ones that announced it every chance they got, but then it feels like a judgement not a statement). I drank every day basically (and not ONE beer either), but when I went to moderate myself it wasn't too difficult; now I drink less than a handful of times a month.
SonicSoul 11y ago
i used to think the same way, but you'd be surprised how quickly people accept that you don't drink (soda or alcohol). and if you're continuously getting harassed for it it's a sign you should shed those people as quickly as sugar.
- phpmal 11y ago
  Agreed. It's a subconscious power test by members of a group. Once they decide that you are stronger than them then they will leave it alone - and respect you for sticking with your principles. If they don't then, yeah, the group is toxic.
vijayr 11y ago
you can pretend that you are a recovering alcoholic and that you are using your tremendous willpower to stay away from alcohol, even in a bar. People might applaud and respect you for it and leave you alone :p
quonn 11y ago
I have moved to Coke Zero, which tastes just fine (although it somewhat depends on the country where you buy it). I don't think there is much wrong with that, so I don't quite understand why Coca-Cola doesn't promote it more instead of denying that sugar may be a problem.
- hyperpape 11y ago
  They promote them to the people who like them, but lots of us just do not like the taste of any diet soda. Coke zero and others are better than traditional diet coke to me, but I've never got beyond the initial bad taste--I'd much rather drink water than them. I've heard that you eventually get used to them or even prefer them, but I've never gotten to that point.
  - quonn 11y ago
    I don't like diet coke either, but think that Zero is completely different. Make sure you drink it when it's cold. My impression is that it also depends on the type of artificial sweetener used, which depends on local taste and regulation. I think it tastes good in Europe and most parts of Asia.
    - TeMPOraL 11y ago
      I drink primarily Zero, I switched to it at the same time I ditched sugar in favour of artificial sweeteners (I tried to drink tea without any sweetening but gave up after few weeks, I just can't stand it). It's wonderful where I live (Poland), and I grew to like it even more than plain Cola. I've also seen numerous attempts to promote Zero over the original flavour; one time they even gave away cans of Zero disguised as ordinary Coke to make a point (you had to remove the can from a cardboard overlay it was in to discover it's Zero). I don't know how successful were those campaigns though.
    - hyperpape 11y ago
      I understand that you like it, but I do not.
    - 11y ago
balabaster 11y ago
My excuse, when I decide I need one is "I'm just not feeling like I want to drink today." If anyone tries to put the thumb screws on me (which only occasionally happens), I say "I've never folded in front of peer pressure before, it's unlikely I'm going to fold today. I don't feel like drinking today." Usually that's enough to get people to drop the subject. If they still continue to the point that I've had enough, I leave. If my friends can't respect my decisions without fighting me on it, I don't want to be around them. They'll have way more fun getting drunk without me anyway, so I'll leave them to it and see them another day when either I do feel like a drink or they don't feel the need to coerce me into drinking against my will.
EC1 11y ago
>One thing with the beverages is that if you choose to not drink them, you will most likely be the weird one in most social situations. Especially if you cut on alcohol. Totally disagree, nobody cares if you have 2 beers vs 8 beers.
- acomjean 11y ago
  I agree. I went to college with a housemate who didn't drink. You'd be surprised how few people cared/noticed that he did this. I think one of those things where if you're the one not drinking you think you stick out more than you do. Unsweetened ice tea is a great flavorfull beverage with no calories and caffeine...
  - zimpenfish 11y ago
    I was zero alcohol for years and every single time I said "no thanks, I don't drink", it generated incredulous faces and multiple questions about whether it was a health / religious / whatever thing. Admittedly, this is "Boozy Britain" though.
    - djrogers 11y ago
      It's he 'I don't drink' part that causes this. If you just left it at 'no thanks, I'm good' you wouldn't get the same reaction. The 'I don't drink' part comes across to insecure people as judgemental or superior, so drop it.
      - vinceguidry 11y ago
        Like when people ask you if you have a lighter. "Sorry, I don't," goes a lot farther than "No, I don't smoke." They're not asking you for your convictions regarding alcohol / tobacco, they're asking you if want some / have a lighter they can use.
        zimpenfish 11y ago
        But people don't tend to say "Why don't you have a lighter?" when you say "Sorry, I don't." in the same way that they query why you don't want a drink. I endured this for years; it gets tedious after a while.
maratd 11y ago
> One thing with the beverages is that if you choose to not drink them, you will most likely be the weird one in most social situations. Why are you so preoccupied with what people think about you? Just get a glass of water. If they ask, say you don't drink. That will be the end of it. Trust me, you're not the only one. Many people don't drink soda/alcohol/etc. > go explain that to people every time you are drinking water in a pub That's like going to a whorehouse and saying you're abstinent. Of course people are going to give you weird looks. Don't go to establishments that primarily serve alcohol. If you're going out with friends or co-workers, go to a establishment where the primary focus is on food. Then get yourself a glass of water. Most people hate making decisions, including where to go. So speak up and tell them where to go.
- kfk 11y ago
  I am not the type that moves around easily in social situations, so I try to remove things that put me on the spot. Said that, I still don't drink alcohol or sugary stuff, it's just annoying to explain why every time I leave in Munich, Oktober Fest... a small beer here is 0.5L and you have biergartens everywhere. You definitely can push to go to restaurants or cafes, but the reality is just that many times you'll find yourself in an establishment that serves primarily alcohol. You can go out only to sport, music, outdoor events. But then you'll hardly meet the same number of people and you'll restrict yourself to certain specific group where average is usually above 40.
murbard2 11y ago
You can just say you don't like the taste.
samsolomon 11y ago
Anecdotally, I don't know anybody under the age of 30 that regularly drinks soft drinks anymore. They aren't terribly good and they are about the worst thing you can put into your body—a can of coke has more than 40gs of sugar. Alcohol might be a tough one to kick. It's so intertwined with social life I don't see it going away anytime soon.
- davidf18 11y ago
  Among college educated folks, you'll probably not see so many sugar soft drink drinkers, but among the poor they still consume them.
- forgetsusername 11y ago
  >a can of coke has more than 40gs of sugar. A can of Coke has 33g of sugar.
  - smt88 11y ago
    No, in the US it's ~40g. It might be different in other countries or with cane sugar instead of HFCS.
  - acveilleux 11y ago
    And here we learn that: (1) a can of coke varies in volume based on different places in the world. 330 ml in europe, 355 ml in north america. (2) Sweetness of a can of coke varies by country. 10.6g sugar per 100ml in France, 11g sugar per 100ml in USA, 12g sugar per 100ml in Canada. A canadian can of coke is 355ml and 42g of sugar, per the label printed on it. A uk can of coke is 330ml and 35g of sugar.
  - djloche 11y ago
    It depends on the amount of CocaCola in the can, and the formula for that particular distribution. Eg. USA has a 12oz can with 39 grams of sugar. UK has a 330ml can with 35 grams of sugar. (They aren't required to provide more precise accounting and so that 35 or 39 are rounded figures). These are close to the same. Of course, if one is using 'coke' generically, there are many that have more than 40 grams. A 12oz can of A&W root beer is at 46 grams, as is a 12oz Mountain Dew.
gadders 11y ago
What do you do if you don't like the taste of water? Fruit juice is pretty high in sugar as well.
- donutz 11y ago
  Tea.
  - gadders 11y ago
    Have you been to many pubs? :-)
- icehawk219 11y ago
  Personally I've become a big fan of tea. Hot and iced. In my opinion most teas don't require any sugar or require very little to offset a bit of bitterness. 9 times out of 10 I use no sugar at all. And that 1 time I do it's maybe half a teaspoon because the tea in question has a bit of bitterness or because I let it sit for too long. Tea also has the added benefit that if you make it per glass it forces you to get away from the computer for a few minutes. Plus the aromas and flavors are, in my opinion, more numerous and pleasant than all the sugary drinks out there combined. Tends to be noticeably cheaper too :)
  - akiselev 11y ago
    Seconded. If you live in a metropolitan area, you will likely have a Teavana or other chain/mom & pop tea store where you can go in and smell or try all of their varieties. You'll easily find half a dozen different teas you like ranging from the classic black teas to exotic varieties that taste like supermarket sugar drinks (like strawberry lemonade - one of my favorites at teavana). The latter usually require less a 5g bump of sugar to bring them to the level of retail drinks.
- dwb 11y ago
  Learn to like it. It's water for pete's sake. Vital for life.
- 11y ago
TallGuyShort 11y ago
I've had that reaction on occasion. More often lately, however, I get a look of shame and the response, "I wish I didn't drink". I suspect people probably do not need a whole lot more prompting than "have you really never regretted getting drunk?" to realize your choice is wise.
dharmach 11y ago
>>go explain that to people every time you are drinking water in a pub Don't go to pub. Pub: A public house where beverages, primarily alcoholic, may be bought and consumed.
- probably_wrong 11y ago
  But then you have a different issue: no friends, because everyone wants to go to the pub. Being the guy who will only hang out with you if you agree to his demands is not, socially speaking, a winning strategy. That strikes to me as a fair compromise: we'll go to a place I don't like. I won't make a single comment on it, and in fact I'll be cheerful and happy, but in return you won't ask me to do the thing I don't like.
  - vlunkr 11y ago
    Not if you have friends that don't go to the pub! It's not unheard of.
  - dharmach 11y ago
    There was a time when tolerating second-hand smoke, if not smoking itself, was considered necessary evil for socializing.
    - JoeAltmaier 11y ago
      There was a time before that, where smoking was only allowed in 'smoking rooms' while wearing a 'smoking jacket', so that ordinary people didn't have to smell like a campfire half their lives.
  - VLM 11y ago
    "no friends, because everyone wants to go to the pub" I went thru that back when I was young (once you have a herd of kids, you won't have time for adult socializing, so that kind of solves itself). Anyway at least for an introverted young guy, I got way more than enough socializing at the gym (get drunk while lifting hundreds of pound weights, what could possibly go wrong LOL?) and hiking club (open container laws are enforced in our parks, maybe not all countries). I also met people at non-credit night classes while learning some carpentry, Japanese, cooking, religion, philosophy, history, whatever looked cool I'd sign up for ... I would imagine its much easier for young people now with online event organization for meetups and conferences and maker spaces. I wonder how much people drink at maker spaces. I would imagine drunken table saw and metal working machine operators don't live very long. They seem to produce things and the injury rate seems low, so probably not very much. Things get complicated if you're in one of those situations where friends work and socialize together. Super awkward, will never go back to that again. "Never cross the streams" - Ghostbusters
pluma 11y ago
It depends on the social situations. In my experience (yay, anecdotes) you only need to assert your preferences once or twice (maybe less with soft drinks, maybe more with alcohol, depending on the situation and people involved). Anyway. You shouldn't be surprised if people react incredulously when you're not just deviating from the social norm but opting out of entire categories. "I only drink water" is no different in that regard than "I'm a vegan" or "I only eat raw food". It's a perfectly fine preference, but you're going to be an exception and exceptions tend to stand out. I'm German but don't like beer and feel rather dispassionate about football (or "soccer" to Americans). It used to take some explaining when I was younger (i.e. teens and early 20s) but at 30 I find that barely anyone[0] cares about it -- simply because they've learned that they don't have to agree with everyone about everything to be friends. [0]: Except die-hard football fans who can't imagine anyone not at least enjoying the sport or uber-machos who think drinking beer is a requirement for being a man. But those traits tend to be obnoxious enough on their own.
- kfk 11y ago
  Hey, I am not German, but I live in Munich. I hear what you are saying, I am Italian, so try not caring about football there, it's tough - people accept it, but it makes small talk very difficult sometimes. On alcohol and drinks in general, even at 30, I think people still care, especially the ones you meet for the first time. Simply put, not drinking alcohol may signal a bad past (alcoholism), or being a potential nut job (diet nazy or gym pumper on steroids). This is actually useful information in social interactions, so I do understand why it is so widely used. On the other end, being vegan is so much accepted and so common and fashionable right now that the signal you get out of it is rather poor, so it's used less to pre-select or to make quick judgments.
  - SunShiranui 11y ago
    I don't know - I'm italian as well and I never had any particular problems with not liking football. Although I may be somewhat of a special case, as I seem to associate with people who don't care particularly for the sport. By the way, how are you finding life in Munich as an Italian? I've been thinking about moving after I complete my degree, so I'm quite interested to see what other people's experiences are in that regard.
PakG1 11y ago
Standard XKCD: https://xkcd.com/1534/ https://xkcd.com/1534/ I have a colleague who completely avoids alcohol. No particular reason for it other than one day he decided to do it because his friend wanted to do it. His friend didn't keep it up, but he did for ~30 years now. I have nothing for or against alcohol and I like some drinks now and then (mostly avoid beers, just don't like the taste). I have to respect this guy that he keeps it up so long, even though he has nothing to gain or lose from it. I would have figured at least one day, what the heck, it's not a big deal, not doing anything bad or anything. But he decided he won't drink, so he doesn't. Mad respect.
- facetube 11y ago
  I've heard of people avoiding alcohol after a positive (A;G) or (G;G) test for http://www.snpedia.com/index.php/Rs1799971 http://www.snpedia.com/index.php/Rs1799971.
untog 11y ago
Alcohol is a social lubricant which, yes, we shouldn't rely upon. But there are a great many things we should do that we don't - I don't see alcohol as a huge problem in that regard (unless, you know, it becomes a huge problem for you personally). I also have friends who don't drink, including some when I was at university (a high time for most people's blood alcohol levels) - few people cared. Though my one suggestion to you is to drink something other than water, even if it's just club soda. Aside from anything else, getting something that costs money will likely make the pub staff friendlier.
at-fates-hands 11y ago
I stopped drinking alcohol completely about 5 years ago. I was drinking a lot of pop everyday and couldn't figure out why I couldn't lose weight. I was still playing soccer four times a week and working out at the gym the other day. I had changed my diet pretty drastically and still no major weight loss. Then I started cutting back on pop so as not to experience caffeine withdrawal. Within a few weeks, I was down to one can a day. After two months, I lost 10 pounds, almost all because I stopped drinking so much pop. It's pretty amazing how many calories and sugar pop has and how negatively it affects your body.
drdaeman 11y ago
Another side of this, is that if you buy/drink sugary beverages a lot outside of those social situations, you're also likely to get criticized about this. Every other peer tries to remind how unhealthy coke is, how one can clean rust with it and so on. And this is not out of health concerns, but just the same case of social situation conformance stereotypes - one's expected to drink while partying, but don't they dare to do the same alone at home.
- stephengillie 11y ago
  And when some people start bringing up Coke's supposed rust-cleaning properties, others start bringing up Snopes and other contrary evidence. Right now, there's too much "health noise" surrounding sodas, because they make so much money and so many people like them. We can't get a good "health signal" to "health noise" ratio to tell if these have healthy and/or unhealthy outcomes when we drink them. And so many of us just avoid them.
cowardlydragon 11y ago
The industry really should adapt. I've been drinking this "Pure Leaf" Peach sweetened tea that has almost half the calories of the Lemon tea, and I don't think has artificial sweeters. It tastes really good, I don't even notice it doesn't have the same amount of calories. Right around when I got this, "Gold Peak" appeared in the supermarkets and that is so sweet it is sickening. Companies are pure capitalistic enterprises that respond to market demand right? Right?
- pixl97 11y ago
  Companies are pure capitalistic enterprises that respond to market demand right? Right You can imagine if meth or other addictive drugs were legal thst they would be in our drinks (which is the exact history of Coke). Modern food engineering is about maximizing consumption, even at the detriment of those consuming.
- athenot 11y ago
  But there's a physiological "high" of getting the sugar fix in soda, which makes the brain desire it. It's nowhere near the strength of addiction produced by hard drugs. But it is still significant and I would guess it does impact sales. Just like apps are designed to be "engaging", ie. trigger the brain patterns where it will desire to return to the app, sodas are very much the same.
Elte 11y ago
I stopped drinking alcohol a while ago for several reasons, an increased exercise regimen being one of them (though not the most important one). Now when people "ask" I just say I'm an athlete (which has become more true since then), gets them off my back pretty quick. Apparently being healthy is frowned upon for anyone who doesn't need it (semi-)professionally.
- J-dawg 11y ago
  This is so true. I went to a University in the UK which is well known for sport, so I was friends with a few aspiring pro athletes. They were the only people I recall being given a 'pass' when it came to peer-pressuring people to drink. The UK, on the whole, has a really awful relationship with alcohol, especially among uni students.
forgetsusername 11y ago
>Now, that's the logic, and it's a sound logic Some people like the taste of soda or the effects of alcohol. That's the logic, and it trumps the fact that "useless" calories are being consumed. We aren't rational automatons.
RodericDay 11y ago
idk about bars, but here's a tip for house parties: finish a beer bottle, and keep refilling it with water thereafter.
misiti3780 11y ago
there is nothing wrong with drinking alcohol in small quantities every day - red wine can prevent all sorts of diseases - most of the world drinks a beer or two on a daily basis. drinking coke and pepsi contains no health or nutritional benefits - you ideally dont drink them ever (drink water or at least the diet version)
- JoeAltmaier 11y ago
  The trouble with the no-soda rule is, at a restaurant at lunchtime you're pretty much down to water, tea and lemonade. You can get pretty sick of that. Especially if you don't drink caffeine (because of blood pressure issues) so its water or lemonade. I've innovated - ask for lemonade cut with soda water. Fizzy lemonade!
jakejake 11y ago
You can always say that you're the designated driver, which at some bars will get you, ironically, free soda.
rayiner 11y ago
I don't drink soda, and I've never had anyone comment. Regarding alcohol: I kind of understand the skepticism about people who don't drink. Drinking usually puts you in a more honest, less controlled, and less guarded condition, which makes drinking with other people almost a trust exercise. Not drinking at a pub is kind of like bringing your sword into a gathering where everyone else agreed to leave theirs' at the door.
- freehunter 11y ago
  That's an excellent analogy. My wife doesn't drink, but we had some of my friends over for board games and some beers. By the end of the night she was quite annoyed and none of us could figure out why. She was annoyed that they were making jokes at my expense. She was mad that I was making jokes at their expense. She thought it was rude. Imagine being in a less trusted social situation than "wife and best friends", maybe a business meeting, where the client wasn't drinking but everyone else was. It's easy to see why there would be a social stigma against the one person who wasn't drinking, just like there would be a stigma against the one person who was if the shoe was on the other foot.
- yodsanklai 11y ago
  That's an interesting explanation. But I believe it is primarily a group behavior thing. When someone doesn't behave like everybody else, it raises suspicion or can even be seen as offensive.
- wordbank 11y ago
  I'm not drinking for over 6 years just because I can't see pleasure in alcohol intoxication. All these comments like "you're not respecting social norms" feel kind of offensive. And now this sword straw man. Sorry, but not drinking simply makes me not drunk. I'm never "more honest" and "less guarded" when I'm drunk (that's why I don't like it - I fight the drunk state of mind every time).
djrogers 11y ago
>go explain that to people every time you are drinking water in a pub Why do you feel a need to explain it? I've never had any reaction at all with 'no thanks, I'm good'. You don't have to say 'I'm on a diet' 'I don't drink' 'that crap will kill you' or anything else. Just no thanks. If someone does ask about your water, say 'I'm taking it easy' or 'I'm good'. Or get a club soda and lime.
- Zergy 11y ago
  Successfully explaining things gets people to shut up. I've never been able to say 'no thanks, I'm good' without there being follow up questions.
deleted 11y ago
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wcummings 11y ago
>Now, that's the logic, and it's a sound logic, go explain that to people every time you are drinking water in a pub and they go: "ehm, uh, you don't drink?". Which, by the way, if not explained properly can seem like you are a recovering alcoholic I find it amazing that people think asking why you don't drink is acceptable, no one stops drinking for fun.
buckbova 11y ago
We're living in an alcoholic beverage renaissance. Try a craft beer or have a glass of wine. A drink a day is good for you anyway.
CHaro 11y ago
Just ask for a white dolphin on the rocks (water over ice) :) It is all about the glass shape, most people will assume you are having vodka soda.
andymboyle 11y ago
What's wrong with seeming like you are a recovering alcoholic? Many people are, and if someone judges you for that, they're not a good person. Many people also don't want the excess calories, and if someone judges you for NOT joining them in drinking alcohol, again, they're not a good person. Same goes if they think you're a food/diet nazi. Who cares? It's your body. They shouldn't be so judgmental of your life choices, especially something as personal as how you decide to fuel your body and stay alive. And if they are judging you, in my experience, it's usually because they're working through their own issues and would rather it not be pointed out how unhealthy their choices are, and they want you to join them in their maybe-not-so-great decisions.

by kfk 11y ago

brianbreslin 11y ago

My solution for when I don't feel like drinking. Fizzy water with a lime in it, people assume its a vodka tonic.

ricklancee 11y ago
That seems like a really good idea, might try it next time
mulletbum 11y ago
This is the same as a friend of mine. He drink Cranberry juice. It's too strong to just drink, so you sip it. Because of that, it makes it seem like you have drink on you. Or people could just stop being so nosey and judgemental. Option 1 is easier though.
cjrp 11y ago
Yep, lime and soda is common in UK pubs for people who don't want alcohol but also don't want a sugar overdose.
- jka 11y ago
  To clarify a little bit - 'soda' in the UK refers only to fizzy water / 'club soda' - i.e. unsweetened. (this isn't the case in the US, where it can refer to pretty much any canned sweetened drink - Coca Cola / Sprite / Dr Pepper / etc)
  - redcalx 11y ago
    Thanks. I've long wondered what soda actually is!
  - dublinclontarf 11y ago
    Sparkling water?
larrywright 11y ago
This has been my go-to for years.

mholmes680 11y ago

sounds like the social situation needs to change, not the explanation. assuming you're in your 20s now... don't worry, by age 35 there's less explaining and less criticizing.

will_work4tears 11y ago
To expand upon this, typically, people at that age have learned moderation or are teetotalers due to choice or recovery. Not a lot of binge drinking woo-boys/girls in their mid to late 30s and beyond, and the exceptions to that rule are probably faced with some societal judgement. The alcoholics (more so the ones in denial) and the one-off regular drinkers that scoff at teetotalers are probably the only judgement giving ones. I was probably getting close to alcoholism myself and felt touchy around people that didn't drink (well, only the ones that announced it every chance they got, but then it feels like a judgement not a statement). I drank every day basically (and not ONE beer either), but when I went to moderate myself it wasn't too difficult; now I drink less than a handful of times a month.

SonicSoul 11y ago

i used to think the same way, but you'd be surprised how quickly people accept that you don't drink (soda or alcohol). and if you're continuously getting harassed for it it's a sign you should shed those people as quickly as sugar.

phpmal 11y ago
Agreed. It's a subconscious power test by members of a group. Once they decide that you are stronger than them then they will leave it alone - and respect you for sticking with your principles. If they don't then, yeah, the group is toxic.

vijayr 11y ago

you can pretend that you are a recovering alcoholic and that you are using your tremendous willpower to stay away from alcohol, even in a bar. People might applaud and respect you for it and leave you alone :p

quonn 11y ago

I have moved to Coke Zero, which tastes just fine (although it somewhat depends on the country where you buy it). I don't think there is much wrong with that, so I don't quite understand why Coca-Cola doesn't promote it more instead of denying that sugar may be a problem.

hyperpape 11y ago
They promote them to the people who like them, but lots of us just do not like the taste of any diet soda. Coke zero and others are better than traditional diet coke to me, but I've never got beyond the initial bad taste--I'd much rather drink water than them. I've heard that you eventually get used to them or even prefer them, but I've never gotten to that point.
- quonn 11y ago
  I don't like diet coke either, but think that Zero is completely different. Make sure you drink it when it's cold. My impression is that it also depends on the type of artificial sweetener used, which depends on local taste and regulation. I think it tastes good in Europe and most parts of Asia.
  - TeMPOraL 11y ago
    I drink primarily Zero, I switched to it at the same time I ditched sugar in favour of artificial sweeteners (I tried to drink tea without any sweetening but gave up after few weeks, I just can't stand it). It's wonderful where I live (Poland), and I grew to like it even more than plain Cola. I've also seen numerous attempts to promote Zero over the original flavour; one time they even gave away cans of Zero disguised as ordinary Coke to make a point (you had to remove the can from a cardboard overlay it was in to discover it's Zero). I don't know how successful were those campaigns though.
  - hyperpape 11y ago
    I understand that you like it, but I do not.
  - 11y ago

balabaster 11y ago

My excuse, when I decide I need one is "I'm just not feeling like I want to drink today." If anyone tries to put the thumb screws on me (which only occasionally happens), I say "I've never folded in front of peer pressure before, it's unlikely I'm going to fold today. I don't feel like drinking today." Usually that's enough to get people to drop the subject. If they still continue to the point that I've had enough, I leave. If my friends can't respect my decisions without fighting me on it, I don't want to be around them. They'll have way more fun getting drunk without me anyway, so I'll leave them to it and see them another day when either I do feel like a drink or they don't feel the need to coerce me into drinking against my will.

EC1 11y ago

>One thing with the beverages is that if you choose to not drink them, you will most likely be the weird one in most social situations. Especially if you cut on alcohol. Totally disagree, nobody cares if you have 2 beers vs 8 beers.

acomjean 11y ago
I agree. I went to college with a housemate who didn't drink. You'd be surprised how few people cared/noticed that he did this. I think one of those things where if you're the one not drinking you think you stick out more than you do. Unsweetened ice tea is a great flavorfull beverage with no calories and caffeine...
- zimpenfish 11y ago
  I was zero alcohol for years and every single time I said "no thanks, I don't drink", it generated incredulous faces and multiple questions about whether it was a health / religious / whatever thing. Admittedly, this is "Boozy Britain" though.
  - djrogers 11y ago
    It's he 'I don't drink' part that causes this. If you just left it at 'no thanks, I'm good' you wouldn't get the same reaction. The 'I don't drink' part comes across to insecure people as judgemental or superior, so drop it.
    - vinceguidry 11y ago
      Like when people ask you if you have a lighter. "Sorry, I don't," goes a lot farther than "No, I don't smoke." They're not asking you for your convictions regarding alcohol / tobacco, they're asking you if want some / have a lighter they can use.
      - zimpenfish 11y ago
        But people don't tend to say "Why don't you have a lighter?" when you say "Sorry, I don't." in the same way that they query why you don't want a drink. I endured this for years; it gets tedious after a while.

maratd 11y ago

> One thing with the beverages is that if you choose to not drink them, you will most likely be the weird one in most social situations. Why are you so preoccupied with what people think about you? Just get a glass of water. If they ask, say you don't drink. That will be the end of it. Trust me, you're not the only one. Many people don't drink soda/alcohol/etc. > go explain that to people every time you are drinking water in a pub That's like going to a whorehouse and saying you're abstinent. Of course people are going to give you weird looks. Don't go to establishments that primarily serve alcohol. If you're going out with friends or co-workers, go to a establishment where the primary focus is on food. Then get yourself a glass of water. Most people hate making decisions, including where to go. So speak up and tell them where to go.

kfk 11y ago
I am not the type that moves around easily in social situations, so I try to remove things that put me on the spot. Said that, I still don't drink alcohol or sugary stuff, it's just annoying to explain why every time I leave in Munich, Oktober Fest... a small beer here is 0.5L and you have biergartens everywhere. You definitely can push to go to restaurants or cafes, but the reality is just that many times you'll find yourself in an establishment that serves primarily alcohol. You can go out only to sport, music, outdoor events. But then you'll hardly meet the same number of people and you'll restrict yourself to certain specific group where average is usually above 40.

murbard2 11y ago

You can just say you don't like the taste.

samsolomon 11y ago

Anecdotally, I don't know anybody under the age of 30 that regularly drinks soft drinks anymore. They aren't terribly good and they are about the worst thing you can put into your body—a can of coke has more than 40gs of sugar. Alcohol might be a tough one to kick. It's so intertwined with social life I don't see it going away anytime soon.

davidf18 11y ago
Among college educated folks, you'll probably not see so many sugar soft drink drinkers, but among the poor they still consume them.
forgetsusername 11y ago
>a can of coke has more than 40gs of sugar. A can of Coke has 33g of sugar.
- smt88 11y ago
  No, in the US it's ~40g. It might be different in other countries or with cane sugar instead of HFCS.
- acveilleux 11y ago
  And here we learn that: (1) a can of coke varies in volume based on different places in the world. 330 ml in europe, 355 ml in north america. (2) Sweetness of a can of coke varies by country. 10.6g sugar per 100ml in France, 11g sugar per 100ml in USA, 12g sugar per 100ml in Canada. A canadian can of coke is 355ml and 42g of sugar, per the label printed on it. A uk can of coke is 330ml and 35g of sugar.
- djloche 11y ago
  It depends on the amount of CocaCola in the can, and the formula for that particular distribution. Eg. USA has a 12oz can with 39 grams of sugar. UK has a 330ml can with 35 grams of sugar. (They aren't required to provide more precise accounting and so that 35 or 39 are rounded figures). These are close to the same. Of course, if one is using 'coke' generically, there are many that have more than 40 grams. A 12oz can of A&W root beer is at 46 grams, as is a 12oz Mountain Dew.

gadders 11y ago

What do you do if you don't like the taste of water? Fruit juice is pretty high in sugar as well.

donutz 11y ago
Tea.
- gadders 11y ago
  Have you been to many pubs? :-)
icehawk219 11y ago
Personally I've become a big fan of tea. Hot and iced. In my opinion most teas don't require any sugar or require very little to offset a bit of bitterness. 9 times out of 10 I use no sugar at all. And that 1 time I do it's maybe half a teaspoon because the tea in question has a bit of bitterness or because I let it sit for too long. Tea also has the added benefit that if you make it per glass it forces you to get away from the computer for a few minutes. Plus the aromas and flavors are, in my opinion, more numerous and pleasant than all the sugary drinks out there combined. Tends to be noticeably cheaper too :)
- akiselev 11y ago
  Seconded. If you live in a metropolitan area, you will likely have a Teavana or other chain/mom & pop tea store where you can go in and smell or try all of their varieties. You'll easily find half a dozen different teas you like ranging from the classic black teas to exotic varieties that taste like supermarket sugar drinks (like strawberry lemonade - one of my favorites at teavana). The latter usually require less a 5g bump of sugar to bring them to the level of retail drinks.
dwb 11y ago
Learn to like it. It's water for pete's sake. Vital for life.
11y ago

TallGuyShort 11y ago

I've had that reaction on occasion. More often lately, however, I get a look of shame and the response, "I wish I didn't drink". I suspect people probably do not need a whole lot more prompting than "have you really never regretted getting drunk?" to realize your choice is wise.

dharmach 11y ago

>>go explain that to people every time you are drinking water in a pub Don't go to pub. Pub: A public house where beverages, primarily alcoholic, may be bought and consumed.

probably_wrong 11y ago
But then you have a different issue: no friends, because everyone wants to go to the pub. Being the guy who will only hang out with you if you agree to his demands is not, socially speaking, a winning strategy. That strikes to me as a fair compromise: we'll go to a place I don't like. I won't make a single comment on it, and in fact I'll be cheerful and happy, but in return you won't ask me to do the thing I don't like.
- vlunkr 11y ago
  Not if you have friends that don't go to the pub! It's not unheard of.
- dharmach 11y ago
  There was a time when tolerating second-hand smoke, if not smoking itself, was considered necessary evil for socializing.
  - JoeAltmaier 11y ago
    There was a time before that, where smoking was only allowed in 'smoking rooms' while wearing a 'smoking jacket', so that ordinary people didn't have to smell like a campfire half their lives.
- VLM 11y ago
  "no friends, because everyone wants to go to the pub" I went thru that back when I was young (once you have a herd of kids, you won't have time for adult socializing, so that kind of solves itself). Anyway at least for an introverted young guy, I got way more than enough socializing at the gym (get drunk while lifting hundreds of pound weights, what could possibly go wrong LOL?) and hiking club (open container laws are enforced in our parks, maybe not all countries). I also met people at non-credit night classes while learning some carpentry, Japanese, cooking, religion, philosophy, history, whatever looked cool I'd sign up for ... I would imagine its much easier for young people now with online event organization for meetups and conferences and maker spaces. I wonder how much people drink at maker spaces. I would imagine drunken table saw and metal working machine operators don't live very long. They seem to produce things and the injury rate seems low, so probably not very much. Things get complicated if you're in one of those situations where friends work and socialize together. Super awkward, will never go back to that again. "Never cross the streams" - Ghostbusters

pluma 11y ago

It depends on the social situations. In my experience (yay, anecdotes) you only need to assert your preferences once or twice (maybe less with soft drinks, maybe more with alcohol, depending on the situation and people involved). Anyway. You shouldn't be surprised if people react incredulously when you're not just deviating from the social norm but opting out of entire categories. "I only drink water" is no different in that regard than "I'm a vegan" or "I only eat raw food". It's a perfectly fine preference, but you're going to be an exception and exceptions tend to stand out. I'm German but don't like beer and feel rather dispassionate about football (or "soccer" to Americans). It used to take some explaining when I was younger (i.e. teens and early 20s) but at 30 I find that barely anyone[0] cares about it -- simply because they've learned that they don't have to agree with everyone about everything to be friends. [0]: Except die-hard football fans who can't imagine anyone not at least enjoying the sport or uber-machos who think drinking beer is a requirement for being a man. But those traits tend to be obnoxious enough on their own.

kfk 11y ago
Hey, I am not German, but I live in Munich. I hear what you are saying, I am Italian, so try not caring about football there, it's tough - people accept it, but it makes small talk very difficult sometimes. On alcohol and drinks in general, even at 30, I think people still care, especially the ones you meet for the first time. Simply put, not drinking alcohol may signal a bad past (alcoholism), or being a potential nut job (diet nazy or gym pumper on steroids). This is actually useful information in social interactions, so I do understand why it is so widely used. On the other end, being vegan is so much accepted and so common and fashionable right now that the signal you get out of it is rather poor, so it's used less to pre-select or to make quick judgments.
- SunShiranui 11y ago
  I don't know - I'm italian as well and I never had any particular problems with not liking football. Although I may be somewhat of a special case, as I seem to associate with people who don't care particularly for the sport. By the way, how are you finding life in Munich as an Italian? I've been thinking about moving after I complete my degree, so I'm quite interested to see what other people's experiences are in that regard.

PakG1 11y ago

Standard XKCD: https://xkcd.com/1534/ https://xkcd.com/1534/ I have a colleague who completely avoids alcohol. No particular reason for it other than one day he decided to do it because his friend wanted to do it. His friend didn't keep it up, but he did for ~30 years now. I have nothing for or against alcohol and I like some drinks now and then (mostly avoid beers, just don't like the taste). I have to respect this guy that he keeps it up so long, even though he has nothing to gain or lose from it. I would have figured at least one day, what the heck, it's not a big deal, not doing anything bad or anything. But he decided he won't drink, so he doesn't. Mad respect.

facetube 11y ago
I've heard of people avoiding alcohol after a positive (A;G) or (G;G) test for http://www.snpedia.com/index.php/Rs1799971 http://www.snpedia.com/index.php/Rs1799971.

untog 11y ago

Alcohol is a social lubricant which, yes, we shouldn't rely upon. But there are a great many things we should do that we don't - I don't see alcohol as a huge problem in that regard (unless, you know, it becomes a huge problem for you personally). I also have friends who don't drink, including some when I was at university (a high time for most people's blood alcohol levels) - few people cared. Though my one suggestion to you is to drink something other than water, even if it's just club soda. Aside from anything else, getting something that costs money will likely make the pub staff friendlier.

at-fates-hands 11y ago

I stopped drinking alcohol completely about 5 years ago. I was drinking a lot of pop everyday and couldn't figure out why I couldn't lose weight. I was still playing soccer four times a week and working out at the gym the other day. I had changed my diet pretty drastically and still no major weight loss. Then I started cutting back on pop so as not to experience caffeine withdrawal. Within a few weeks, I was down to one can a day. After two months, I lost 10 pounds, almost all because I stopped drinking so much pop. It's pretty amazing how many calories and sugar pop has and how negatively it affects your body.

drdaeman 11y ago

Another side of this, is that if you buy/drink sugary beverages a lot outside of those social situations, you're also likely to get criticized about this. Every other peer tries to remind how unhealthy coke is, how one can clean rust with it and so on. And this is not out of health concerns, but just the same case of social situation conformance stereotypes - one's expected to drink while partying, but don't they dare to do the same alone at home.

stephengillie 11y ago
And when some people start bringing up Coke's supposed rust-cleaning properties, others start bringing up Snopes and other contrary evidence. Right now, there's too much "health noise" surrounding sodas, because they make so much money and so many people like them. We can't get a good "health signal" to "health noise" ratio to tell if these have healthy and/or unhealthy outcomes when we drink them. And so many of us just avoid them.

cowardlydragon 11y ago

The industry really should adapt. I've been drinking this "Pure Leaf" Peach sweetened tea that has almost half the calories of the Lemon tea, and I don't think has artificial sweeters. It tastes really good, I don't even notice it doesn't have the same amount of calories. Right around when I got this, "Gold Peak" appeared in the supermarkets and that is so sweet it is sickening. Companies are pure capitalistic enterprises that respond to market demand right? Right?

pixl97 11y ago
Companies are pure capitalistic enterprises that respond to market demand right? Right You can imagine if meth or other addictive drugs were legal thst they would be in our drinks (which is the exact history of Coke). Modern food engineering is about maximizing consumption, even at the detriment of those consuming.
athenot 11y ago
But there's a physiological "high" of getting the sugar fix in soda, which makes the brain desire it. It's nowhere near the strength of addiction produced by hard drugs. But it is still significant and I would guess it does impact sales. Just like apps are designed to be "engaging", ie. trigger the brain patterns where it will desire to return to the app, sodas are very much the same.

Elte 11y ago

I stopped drinking alcohol a while ago for several reasons, an increased exercise regimen being one of them (though not the most important one). Now when people "ask" I just say I'm an athlete (which has become more true since then), gets them off my back pretty quick. Apparently being healthy is frowned upon for anyone who doesn't need it (semi-)professionally.

J-dawg 11y ago
This is so true. I went to a University in the UK which is well known for sport, so I was friends with a few aspiring pro athletes. They were the only people I recall being given a 'pass' when it came to peer-pressuring people to drink. The UK, on the whole, has a really awful relationship with alcohol, especially among uni students.

forgetsusername 11y ago

>Now, that's the logic, and it's a sound logic Some people like the taste of soda or the effects of alcohol. That's the logic, and it trumps the fact that "useless" calories are being consumed. We aren't rational automatons.

RodericDay 11y ago

idk about bars, but here's a tip for house parties: finish a beer bottle, and keep refilling it with water thereafter.

misiti3780 11y ago

there is nothing wrong with drinking alcohol in small quantities every day - red wine can prevent all sorts of diseases - most of the world drinks a beer or two on a daily basis. drinking coke and pepsi contains no health or nutritional benefits - you ideally dont drink them ever (drink water or at least the diet version)

JoeAltmaier 11y ago
The trouble with the no-soda rule is, at a restaurant at lunchtime you're pretty much down to water, tea and lemonade. You can get pretty sick of that. Especially if you don't drink caffeine (because of blood pressure issues) so its water or lemonade. I've innovated - ask for lemonade cut with soda water. Fizzy lemonade!

jakejake 11y ago

You can always say that you're the designated driver, which at some bars will get you, ironically, free soda.

rayiner 11y ago

I don't drink soda, and I've never had anyone comment. Regarding alcohol: I kind of understand the skepticism about people who don't drink. Drinking usually puts you in a more honest, less controlled, and less guarded condition, which makes drinking with other people almost a trust exercise. Not drinking at a pub is kind of like bringing your sword into a gathering where everyone else agreed to leave theirs' at the door.

freehunter 11y ago
That's an excellent analogy. My wife doesn't drink, but we had some of my friends over for board games and some beers. By the end of the night she was quite annoyed and none of us could figure out why. She was annoyed that they were making jokes at my expense. She was mad that I was making jokes at their expense. She thought it was rude. Imagine being in a less trusted social situation than "wife and best friends", maybe a business meeting, where the client wasn't drinking but everyone else was. It's easy to see why there would be a social stigma against the one person who wasn't drinking, just like there would be a stigma against the one person who was if the shoe was on the other foot.
yodsanklai 11y ago
That's an interesting explanation. But I believe it is primarily a group behavior thing. When someone doesn't behave like everybody else, it raises suspicion or can even be seen as offensive.
wordbank 11y ago
I'm not drinking for over 6 years just because I can't see pleasure in alcohol intoxication. All these comments like "you're not respecting social norms" feel kind of offensive. And now this sword straw man. Sorry, but not drinking simply makes me not drunk. I'm never "more honest" and "less guarded" when I'm drunk (that's why I don't like it - I fight the drunk state of mind every time).

djrogers 11y ago

>go explain that to people every time you are drinking water in a pub Why do you feel a need to explain it? I've never had any reaction at all with 'no thanks, I'm good'. You don't have to say 'I'm on a diet' 'I don't drink' 'that crap will kill you' or anything else. Just no thanks. If someone does ask about your water, say 'I'm taking it easy' or 'I'm good'. Or get a club soda and lime.

Zergy 11y ago
Successfully explaining things gets people to shut up. I've never been able to say 'no thanks, I'm good' without there being follow up questions.

deleted 11y ago

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wcummings 11y ago

>Now, that's the logic, and it's a sound logic, go explain that to people every time you are drinking water in a pub and they go: "ehm, uh, you don't drink?". Which, by the way, if not explained properly can seem like you are a recovering alcoholic I find it amazing that people think asking why you don't drink is acceptable, no one stops drinking for fun.

buckbova 11y ago

We're living in an alcoholic beverage renaissance. Try a craft beer or have a glass of wine. A drink a day is good for you anyway.

CHaro 11y ago

Just ask for a white dolphin on the rocks (water over ice) :) It is all about the glass shape, most people will assume you are having vodka soda.

andymboyle 11y ago

What's wrong with seeming like you are a recovering alcoholic? Many people are, and if someone judges you for that, they're not a good person. Many people also don't want the excess calories, and if someone judges you for NOT joining them in drinking alcohol, again, they're not a good person. Same goes if they think you're a food/diet nazi. Who cares? It's your body. They shouldn't be so judgmental of your life choices, especially something as personal as how you decide to fuel your body and stay alive. And if they are judging you, in my experience, it's usually because they're working through their own issues and would rather it not be pointed out how unhealthy their choices are, and they want you to join them in their maybe-not-so-great decisions.