SODA - Biggest addiction

245

Replies

  • This content has been removed.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    kace_kay wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    kace_kay wrote: »
    From MayoClinic's site: "Although switching from regular soda to diet soda may save you calories in the short term, it's not yet clear if it's effective for preventing obesity and related health problems. Healthier low-calorie choices abound, including water, skim milk, and unsweetened tea or coffee."

    Basically this quote is saying "we have no idea".

    No kidding... I didn't catch that when I was reading it. You said to she should have more information... that is more information, just different from yours.

    How is inconclusiveness relevant information that will help inform her?
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    Well....how about we say you're both right, because you probably won't change each other's opinion?

  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Well....how about we say you're both right, because you probably won't change each other's opinion?

    Yea, but arguing is fun
  • fatcity66
    fatcity66 Posts: 1,544 Member
    edited December 2014
    AJ_G wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    They say it's just as bad for you as regular soda; as in retaining water etc.

    First off, no it's not, secondly, why do you care about retaining water, fat loss is what is important, not weight loss.

    Diet soda is not healthy
    Based on what evidence?
    AJ_G wrote: »
    They say it's just as bad for you as regular soda; as in retaining water etc.

    First off, no it's not, secondly, why do you care about retaining water, fat loss is what is important, not weight loss.

    also aspartame is said to be very unhealthy.
    It's not...


    I am starting to really wonder if you are just messing with me ..

    I'm not messing with you, I honestly want to know what evidence you have to show that diet soda is unhealthy or that aspertame is bad for you


    I guess I am just going by what I have read and heard from several different sources (magazines, internet, tv blah blah) which is water weight, leads to cancer (what doesn't these days) and unhealthier than regular soda

    This is part of the problem, you shouldn't take anything you read at face value, especially if it does not cite a scientific source such as an actual peer reviewed research study. Unfortunately, most of what you are going to find in articles in magazines, the internet and on television is complete BS.

    AJ_G wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    They say it's just as bad for you as regular soda; as in retaining water etc.

    First off, no it's not, secondly, why do you care about retaining water, fat loss is what is important, not weight loss.

    Diet soda is not healthy
    Based on what evidence?
    AJ_G wrote: »
    They say it's just as bad for you as regular soda; as in retaining water etc.

    First off, no it's not, secondly, why do you care about retaining water, fat loss is what is important, not weight loss.

    also aspartame is said to be very unhealthy.
    It's not...


    I am starting to really wonder if you are just messing with me ..

    I'm not messing with you, I honestly want to know what evidence you have to show that diet soda is unhealthy or that aspertame is bad for you


    maybe it is just that i need to become more educated on these types of subjects?

    Yes, that's exactly what you need to do. Don't listen to what other people tell you they heard or they read some article. Start doing some research for yourself. It's the only way to know what's factual and what's just misinformation.

    Not everyone on this forum is interested in starting a scientific debate. If you want to goad someone into it, don't choose someone who is just looking for support on how to stop an unhealthy habit.

    OP, it's the same way I approached quitting smoking. It's bad for you, you know it's bad for you. Sometimes you drink it because you're thirsty, other times you don't even know why, just habit. There's only one thing to do and that's stop it. Stop drinking the pop and any other overly sugary drinks. Replace it with water or tea (anything unsweetened really). It will be hard at first but after a few weeks it won't be so bad.

    I don't care if the OP decides to drink diet soda or not, but PLEASE do not compare drinking diet soda (or even regular soda) to smoking cigarettes. There is no comparison. If you think they are equally bad for you, you're severely misinformed.
  • panicpicnic
    panicpicnic Posts: 1 Member
    AJ_G wrote: »
    IIFYM = If It Fits Your Macros. It's basically a dietary philosophy that believes that you shouldn't label individual foods as healthy or unhealthy. Instead your daily intake can be healthy or unhealthy as a whole. Basically you set up proper macronutrient goals (gram goals for protein, dietary fat, and carbohydrates) which follow your overarching calorie goal. You then eat basically whatever you want to hit those macronutrient goals and not exceed your calorie goal. It's also a good idea to consume adequate fiber, and make sure you hit certain micronutrient goals as well (vitamins and minerals).

    Well that explains why you are the first person in my life to say there is nothing wrong with diet soda. I like that idea, and sounds like it is definately an easier way to get into weightloss. I didn't think you were arguing with me, but I did think you were pulling my leg lol..

    Good on you!
    It's super to see someone willing to rethink their ideas about healthy eating and weight-loss.
    Coke zero is my go-to when I'm feeling deflated and sick of all the salads and rice cakes etc... XP I'd have given up without it, definitely.
    I wish you lots of luck, pal! (*)
  • PurpleMomster
    PurpleMomster Posts: 71 Member
    I just did it, gave up a 3 can a day addiction to Pepsi. And that was 18 months ago. Was it easy? Nope. I still to this day get an incredible craving for a tall, cold glass but I don't give in to it. Why? Because I'd rather have the calories for food :smiley: I don't think there's anything wrong with diet sodas, if that's what it takes to help you get over an addiction to soda, then I'm all for it. I haven't ever liked the taste of diet drinks so it wasn't an option for me.

    Good luck - you can do it!
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  • apparations
    apparations Posts: 264 Member
    edited December 2014
    fatcity66 wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    They say it's just as bad for you as regular soda; as in retaining water etc.

    First off, no it's not, secondly, why do you care about retaining water, fat loss is what is important, not weight loss.

    Diet soda is not healthy
    Based on what evidence?
    AJ_G wrote: »
    They say it's just as bad for you as regular soda; as in retaining water etc.

    First off, no it's not, secondly, why do you care about retaining water, fat loss is what is important, not weight loss.

    also aspartame is said to be very unhealthy.
    It's not...


    I am starting to really wonder if you are just messing with me ..

    I'm not messing with you, I honestly want to know what evidence you have to show that diet soda is unhealthy or that aspertame is bad for you


    I guess I am just going by what I have read and heard from several different sources (magazines, internet, tv blah blah) which is water weight, leads to cancer (what doesn't these days) and unhealthier than regular soda

    This is part of the problem, you shouldn't take anything you read at face value, especially if it does not cite a scientific source such as an actual peer reviewed research study. Unfortunately, most of what you are going to find in articles in magazines, the internet and on television is complete BS.

    AJ_G wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    They say it's just as bad for you as regular soda; as in retaining water etc.

    First off, no it's not, secondly, why do you care about retaining water, fat loss is what is important, not weight loss.

    Diet soda is not healthy
    Based on what evidence?
    AJ_G wrote: »
    They say it's just as bad for you as regular soda; as in retaining water etc.

    First off, no it's not, secondly, why do you care about retaining water, fat loss is what is important, not weight loss.

    also aspartame is said to be very unhealthy.
    It's not...


    I am starting to really wonder if you are just messing with me ..

    I'm not messing with you, I honestly want to know what evidence you have to show that diet soda is unhealthy or that aspertame is bad for you


    maybe it is just that i need to become more educated on these types of subjects?

    Yes, that's exactly what you need to do. Don't listen to what other people tell you they heard or they read some article. Start doing some research for yourself. It's the only way to know what's factual and what's just misinformation.

    Not everyone on this forum is interested in starting a scientific debate. If you want to goad someone into it, don't choose someone who is just looking for support on how to stop an unhealthy habit.

    OP, it's the same way I approached quitting smoking. It's bad for you, you know it's bad for you. Sometimes you drink it because you're thirsty, other times you don't even know why, just habit. There's only one thing to do and that's stop it. Stop drinking the pop and any other overly sugary drinks. Replace it with water or tea (anything unsweetened really). It will be hard at first but after a few weeks it won't be so bad.

    I don't care if the OP decides to drink diet soda or not, but PLEASE do not compare drinking diet soda (or even regular soda) to smoking cigarettes. There is no comparison. If you think they are equally bad for you, you're severely misinformed.

    What I meant was that I applied the same method and mentality to quitting smoking as i did to drinking soda. Quitting an addictive behaviour.
  • fatcity66
    fatcity66 Posts: 1,544 Member
    Actually, I am having a big fountain diet cherry coke right now at work. One of my co-workers was kind enough to make a run to Wawa. :)
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    OMG. I struggled so hard. And just like you, I'd have "just one"...then just one more...and I was back on it.

    On and off that stuff so many times. I finally got sick of always having to quit the stuff and stopped having "just one" at any point. I just remind myself every time that I KNOW it won't be just one. Getting one means spending more money on stuff it don't need. Getting one means I get hooked again and have to quit again.

    I just got sick of it, so now I think first.

    It's not easy. I still worry that I'll start up again! But I haven't in quite a while.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    kace_kay wrote: »
    Yea, cause correcting misinformation is such a terrible thing...lol. She can make whatever decision she wants and that's completely fine for me, but why not give her all the information possible so she can make an informed decision. I guess you ladies would just rather live in the dark.


    I'm sorry, I didn't see where you gave any definitive proof that it isn't unhealthy. The point I was trying to make is that there's no proof to confirm either theory.

    Bingo. We have a winner.
  • thefatveganchef
    thefatveganchef Posts: 89 Member
    I gave up soda / diet soda about 3 months ago. I started drinking carbonated flavored water like La Croix. It gives a lot of the same satisfaction as soda with no calories or chemicals.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    kace_kay wrote: »
    Yea, cause correcting misinformation is such a terrible thing...lol. She can make whatever decision she wants and that's completely fine for me, but why not give her all the information possible so she can make an informed decision. I guess you ladies would just rather live in the dark.


    I'm sorry, I didn't see where you gave any definitive proof that it isn't unhealthy. The point I was trying to make is that there's no proof to confirm either theory.

    There's definitive proof that aspartame isn't unhealthy just based on what it is. It's a combination of two amino acids found in most sources of proteins, and found in much much higher amounts than what you see in diet soda. Also, if something is inconclusive, saying you should avoid it makes no sense. It's nearly impossible to prove that something doesn't cause cancer based on the very nature of cancer itself, so saying that we should avoid anything unless we KNOW it doesn't cause cancer is severely flawed logic.
  • abigailhe
    abigailhe Posts: 28 Member
    I've been trying to decrease my diet pop intake as well. I've found that drinking a flavored sparkling water drink like "ice" helps with the cravings. There are tons of different flavors. Sam's club always stocks them. Hope that helps!
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    edited December 2014
    kace_kay wrote: »
    Yea, cause correcting misinformation is such a terrible thing...lol. She can make whatever decision she wants and that's completely fine for me, but why not give her all the information possible so she can make an informed decision. I guess you ladies would just rather live in the dark.


    I'm sorry, I didn't see where you gave any definitive proof that it isn't unhealthy. The point I was trying to make is that there's no proof to confirm either theory.

    Bingo. We have a winner.


    P.s. Telling the OP "Try replacing soda with flavored seltzer. You'll still get the bubbly taste" is most certainly a 'productive point.'
  • apparations
    apparations Posts: 264 Member
    AJ_G wrote: »
    Well....how about we say you're both right, because you probably won't change each other's opinion?

    Yea, but arguing is fun

    There it is.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    edited December 2014
    kace_kay wrote: »
    Yea, cause correcting misinformation is such a terrible thing...lol. She can make whatever decision she wants and that's completely fine for me, but why not give her all the information possible so she can make an informed decision. I guess you ladies would just rather live in the dark.


    I'm sorry, I didn't see where you gave any definitive proof that it isn't unhealthy. The point I was trying to make is that there's no proof to confirm either theory.

    Bingo. We have a winner.


    P.s. Telling the OP "Try replacing soda with flavored seltzer. You'll still get the bubbly taste" is most certainly a 'productive point.'

    Do you think all debate is disrespectful? Where specifically in this thread was I disrespectful?
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    AJ_G wrote: »
    Well....how about we say you're both right, because you probably won't change each other's opinion?

    Yea, but arguing is fun

    There it is.

    Just a joke, sorry, I would have used the "joking" font if it existed
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    Can I ask to those that said they were hooked on sodas or diet sodas did those contain caffine and if yes then it had nothing probably to do with the sugar or fake sugars but the caffine. I also don't think AJ_G was being disrespectful but just trying to help.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Nobody has to debate, justify or even give their reasons for wanting to quit something.

    If you feel like answering the questions, "I feel like it" is good enough. :)

    You don't have to justify anything or provide proof that it's okay for you to skip the pop...or anything else for that matter.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Nobody has to debate, justify or even give their reasons for wanting to quit something.

    If you feel like answering the questions, "I feel like it" is good enough. :)

    You don't have to justify anything or provide proof that it's okay for you to skip the pop...or anything else for that matter.

    As I mentioned before, I was just trying to give the OP as much information as I could for her to make an informed decision on the matter. In the end, the choice is absolutely up to her.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    edited December 2014
    AJ_G wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    They say it's just as bad for you as regular soda; as in retaining water etc.

    First off, no it's not, secondly, why do you care about retaining water, fat loss is what is important, not weight loss.

    Diet soda is not healthy
    Based on what evidence?
    AJ_G wrote: »
    They say it's just as bad for you as regular soda; as in retaining water etc.

    First off, no it's not, secondly, why do you care about retaining water, fat loss is what is important, not weight loss.

    also aspartame is said to be very unhealthy.
    It's not...


    I am starting to really wonder if you are just messing with me ..

    I'm not messing with you, I honestly want to know what evidence you have to show that diet soda is unhealthy or that aspertame is bad for you


    I guess I am just going by what I have read and heard from several different sources (magazines, internet, tv blah blah) which is water weight, leads to cancer (what doesn't these days) and unhealthier than regular soda

    This is part of the problem, you shouldn't take anything you read at face value, especially if it does not cite a scientific source such as an actual peer reviewed research study. Unfortunately, most of what you are going to find in articles in magazines, the internet and on television is complete BS.

    AJ_G wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    They say it's just as bad for you as regular soda; as in retaining water etc.

    First off, no it's not, secondly, why do you care about retaining water, fat loss is what is important, not weight loss.

    Diet soda is not healthy
    Based on what evidence?
    AJ_G wrote: »
    They say it's just as bad for you as regular soda; as in retaining water etc.

    First off, no it's not, secondly, why do you care about retaining water, fat loss is what is important, not weight loss.

    also aspartame is said to be very unhealthy.
    It's not...


    I am starting to really wonder if you are just messing with me ..

    I'm not messing with you, I honestly want to know what evidence you have to show that diet soda is unhealthy or that aspertame is bad for you


    maybe it is just that i need to become more educated on these types of subjects?

    Yes, that's exactly what you need to do. Don't listen to what other people tell you they heard or they read some article. Start doing some research for yourself. It's the only way to know what's factual and what's just misinformation.

    Not everyone on this forum is interested in starting a scientific debate. If you want to goad someone into it, don't choose someone who is just looking for support on how to stop an unhealthy habit.

    OP, it's the same way I approached quitting smoking. It's bad for you, you know it's bad for you. Sometimes you drink it because you're thirsty, other times you don't even know why, just habit. There's only one thing to do and that's stop it. Stop drinking the pop and any other overly sugary drinks. Replace it with water or tea (anything unsweetened really). It will be hard at first but after a few weeks it won't be so bad.
    But it's not an unhealthy habit.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    AJ_G wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Nobody has to debate, justify or even give their reasons for wanting to quit something.

    If you feel like answering the questions, "I feel like it" is good enough. :)

    You don't have to justify anything or provide proof that it's okay for you to skip the pop...or anything else for that matter.

    As I mentioned before, I was just trying to give the OP as much information as I could for her to make an informed decision on the matter. In the end, the choice is absolutely up to her.

    I wasn't arguing with you. Just tossing it out there for anyone who thinks they need to answer questions, :)
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Nobody has to debate, justify or even give their reasons for wanting to quit something.

    If you feel like answering the questions, "I feel like it" is good enough. :)

    You don't have to justify anything or provide proof that it's okay for you to skip the pop...or anything else for that matter.

    As I mentioned before, I was just trying to give the OP as much information as I could for her to make an informed decision on the matter. In the end, the choice is absolutely up to her.

    I wasn't arguing with you. Just tossing it out there for anyone who thinks they need to answer questions, :)

    CCGfqwI.gif
  • Kevalicious99
    Kevalicious99 Posts: 1,131 Member
    I cut it out cold turkey .. Aug 2013 and now is a very rare thing. That stuff is full of **** and diet is no better even though here at MFP anything with no calories is considered just super great. That is bull**** thinking. Think about it .. those companies spend billions of dollars trying to convince us that it is not that bad. Logic tells us that it is .. otherwise they would save their money. Oh .. it also causes people to get overweight, just drink water.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    jrose1982 wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    They say it's just as bad for you as regular soda; as in retaining water etc.

    First off, no it's not, secondly, why do you care about retaining water, fat loss is what is important, not weight loss.

    Diet soda is not healthy
    Based on what evidence?
    AJ_G wrote: »
    They say it's just as bad for you as regular soda; as in retaining water etc.

    First off, no it's not, secondly, why do you care about retaining water, fat loss is what is important, not weight loss.

    also aspartame is said to be very unhealthy.
    It's not...

    Dude, take a hint. You've clearly got nothing to offer the OP that she'll find useful. Arguing doesn't help anybody. Move on.

    That would be good advice if the only person who would ever read this thread were the OP. But the thing is, lots of other people who have the same idea read these threads too, and if they come in here and the only thing they see is people telling them how to quit soda, then they will not have the opportunity to learn that maybe they've been misinformed and it isn't actually necessary.
  • This content has been removed.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    kace_kay wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    kace_kay wrote: »
    Yea, cause correcting misinformation is such a terrible thing...lol. She can make whatever decision she wants and that's completely fine for me, but why not give her all the information possible so she can make an informed decision. I guess you ladies would just rather live in the dark.

    I'm sorry, I didn't see where you gave any definitive proof that it isn't unhealthy. The point I was trying to make is that there's no proof to confirm either theory.

    There's definitive proof that aspartame isn't unhealthy just based on what it is. It's a combination of two amino acids found in most sources of proteins, and found in much much higher amounts than what you see in diet soda. Also, if something is inconclusive, saying you should avoid it makes no sense. It's nearly impossible to prove that something doesn't cause cancer based on the very nature of cancer itself, so saying that we should avoid anything unless we KNOW it doesn't cause cancer is severely flawed logic.

    Studies may suggest that aspartame doesn't cause cancer, but are there any in depth studies about any other side effects? What about the other *kitten* that is in sodas? The caramel coloring that is added has been largely debated to be a potential risk, as well. I'm not saying she should avoid it, I simply posed that maybe she should cut it out if she's having these concerns. Certainly you can't argue against water being a better alternative.

    OP. good luck with whatever you decide. If you're like me and your main source of caffeine is from soda, expect some symptoms of withdrawal. I don't drink tea or coffee, so my withdrawal headaches were outrageous. Excedrin Migraine was my only saving grace at the time (has 65 mg of caffeine in a dose).

    To be honest, I don't even drink diet soda because I can't stand the taste. I think it's disgusting. I will drink regular soda on some occasions but mostly I just drink water. I am just annoyed with the fear mongering when it comes to diet sodas. People want to look for small, specific things to blame when it comes to weight loss and health. You cannot blame artificial sweeteners, sugar, dietary fat, saturated fat, dietary cholesterol, etc as the reason people are unhealthy and or obese. People are obese because they consume more calories than they burn most days of their lives. People are unhealthy mainly because they are overweight. Most common health problems can be attributed to the fact that the body's systems are strained due to being overweight and obese. It bothers me when people look for a scapegoat instead of addressing the real problem. Don't blame a macronutrient, a subset of a macronutrient, a certain ingredient, etc for health problems and obesity. Sorry for the essay.
  • fredgiblet
    fredgiblet Posts: 241 Member
    I fight with this myself. Especially since I work morning and I'm not a morning person. I think after my current stock of pop is gone I may just buy a bottle of caffeine pills and use that for my mornings instead.

    I've done the same yo-yo that you describe, going from drinking constantly to abstaining then slipping back into drinking too much. I don't have a solution yet.
This discussion has been closed.