Giving up diet soda. So hard!

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Replies

  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    LeenaGee wrote: »
    Mamapeach, why the interest in getting people to drink diet soda? I would have thought someone with your medical history would be more interested in nutrition.

    She's debunking false information. She has not expressed an interest in whether anyone drinks diet soda or not. Sometimes it seems like some people (you know who you are) would prefer that false information not be debunked if that false information might scare others into doing what you think is in their best interest. I think that's horrible, and that it's more important to have as much accurate information as possible. Then other adults can decide what they want to do based on facts.

    Yes, I'm an eternal optimist.

    For me, it's not that. It's about respecting their decision. Their reasons don't matter.
  • jumblejups
    jumblejups Posts: 150 Member
    Well I'm a bit late to the party but anyway...

    OP, I kind of gave up soft drinks, I was particularly a fan of Pepsi Max. I drank it for a little pick me up and because it's sweet. I started cutting it out gradually because it is better for my health this way, and for my husband too. I replaced it initially with a water bottle with weak sugar free squash (high juice/cordial, I'm guessing it's similar to these water enhancers I've read about). However because I no longer wanted sugar (again for health reasons) I bought real sugar/natural versions, which are much higher in calories. So I went to plain water gradually to save calories. Within a short period of moving to all plain water, maybe 2 weeks, I found that I usually don't want a sweet drink and I drink lots of plain water which I didn't like before.

    Oddly drinking water out of a sports bottle is much easier for me than drinking from a glass. Also when I try a soft drink now, like Diet Coke, I find it too sweet.

    ...And finally, I refuse to do the UK thing and put cream in tea. We don't put cream in tea! It's not common to put cream in any drinks, other than whipped cream on top like at Starbucks. Black tea with milk, yes. If you're thinking of a cream tea, that's regular tea served with a scone with jam and clotted cream. The cream (and jam, of course) is for the scone, not the tea (ick).
  • ketorach
    ketorach Posts: 430 Member
    jumblejups wrote: »
    Well I'm a bit late to the party but anyway...

    OP, I kind of gave up soft drinks, I was particularly a fan of Pepsi Max. I drank it for a little pick me up and because it's sweet. I started cutting it out gradually because it is better for my health this way, and for my husband too. I replaced it initially with a water bottle with weak sugar free squash (high juice/cordial, I'm guessing it's similar to these water enhancers I've read about). However because I no longer wanted sugar (again for health reasons) I bought real sugar/natural versions, which are much higher in calories. So I went to plain water gradually to save calories. Within a short period of moving to all plain water, maybe 2 weeks, I found that I usually don't want a sweet drink and I drink lots of plain water which I didn't like before.

    Oddly drinking water out of a sports bottle is much easier for me than drinking from a glass. Also when I try a soft drink now, like Diet Coke, I find it too sweet.

    ...And finally, I refuse to do the UK thing and put cream in tea. We don't put cream in tea! It's not common to put cream in any drinks, other than whipped cream on top like at Starbucks. Black tea with milk, yes. If you're thinking of a cream tea, that's regular tea served with a scone with jam and clotted cream. The cream (and jam, of course) is for the scone, not the tea (ick).
    In the US, when we say "coffee with cream" or "tea with cream", we usually mean milk.

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  • Cait1122
    Cait1122 Posts: 13 Member
    Lemon water. I drink a couple glasses every day and my need for a sugary beverage is non exsistant now.
  • MoiAussi93
    MoiAussi93 Posts: 1,948 Member
    There have been many studies suggesting that artificial sweeteners cause the brain to then crave more sweet foods and drinks. The Yale study is perfectly valid and is just one of many that draw similar conclusions. Here's another one of many: Univ. of California San Diego:http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/artificial-sweeteners-confound-the-brain/

    When several studies all suggest the same thing, it seems highly likely that the point is valid.
  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
    I have not noticed any increased cravings. But I have no problems with having ice cream, cookies or candy with real sugar. I just don't have too much.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,207 Member
    edited January 2015
    MoiAussi93 wrote: »
    There have been many studies suggesting that artificial sweeteners cause the brain to then crave more sweet foods and drinks. The Yale study is perfectly valid and is just one of many that draw similar conclusions. Here's another one of many: Univ. of California San Diego:http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/artificial-sweeteners-confound-the-brain/

    When several studies all suggest the same thing, it seems highly likely that the point is valid.
    Hypothesis never show causation, ever. This editorial, because that's what it is, also links diet drinks to cardiovascular disease and metabolic dysfunction. I wonder how they came to that conclusion, oh yeah, the food questionnaires in the group that have cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome also consume diet drinks, and I'm sure they eat broccoli from time to time as well. Then they try to qualify that by saying rats that ate splenda consumed more..... right, well ok that certainly linked it to cardiovascular disease didn't it. You gotta love epidemiology and the unlimited possibilities for using it for just about any hypothesis a person could ever dream up and when put into practice when they think they got it right you end up with the HRT fiasco that killed women when they believed it would save lives..... maybe stick to fact gathering only.

  • jumblejups
    jumblejups Posts: 150 Member
    In the US, when we say "coffee with cream" or "tea with cream", we usually mean milk.

    Well now that's just crazy... :)
  • obscuremusicreference
    obscuremusicreference Posts: 1,320 Member
    emily_stew wrote: »
    Aviva92 wrote: »
    maybe i'm completely wrong about it having anything to do with it, but i'm still skinny, so who cares.

    arrested-development-lucille-judging_zps0718aaae.gif

    y9g2u00bwnld.gif
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I don't feel good about all the chemicals. Also, it keeps the sweet tooth going and makes it hard to stay away from sweets.

    You guys are obviously not listening. She chose to give up diet soda for the chemicals not just to "suffer along" for a diet.
    OP I suggest you drink some chilled herbal tea or fresh squeezed lemonade is also extremely easy to make.

    We aren't really talking about the OP anymore, but having a discussion of whether it was or was not terrible to ask her why she wanted to drop diet soda and let her know there was no need to do so to successfully lose weight. Way back at the beginning of the thread a bunch of us also answered her question (I gave the chilled herbal tea idea, in fact, which I usually prefer to diet soda), but for some reason some people have decided to get all huffy about the fact that people dared to suggest that quitting diet soda might not be necessary and desirable always and for everyone.

    I think pretty much everyone thinks it's fine for the OP to quit soda; we aren't arguing that she shouldn't, but explaining why we think the questions (which she answered, as you quoted) were sensible ones.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    LeenaGee wrote: »
    Mamapeach, why the interest in getting people to drink diet soda? I would have thought someone with your medical history would be more interested in nutrition.

    She's debunking false information. She has not expressed an interest in whether anyone drinks diet soda or not. Sometimes it seems like some people (you know who you are) would prefer that false information not be debunked if that false information might scare others into doing what you think is in their best interest. I think that's horrible, and that it's more important to have as much accurate information as possible. Then other adults can decide what they want to do based on facts.

    Yes, I'm an eternal optimist.

    For me, it's not that. It's about respecting their decision. Their reasons don't matter.

    I don't believe that seeking more information to better give them the advice asked for or to have a discussion is "not respecting their decision." I see it as having a discussion and sharing thoughts and experience. I've also seen tons of people on these boards seem genuinely relieved in realizing that their diet didn't have to be as onerous as all that. I've also seen people get upset because others didn't go along with their super special cleanse plan, of course (OP is not in that category in any way), but I still think it was good people shared the facts.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    orangegum wrote: »
    Have you heard of Zevia? It's a great alternative to diet soda that's made with stevia extract. No aspartame, no caffiene, zero calories. Tastes great, I love the stuff. Also it might just be placebo, but it really curbs my appetite.

    If that isn't your jam though, have you looked into carbonated water? I almost never drink tap anymore. San Pellegrino, Polar flavored water, Hint water, etc.

    Zevia cream soda is my favorite.

    I don't drink regular soda because I haven't since I was a kid due to the taste. I don't drink diet coke anymore because I don't like the taste of caffeine free, and if I overdo it on caffeine I have some weird physical symptoms that drive me bonkers.

    Therefore, it's water, Zevia, milk, and that's about it. Only drink decaf tea.

  • Aviva92
    Aviva92 Posts: 2,333 Member
    edited January 2015
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    I don't feel good about all the chemicals. Also, it keeps the sweet tooth going and makes it hard to stay away from sweets.

    You guys are obviously not listening. She chose to give up diet soda for the chemicals not just to "suffer along" for a diet.
    OP I suggest you drink some chilled herbal tea or fresh squeezed lemonade is also extremely easy to make.

    We aren't really talking about the OP anymore, but having a discussion of whether it was or was not terrible to ask her why she wanted to drop diet soda and let her know there was no need to do so to successfully lose weight. Way back at the beginning of the thread a bunch of us also answered her question (I gave the chilled herbal tea idea, in fact, which I usually prefer to diet soda), but for some reason some people have decided to get all huffy about the fact that people dared to suggest that quitting diet soda might not be necessary and desirable always and for everyone.

    I think pretty much everyone thinks it's fine for the OP to quit soda; we aren't arguing that she shouldn't, but explaining why we think the questions (which she answered, as you quoted) were sensible ones.

    no, people got huffy when I and some others suggested that it might have helped us to lose weight by quitting diet soda. so, yeah, people are arguing that she shouldn't.
  • xXBabyBelleXx
    xXBabyBelleXx Posts: 110 Member
    LeenaGee wrote: »
    Lynette, here is a link to an article on MFP's Facebook page written by Elle Penner, M.P.H., R.D., who is the Registered Dietitian and Food & Nutrition Editor at MyFitnesssPal. It is called
    So You Want to Stop......Drinking Soda.
    https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/so-you-want-to-stop-drinking-soda/?utm_source=mfp&utm_medium=Facebook

    If you don't have FB, go to this link on this site and it is printed out for you.
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10056168/mfp-facebook-page#latest

    And yes - definitely give up the soda as I have seen the dramatic change in a person from simply giving up her soda habit. She was drinking 3 or 4 per day, every day. You are right - who needs those chemicals and sugar.

    Good luck!! :)

    Agreed! - I have the same problem as OP and I have now cut down to drinking two glasses a day....but it is such hard work!
  • ketorach
    ketorach Posts: 430 Member
    jumblejups wrote: »
    In the US, when we say "coffee with cream" or "tea with cream", we usually mean milk.

    Well now that's just crazy... :)
    Indeed!

  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    Aviva92 wrote: »
    The articles cited in the Harvard piece didn't prove anything. I already rebutted them all. The Harvard piece was far from definitive. Critical reading is a necessary skill when taking information on board. The words "may" and "might" are not used when presenting proven facts.

    I don't need a study to tell me that I'm 105 pounds and 40 years old for almost 2 years now after mostly quitting soda. yay me! i think i'll stay off the soda.

    EDIT: the 105 pounds for almost 2 years, not the 40.

    What is your point? Your anecdata has nothing to do with any factual causation any more than anything else presented so far does.

    I'm sure someone else who has maintained weight loss drinking soda will come along before long with their input to balance out your input and where exactly does that leave personal experience as evidence in the discussion? Right. As personal experience. Find whatever confirmation bias in things you want, it still doesn't stand in for facts or real science.


    Ooh ooh...me! Me! Switching to diet soda helped me lose weight, and I've been maintaining for years. Crazy, I know. Who'd have thunk beverages with no calories would help with weight loss/maintenance?!

    Anecdotal evidence canceled out.
  • ketorach
    ketorach Posts: 430 Member
    LeenaGee wrote: »
    You know what else destroys tooth enamel? Wine, orange juice, white bread, potato chips, oranges, grapefruit, and white bread. Life's an enamel minefield. Best to play it safe and just eat chalk.

    Yes these things and all food can damage tooth enamel but not to the same extent as 3 or 4 cans of soda per day. A lot of people are drinking copious amounts of soda and that will cause tooth decay without a doubt.
    Just washed down my red grapefruit with a can on diet Coke! And I'm most certainly having red wine tonight. :wink:

  • SwankyTomato
    SwankyTomato Posts: 442 Member

    Once you run distilled water through a coffee machine, with coffee - it is no longer distilled. In fact, the issue with hard water is that the process of percolating is close to a distillation some of the water evaporates and re-precipitates in the coffee maker, thus the issue of liming.
    As the distilled water passed through the beans it absorbs minerals from the coffee - hence not an issue, it is no longer distilled. Drinking it straight MAY be a bad idea, using it in coffee is perfectly ok.

    Thanks for that! :)

    Our water is so hard that you can see the calcium and lime in your glass of tap water. That would be death to the Keurig.

  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Aviva92 wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    I don't feel good about all the chemicals. Also, it keeps the sweet tooth going and makes it hard to stay away from sweets.

    You guys are obviously not listening. She chose to give up diet soda for the chemicals not just to "suffer along" for a diet.
    OP I suggest you drink some chilled herbal tea or fresh squeezed lemonade is also extremely easy to make.

    We aren't really talking about the OP anymore, but having a discussion of whether it was or was not terrible to ask her why she wanted to drop diet soda and let her know there was no need to do so to successfully lose weight. Way back at the beginning of the thread a bunch of us also answered her question (I gave the chilled herbal tea idea, in fact, which I usually prefer to diet soda), but for some reason some people have decided to get all huffy about the fact that people dared to suggest that quitting diet soda might not be necessary and desirable always and for everyone.

    I think pretty much everyone thinks it's fine for the OP to quit soda; we aren't arguing that she shouldn't, but explaining why we think the questions (which she answered, as you quoted) were sensible ones.

    no, people got huffy when I and some others suggested that it might have helped us to lose weight by quitting diet soda. so, yeah, people are arguing that she shouldn't.

    I haven't been involved in that argument, but I personally think the claim that one can lose weight by giving up diet soda is absurd. Might someone find it actually helps them eat less if they struggle with craving sweet stuff and are trying to go cold turkey there or some such? Possibly, sure, but presumably people can see if this is actually the case for them and know if they are eating too much because they are craving sweet stuff (and of course eating the sweet stuff is what causes the weight gain). It doesn't cause me cravings, but I also don't find it that difficult to eat or not eat sweet stuff anyway. (One of the studies MoiAussi was so excited about claims that artificial sweeteners might cause cravings because it does not have the dopamine effect of sugar, which is kind of funny, really, since normally we have to hear about how dopamine response makes sugar like crack. At least we know artificial sweeteners aren't "as addictive as crack," yay.)

    Anyway, point is that saying that it's absurd to claim that diet soda will cause weight gain (absent something more) is NOT saying that people must therefore drink soda or OP should not quit it. Basic logic here.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    LeenaGee wrote: »
    You know what else destroys tooth enamel? Wine, orange juice, white bread, potato chips, oranges, grapefruit, and white bread. Life's an enamel minefield. Best to play it safe and just eat chalk.

    Yes these things and all food can damage tooth enamel but not to the same extent as 3 or 4 cans of soda per day. A lot of people are drinking copious amounts of soda and that will cause tooth decay without a doubt.

    I think JPW is right - they are going to need good insurance for dentures. :D
    And, there are many people who do drink diet soda and eat things that are supposed to cause tooth decay and they have little to no cavities, or their teeth are just fine. I would say other factors come into place regarding tooth care than just what you eat.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    LeenaGee wrote: »
    No scientific evidence from me either. I just saw with my own eyes a young mum give up diet soda and lose a massive amount of weight by doing just that one thing. Granted that once she had lost a huge amount of weight, it inspired her to continue and change her eating to nutritious food and to start exercising. Whilst drinking diet soda she did not have the energy or the inclination to improve her health.

    She no longer drinks it or wants to drink it.

    Nope, she definitely did not lose weight by giving up just diet soda because there are no calories in diet soda. She started eating less and/or created a deficit through exercise, because that's how weight is lost. However, it's wonderful that letting go of soda helped her get back her motivation.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    LeenaGee wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Do people log diet pop? I don't. I also don't log coffee or tea, but don't assume I haven't had any today.

    If I logged regularly, which I don't, and if I drank diet coke, which I don't, I would log it. In fact, that would be a definite for me to log because then I would be able to see the difference when I stopped drinking it.

    Lena, just how do you believe diet soda makes a person gain weight when there are no calorie in it?
  • jasonmh630
    jasonmh630 Posts: 2,850 Member
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    LeenaGee wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Do people log diet pop? I don't. I also don't log coffee or tea, but don't assume I haven't had any today.

    If I logged regularly, which I don't, and if I drank diet coke, which I don't, I would log it. In fact, that would be a definite for me to log because then I would be able to see the difference when I stopped drinking it.

    Lena, just how do you believe diet soda makes a person gain weight when there are no calorie in it?

    chuck-norris-thumbs-up-dodgeball-gif.gif
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    jasonmh630 wrote: »
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    LeenaGee wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Do people log diet pop? I don't. I also don't log coffee or tea, but don't assume I haven't had any today.

    If I logged regularly, which I don't, and if I drank diet coke, which I don't, I would log it. In fact, that would be a definite for me to log because then I would be able to see the difference when I stopped drinking it.

    Lena, just how do you believe diet soda makes a person gain weight when there are no calorie in it?

    chuck-norris-thumbs-up-dodgeball-gif.gif

    LOL! I love Chuck Norris.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    ketorach wrote: »
    LeenaGee wrote: »
    You know what else destroys tooth enamel? Wine, orange juice, white bread, potato chips, oranges, grapefruit, and white bread. Life's an enamel minefield. Best to play it safe and just eat chalk.

    Yes these things and all food can damage tooth enamel but not to the same extent as 3 or 4 cans of soda per day. A lot of people are drinking copious amounts of soda and that will cause tooth decay without a doubt.
    Just washed down my red grapefruit with a can on diet Coke! And I'm most certainly having red wine tonight. :wink:

    Tooth enamel ruining trifecta right there!

  • Boreo
    Boreo Posts: 10 Member
    edited January 2015
    OP, if you feel bad when drinking diet soda and you believe it may prevent losing your weight, I support you in quitting it. A reasonable belief in peace that something might not be good for you is just enough.

    But you may want to look at this in a broader way. What do you want to achieve? You need to have some more convincing reason to quit something apart from that something sounds bad. You can just try to quit and see if it feels good. And then you may spot another drink or food you do not need.

    I personally also do not like tap water, so I buy a local mineral water that has a great taste. Doesn't go with pizza? Who says you need to eat pizza?
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    This thread is bananas

  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    This thread is bananas
    Bananas are diet sodas in disguise.

  • Azexas
    Azexas Posts: 4,334 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    This thread is bananas

    banana_despicable_me.gif:)
This discussion has been closed.