Giving up diet drinks for weight loss?

niamh_taggart
niamh_taggart Posts: 1
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi there,

After recovering from an eating disorder many years ago, I was left with the horrible habit of a diet drink addiction. In one day, I'd had 2 litres upwards of Coke Zero. Many people say that the artificial sugars in these drinks cause the body to hold onto fat, retain water and increase cravings. Does this mean by giving up the amount of diet drinks I consume, I may lose a certain amount of water weight which could have been stuck there for a while?

Thanks for the responses!

Replies

  • ritchiedrama
    ritchiedrama Posts: 1,304 Member
    Having diet soda will not effect fat loss.
  • Faery_Dust
    Faery_Dust Posts: 246 Member
    I dont think cutting out a zero calorie drink will have any effect on weight loss.

    Unless it is the sweetness that is causing you crave and then eat other foods that put you over your calorie goal.

    But hey, it won't harm so good luck!
  • piratesaregrand
    piratesaregrand Posts: 356 Member
    I'm diabetic. I drink 2l a day of diet coke easy. I often drink it when I want something sweet. Have lost nearly 40kg. Soooo yeah.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    I drink 2 or 3 Diet Pepsi a day and have lost a few pounds.... Don't Plan on stopping anytime soon..... Best of Luck....
  • paxbfl
    paxbfl Posts: 391 Member
    I drink ice water all day long to stay hydrated but I don't enjoy water with meals. So at meals I drink diet drinks (typically homemade iced tea with Splenda) and have lost 50 pounds. While there's no definite evidence that diet drinks are unhealthy, I wouldn't drink them all day long. Plus by having them only with meals, they are kind of a "treat" - something different from the water I've been drinking.
  • Missjulesdid
    Missjulesdid Posts: 1,444 Member
    I have found no research that proves that diet drinks or artificial sweeteners cause fat gain or slow weight loss. There have been a few studies showing a correlation between obesity and diet drinks.. Some people point to these studies as proof that diet drinks cause obesity but to me that's like saying that shopping at LaneBryant makes people obese... A correlation is NOT cause and effect.

    Now personally, I don't believe an overindulgence in anything is healthy and it would be better not to consume diet drinks in excess... but quitting them isn't going to make you lose more weight.
  • ArtemisRuns
    ArtemisRuns Posts: 251 Member
    The only issue I see with diet sodas is that they keep you satisfied so you don't drink water, and drinking water is key to being successful. Good luck!
  • sevsmom
    sevsmom Posts: 1,172 Member
    I gave up diet Dr Pepper (after having a nearly 20 year love affair w/ diet Coke I had a new love for a few years...lol) at the end of March. It did nothing to change my weight. I didn't give it up to lose water weight or anything like that. I gave it up because I wanted to give my kidneys a break. And, really, are all those chemicals in your body a good thing?? I decided the answer was no. It isn't UNhealthy to ditch the diet soda. So, if you're pursuing health. . .switching to water is a good thing. :-)
  • blossomnu
    blossomnu Posts: 65 Member
    The only issue I see with diet sodas is that they keep you satisfied so you don't drink water, and drinking water is key to being successful. Good luck!

    They have plenty of water in them.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Some people report that artificial sweeteners make them crave sweets. If that's the case and it makes it difficult to stick to your calorie goal, then that would be a reason imo to think about cutting back.

    However, my experience is the exact opposite. If I'm wanting something sweet and don't have the calories for it, a diet soda will satisfy me.

    As for the soda itself, it is not going to hinder fat loss. It doesn't have any calories, and calories are the key to weight loss.
  • jillianbeeee
    jillianbeeee Posts: 345 Member
    I am going to go against the grain here. I had a serious addiction to diet coke. 6-8 cans a day. I never drank water. Coffee and diet coke were it. I gave it up cold turkey 12 weeks ago and have seen the most dramatic change in my weight since I started. I had lost a significant amount of weight prior to giving it up however since I gave it up I have dropped clothes sizes like crazy. I have gone from a 12 to a 5/6 in the past 12 weeks! My cravings for carbs have almost disappeared since I quite drinking diet coke. I am not sure what the correlation is between the two but for me giving it up has been the best choice I have yet to make on my weight-loss journey. MHO anyway.

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