sodas ?????

tg025880
tg025880 Posts: 42
edited September 28 in Health and Weight Loss
hey everyone i have a simple question, i am not the kind of a person who drinks like 6 mt dews a day or so but i do consume 2 coke zero's or pepsi max a day, one with lunch and one with dinner, is there anything wrong with these, i heard they are alot better for you then reg soda but i just dont know ,is there something else that i could drink that would taste just as good ???? your insight is grealty appreciated,
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Replies

  • ItsAsha
    ItsAsha Posts: 78
    they have caffeine. caffeine dehydrates you so just make sure you're making up for it with water. :drinker:
  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member
    There is nothing wrong with it,people are going to try and tell you it causes cancer and such which is not true.Some will tell you it will make you gain weight which is also not true if you go by the 55 pounds ive lost all while drinking diet soda.
  • Tomhusker
    Tomhusker Posts: 346 Member
    I would limit it to even less than that. The sweetener in those sodas (Aspertame or something like that) will cause you to retain water. There are a myriad of other concerns with diet sodas, but I don't pretend to know them all. I used to drink 3-4 Diet Pepsi's, 20 oz bottles, per day. Some days even more. Now, maybe once a week I will have one, usually as a weekend treat.
  • SpaceMarkus
    SpaceMarkus Posts: 651
    Regular soda is better. It doesn't contain the ingredients that the diets do which your body can't process. With that said, try to limit yourself to one a day. Use something like coconut water if you really need a flavored drink.
  • They are absolutely evil and should be exorcised from your diet!!!!!


    Loaded with sugar or aspartame (equally bad in a different way)
    Loaded with acid that eats your enamel
    Loaded with caffiene
    Absolutely no nutritional value at all just a heck of a lot of empty calories
  • Tomhusker
    Tomhusker Posts: 346 Member
    There is nothing wrong with it,people are going to try and tell you it causes cancer and such which is not true.Some will tell you it will make you gain weight which is also not true if you go by the 55 pounds ive lost all while drinking diet soda.

    Great points. But, how much would you have lost without the soda in you day? I cut it almost completely and have lost nearly 100 lbs. :)
  • CaptainGordo
    CaptainGordo Posts: 4,437 Member
    There is nothing wrong with it,people are going to try and tell you it causes cancer and such which is not true.Some will tell you it will make you gain weight which is also not true if you go by the 55 pounds ive lost all while drinking diet soda.
    What she said.

    Don't believe the hype. A couple a day aren't going to hurt you. Just keep the water flowing along with it.

    Might give you some kidney stones some day, but that's another story...
  • GooBeGone
    GooBeGone Posts: 439 Member
    u could try crystal light but that has some calories.

    propel water has no calories, some sodium & it does have taste but it's not carbonated.

    there also may b some other flavor packets that u could add to water that r zero calories as well.

    :flowerforyou:
  • CaptainGordo
    CaptainGordo Posts: 4,437 Member
    ...just a heck of a lot of empty calories
    Pepsi Max and Coke Zero (which the OP listed as his soda choices) have no calories.
  • harleydall76
    harleydall76 Posts: 586 Member
    I cannot live without my Diet Coke. I drink 2 16.9oz. bottles per day, sometimes only 1. Baqck in 2007 when I was doing well losing weight I still drank the Diet Coke. It has never hindered my weight loss.
  • sandrinamsilva
    sandrinamsilva Posts: 651 Member
    I used to drink diet soda but heard about how bad it really is for you. When you have some time do some research on aspartame, I don't drink anything (try not too) if it has this ingredient. It limits alot.

    So now if I am really in need of a soda (which is maybe once a week) I have a regular 7up. It's 140 calories so easily worked into my daily calorie count.
  • They are absolutely evil and should be exorcised from your diet!!!!!


    Loaded with sugar or aspartame (equally bad in a different way)
    Loaded with acid that eats your enamel
    Loaded with caffiene
    Absolutely no nutritional value at all just a heck of a lot of empty calories

    ^ this and the fact that having one or two cans of diet soda increases your chances of being overweight or obese by 54.5%
  • mandygal13
    mandygal13 Posts: 219 Member
    I was a huge drinker of Dt. Coke and/or Dt. Mtn Dew (at least 3-20oz a day). I have cut those out completely in the last week and can tell a BIG difference in how my body feels. I don't know if it's the sodium, the aspartame, carbonation or what. I can't tell you what's bad for you since I'm no expert. I can just tell you what I've found for me.

    I've been drinking Vitamin Water Zero the last week. The lemonade flavor is awesome when you're really hot (like after cutting grass Saturday). I'll drink one 20 oz. bottle of that in the morning, and then just refill that bottle all day as I drink water the rest of the day. Sometimes I will have decaf tea for supper.
  • stanvoodoo
    stanvoodoo Posts: 1,023 Member
    Try to limit to one a day and then cut back if you can. Soda of any kind is not great for dieting. It took me a while to get rid of it and I never ever thought it was possible and no soda in over 6 months and don't miss it. Weight loss did improve after I cut it out completely.

    Until then, make sure you are getting in the 64oz of water per day and your exercise and it will work out!
  • MrsRadder
    MrsRadder Posts: 207 Member
    It's really up to you. We are all on our own path to change into a health version of ourselves.

    Personally I don't drink soda because off all the other stuff that's in it. And no I don't believe it gives you cancer (that comment did make me giggle). It may not have calories or fat, but it still has a ton of sugar, caffeine, etc. I figure I already have to drink 8-8oz glasses of water plus extra for my workouts that's a ton of liquid.
    But... I drink coffee every morning :blushing: like I said we are all on our own path.

    Good luck!
  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member
    There is nothing wrong with it,people are going to try and tell you it causes cancer and such which is not true.Some will tell you it will make you gain weight which is also not true if you go by the 55 pounds ive lost all while drinking diet soda.

    Great points. But, how much would you have lost without the soda in you day? I cut it almost completely and have lost nearly 100 lbs. :)

    for the 3 months I stoped drinking diet soda I did not lose weight any faster than I was when I was drinking it.Also I lost 55 pounds in 7 months which I think is pretty good,I dont want to lose a ton of weight super fast
  • scamiran
    scamiran Posts: 1 Member
    I watched this video the other day, and learned a great deal about what soda (diet and otherwise) does in the body. I'm a diet coke fanatic, and drastically cutting back helped me bust through my first plateau, and after a week I didn't crave it nearly as much. As a result of the video, I'm also putting lemon slices in my water, which has made drinking 3L or more each day that much easier.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpoAtwVyzZI
  • BuceesNana
    BuceesNana Posts: 302 Member
    Sodas are processed. Processed foods are not good for you. Choosing to drink soda is a personal choice, just consider what your focus is on your journey.
  • CaptainGordo
    CaptainGordo Posts: 4,437 Member
    Ahem... Please remember folks that Pepsi Max and Coke Zero (which the OP listed as his soda choices) have no calories. References to the effects of sugary sodas -- and their high, empty calorie counts -- do not apply.
  • Jenn728
    Jenn728 Posts: 683 Member
    I think everyone has summed it up pretty well.

    I used to drink several(!) 32 ounce fountain cokes A DAY! I haven't had coke or coke zero since February and now tasting it, it's just too sweet. I drink sugar free (great value) drink mix with water, at home. At work, strictly water or the occasional unsweet tea.
  • Sherry1979
    Sherry1979 Posts: 457 Member
    It's really up to you. We are all on our own path to change into a health version of ourselves.

    Personally I don't drink soda because off all the other stuff that's in it. And no I don't believe it gives you cancer (that comment did make me giggle). It may not have calories or fat, but it still has a ton of sugar, caffeine, etc. I figure I already have to drink 8-8oz glasses of water plus extra for my workouts that's a ton of liquid.
    But... I drink coffee every morning :blushing: like I said we are all on our own path.

    Good luck!

    I agree!!!
  • syates83
    syates83 Posts: 87
    Everything in moderation! That is what's key. I think you'll be fine.

    But, there are some really great drinks called Izzy if you need a carbonation fix...they are sparkling water and juice mixed together.

    I love the bubbles and my vice is Coke Zero.
  • sandrinamsilva
    sandrinamsilva Posts: 651 Member
    I was a huge drinker of Dt. Coke and/or Dt. Mtn Dew (at least 3-20oz a day). I have cut those out completely in the last week and can tell a BIG difference in how my body feels. I don't know if it's the sodium, the aspartame, carbonation or what. I can't tell you what's bad for you since I'm no expert. I can just tell you what I've found for me.

    Diet coke did to me as well. Can't explain it, my tummy just didnt like it.
  • I'm not arguing soda vs diet soda, etc. I enjoy my diet coke every now again, but I do know that Carbonation is bad for you, no matter what it's in, even flavored water. I know this because in Jan 2011 I was having tons of stomach problems and pain where my gallbladder once was. Dr was concerned, so he did an upper GI study and found that I have bad GERD and something called Barrett's Esophogus (left untreated this can lead to cancer). I was totally confused since I experience heart burn maybe 2 to 5 times a year. Turns out carbonation can eat at the lining of your esophogus and can add to GERD. You don't have to have heartburn to have it. My symptoms, which had all been attribued to other things are:
    1. asthma attacks, turns out it's probably not asthma, but my esophogus constricting. This explains why my breathing tests came up fairly normal, but I was having what appeared to be attacks.
    2. waking up in the night choking on air, again thought to be asthma, actually it's a sign of GERD.
    3. burping on a regular basis, but nothing that seemed all that bad, not painful, extremely loud etc that you would associate with acid reflux, but it is.
    4. pain where my gallbladder had been

    Dr's solution? Cut out carbonated beverages, acids, sleep on a bed wedge to keep my head elevated and daily nexium. Since I started that I haven't had any symptoms of 1, 2 or 4 and 3 is almost gone. With this I cut out my daily carbonated flavored waters to a few a week, and my few a week sodas to a few a month. It's made a huge difference! I continue to wean myself off all the time.

    Does this mean you have to stop drinking your beloved sodas? No, but does it mean they can harm you? Yes, I've lived it.:smile:
  • 27strange
    27strange Posts: 837 Member
    There are no calories in these diet sodas but there is caffeine and sodium. Drinking 6 cans a day, no good. 1 or 2 is probably pretty harmless as far as affecting your weight loss goals. Do drink lots of water throughout the day.

    I drink no soda anymore as a rule. However, rules do sometimes get broken and I will sip a few ounces of a can of the wife's diet mt dew (maybe once a week). I pretty much only drink water and the occasional small glass of milk. I have found that cutting out liquid calories is the easiest thing to do to help me stay at my calorie goal each day.
  • kklindsey
    kklindsey Posts: 382 Member
    There is nothing wrong with it,people are going to try and tell you it causes cancer and such which is not true.Some will tell you it will make you gain weight which is also not true if you go by the 55 pounds ive lost all while drinking diet soda.

    Great points. But, how much would you have lost without the soda in you day? I cut it almost completely and have lost nearly 100 lbs. :)

    I switched from regular soda to diet, drink five or six a day and I've lost 160lbs.
  • orbust
    orbust Posts: 1 Member
    There really is no easy answer to your question; it ultimately comes down to how much you trust food regulation and how much you're willing to buy into scare stories. Fears over the safety of aspartame is the main thing that has kept diet drinks in the news for so many years (a recent example can be found here, forgive the source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1391395/Amid-health-fears-Diet-Coke-sweetner-safety-spotlight.html) but there have also been concerns about their phosphoric acid content, which can cause bone problems (see here: http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/features/soda-osteoporosis) and the possibility that they can cause metabolic disorders (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/04/earlyshow/contributors/emilysenay/main2330142.shtml).

    What you will notice with all of these controversies, however, is that the evidence in each case is incredibly limited. This is particularly true with the idea that aspartame may cause cancer - the researchers normally test on rats or mice and the amounts given to the test subjects are greater than even a big Diet Coke fan could ever drink in the space of many years. You will notice in the first article, however, that the EU is pushing for more research to be done on the issue so hopefully we will have a conclusive answer at some point.

    The bottom line, I would say, is that you will probably be ok continuing to drink diet drinks if you enjoy doing so. Particularly if you are looking to lose weight - if it is a choice between sugary drinks and low calorie ones, it would probably be better to opt for the latter. Diet drinks are obviously not intrinsically nutritious and can be bad in other ways - for your teeth, for your stomach etc. If you are having problems in those respects, then maybe try to cut down for a while. Otherwise, approach the scare stories with a pinch of salt!
  • jpeper1966
    jpeper1966 Posts: 79
    Is there anything WRONG with diet soda. Not really. Is it GOOD for you ...no. It just supports your body's cravings for sweets.
  • korygilliam
    korygilliam Posts: 594 Member
    I know there has been some research re: diet drinks and pancreas response. Some theories are that your body thinks it is getting sugar and a chemical release is done in your body, but then it doesn't have anything for those chemicals to attach to (i.e. insulin from your pancreas), but I don't know if any definitive results have been made yet.

    I have also heard that people that drink regular soda (in moderation) as opposed to diet soda are typically at a healthier weight, but it could be skewed because typically only overweight people focus on the diet drinks.

    I would do my own research, if I were you, before giving up something that you really enjoy. A lot of times people respond to what they were told, but not necessarily what was read in a medical journal or valid literature.

    Good luck!
  • That_Girl
    That_Girl Posts: 1,324 Member
    There is nothing wrong with it,people are going to try and tell you it causes cancer and such which is not true.Some will tell you it will make you gain weight which is also not true if you go by the 55 pounds ive lost all while drinking diet soda.

    How do you know it's not true?

    To the OP, just do your research and then make the best choice for yourself. Water is best, however, and your body will thank you.
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