Diet Sodas- Is It Affecting My Weight Loss?

ninerbuff

Diet Soda is not good for you!

You mean not good for YOU. I'm cool with it.

It is full of chemicals!

Name anything you eat or drink that isn't chemically bonded.

Also it can make you gain weight.

It can't "make" you gain weight. You do that from your own eating and calorie intake choices.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

MaryJane_8810002

diet sodas made me want to eat more. Stopped drinking sods, sparkling water, or any carbonated beverages and I feel better. Definitely less gas and bloating.

Edit : I drank soda like water...and I drank soda MORE than water.

babymaddux

i'm not sure how it affected my weight loss as i cut several things at once, but i do know that at my worst, i was drinking over 3 litres a day and my hair started falling out! i cut back on the diet coke, and my hair got happy again...

Mavrick_RN

It'a probably all in my head but when I drink my usual amount of Diet Dr. Pepper (easily 2 L per day) I crave more high fat foods, burgers, fries, chips, bacon to name a few. When I'm limiting myself to one 20oz drink a day with meals I find it much easier to chose and enjoy turkey sandwiches and salads. And of course the weight falls off.

yankeefamily05

Diet sodas make me want more water. They make me hungry and thirsty. I gave up my soda habit YEARS ago and replaced it with just plain ol' water.

As for it affecting weightloss, I really have no idea. I can tell that IF I still drank a ton of soda (not diet) I would probably be a lot worse off than I am now....

Moderation.

If you want a diet soda once a week, go for it. But as an everyday, all day drink. I wouldn't do it. WATER:)

jojohnson090

I'm just starting my weight-loss journey but my parents (about 10 years back) both decided to kick start they're diet/exercise regimen and have both lost TONS of weight, all while enjoying diet soda. They ONLY drink diet, but they both probably have a can a day (maybe somedays more, somedays none). Both have never had a problem with weight loss.
Not an expert here, just sharing what I have seen.

mndamon

Bottom line is diet soda is all about opinion. There is no absolute proof that it causes health issues or influences weight gain or weight loss. If you think it's affecting you then try dropping it, odds are something else is attached to the diet soda habit that may cause the change. I have never had any issues with diet coke I still enjoy it with meals, I just drink more water around the meals.

cebiginalaska

Caffeine doesn't cause fluid retention.

"Evidence

Lawrence Armstrong, Ph.D., Professor of Environmental Physiology in the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Connecticut, sought out to explore the connection between caffeine and fluid retention. Through his research, Armstrong found that caffeinated beverages retain just as much fluid inside the body as drinking water. Male volunteers were split into one of three groups: pill containing no caffeine, caffeinated beverage or pill containing caffeine. The fluid electrolyte balance as well as kidney functions were observed and found no difference whether caffeine was taken in or not.
Coffee and Diuresis

According to Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., at MayoClinic.com, caffeinated beverages may be able to hydrate you just as well as water. However, she notes that extremely high intake of coffee can lead to dehydration. An increase in urine output can occur if you consume more than 500 to 600 mg of coffee per day, about four to seven cups. "

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/489327-caffeine-water-retention/#ixzz2KNWB8cA7

watsonluann

good luck:flowerforyou:

mcbellnz

Maybe, maybe not. You should try to cut down and see if it helps with your weight loss or not.

I found that when I got really light (don't worry, I have porked it back on), I felt like diet drinks and artificial sweetners caused me to bloat and have stomach pains a lot. I cut them right down - like from having about 1L a day of coke zero or sprite zero, along with sucaryl in my hot drinks (maybe 5 to 10 tablets a day) to having no sweetners, and only one diet can of drink every two days. I felt much better in my tum tum with the reduced amount. I didn't change my diet at all apart from this, although I did cut back on cabbage too, in case that was adding to the problem.

Some people have no problems, some people it really affects.

Mock_Turtle

why are people so hesitant to do their own experiments?

You should take your average calories consumed for the past month, eat the exact same calories for the next month but 100% cut the diet soda out.

Then see what happens.

Barring you feeling a lot better and thus working out more, I doubt there will be any real difference to your weight loss rate.

RobinV_Seattle

That's 40 miligrams per 8 ounces, not per bottle. So in a 20 oz bottle, that's actually 100 miligrams. The MAXIMUM recommended sodium for an adult is only 2,300 miligrams. Almost everything we eat naturally has sodium in it - let's not even get into processed food! - so, personally, I tend to avoid getting it through foods or beverages that have zero nutritional value. Who want's to retain water, lol?

Water retention is needed for muscle repair. I want to retain water.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Well giddy up - if I "want" to retain water, I'll drink water, not a chemical concoction with no nutritional value. And yes, I know chemicals are unavoidable in water too, but I can use a Brita filter to cut back on it.

I'm certainly not saying no on should EVER have a soda - diet or other wise - but, PERSONALLY, I think that if I'm making a real effort to live healthier, taking soda out of the equation is the logical place to start.

geebusuk

Barring you feeling a lot better and thus working out more, I doubt there will be any real difference to your weight loss rate.

For me the lack of caffeine (I don't drink tea or coffee, so took a week to get over the addiction) and lack of fizzy stuff (which seems to fill me up) made it harder.
I didn't feel 'better'.

chemicals are unavoidable in water too, but I can use a Brita filter to cut back on it.

Yes, because water IS a chemical. I wonder (ignoring the Co2 for the fizz) how tap water in some areas compares with something like coke for purity - as generally I expect coke uses small quantities of strong ingredients.

For me, the logical place to start being healthier was to be doing more exercise.
Cutting out something that I enjoy, but there's no decent evidence causes harm, less so.

Also, FWIW, I totally ignore salt intake, probably over the RDA; but then the whole concept of a 'RDA' should be pretty silly to anyone serious about their health, to my mind.

mair123

Diet Soda is not good for you!

You mean not good for YOU. I'm cool with it.

It is full of chemicals!

Name anything you eat or drink that isn't chemically bonded.

Also it can make you gain weight.

It can't "make" you gain weight. You do that from your own eating and calorie intake choices.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I have seen your comments on other posts, but your responses here are definitely questionable. I can't believe that someone who works in health and nutrition would be an advocate for diet soda. Yes, the soda itself is ZERO calories, but for many of us, the ingredients in the ZERO calorie drink, TRIGGER PHYSICAL cravings for other sugar and carb loaded food. I am so happy to have stopped drinking it, almost a year ago and I KNOW that it has helped me make better choices and eating healthier overall.

geebusuk

but for many of us,

For many people eating peanuts can be very dangerous. Some even fatal.
Does that mean 'professionals' should never suggest eating peanuts/peanut butter on that basis?

SusanDoesIt

I have to be honest...I didn't read all the replies.

Clean eating/drinking is better for you. It can affect different people in different ways, using artificial sweeteners, but it can't be called "healthy".

When you get to the point where your eating is under control, and you've made some much healthier changes to your diet, then start to cut back a bit. I've found small changes spaced out time-wise stick better....

grabella

I am also a diet soda person, though, I only drink 1-2 12oz cans a day. The diet soda is my "cheat" for the day, but I honestly think I'm quitting.

The diet soda is definitely not good for you. My doctor says to keep off of it, and now my dentist is on my case. Apparently, my soda habit is ruining the enamel on my teeth.

I googled it after my denitst told me that....and yep, it's true. I guess staying off the soda is not only good for your diet but also your teeth.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thomas-p-connelly-dds/diet-soda-teeth_b_922968.html

TrailRunner61

Oh dear Lord, you're right, that is a LOT of soda. I doubt that it would keep you from losing weight since it's 'mostly calories in/calories out that works... but it does suck the calcium out of your bones, ruins your teeth and has sodium in it. You need an intervention! But, that's just my opinion. Maybe you can just cut back a little bit each week? That is if you want to! Good luck!

maytes4u

I have been on Atkins for 14 days as of today and only lost 2 or 3 pounds. I drink about 3 diet sodas a day. I also drink 1 splenda in the mornings with my decaf coffee. I have not cheated and think that the slow weight loss is due to diet soda Diet coke and diet dr. pepper. Any thoughts anyone?

eraser51

good question maytes.. maybe?

I tried to cut it out for 4 days but the urge to drink again was HUGE... really HUGE

I am more concerned about my teeth but my weight loss also came to a stop...

even though I am way below my RMR/BMR

the studies are more confusing than helping I guess

pink_girl7

Since giving up diet soda, my weight loss in a week has doubled. Now instead I drink those flavored ICE waters. If I need caffeine I make an iced coffee. I'm not a big coffee person but I use a little bit of the sugar free french vanilla syrup or the sugar free creamers. Not a lot though. If I want it a little sweeter sometimes I put a packet of the monk fruit sweetener. This has been working for me for a few weeks now.

violasmith85

I cut back, but i didn't stop. No issue with weight loss.

Val8less

Good question...I know it's hard to quit with the soda...I stopped with the Diet soda also, but mainly because of the HIGH SODIUM content...Try mixing the soda with WATER....a little at a time...this will help wean yourself off???

drazani

Op, a zero calorie drink is not going to effect your weightloss as long as you are eating at a defecit, i drink a coffee every day too with semi skimmed milk and with a sweetener (aspartame based, oh noez iz gonna die coz chemicalz) comes to 16 calories, with 2 sugars it comes to 40 calories. It is personal choice whether you give up drinking the diet sodas, although stopping them altogether may cause headaches from caffeine withdrawl. The current recomendation for fluid consumption is just that 8-10 glasses of fluid a day, it doesnt have to be water.

I have done my research on aspartame and have come to the conclusion that it is perfectly safe to consume, as anyadverse effects were on lab rats/mice and that was in doses the equivelent of 600-700 cans of diet soda a DAY......

Im confused regarding all the posters that say about the sodium in diet sodas though, as i am now looking at a 2ltr bottle of pepsi max that states on the nutrition label sodium/salt per 250ml NIL.........

willodawisp85

I think diet sodas has helped my weight loss. If I'm really hungry but I am low on calories left for the day or want to eat a bit later then a cherry pepsi max seems to satisfy me more than water. I have cut back on sodas recently, the only reason being I was drinking way too much caffeine. I drink fizzy water and 1-2 cans of diet soda a day with no problems.

willodawisp85

Op, a zero calorie drink is not going to effect your weightloss as long as you are eating at a defecit, i drink a coffee every day too with semi skimmed milk and with a sweetener (aspartame based, oh noez iz gonna die coz chemicalz) comes to 16 calories, with 2 sugars it comes to 40 calories. It is personal choice whether you give up drinking the diet sodas, although stopping them altogether may cause headaches from caffeine withdrawl. The current recomendation for fluid consumption is just that 8-10 glasses of fluid a day, it doesnt have to be water.

I have done my research on aspartame and have come to the conclusion that it is perfectly safe to consume, as anyadverse effects were on lab rats/mice and that was in doses the equivelent of 600-700 cans of diet soda a DAY......

Im confused regarding all the posters that say about the sodium in diet sodas though, as i am now looking at a 2ltr bottle of pepsi max that states on the nutrition label sodium/salt per 250ml NIL.........

I've never had a soda with high sodium in, in fact pepsi max = 0 sodium and coke zero =trace and diet coke =trace. Maybe it's different formulations in different countries or something? Otherwise it seems weird that's a reason not to drink them.

eraser51

regarding weight loss:

been down 4kg in just 4 days.... just because of diet coke... that is really odd.. maybe the coffein raises the cortisol? or aspartame is really bad... or water retention?? no idea...

will monitor further..

really funny cause when i started atkins i had no problems with diet coke and was deep in ketosis


guess i need to start looking for alternatives to drink...

someone know stevia sweetened beverages?

troutrouter

Many diet sodas contain a substantial amount of sodium which in turn causes the body to retain water.

eraser51

but can that be the only solution? i thought sodium is around 30mg only which equals 1% RDI

like i said I hardly can believe that its the coke but what else could it be? didnt change much on my meal plan

Aine8046

There was an interesting story on NPR last night about how diet soda affects weight loss. Apparently it changes bacteria "distribution" (not sure about the right word) living in the guts and the scientists were claiming that it might cause type 2 diabetes and might make weight loss harder.