Drinking soda to Help diet!

Switching from regular sodas to diet was one of the first changes I made to start losing weight. Cutting out the calories from 4-6 cans of soda a day certainly did help! I drink diet soda's now, mostly in the morning for the caffeine (I don't drink coffee), but I don't drink near as much diet soda as I used to drink regular soda.

Cetainly water helps you feel full, but I like the carbonation and I'll get more hydration because I'll drink more than if I just stick to water. So I drink the carbonated flavored waters you can get at just about any grocery store now. Mandarin Orange and Cranberry Grape from Walmart are my current favorites.

I'm not a fan of diet anything. If you are going to consume something though you can make it beneficial. Try drinking a Casein protein shake. I use Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Casein - Chocolate Peanut Butter and it is pretty tasty in my opinion. Almost everybody can use more protein in their diet and Casein is slow digesting which is perfect before bed.

My doctor stated specifically that diet drinks are no-no, going so far as to say if I have to have some soda, to opt for one with real sugar (i.e. imported Coca Cola) because the artificial sweetener will cause an even higher insulin spike than the real thing.

I don't like them anyhow, so I think the club soda idea is great. Through in some fruit. Totally delicious!

It doesn't cause an insulin spike because it doesn't contain sugar, Insulin is released when the beta islet cells of the pancreas detect elevated levels of glucose in the blood. No sugar no insulin spike

First, let me start by saying that as of right now, I don't drink soda very often. I probably drink soda about 1-3 times a month.

However, I had a thought this morning.

My worst eating time of day is at night and I was trying to think of something with 0 calories that woud get me full. And I couldn't think of anything else beside diet soda.

I wouldn't drink it every night, but a few times a week, until I get better at night snacking. It is worse when my fiance works nights and I'm alone, I eat to comfort myself.

I was hoping to hear some opinions on this, I know that some of you will probably be mean, but I just ignore those people.

Has anyone added soda to their diet and had it help them succeed???

Thanks :flowerforyou:

Yes, I did this. (Kind of). When I feel the need for a snack, but don't want to waste calories, I will have a diet soda. Despite what some people say, diet soda has never increased my feelings of hunger. Instead, it fills me up and makes me feel like I've had a snack.

If it does the same for you, I say go for it.

I'm so full of water lately that the soda in my fridge has sat there for 2 weeks without being drank. For right now it's coffee then water. But I do miss my diet Dr Pepper!

My doctor stated specifically that diet drinks are no-no, going so far as to say if I have to have some soda, to opt for one with real sugar (i.e. imported Coca Cola) because the artificial sweetener will cause an even higher insulin spike than the real thing.

I don't like them anyhow, so I think the club soda idea is great. Through in some fruit. Totally delicious!

It doesn't cause an insulin spike because it doesn't contain sugar, Insulin is released when the beta islet cells of the pancreas detect elevated levels of glucose in the blood. No sugar no insulin spike

thx for refuting this misinformation.

i used to drink alot of diet coke and it tends to make me crave sweet stuff. when i stopped drinking pop i immediately lost about 20lbs. i used to get heartburn and had bad acid reflux, and that all disappeared shortly after too. so i would be careful if you do take this route because its not a good substitute for good ol' water how about crystal light? or snacking on jello or fruit?

Other than the lack of carbonation (and possibly caffeine, depending on what you drink), how is crystal light different from diet soda? I can see how the lack of carbonation might help with something like acid reflux, but baring that, I really don't see a difference.

I believe you should do whatever you feel is right. I really don't know what to say about the soda except that I too enjoy the bubbly part of it now and then. Majority of the day I drink water. Now and then I like to add a little ice tea/lemonade flavor to it. That may be healthier than soda. If you do drink the soda, stick with regular. Diet has too much junk that is just worse for your health then regular soda.

However, I know a lot about comfort eating. To get out of comfort/emotional eating, I try to only stock healthier options in my apartment. I have been getting back into hobbies to help keep me distracted. Journaling has been a major help to not only controling my comfort/emotional eating, but also my depression. Just write through your thoughts and see where it leads you.

My daughter loves diet pepsi. She gave it up for lent this spring. Without changing anything else, she lost 6 pounds. Needless to say, she doesn't drink pop/soda at all anymore. I try to stay away from it if at all possible.

It's fine. I do this every time I diet. Some people bloat from artificial sweeteners though.

But I'm sure the health food nuts will freak out. Even though the clinical evidence showing diet soda is harmful is next to nill and barely statistically significant.