Confused. Soda and Weight Loss

Are you sure you're not replacing those calories with calories from something else? Are you saying you haven't lost ANY weight, or it just hasn't been dramatic? Don't base your achievements and results on those of others - everyone is different and those people who dropped sodas may have also dropped other high-cal foods along with them. I don't know how much weight you have to lose, but if it's not much, you aren't going to suddenly lose 20# in a week.

I would try to limit the sodas - I personally don't think 1 a day will hurt you, but I'm sure others would think that if you're going to drink 1 diet soda a day you may as well call the whole diet off!

Hang in there!

I treat soda like candy, which is really what it is. It is liquid candy.

I got rid of the mentality that I needed to have a soda with every meal. I don't eat a snicker's bar with every meal, so why should I drink a coke or other soda with every meal.

I have a candy bar once every great while. Now I only have a soda once every great while as well.

(I know there are no calories in diet soda, but there are so many other chemicals and GMO crap in them that I decided to blanket all soda, diet and full strength, as candy.)

Just my semi related two cents.

I quit diet soda, but for different health reasons (acid reflux & stomach ulcers). Who knew that carbonation could cause that much pain...

But anyway, before I had those problems I used to drink tons of diet soda. 3 cans a day. It's never affected my weight. I also have zero cavities (and I'm 24). I've lost 50 lbs drinking it...I've gained 80 lbs drinking it...etc. Doesn't matter, it has no calories at all and it isn't going to affect your weight. Can it affect your health itself? Sure. It's chemicals and we don't know yet exactly what they will do to us, it's unpredictable. But that's your choice to make. Everybody dies from something.

However, real soda CAN have an impact on your weight if you don't cut out calories elsewhere/exercise more and so your calories in becomes greater than your calories out. Or slightly less of a deficit, then you'll lose less weight at a slower pace.

As for "you barely ever see skinny people drinking diet soda, only fat people" LOL. I see tons of skinny people drinking diet soda. Just last year I was one of them (before the digestion problems).

Soda doesn't cause weight loss or weight gain. Calories do.

I agree.

I don't understand this thought process....sodas have tons of calories in them...?

Diet ones don't.

Soda doesn't cause weight loss or weight gain. Calories do.

I agree.

I don't understand this thought process....sodas have tons of calories in them...?

The thought process is that soda in itself does cause weight gain. It is the total amount you eat/drink that does. You can have a soda and as long as you are under your maintenance, you will not gain weight. If you are over, it is not necessarily the soda that caused it but a combination of all the foods you ate and drinks you drank that will.

OP - you should open up your diary for more helpful input

I drink (drank) a ton of soda. We are talking 3-4 dr peppers a day. Sometimes more. Not to mention the one or two green monsters i would drink a day (i know they are bad for you). I always hear "oh when i came off sodas i dropped 20 pounds just like that). I haven't had one single regular soda or monster in 2.5 weeks and i have NOT seen the dramatic weight loss i expected. I know it's only been two weeks but going from so much a day to nothing for two weeks i should see SOMETHING..wouldn't you think?? I have only drank diet and water. No sweet tea, no chocolate milk, nothing like that. Only diet and water.

Anyone have any inspiring words? I'm getting bummed out about it and am really starting to think I should just go ahead and drink a regular Dr. Pepper. I wouldn't do that...bc i've gotten used to diet now so it would just be a dumb health decision, but you get the point.

Words of encouragement please??? I just don't understand why nothing is fallling off

2.5 weeks is not very long. Also the only reason the soda matters were that they were CALORIES. Calories are all that matter. The only way this will work is if the calories from the soda are a calorie deficit FOR YOU. Since everyone's RMR/BMR is different (mainly driven by height/gender) it really depends on the person and the amount of calories that puts that person in a calorie deficit.

Your body loses weight in chunks, not linear. I have found that you can do everything right and your weight loss seems to plateau but if you are patient and keep exercising and eating at a deficit (however slight) you will lose it, it will suddenly "whoosh". There are so many variables for the scale; water retention, digestion, hormones, allergies, sodium, carbs, water intake, DOMS, inflammation, the list goes on. People mistakenly think they lose or gain weight when they eat more or less because of these fluctuations.

Losing weight requires tremendous patience. You will not lose it when you want it or where you want it. The body does its thing. Some apparent plateaus can last a month or so. You cannot make it happen faster. You must focus on two things; calories and exercise. Nothing else matters. Scales and metrics don't matter. The day in and day out grind of exercise and calories are all that matters. It is not very exciting until things fall into place. You get your victories and you ride one victory to the next.

The scale is a trend tool. The scale is good but put it away and only check once a week and only use it as a trend tool. It will fluctuate, it does not matter. Take front side and back progress pictures at least once a month. You will see differences that the metrics won't tell you and it's that little bit of NSV that will keep you going until the next victory.

To find the exact calories needed for YOU to be in a healthy sustainable calorie deficit is the right answer. Wait, if you need to adjust by 100 do it, wait, adjust, wait, adjust, wait. The tortoise wins this race.

All that matters is calories. A healthy balanced diet within a calorie budget for a deficit that is right for YOU is all that matters for weight loss. Don't make it complicated.


Also people play mental accounting games with calories just like with finances. Make steps to make sure you are making accurate measurements. Packaged foods can have MORE than they say but not less (they get in trouble if less so they would rather error with MORE).

If you typically intake sodium at a certain rate your body adjusts, but if you make a sudden change then you will see a spike.

Exercise is for making your lean body mass pretty (especially lifting weights) for when the fat is gone. Losing fat with no muscle is ugly and cardio alone will not make you pretty. You cannot out exercise too many calories.

Too many changes at once can be hard on some people. I've always eaten healthy so it easy for me to simply eat less. Eating at a calorie deficit is hard on people; even a small deficit puts your body in a state of flux with hormones and such. Everyone is different. Some people can handle a deeper calorie deficit than others, this is not right or wrong, it just is. Stress in your life affects your hunger hormones; lack of sleep, fatigue, job stress, family stress, financial stress, etc. Add in emotional eating issues and it gets even more complicated. Most people can only handle so much change/stress at once, they try to do too much and fail. Sometimes it might be a better strategy to eat at maintenance and make some small changes first, it really depends on how much stress you are taking in at the moment.

that's just it you are still drinking the sodas. Diet soda or regular soda it doesn't matter, it's soda.... If you replace EVERYTHING you drink with water you will lose the weight...

how can u explain it a lil ???

Diet soda is not causing the problem.