Does quitting soda actually help with fat/weight loss?

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  • amy1612
    amy1612 Posts: 1,356 Member
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    I drink Coke Zero daily. I drink Pepsi Max daily.... I can put away 2ltrs a day....... I still lose weight.

    You will also lose teeth.
  • gatorginger
    gatorginger Posts: 947 Member
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    I drink diet sodas and lost all the weight I needed to lose. I did however drink less of them due to not having room for them after drinking so much water. During the weekends however I drink more soda than water. Anyhow I have still been able to get to my goal drinking my diet sodas
  • bhmathews
    bhmathews Posts: 43 Member
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    Studies have shown that carbonated water isn't bad for you. It's the garbage that's in most diet sodas that does increase cravings and have sodium, making you retain water.

    I switched to Soda Stream in January and don't drink commercially produced cans or bottle any more.

    I feel much better, and it has a large selection of "all natural" options for their flavored syrups.

    I love our Sosa Stream, too. I was a huge diet Coke drinker, and the fizzy water completely replaces what I loved about it.
    There are other reasons not to drink soda besides weight loss. The acidity of the soda, the HFCS or artificial sweetners, dyes, chemicals.

    Congratulations for making such an awesome decesion fr your weight loss AND health!!
  • slrobin88
    slrobin88 Posts: 6 Member
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    I gave up soda when I started my weight loss journey two years ago, and it helped in the first week. I lost 3 lbs that week. I'm not sure if it's helped me since then, but I can tell you that I don't miss it. If I do by chance have a sip of my boyfriend's soda, the carbonation burns my throat so bad that I remember why I gave it up! Good for you for cutting it out!
  • jamers3111
    jamers3111 Posts: 495 Member
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    Yes. Even diet soda. Sodas contain SOOOO much sodium that it hinders weight loss. Also, the sugars/sweeteners have a high glycemic index, which also hinders weight loss. I found flavored carbonated water, La Croix, and it's a pretty good substitute.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    Uhm, is this a joke? YES.
  • seanezekiel
    seanezekiel Posts: 228 Member
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    After years of drinking soda on a daily basis, the last time I had soda was on the April 17th. I'm trying to give it up because I heard it helps with weight and fat loss. I have also heard that it can contribute to all sorts of medical conditions like artritis and multiple sclerosis. Granted, I'm not at much (if any) risk for either of those in particular, but I do have a family history of diabetes and would love to avoid that if I can. I have had anxiety and depression issues for a good chunk of my life and the nurse practitioner I see for that recommended at least cutting down on how much soda I drink to see if getting less caffeine helps me. I'm trying to go cold turkey and drink tea, water or milk when I'm thirsty. (I don't drink a lot of milk and haven't in the past few years, so I don't have the problem with getting extra fat through that.)

    Has anyone had any luck with losing weight after giving up soda? I'm not expecting to drop a ton of weight and be skin and bones immediately since I see that as incredibly unrealistic. I don't expect to be skin and bones, ever, nor do I want that.

    EDIT: Feel free to add me as a friend. I always look forward in helping encourage others in their weight loss goals.

    Soda has nothing to do with MS. Also you can't ever be "at risk" of MS. You either have it or you don't.
  • heymayer
    heymayer Posts: 34 Member
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    I haven't had a drop of any carbonated beverage since the first week of March.

    I have not lost a single pound.

    I think that by giving that up I just substituted in other crap to balance it out.

    Also, I don't really feel any better than I did before. Maybe it was pointless to do so.
  • Danab1976
    Danab1976 Posts: 4 Member
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    I agree that it depends on how many calories from soda you're actually consuming, but part of the weight loss is the additional cravings that come with drinking soda/carbonated beverages - even diet sodas - also the carbonation gives you a fake feeling of fullness, which is really just bloating - which none of us need!
  • Phyllis4701
    Phyllis4701 Posts: 20 Member
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    I've never been a big soda drinker. My husband quit cokes a couple of months ago. He dropped 6 lbs in a week. He says he was only drinking 4 or 5 a day. I think maybe more but not sure. He has done well staying away from them so far. Good luck :happy:
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,398 MFP Moderator
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    Definitely. Sugar is one of the main contributors to weight gain. You cut back on the sugary drinks and not only will you feel better but you'll have more calories to spend on wholesome stuff that fuels your body properly.

    I love juice but it's my "wine" on the rare occasions that I go out to eat. I rarely drink it at home now.

    I would personally keep away from the "diet" sodas and soft drinks as well because of the chemical sweeteners that are used in them. Their effects on the body are highly suspect.

    Sugar doesn't lead to weight gain, it's the calories in them that lead to weight gain. The reason society contributes obesity to drink is because they are empty calories and it's easy to ingest a ton of extra calories. If calories are consistent and you are in a calorie deficit, you will still lose weight drinking soda. Your nutrition may not be as good, you may not hit all your macro and micro nutrients and you may hit some vitamin deficiencies, but you can still lose weight.

    Soda will not stop fat loss unless it causes you to go over your calories.
  • bhmathews
    bhmathews Posts: 43 Member
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    I haven't had a drop of any carbonated beverage since the first week of March.

    I have not lost a single pound.

    I think that by giving that up I just substituted in other crap to balance it out.

    Also, I don't really feel any better than I did before. Maybe it was pointless to do so.

    But this is a great start! Give up the crap you consume to balance it out and I'm sure you'll feel ( and see) a difference.
  • Phyllis4701
    Phyllis4701 Posts: 20 Member
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    Oh I forgot to mention that my husband drinks water only thru the day. He has his OJ in the mornings. I'm sure the water helped on the weight loss too
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,398 MFP Moderator
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    Yes. Even diet soda. Sodas contain SOOOO much sodium that it hinders weight loss. Also, the sugars/sweeteners have a high glycemic index, which also hinders weight loss. I found flavored carbonated water, La Croix, and it's a pretty good substitute.

    I would love to see a study of low gi vs high gi in terms of long term fat loss but I have seen a ton of studies that suggest the Low GI have no long term benefits over High GI.
  • lbesaw
    lbesaw Posts: 267 Member
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    It helps in many ways. Carbonated beverages bloat your stomach, you feel less full so you may be inclined to eat more. Also best way to flatten your tummy so you can SEE your loss. Easier to keep properly hydrated when you don't have caffeinated soda depleting your body. I saw the results for myself when my then high school age son gave up soda during his swimming season. His even flatter stomach and decreased appetite was all the proof I needed to convince me that soda is not good. Try it and see for yourself. :smile:
  • TdaniT
    TdaniT Posts: 331 Member
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    I think it completely depends on how you want to use your allotted calories. If you can still drink that 20 oz bottle of soda and stay within your limit, then you should be fine. Of course caffeine is still a drug for the body and cutting that out can only be beneficial to your health.

    I also drank soda regularly. I work in an office and daily I would hit the soda machine for that 20 oz soda. I justified that it was only one a day. But then there were times I went home and drank soda or kool-aid there as well. I made the decision to cut that out. I know drink 95-100% water every day. Mainly the only soda I get is the ginger ale I mix with my schnapps on those weekends I allow myself to indulge. I do sometimes take a swallow of my husband's soda if we are out to eat but that is rare.

    I do feel better since cutting out the caffeine. I don't know how to explain it. LOL Now in regards to weight loss, I am sure that it has helped but I can't give you "this many pounds lost from cutting out soda".

    You do what is best for you! Good luck!
  • Missjulesdid
    Missjulesdid Posts: 1,444 Member
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    Quitting soda did nothing to help weight loss for me but I was always a diet soda drinker so there was no calorie difference.

    Years ago I had a boss who quit soda and he lost 20 pounds.. He drank Mt.Dew by the gallon so I'm sure cutting all those liquid calories is the reason for his loss.
  • Missjulesdid
    Missjulesdid Posts: 1,444 Member
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    Yes. Even diet soda. Sodas contain SOOOO much sodium that it hinders weight loss. Also, the sugars/sweeteners have a high glycemic index, which also hinders weight loss. I found flavored carbonated water, La Croix, and it's a pretty good substitute.


    Uh, I don't drink soda except on special occasions because I believe it's healthier to drink plain old water.. BUT... How much is "SOOOOOOOO much sodium" in your book?

    8 ounces of Coke Zero has 30mg of sodium. Really? Just over 1% of the RDA of sodium and that's SOOOOO much?

    As for the artificial sweeteners.... Artificial sweeteners do not have a "high glycemic index" Heck, my baby cousin did her 6th grade science project debunking this "theory"... won first place too but she went through a lot of blood sugar test strips in the process.. I even served as one of her lab rats!

    I intuitively believe that soda is bad for you. I intuitively think that artificial sweeteners are bad for you... but it's just a gut feeling and I don't try to portray it as "fact" as I don't think that giving false information is helpful to anyone.
  • jenns1964
    jenns1964 Posts: 384 Member
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    It will definitely help to be healthier!!

    http://health.yahoo.net/experts/drmao/what-soft-drinks-are-doing-your-body
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    I drink Coke Zero daily. I drink Pepsi Max daily.... I can put away 2ltrs a day....... I still lose weight.

    You will also lose teeth.
    Why, do you think people who drink soda don't know how to brush their teeth? What an idiotically ignorant thing to say.

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