Banning Soda

karmyguy35
karmyguy35 Posts: 5
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello all, I have been at a constant weight for years, I don't gain or lose. I have been drinking a lot of soda for years as well, 6-8 cans per day. My question is, if I cut out all the soda, will the weight come off maintaining the activity level I have been at? Has anyone else done this and lost the weight. I know its bad for you and I'm trying to get ahold on it, along with a few other bad habits.

Replies

  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,302 Member
    If it is regular soda (not the diet sort) then I imagine you would cut a huge amount of calories out of your day by omitting 6 - 8 cans of it.

    If it is diet soda, at almost zero calories per can, then it wont make much difference.

    Have I misunderstood the question? - sorry, the answer seems really obvious to me.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    Weight loss happens due to a calorie deficit. If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. The amount of soda you drink, presuming it is regular soda and not diet, could be getting in the way of your weight loss if the number of calories keeps you at maintenance. But the soda in and of itself is not preventing you from losing weight.

    If it's diet soda, it's zero calories anyway and doesn't matter in the scheme of weight loss.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    6-8 cans of soda is about 800-1000 calories a day if it's regular...so if you are maintaining drinking it...yes you would lose weight not drinking it if everything else stayed the same.
  • nosebag1212
    nosebag1212 Posts: 621 Member
    if it's not diet soda then yes you will, 6-8 cans is a lot of calories
  • karmyguy35
    karmyguy35 Posts: 5
    Yes it is regular soda, 170 calories per can, sorry was not more clear. Ty for your replies
  • halobender
    halobender Posts: 780 Member
    Honestly, don't take the responses to this thread to mean "Oh, just swap it out for diet soda". OK, if folks want to drink diet soda, fine. It can totally work for you.

    However, it's still got sodium and other stuff to it which will cause you to retain water weight, etc. In fact there have been studies (to which I claim zero validity) which state that diet soda actually may inhibit weight loss.

    My recommendation would be to simply give up soda for water. At first you may notice a little weight gain (due to water retention from dehydration accrued by excessive soda consumption) but, after a couple weeks you should actually notice the weight falling off.

    Seriously, regardless to any of that, whether you believe it or think I'm full of crap, drinking straight water is going to be best for you. I was once a soda addict and, honestly, after dropping it for straight water for a few days, I was pretty well over it. That said, I do still drink soda with liquor (I'd be lying if I said I wasn't drinking a whiskey coke at this moment), but it's all about that moderation thing.

    But, more than anything and, as other have stated, it's about calories in versus calories out. You can't just not count soda simply because it's a liquid or something. If you choose to continue drinking soda—or alcohol or whatever since, y'know, you're your own man—just make sure you take it into account with your daily caloric intake.
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    If it is regular soda (not the diet sort) then I imagine you would cut a huge amount of calories out of your day by omitting 6 - 8 cans of it.

    If it is diet soda, at almost zero calories per can, then it wont make much difference.

    Have I misunderstood the question? - sorry, the answer seems really obvious to me.

    ^ This. Is the OP confused about CICO?
  • Murph1908
    Murph1908 Posts: 125 Member
    Seven cans a day, 170 each is 1190 calories per day. People on a 2 pound per week goal cut their calories by 1000 per day.

    So by eliminating all your soda, you'd likely lose 2 pounds a week, if you are currently maintaining.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Honestly, don't take the responses to this thread to mean "Oh, just swap it out for diet soda". OK, if folks want to drink diet soda, fine. It can totally work for you.

    However, it's still got sodium and other stuff to it which will cause you to retain water weight, etc. In fact there have been studies (to which I claim zero validity) which state that diet soda actually may inhibit weight loss.

    My recommendation would be to simply give up soda for water. At first you may notice a little weight gain (due to water retention from dehydration accrued by excessive soda consumption) but, after a couple weeks you should actually notice the weight falling off.

    Seriously, regardless to any of that, whether you believe it or think I'm full of crap, drinking straight water is going to be best for you. I was once a soda addict and, honestly, after dropping it for straight water for a few days, I was pretty well over it. That said, I do still drink soda with liquor (I'd be lying if I said I wasn't drinking a whiskey coke at this moment), but it's all about that moderation thing.

    But, more than anything and, as other have stated, it's about calories in versus calories out. You can't just not count soda simply because it's a liquid or something. If you choose to continue drinking soda—or alcohol or whatever since, y'know, you're your own man—just make sure you take it into account with your daily caloric intake.

    Sodium is only an issue if you have a medical condition whereby your kidneys cannot flush the excess.

    Whiskey and coke - mmmmmmm.
  • jd5351
    jd5351 Posts: 116 Member
    Totally my experience, and yours may vary..

    I quit drinking anything other than water about 3 weeks ago. I was drinking Coke Zero, probably 3-4+ a day. Since then, I've lost a lot of bloat in my stomach and my weight dropped just over 2 lbs. Could be a coincidence, or not. I'm drinking water like a crazy person.

    I also SEEM to be less hungry between meals. I haven't changed much else than that.
  • nikkinoellemary
    nikkinoellemary Posts: 119 Member
    In my experience, cutting out my soda had immediate results when it came to losing some weight, and I also felt much better overall. If you're looking to ban the colas but don't want to drink only plain water, I'd suggest going to flavored seltzers. My favorite is Polar honestly, and their flavors are really broad and delish. Otherwise water all the way, unsweetened iced teas, etc.

    The biggest benefit of my soda ban though, is that everything else tastes SO much better now. Food and drink doesn't have to do much to impress my taste buds because they're not being desensitized by intense amounts of sodium and sugar. When I do cheat and have a Coke (for example, with some rum! Yum) I appreciate the taste so much more and it's no longer something I want to just guzzle down.
  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
    Hello all, I have been at a constant weight for years, I don't gain or lose. I have been drinking a lot of soda for years as well, 6-8 cans per day. My question is, if I cut out all the soda, will the weight come off maintaining the activity level I have been at? Has anyone else done this and lost the weight. I know its bad for you and I'm trying to get ahold on it, along with a few other bad habits.
    Def gonna help you.
    I give up pop for Lent each year and it helps. I was 2-3 cans a day, now i am 2-3 cans a week.
    Watch out for the headaches.

    WHen I weened myself off I would take a couple of excedrin migraine in the AM. They have some caffeine in them to stave off those nasty headaches. Took about a week...2 a day, then 1 a day, then a half, until I could go without caffeine.
  • Strokingdiction
    Strokingdiction Posts: 1,164 Member
    If you don't replace those calories with something else and you'll then be eating at a deficit because of it, yes, you'll lose weight.
  • prawny1967
    prawny1967 Posts: 17
    If its any type with caffeine be ready to feel really rough for a few days. I used to drink a fair bit of diet coke and I had the most awful headache for about a week after I cut it back. I found stopping it made me less bloated too even though I have no kidney problems I am sure it was making me retain water.
  • JazzAllen
    JazzAllen Posts: 11 Member
    When I was an athlete (track & field), our team was coached NOT to consume any carbonated beverages because of the potential effects on our metabolism. (Mind you, this was more than a few years ago and research is constantly providing new information.)
    I'd suggest searching for some information on well-reputed medical sites, as there is quite a bit of information about the negative effects of carbonated drinks.
    An example to get you started:
    http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20050613/drink-more-diet-soda-gain-more-weight
    Of course, consider the information and use your own best judgment - when it comes to weight loss, and health in general, you'll find a lot of conflicting opinions.
  • FireOpalCO
    FireOpalCO Posts: 641 Member
    In your case you will definitely lose weight by cutting out soda. Your teeth and wallet will also thank you.

    The downside if if you buy lunch at at a quick service restaurant they will give you an itty-bitty cup when you say "I'll just have water." It's a sucky thing to do to a customer.

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