So... about that diet soda

I stick with the water or green tea.

I drink a diet soda a day - it gives me a bit of caffeine in the middle of the day and something sweet. Everything in moderation is my thing. I couldn't imagine completely cutting it out. I don't count it towards my water intake as the caffeine and sodium is considered to counteract the water in it.

I'm the opposite of you though, I can't stand the taste of regular soda!

I dont count soda as water...Then again I dont count coffee as water, tea as water etc. If its not water I dont count it.

I gave up soda a few months ago....had given it up one time for 3 years then went back. But SO glad not to be drinking it now. It made me feel bloated all the time and swell. I now only drink water and unsweet tea!

I was a soda fiend, cutting out soda and sugary drinks and switching it for water I lost 15 pounds (before MFP) in 2 months that may not seem like alot but I did nothing different I ate the same crap I used to and barely exercised, just cutting out those drinks helped me lose weight so *DIET* to me is just a way for them to sell the same junk with a "healthy" lable on it. You look at the lable and see all those 0 and thats all it is zero calories and zero nutritional value.

I would like to give up diet soda but I cant. Its my one vise now. I feel like I am doing everything else right so that will just be what it is.

i say if it is something you like!! everything in moderation!! i love love love coca cola have always drank too much. but i have cut away back maybe have a sip here and there when i need one or a can with my takeaway at the weekend but as long as you count it into your diary there is no reason why you cant have it! but also think of this - would you rather not have the calories to eat rather than drink when you can have water? i know some days i would ratehr drink it but most days id rather eat haha! good luck x

I just want to add a different perspective here. Diet soda may not contain actual sugar so it can be calorie free and seem less harmful, but there are acids in all sodas, including diet, that are harmful to your teeth. Any beverage containing sugars or acids should be kept to meal times only, not between meals, to help reduce the number of times a day your teeth are exposed to acids which cause demineralization and eventually decay. I know this isn't from a "diet" standpoint, but I feel it is equally important.

The chemicals are bad for you. So is smoking and drinking and breathing for that matter. Use it as a treat and not a daily vice.

I think 1 a day is pretty frequent. If you must drink it, try sticking to 1 per week. Diet sodas still contain caffiene which dehydrates you, so don't count it as water. Carbonation, aspartame, sucralose, caffiene, sodium... None of these things do your body any good and could potentially be hazardous. If you want a sweet replacement for water, try sobe's fuji apple/cranberry drink. Only 5 calories per 8 oz and no aspartame.

Okay, firstly cutting calories anywhere will help with your weight loss goals. I have a friend who's hard core in her eating requirements (like avoids High Fructose Corn Syrup at almost any cost, tries to eat organic, looks for natural made stuff) that gets on me sometimes for having 'light and fit' yogurt because artificial sweeteners are bad for you. Is it better if you can cut it out completely, yes. It would be better for me if I could just cut peanut butter out of my diet, or never eat ice cream again too. If you can allot yourself the calories in your food diary for a regular soda, that wouldn't be that bad for you either.

Now, drinking a 12 pack of diet soda a day, even though there's no calories in it, is going to hinder you a bit because of all the other crap in it. You have to make the decision for you what things you can live with out and what things you can't. I've cut almost all sweetened drinks out of my diet. I drink water or unsweetened tea, and the occasional Nonfat Iced Carmel Latte from Starbucks. I don't go for the sugar free version because I don't like the after taste, and if I'm going to have a treat, I want it to be good. I don't really miss the whole or 2% milk either. I subbed in Fat Free Frozen Yogurt most of the time when I want ice cream. Is it better? Yes. Is it the best for me? No.

Long and short of it, you have to choose what you need to feel satisfied (because seriously, if you're always feeling deprived, is it going to be worth adding the years onto your life you get for being fit? I don't think so). If you need soda to feel satisfied and you can fit it into your calorie budget and are keeping it in moderation, go for it.

I have noticed that when I drink diet soda I don't get enough water in my day. So for every diet soda I drink a day I drink a cup of water...Don't replace water with any caffeine or soda drink of any kind. I have also noticed that it makes me retain fluids in my body when I drink it. I thought replacing it with those crystal lite drinks at the store would help but I have noticed that they also make me retain water I am not sure what is in the crystal lite that would make me do that but I try not to drink much of those either. I love both...so it is hard for me to stay away from them. I try to keep a large glass of ice water next to me at all time...Sometimes I have noticed lately that I have been forgetting to drink anything during the day though so I have been getting really thirsty at night...so then..I get up several times a night...bad me...lol....I try to keep the salt intake down (from sodas mostly for me) because I have been told that retaining water will damper your ability of losing weight...cindy

I drink a diet soda a day - it gives me a bit of caffeine in the middle of the day and something sweet. Everything in moderation is my thing. I couldn't imagine completely cutting it out. I don't count it towards my water intake as the caffeine and sodium is considered to counteract the water in it.

I'm the opposite of you though, I can't stand the taste of regular soda!

Me too!!