SODA OBSESSION, HELP!

bteague7
bteague7 Posts: 2 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So I never really drank soda until I started working in the food industry. Then I realized that diet soda had no calories! I felt like since it had no calories it was fine to drink. After reading a lot about diet soda I read that it is not good for you and can actually make you gain more weight than even regular soda. I feel like diet soda is a good substitute for when I am hungry and wanting to splurge on an unhealthy food choice. What is everyone's thoughts?
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Replies

  • abetterluke
    abetterluke Posts: 625 Member
    Personally I think the whole "can make you gain more weight" thing is garbage but I agree that it's not good for you. I'd say if you aren't having them too often you're fine.
  • slaite1
    slaite1 Posts: 1,307 Member
    edited April 2015
    Coke zero is the greatest thing to come out of chemistry in this decade!!

    If you look closely at the studies there are correlations-not causation. Diet soda doesn't make you gain weight. Drinking diet soda than feeling so good about yourself that you eat 5000000 calories of junk food makes you gain weight. If you like it and it works for you, do it.
  • peachyfuzzle
    peachyfuzzle Posts: 1,122 Member
    I drink diet soda every day, usually a 16oz bottle with lunch, and a 12oz. can for dinner. I have lost 12lbs this month so far.

    I do not believe that I am a medical anomaly.
  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
    bteague7 wrote: »
    So I never really drank soda until I started working in the food industry. Then I realized that diet soda had no calories! I felt like since it had no calories it was fine to drink. After reading a lot about diet soda I read that it is not good for you and can actually make you gain more weight than even regular soda. I feel like diet soda is a good substitute for when I am hungry and wanting to splurge on an unhealthy food choice. What is everyone's thoughts?
    No, no it can't.
    Unless you're inadvertently saying while drinking it you want to eat more foods to compensate?

    Drink it as you like, and stay within your calorie goals.
  • Of_Monsters_and_Meat
    Of_Monsters_and_Meat Posts: 1,022 Member
    I enjoy diet soda, tea and coffee.

    I'm willing to bet there is more calories in a cup of juice than in a cup of diet soda.
  • abetterluke
    abetterluke Posts: 625 Member
    Of_Monsters_and_Meat wrote: »
    I enjoy diet soda, tea and coffee.

    I'm willing to bet there is more calories in a cup of juice than in a cup of diet soda.

    Heck a lot of juice is just as bad for you as regular soda.
  • supplejl
    supplejl Posts: 4 Member
    I've been told the reason people say it "causes" you to gain weight is that the sweet taste, without the corresponding calories, can trigger cravings. For some people, I know the diet soda satisfies their sweet tooth. I can say that since I gave up Coke Zero and Pepsi Max (my two go-to's), I have experienced very few cravings for foods not on my meal plan. There is so much confusing research out there as to whether or not it is bad for you. one of the main reasons I hear about is the amount of chemicals in a can. That being said, the same article also said that a person would need to drink copious amounts of it to impact you. I usually stick to plain water or water "infused" with lemon or cucumbers, or crystal light (with this, I try to have no more than one CL package a day too).
  • jonathansilas1984
    jonathansilas1984 Posts: 36 Member
    I had to quit cold turkey, and let me tell you it was HORRIBLE. I had nausea inducing headaches for a week. And by the third day I was ready to jump out of a tree on a passing pepsi truck and gnaw my way through the back to get at a Mt Dew. But Im all better now, but Ill be honest I felt like a smack addict coming off a week long binge.
  • SconnieCat
    SconnieCat Posts: 770 Member
    OP...you heard incorrectly. Diet soda alone won't make you gain weight.

    I drink coke zero every day and have managed to maintain steady weight loss. If you want to drink soda, drink soda. If you want to give it up. Give it up. Bam. End of discussion.
  • kluvit
    kluvit Posts: 435 Member
    I drink lots of diet sodas (4-6 per day) regularly with no issues. I lost weight while drinking them and I've maintained for 3 years while drinking them. For me, deprivation does not result in long term success, so I keep the things I enjoy that fit within my "budget" and don't negatively impact my desired results. I think it's a personal choice as you can find research to support both sides; enjoy if you think doing so benefits you, or give them up if you think they're harming you.

  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    No no no no no. I was, "paleo," in January and most of February so I couldn't have diet soda and I drank more OJ. I definitely gained weight. Middle of February I switched to CICO (all the diet soda I can drink!) and I've lost 10 pounds. As long as you are focused on your calories... You will be fine with weight loss.
  • MarissaEgham
    MarissaEgham Posts: 14 Member
    Personally I've never lost weight while drinking diet soda's, and that is all I've ever drunk as I find the full fat versions too sweet. What works for me is keeping a little tub of sliced lemon with me that I use in both hot and cold drinks. Each too their own though.
  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
    SconnieCat wrote: »
    OP...you heard incorrectly. Diet soda alone won't make you gain weight.

    I drink coke zero every day and have managed to maintain steady weight loss. If you want to drink soda, drink soda. If you want to give it up. Give it up. Bam. End of discussion.
    gimme dat coke
  • SconnieCat
    SconnieCat Posts: 770 Member
    jkwolly wrote: »
    SconnieCat wrote: »
    OP...you heard incorrectly. Diet soda alone won't make you gain weight.

    I drink coke zero every day and have managed to maintain steady weight loss. If you want to drink soda, drink soda. If you want to give it up. Give it up. Bam. End of discussion.
    gimme dat coke

    giphy.gif
  • Rukia_K
    Rukia_K Posts: 32 Member
    I switched to Sparkling water as I could never appreciate diet sodas as I really dislike the taste of artificial sweeteners
  • peachyfuzzle
    peachyfuzzle Posts: 1,122 Member
    Rukia_K wrote: »
    I switched to Sparkling water as I could never appreciate diet sodas as I really dislike the taste of artificial sweeteners

    It's important to make a sparkling water/tonic water distinction here because tonic water actually has a whole mess of calories, and people often confuse the two.
  • Rukia_K
    Rukia_K Posts: 32 Member
    Sparkling Spring Water was what I meant
  • bteague7
    bteague7 Posts: 2 Member
    I don't experience cravings after I drink diet soda at all. It helps me with my cravings because instead of grabbing some chips, I'll grab a drink. I am still drinking a lot of water during the day, just like to add a few diet sodas in between to enjoy.
  • Debmal77
    Debmal77 Posts: 4,770 Member
    If you have ever seen that show called My 600 lb. Life there is a doctor in Houston that does the by-pass surgery on these people. He said that carbonated drinks of any kind will stretch your stomach. Just saying that is what he said to his patients.
  • slaite1
    slaite1 Posts: 1,307 Member
    Debmal77 wrote: »
    If you have ever seen that show called My 600 lb. Life there is a doctor in Houston that does the by-pass surgery on these people. He said that carbonated drinks of any kind will stretch your stomach. Just saying that is what he said to his patients.

    I believe that is specific to patients that had the surgery.
  • Debmal77
    Debmal77 Posts: 4,770 Member
    slaite1 wrote: »
    Debmal77 wrote: »
    If you have ever seen that show called My 600 lb. Life there is a doctor in Houston that does the by-pass surgery on these people. He said that carbonated drinks of any kind will stretch your stomach. Just saying that is what he said to his patients.

    I believe that is specific to patients that had the surgery.

    No he told them before they had the surgery because they had to lose some weight before he would do it.
  • beemerphile1
    beemerphile1 Posts: 1,710 Member
    Do what works for you, I don't touch the stuff.
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
    Come up with a system. Continue to drink diet soda but for every 1 can of diet you drink, drink a bottle of water or something. Diet soda won't make you fat. It tastes good too.
  • jddnw
    jddnw Posts: 319 Member
    bteague7 wrote: »
    So I never really drank soda until I started working in the food industry. Then I realized that diet soda had no calories! I felt like since it had no calories it was fine to drink. After reading a lot about diet soda I read that it is not good for you and can actually make you gain more weight than even regular soda. I feel like diet soda is a good substitute for when I am hungry and wanting to splurge on an unhealthy food choice. What is everyone's thoughts?

    If you are obsessed with it, just stop drinking it. Out of site, out of mind.

  • llanolady
    llanolady Posts: 3 Member
    An occasional diet soda isn't going to hurt you and in my opinion it's good to treat yourself to something that you like as a reward for the rest of your hard work. The artificial sweeteners in products are not really good for you if, like anything else, they are overused. Everything in moderation is best so drink up when you need to. I substitute a sparkling water like La Croix (no sweeteners or caffeine ) for soda to get both a carbonated fix & water in my day.

  • VCFernandez13
    VCFernandez13 Posts: 36 Member
    Drink seltzer that's what I did to kick my habit of soda, I know the taste isn't even close but that feeling is there like your drinking basically the healthiest soda you can
  • SconnieCat
    SconnieCat Posts: 770 Member
    Debmal77 wrote: »
    slaite1 wrote: »
    Debmal77 wrote: »
    If you have ever seen that show called My 600 lb. Life there is a doctor in Houston that does the by-pass surgery on these people. He said that carbonated drinks of any kind will stretch your stomach. Just saying that is what he said to his patients.

    I believe that is specific to patients that had the surgery.

    No he told them before they had the surgery because they had to lose some weight before he would do it.

    FWIW, Dr. Now had his patients lose weight before the surgery because he needed to see that they were actually willing to put in the effort and try to lose weight. There were some patients that also needed to lose weight to lessen the risks of severe complications.

    Also, carbonated beverages do not stretch your stomach in the sense of giving you 'more room to eat'. Rather, they can cause painful gas and it is recommended that gastric bypass patients avoid carbonated beverages for at least 6 months after surgery.
  • andielyn
    andielyn Posts: 233 Member
    I gave up artificial sweeteners about 5 months ago--and thus diet sodas--and drink sparkling water now when I want something bubbly, and completely kicked the diet soda. Was much easier than I thought and I don't miss it.
  • lauranewman130
    lauranewman130 Posts: 36 Member
    If you're not tackling alot of other food challenges right now, I'd recommend weaning off of it. I don't believe you won't lose weight by drinking it, but overall, you'll do better without it. It's loaded with sweetners and I do believe it will keep your sweet-drink cravings going. I only drink flavored seltzer waters. I like them. Many people don't. But even those..I feel less bloated when I don't drink them and stick to plain water.
  • Sarasmaintaining
    Sarasmaintaining Posts: 1,027 Member
    A zero calorie drink will not cause you to gain weight. I drank diet coke throughout my weight loss phase and I continue to drink it with no issues now that I'm successfully maintaining.

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