Does soda pop actually make that much of a difference?

moonduck
moonduck Posts: 53 Member
edited December 2015 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi All!

I've been wondering for weeks now, so thought I would log in and find out all of your thoughts on this!

I had to be on a special diet for a few weeks for medical testing which was highly restrictive, so during that time, I lost about 12lbs.

In the past, as soon as I go back to my regular diet, I tend to gain it back, albeit slowly, but it does come back over three months.

This time around, somehow, I've managed to keep 10lbs of it off without any change. The odd thing is - I haven't made any changes to my diet or exercise regime at all EXCEPT for one - I haven't had any soda pop since the diet. I just find it mind boggling to believe that cutting out one can of Coke/Pepsi per night could lead to that type of sustained weight loss. I wasn't drinking litres of it - literally about 1 - 1.5 cans per day max.

Could cutting out just that one single thing make that much of a difference? Or I wonder if I'm just being a bit more active and drinking a load more water, hence keeping it off? What do you all think?

Thanks!

Replies

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    edited December 2015
    A can of coke is 140 calories or so, right? If you are eating food in the amount of calories you burn per day (maintenance), and adding an extra 140-200 per day in coke-then yes, taking it away would help you maintain your weight better. Being active is also helpful I'm sure.

    You could also still drink coke and maintain your weight, but you would need to log your calories, and make it fit in your daily goal.
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    Yep!!! Bad Stuff!
  • Meganthedogmom
    Meganthedogmom Posts: 1,639 Member
    By adding 1-1.5 sodas a day to your diet, you're adding about 150-225 calories to your diet per day. Let's just say 200 extra calories per day. That's approximately 5,600 calories per month, or 1.6 pounds. So it looks like whatever you are eating now, is your maintenance calories. If you eat/drink more than that, you will gain. If you eat/drink less, you will lose. This can be with anything, doesn't have to be soda.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    When I 1st started counting calories, I was really surprised how many calories soda has. You can get in a whole lot of that calories that way without realizing it.
  • KatyBright
    KatyBright Posts: 1 Member
    Yes. It makes a difference. I weighed 203.6 3 weeks ago. Now I weigh 194.4 and that's mainly from not drinking pop unless it's diet but I barely drink that. And I don't eat a lot of sugar and I stay under my calories and walk a lot. 2 years ago I tried staying under my calorie count but I still drank pop and not really as much result as I'm getting now. So yeah. Pop makes a difference.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,988 Member
    edited December 2015
    140 calories a day over a week is 980. Times 4 that's 3920. That's a little over a pound in fat calories (if you're storing that energy and not burning it off). That's any extra half hour of moderate walking a day to burn off to stay even.

    Also, unless you're taking in the same amount in carbs, you'll have lower glycogen storage (which uses about 4 grams of water to store for every gram of glycogen). Glycogen storage can affect weight from 3-10lbs.

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  • nordlead2005
    nordlead2005 Posts: 1,303 Member
    I used to drink over 500 calories/day (mostly in the form of home made iced tea in quantities exceeding 2L/day). That was a big enough cut to take me from maintenance to losing 1lb/week.
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,630 Member
    I congratulate those who drink a can of soda a day. I probably drink 3 minimum so thats 420 calories. I still drink a lot of soda, just diet soda.
  • beemerphile1
    beemerphile1 Posts: 1,710 Member
    Soda is a lot of empty calories so cutting that one thing can make a difference. I prefer calories that include nutrition, soda has minimal nutrients.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    If you drink it a lot, cutting it out or reducing the amount you drink will make a difference. I mean, anything you don't eat that you usually eat makes a difference as long as you don't replace those calories with something else. But the more you used to eat/drink of something and the less you do now, the bigger difference it makes. I've never been a big pop drinker. Maybe two cans a week. Now I have one can a week. So that's 140 calories a week. My husband would drink much more, probably 5 cans a day. He's been having two cans maybe twice a week lately so that's a lot more calorie savings.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    Huge difference for me. It was extra calories and led to craving more sweets, so often even more calories. The year I had about one soda per day, I gained a good 15 lbs. I won't even touch the diet stuff now. Maybe one day, but not yet.
  • moonduck
    moonduck Posts: 53 Member
    This is all so interesting! Thanks everyone! :)

    It's been hard resisting, but the fact that 10lbs hasn't come back has been a pretty good incentive to keep away from it for a while.

    I've never heard of glycogen storage before - will have to look more into that!

    Thanks again, all! :)
  • Losingthedamnweight
    Losingthedamnweight Posts: 535 Member
    Switch to Diet Coke or Coke Zero
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,519 Member
    I stopped drinking soda and lost 15lbs (can't give you an exact time frame, b/c this was back in the 90's). I also stopped drinking diet sodas while I was pregnant. I can't touch the stuff, b/c it tastes like battery acid to me now. Cutting out soda completely (including diet) also led to other healthy changes, like increased water intake, less overall sugar intake as well. Soda isn't necessarily terrible for you; it depends on how much you consume. Obviously, I consumed too much if I lost 15lbs just from dropping it.
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  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    edited December 2015
    Bbg340 wrote: »
    Coke is a killer for weight loss if you drink so much that it creates a caloric surplus...a wonderfully delicious refreshing yummy killer, but a killer nonetheless.

    Fixed it for you.

    Soda can be a killer for weight loss just like broccoli, lean meat, protein shakes, candy bars, bacon and anything else....if any of them cause you to take in more than you're expending, they will kill your weight loss. If your maintenance calories are 1800, you've eaten 1600 calories for the day and you eat another 400 calories worth of broccoli, you're in a caloric surplus. If your maintenance calories are 1800, you've eaten 1600 calories for the day and you drink another 400 calories worth of soda, you're in a caloric surplus.
  • tiffanyhackman76
    tiffanyhackman76 Posts: 5 Member
    I lost 55 pounds a few years ago by completely cutting out soda's... Took me 8 months but was way worth it! So yes,it does make a difference.
  • ultrahoon
    ultrahoon Posts: 467 Member
    tiffanyhackman76 wrote: »
    I lost 55 pounds a few years ago by completely cutting out soda's... Took me 8 months but was way worth it! So yes,it does make a difference.

    Going from maintenance / surplus to deficit makes the difference. One could cut out ultra 'healthy' foods and achieve the same results, and many of us here have.
  • bmwny1
    bmwny1 Posts: 22 Member
    I haven't had soda or tea in 33 days! I thought it sucked at first but now I never crave it. I have lost 15lbs but I have cut calories and exercised. I felt like sodas bloated my stomach and now I never feel that way which is awesome. I'd rather eat my calories than drink them lol
  • monkeygirl32
    monkeygirl32 Posts: 7 Member
    I it back only Coke. Actually caffeine free but it's the same calories. I just stay within my allotted calories a day and I lost 5.4lbs in my first two weeks. I also cut back on my wine. I tried diet and Coke Zero and I'd personally rather drink my smart water. The taste is that awful to me. Now I've stopped counting calories for the holiday as we are at too many houses and eating too many small meals here and there and it's hard to track. Probably will start back tomorrow with the weighing and calorie counting. I started before Christmas as I wanted to get in the groove before the New Year!!
  • MsLindaC2015
    MsLindaC2015 Posts: 51 Member
    I am addicted to Pepsi and I know I would lose a substantial amount of weight if I would just quit drinking it. Just haven't been able to do it yet. Its nit just the calories, my carbs are too high and most of that comes from the Pepsi. I usually eat a pretty healthy diet so this one thing is my problem.
  • 100df
    100df Posts: 668 Member
    I switched from regular coke to diet years ago. Would regularly drink 5-6 cans of diet coke a day. I have now cut that to 1 can a day. It is easier for me to stay with my calorie goal if I only drink 1 a day. I drink water instead. Not sure why it's easier. Must be mental.
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,630 Member
    susan100df wrote: »
    I switched from regular coke to diet years ago. Would regularly drink 5-6 cans of diet coke a day. I have now cut that to 1 can a day. It is easier for me to stay with my calorie goal if I only drink 1 a day. I drink water instead. Not sure why it's easier. Must be mental.

    For some people the artificial sugar tricks the body into thinking that it is still getting sugar and triggers other bodily reactions even though the calories are empty so it might not be all mental.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    its a reduction in calories - of COURSE it makes a difference.
  • srecupid
    srecupid Posts: 660 Member
    It can't hurt or help you any more than other foods. But, real food will fill you up more and actually provide nutrients to your body. I gave it up and don't miss it at all. I get to lose weight faster and I can hopefully avoid more root canals. I wouldn't want all those empty calories on a daily basis but, on a hot summer day a mexican coke is sometimes better than a beer to me

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