Can I drink diet soda and still lose weight?

empressklo
empressklo Posts: 4
edited September 28 in Food and Nutrition
I am completely addicted to soda pop. I have switched to diet and am trying to cut down on the ounces per day. I feel like my world is going to fall apart when I try to completely stop. Has anyone struggled with this?

Replies

  • hjollyrn
    hjollyrn Posts: 208 Member
    I still drink diet soda every day and have lost 36 pounds! I know I should cut back some but I love my diet mountain dew! :)
  • ghoztt
    ghoztt Posts: 69 Member
    You can drink regular soda and still lose weight. It all depends on what else you do with your calories and workout routine. I've cut my soda consumption down from 3 or 4 per day to about 1 or none but if I'm within my calorie count and I'm working out I don't see any harm in enjoying a soda. Sure I could lose faster if I cut it out but then I wouldn't get to drink sodas. :smile:
  • abalicious
    abalicious Posts: 361 Member
    I agree with ghoztt. As long as the portions are limited then you are okay. People lose weight eating only mcdonalds, but because they are staying under their daily calories they are losing weight. However, wouldn't you rather lose weight putting healthy foods into your body rather than staying under calories in soda? (not saying you drink all your calories in soda lol) But... you get the point.
  • minnie86
    minnie86 Posts: 187
    This is something I did not know. Of course, it affectes people differently, just like eating some food makes people gain weight while others don't.
    In my class, I learned that citrate, which is a component of diet coke, is a precursor for the synthesis of fats. Although this soda has "o calories," it is a false statement. It does not contain sugar, but it contains synthetic precursos that can lead to fat deposition.
  • BethanyMasters
    BethanyMasters Posts: 519 Member
    You should really try to wean yourself off of it. Diet soda isn't really any better than regular soda.

    The fact is that your body doesn't really know the difference between real sugar and the sugar substitute and will produce insulin in either case to re balance your blood sugar making it harder for you to burn fat.

    It is true that the basics of weight loss is calories in / calories out. But when it gets down to the nitty gritty you are better off spending your calories on high nutritient, whole , clean foods.
  • lovejoydavid
    lovejoydavid Posts: 395 Member
    Diet soda is awesome, mostly for cleaning tools and spraying people with after you shake up the can. Not sure if you should actually be drinking it...
  • ghoztt
    ghoztt Posts: 69 Member
    Diet soda is awesome, mostly for cleaning tools and spraying people with after you shake up the can. Not sure if you should actually be drinking it...

    Now that you mention it, soda is great for cleaning off corrosion from your battery terminals. Plus you can drink the rest of the can after you're done cleaning! Mmmm, burns my throat so good! :drinker:
  • lovejoydavid
    lovejoydavid Posts: 395 Member
    You should really try to wean yourself off of it. Diet soda isn't really any better than regular soda.

    The fact is that your body doesn't really know the difference between real sugar and the sugar substitute and will produce insulin in either case to re balance your blood sugar making it harder for you to burn fat.

    It is true that the basics of weight loss is calories in / calories out. But when it gets down to the nitty gritty you are better off spending your calories on high nutritient, whole , clean foods.

    I freely admit, though, that I use splenda in certain recipes. Sucrolose is such an interesting molecule, pulling off two hydroxides and replacing them with the more electronegative chlorides, creating a bond that the body cannot break for digestion. It seems a slap in the face of science to refuse to use it. What I find most interesting, though, that even though this alteration in electronegativity scarcely changes the over all sucrose molecule, the tongue is fully capable of telling them apart! What an amazing chemosensor that organ is...
  • lovejoydavid
    lovejoydavid Posts: 395 Member
    Diet soda is awesome, mostly for cleaning tools and spraying people with after you shake up the can. Not sure if you should actually be drinking it...

    Now that you mention it, soda is great for cleaning off corrosion from your battery terminals. Plus you can drink the rest of the can after you're done cleaning! Mmmm, burns my throat so good! :drinker:

    Nice! Frankly, if I am wasting calories, good old fashioned, holistic, organic, can't go wrong beer is the way!
  • Saffyra
    Saffyra Posts: 607 Member
    As long as its not replacing your daily water intake, you should be fine. I think if you make sure to get in your water, youll naturally drink less soda. At least thats how it worked for me. I love my coke zero but i focus on getting in my water and then a soda is my reward.
  • SecretlyBatwoman
    SecretlyBatwoman Posts: 79 Member
    I pretty much exclusively drink diet coke and coffee. Healthy? Probably not. Losing weight? Yup.
  • AshinAms
    AshinAms Posts: 283 Member
    I drink diet soda, but I have a rule - only with meals! Once what we have at home is gone my new rule will be only when we go out to eat or if I want one I must go sit at a cafe to have one. Makes it harder to overload.
  • Fattack
    Fattack Posts: 666 Member
    In short, yes, provided you're still within your calorie allowance. However, diet soda can make it harder for you to burn fat.

    If I'm having a day where I'm struggling with sugar cravings, I drink diet coke, in addition to my water. If we want to be food Nazis, most people consume something that others would find fault with - I personally don't eat processed food, or white carbs, but I'm not going to find fault with others that do so and lose weight. There will *always* be something that we can improve on in our diets, and mine is diet coke - but it's better than me (calorie wise, not necessarily nutrition wise - I'm familiar with aspartame and insulin spiking etc.) eating a bar of chocolate. Similar for the lady who eats a low calorie ready meal of an indian curry instead of ordering one from a restaurant. If it keeps you on track, then drink away, just try to drink your water too :)
  • Zoe678
    Zoe678 Posts: 134 Member
    I was wondering about this as well. I read that diet soda can make you crave high calorie foods but can't directly make you gain weight. So as long as I keep my cravings in check I don't resist the temptation of a Fresca =D
  • dleithaus
    dleithaus Posts: 107 Member

    In my class, I learned that citrate, which is a component of diet coke, is a precursor for the synthesis of fats. Although this soda has "o calories," it is a false statement. It does not contain sugar, but it contains synthetic precursos that can lead to fat deposition.

    Citrate comes from citric acid. Citric acid is present in many foods, including all citrus fruits. Does that mean that you should not eat citrus fruits?

    Not sure what "class" you are referring to, but it aint a chemistry or even a nutrition class.
  • lynnmarie60
    lynnmarie60 Posts: 325
    Yes you can.
  • mapexdrummer69
    mapexdrummer69 Posts: 445
    0 calories=0 energy=0 effect on weight loss.


    I drink it on a daily basis.
  • Debbiecastor
    Debbiecastor Posts: 29
    i kind of weaned myself off of diet pop, as I used to drink cans of it every day!!!! Now I drink more water throughout the day and keep one diet pop for my "reward" for a job well done in the evening!! Some days I don't even drink that one. Eventually you will only want to have one every now and then.
  • empressklo
    empressklo Posts: 4
    Good to know. I was getting really discouraged.
  • ChantalGG
    ChantalGG Posts: 2,404 Member
    I drink it, I am getting leaner. Drink lots of water though.
  • empressklo
    empressklo Posts: 4
    Also, thanks for the comments. You guys made me laugh. I love me some pop. I am not sure I will ever be able to go without. Hopefully some day.
  • raven1114
    raven1114 Posts: 115 Member
    i try to limit myself to 1 (no more than 2) sodas a day
  • kr3851
    kr3851 Posts: 994 Member
    I have a can every day at work during lunch. However, I make sure I drink half of my daily requirement of water BEFORE my lunch break, and half after. I don't really enjoy water, so the Pepsi Max at lunchtime is kind of my 'reward' for getting through the litre of water. I must admit it's purely for the taste, and doesn't do anything in the way of quenching thirst. I've discovered that water really does quench my thirst.... Funny that...
  • sonyaromo
    sonyaromo Posts: 1
    I have not had one soda pop in two weeks but sure would like just a glass a day would help. so i am better off drinking a regular soda than diet? I use to drink diet pop all the time but looking for one with no chemicals in it. any suggestions. regular soda taste so sweet to me.
  • Quotidianlight
    Quotidianlight Posts: 2
    When I gave up fake suger I got VERY sick for two weeks. Everything from blurry vision and migraines to dizziness. Diet soda is bad news IMO. When I took Splenda away from the kids and offered real sugar on my 12 yo son's oatmeal, he had a flat out temper tantrum for the first time since he was about 3.

    That said, most American soda's use corn syrup because americans are used to the sweeter flavor and soda's made with real sugar tend are less sweet. Even American pepsi made with real sugar has way more sugar than Mexican coke to account for sugar being less sweet than corn syrup. When I get a craving, I pick up a mexican coke or pepsi (glass bottles). It's less sweet and made with real sugar. Though I am more likely to drink Q ginger which is a less sweet ginger ale or a bottle of Kombucha which is VERY low sugar, bubbly and tases a bit like champagne.
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