Diet Coke vs Water??-- 0 cals vs 0 cals

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Replies

  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,282 Member
    In terms of raw calories- yes. Having said that, the sweeteners in pretty much every diet soda sold in the USA and UK are recognised by your body as a sugar (although one that your body can't metabolise), which still triggers a release of insulin which can cause weight gain from other food and drink you've had. On top of that, caffeine can seriously disrupt your circadian rhythm which will alter energy levels and when you're likely to put on weight.

    TL/DR: just drink water instead, you'll lose more weight that way.

    If this were so, nobody who drinks coffee or tea or ordinary soda would lose weight - which clearly isn't so..

    However if one is affected by caffeine and wants to avoid it, one could still drink diet sodas - just like regular sodas, it is only the cola ones that have caffeine.
    Diet lemon etc do not, just like regular lemon etc do not.

  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    In terms of raw calories- yes. Having said that, the sweeteners in pretty much every diet soda sold in the USA and UK are recognised by your body as a sugar (although one that your body can't metabolise), which still triggers a release of insulin which can cause weight gain from other food and drink you've had. On top of that, caffeine can seriously disrupt your circadian rhythm which will alter energy levels and when you're likely to put on weight.

    TL/DR: just drink water instead, you'll lose more weight that way.

    If this were so, nobody who drinks coffee or tea or ordinary soda would lose weight - which clearly isn't so..

    However if one is affected by caffeine and wants to avoid it, one could still drink diet sodas - just like regular sodas, it is only the cola ones that have caffeine.
    Diet lemon etc do not, just like regular lemon etc do not.

    Your logic and common sense is not welcome here... ;)

  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Although they both offer zero calories, water will always be the healthier alternative. Try to get in the habit of only drinking water!!

    why
  • llbrixon
    llbrixon Posts: 964 Member
    Drink water! Diet drinks have artificial sweetners and makes your body crave more and more.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    llbrixon wrote: »
    Drink water! Diet drinks have artificial sweetners and makes your body crave more and more.

    Source???
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    llbrixon wrote: »
    Drink water! Diet drinks have artificial sweetners and makes your body crave more and more.

    Does anyone read threads anymore?
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    llbrixon wrote: »
    Drink water! Diet drinks have artificial sweetners and makes your body crave more and more.

    Does anyone read threads anymore?

    Not once they get past 3-4 responses, ime.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    llbrixon wrote: »
    Drink water! Diet drinks have artificial sweetners and makes your body crave more and more.

    Does anyone read threads anymore?

    how about just reading the science...oh wait, I forgot where we are ...
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
    llbrixon wrote: »
    Drink water! Diet drinks have artificial sweetners and makes your body crave more and more.

    Biscuits have natural flavors that make your body crave more and more too. Luckily diet drinks have no calories. I can't say the same for biscuits.
  • faithsstaircase
    faithsstaircase Posts: 97 Member
    I posted this on another thread and it wasn't super popular, but I'll post it here too. I went from drinking 64 ounces of diet coke a day to drinking 1/4 of that a day at most and the rest water and I dropped 6 lbs in a week.

    My thought - if you really want to know if diet coke has an effect on your weight loss or not, do a little experiment. Track your food intake for a week with diet coke as your drink of choice, then the following week reduce it and drink water and diary the results. If you feel no different, see no difference, then hey, you're lucky enough to get to drink as much diet coke as you want to without it affecting you.

    Only you know what's right for your body. For me, diet coke makes me crave sweets, so I don't drink it nearly as much as I used to. But damn, it's so gooood.
  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    I posted this on another thread and it wasn't super popular, but I'll post it here too. I went from drinking 64 ounces of diet coke a day to drinking 1/4 of that a day at most and the rest water and I dropped 6 lbs in a week.

    My thought - if you really want to know if diet coke has an effect on your weight loss or not, do a little experiment. Track your food intake for a week with diet coke as your drink of choice, then the following week reduce it and drink water and diary the results. If you feel no different, see no difference, then hey, you're lucky enough to get to drink as much diet coke as you want to without it affecting you.

    Only you know what's right for your body. For me, diet coke makes me crave sweets, so I don't drink it nearly as much as I used to. But damn, it's so gooood.

    Correlation does not equal causation. There's no way you dropped 6 pounds of fat in a week by removing a zero-calorie drink.
  • faithsstaircase
    faithsstaircase Posts: 97 Member
    edited March 2016
    Oh boy, you're one of those.

    I reduced my intake of diet coke and started drinking more water *which caused me to stop craving sweets as much* which reduced my calorie intake and caused me to have better energy, which caused me to drop six pounds in a week.

    Once again, as I stress in pretty much all of my posts, what's right for one person isn't necessarily right for another. There's no magical formula. If there was, none of us would be here. Do what's right FOR YOU based off your gut feeling and your information gathering.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    I quit drinking diet coke because it was causing bloating and migraines...if it doesn't for you, by all means keep drinking it. I will always miss it but it's not worth it. I splurge and have a regular coke once in awhile.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Oh boy, you're one of those. Ok let me try this again for those of you who can't put two and two together.

    I reduced my intake of diet coke and started drinking more water *which caused me to stop craving sweets as much* which reduced my calorie intake and caused me to have better energy, which caused me to drop six pounds in a week.

    Once again, as I stress in pretty much all of my posts, what's right for one person isn't necessarily right for another. There's no magical formula. If there was, none of us would be here. Do what's right FOR YOU based off your gut feeling and your information gathering.

    so you removed calorie dense foods and dropped weight? Great..

    diet coke had nothing to do with it
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Oh boy, you're one of those. Ok let me try this again for those of you who can't put two and two together.

    I reduced my intake of diet coke and started drinking more water *which caused me to stop craving sweets as much* which reduced my calorie intake and caused me to have better energy, which caused me to drop six pounds in a week.

    Once again, as I stress in pretty much all of my posts, what's right for one person isn't necessarily right for another. There's no magical formula. If there was, none of us would be here. Do what's right FOR YOU based off your gut feeling and your information gathering.

    But that is not what you said in your previous post.
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    Oh boy, you're one of those. Ok let me try this again for those of you who can't put two and two together.

    I reduced my intake of diet coke and started drinking more water *which caused me to stop craving sweets as much* which reduced my calorie intake and caused me to have better energy, which caused me to drop six pounds in a week.

    Once again, as I stress in pretty much all of my posts, what's right for one person isn't necessarily right for another. There's no magical formula. If there was, none of us would be here. Do what's right FOR YOU based off your gut feeling and your information gathering.

    so you removed calorie dense foods and dropped weight? Great..

    diet coke had nothing to do with it

    I quit drinking diet coke and since I always bought it at McDonalds I quit eating burgers and fries every meal. I lost so much weight. Quitting diet coke worked for me.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    If diet coke causes you problems (headaches, bloating, cravings, etc) then you should probably consider cutting it out of your diet. I think that's been said a dozen times in this thread and those defending diet soda haven't disputed it. But apparently it needs to be said again.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    In terms of raw calories- yes. Having said that, the sweeteners in pretty much every diet soda sold in the USA and UK are recognised by your body as a sugar (although one that your body can't metabolise), which still triggers a release of insulin which can cause weight gain from other food and drink you've had. On top of that, caffeine can seriously disrupt your circadian rhythm which will alter energy levels and when you're likely to put on weight.

    TL/DR: just drink water instead, you'll lose more weight that way.

    I'm pretty sure the digestive system recognizes the components of food, and not just the sweet taste.

    Aspartame is made up of 2 amino acids - the body knows how to break those down. After all, it does it on a regular basis when those aa's are in other foods.

    And regarding Stevia as being better because it's "more natural" -- how do you account for all the processing required in order for that plant to be considered safe for use?? Last I saw, the raw, base plant is not considered safe and cannot legally be used in any food products.
  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    edited March 2016
    Oh boy, you're one of those. Ok let me try this again for those of you who can't put two and two together.

    I reduced my intake of diet coke and started drinking more water *which caused me to stop craving sweets as much* which reduced my calorie intake and caused me to have better energy, which caused me to drop six pounds in a week.

    Once again, as I stress in pretty much all of my posts, what's right for one person isn't necessarily right for another. There's no magical formula. If there was, none of us would be here. Do what's right FOR YOU based off your gut feeling and your information gathering.

    It wasn't at all clear from your post that you were saying the reason for your weight loss was the reduction in sweets (calorie dense foods) versus the diet soda. Congrats on your weight loss and finding a way to manage your calorie intake.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    llbrixon wrote: »
    Drink water!

    Sure, drink water. Oh, and other drinks, including diet soda, if you enjoy them. I'm drinking coffee right now, but it doesn't mean I don't also drink water.
    Diet drinks have artificial sweetners and makes your body crave more and more.

    Nothing terrible about artificial sweeteners, and they absolutely do not make my body crave more and more. If that's so for you, act accordingly, but don't insist it's true for others.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,282 Member
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    In terms of raw calories- yes. Having said that, the sweeteners in pretty much every diet soda sold in the USA and UK are recognised by your body as a sugar (although one that your body can't metabolise), which still triggers a release of insulin which can cause weight gain from other food and drink you've had. On top of that, caffeine can seriously disrupt your circadian rhythm which will alter energy levels and when you're likely to put on weight.

    TL/DR: just drink water instead, you'll lose more weight that way.

    If this were so, nobody who drinks coffee or tea or ordinary soda would lose weight - which clearly isn't so..

    However if one is affected by caffeine and wants to avoid it, one could still drink diet sodas - just like regular sodas, it is only the cola ones that have caffeine.
    Diet lemon etc do not, just like regular lemon etc do not.

    Your logic and common sense is not welcome here... ;)

    Sorry,Miss.

    Artificial sweeteners!!!!!
    Caffeine!!!!!!

    Oh no oh no panic panic all gonna get fat and die :o:s

    Is that better? B)

  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    In terms of raw calories- yes. Having said that, the sweeteners in pretty much every diet soda sold in the USA and UK are recognised by your body as a sugar (although one that your body can't metabolise), which still triggers a release of insulin which can cause weight gain from other food and drink you've had. On top of that, caffeine can seriously disrupt your circadian rhythm which will alter energy levels and when you're likely to put on weight.

    TL/DR: just drink water instead, you'll lose more weight that way.

    If this were so, nobody who drinks coffee or tea or ordinary soda would lose weight - which clearly isn't so..

    However if one is affected by caffeine and wants to avoid it, one could still drink diet sodas - just like regular sodas, it is only the cola ones that have caffeine.
    Diet lemon etc do not, just like regular lemon etc do not.

    Your logic and common sense is not welcome here... ;)

    Sorry,Miss.

    Artificial sweeteners!!!!!
    Caffeine!!!!!!

    Oh no oh no panic panic all gonna get fat and die :o:s

    Is that better? B)

    Much. :)
  • MarziDeThrall
    MarziDeThrall Posts: 98 Member
    ald783 wrote: »
    ald783 wrote: »
    For calorie counting purposes I count them both as 0, but I don't count soda towards my water intake. I feel pretty confident saying that the two clearly do not have the same effect on your body, but everything in moderation and all that. I drink diet soda a couple of times a week. In a perfect world I'd drink it less but my diet is far from perfect.

    What "different effects" do you imagine they have (apart from caffeine)

    I get bad heart burn when I drink too much soda. I used to sometimes get it from other things but diet soda was by far the biggest individual culprit. It also makes me sluggish and I always want to kick myself when I drink too much of it when I'm going to the gym later.

    I'm sure all artificial sweeteners have some problematic effects and I know it wouldn't kill me to stop putting Splenda in my coffee. But I think with soda it's more about the acid or carbonation because I don't have the same problem with Splenda or sweeteners in other situations that I've had with diet soda.

    That said... I still drink it sometimes. I'm not disciplined or motivated enough to really be good at the whole clean eating thing.

    I used to drink diet soda all the time. Then I started to notice I was getting heartburn more and more often. When I got serious about losing weight in Feb. I switched to mainly water. No more heartburn. I like Sprite Zero and I think it might have been the citric acid that was causing it. Sometimes I still drink it late at night when I'm out of calories and the cookies I make the kids are crying out for me to eat them, lol.
  • bodybuildchic32
    bodybuildchic32 Posts: 9 Member
    Comparing calories to calories = 0 it's all the same. Just don't do too much googling on the artificial sweetener in the Diet Coke. That will scare you.

    Please do do your homework. Such a single mind of weight loss without consideration of healthy lifestyle change (that is Worth sustaining) will have failures that can be devastating. Other than nerve damage, mood swings, cravings, and messed up insulin/hormone regulation...diet soda leads to destruction all the same! Use diet soda as a tool...a baby step to natural water.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Comparing calories to calories = 0 it's all the same. Just don't do too much googling on the artificial sweetener in the Diet Coke. That will scare you.

    Please do do your homework. Such a single mind of weight loss without consideration of healthy lifestyle change (that is Worth sustaining) will have failures that can be devastating. Other than nerve damage, mood swings, cravings, and messed up insulin/hormone regulation...diet soda leads to destruction all the same! Use diet soda as a tool...a baby step to natural water.

    Care to share some links to scientific studies which back up all that fearmongering?
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,282 Member
    Comparing calories to calories = 0 it's all the same. Just don't do too much googling on the artificial sweetener in the Diet Coke. That will scare you.

    Please do do your homework. Such a single mind of weight loss without consideration of healthy lifestyle change (that is Worth sustaining) will have failures that can be devastating. Other than nerve damage, mood swings, cravings, and messed up insulin/hormone regulation...diet soda leads to destruction all the same! Use diet soda as a tool...a baby step to natural water.

    Oh dear.

    I don't need a tool or a baby step to natural water - I drink plenty of natural water. Every single day.

    However I also sometimes drink Pepsi max or coke zero.( and coffee and apple juice and wine and....)

    You know, one can have a variety of drinks, just like one has a variety of food.

    Just like I don't eat, say, chocolate as a baby step tool to carrots.
    I can have both,at different times - (and in sensible portion amounts, of course)

  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Comparing calories to calories = 0 it's all the same. Just don't do too much googling on the artificial sweetener in the Diet Coke. That will scare you.

    Please do do your homework. Such a single mind of weight loss without consideration of healthy lifestyle change (that is Worth sustaining) will have failures that can be devastating. Other than nerve damage, mood swings, cravings, and messed up insulin/hormone regulation...diet soda leads to destruction all the same! Use diet soda as a tool...a baby step to natural water.

    Care to share some links to scientific studies which back up all that fearmongering?

    Probably an email she got in the 90s that starts with FWD:FWD:FWD:FWD:FWD:
  • joeneely71
    joeneely71 Posts: 49 Member
    Although they both offer zero calories, water will always be the healthier alternative. Try to get in the habit of only drinking water!!

    Citation needed

    Common Sense, Page 1/i]

  • amyr271
    amyr271 Posts: 343 Member
    edited March 2016
    llbrixon wrote: »
    Drink water! Diet drinks have artificial sweetners and makes your body crave more and more.

    Does anyone read threads anymore?

    Having just spent two separate lunch breaks reading through this entire thread, and seeing all of the 'Diet Cancer' posts, my bet is no.
  • amyr271
    amyr271 Posts: 343 Member
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    In terms of raw calories- yes. Having said that, the sweeteners in pretty much every diet soda sold in the USA and UK are recognised by your body as a sugar (although one that your body can't metabolise), which still triggers a release of insulin which can cause weight gain from other food and drink you've had. On top of that, caffeine can seriously disrupt your circadian rhythm which will alter energy levels and when you're likely to put on weight.

    TL/DR: just drink water instead, you'll lose more weight that way.

    If this were so, nobody who drinks coffee or tea or ordinary soda would lose weight - which clearly isn't so..

    However if one is affected by caffeine and wants to avoid it, one could still drink diet sodas - just like regular sodas, it is only the cola ones that have caffeine.
    Diet lemon etc do not, just like regular lemon etc do not.

    Your logic and common sense is not welcome here... ;)

    Sorry,Miss.

    Artificial sweeteners!!!!!
    Caffeine!!!!!!

    Oh no oh no panic panic all gonna get fat and die :o:s

    Is that better? B)

    But what's gonna be the cause, the diabetes or the cancer that Diet soda causes?!?