201 days no diet cola

Aesop101
Aesop101 Posts: 758 Member
edited November 13 in Food and Nutrition
That's really good for a guy who at one time didn't think he could make it to work without stopping for a cola.

I remember over some weekends I would drink over a case of colas and then feel horrible. Then at the end of the month I would spend 2 hours recording all the debit card entries. At my last count without counting what I spent in cash and on credit cards I spend $50 per month and probably close to $75 or more overall.

Now when I start the week out with $20 I finish the week with $20 bucks. I am sure Mcdonald's and Hardees had to lay off employees.

That also means that I haven't spent a dime in the workplace café in 201 days.

The only bummer is I thought I would drop about 20 lbs. That didn't happen. I only got richer. hehe.

Replies

  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,645 Member
    Richer is good!

    If you needed to quit because it was expensive and making you miserable, and, at that amount, you may have been experiencing negative health effects, its great that you were able to do that.

    On the other hand, it's an interesting statement to those who insist that artificial sweeteners make you gain weight, since your weight wasn't affected by quitting.

    Kudos all around.
  • Aesop101
    Aesop101 Posts: 758 Member
    Thanks! I really thought I would lose weight but oh well. Still a good choice for me.
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    Aesop101 wrote: »
    Thanks! I really thought I would lose weight but oh well. Still a good choice for me.

    Were you drinking regular or diet soda?
  • Aesop101
    Aesop101 Posts: 758 Member
    It was diet cola.
  • kristikitter
    kristikitter Posts: 602 Member
    Hey that's brilliant :) the only thing that I might benefit from dropping my Diet Coke is potentially a slightly less bloated stomach... but I could definitely save money if I followed your example!

    Big well done though, 201 days is no mean feat.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    "If I stop consuming zero calories, I'll lose weight."

    Brilliant.
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    edited November 2016
    Aesop101 wrote: »
    It was diet cola.

    Like others have said-you cut out a zero calorie item, so it's not going to affect your weight. I've cut it out before and I didn't lose weight either. It actually made it more difficult to stay on track with my calories goals though, because diet soda is a great zero calorie option for me for when I want something sweet. When I cut it out I started eating more sweet foods/drinks that had calories in it. Drinking diet soda helps me stick with my calorie goals, and it's one of the tools I used during my weight loss phase and now in maintenance.

    But yeah, I hear you on the cost! It does get pricey. I don't drink coffee though, so I figure it's my one indulgence :)
  • CooCooPuff
    CooCooPuff Posts: 4,374 Member
    Congrats on dropping that spending.

    Outside of any personal reaction to artificial sweeteners... Or if you just really don't like the way it tastes, cost is the only reason I'd recommend giving it up.
  • Muscleflex79
    Muscleflex79 Posts: 1,917 Member
    Aesop101 wrote: »
    It was diet cola.

    as others have asked, why would you think dropping a zero calorie drink would make you drop 20 lbs??

    if anything, this is a good thread for all the posters asking them if dropping diet coke will make them lose weight!!
  • MsAmandaNJ
    MsAmandaNJ Posts: 1,248 Member
    You feel better AND have more money :-)
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    yayy to being richer....boo to not being any lighter but then again, it wasn't the diet drink that kept you from doing that...
  • Michael190lbs
    Michael190lbs Posts: 1,510 Member
    If you feel better about it and yourself Horaah for your goal.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
    Your dental hygienist will notice the difference. Mine sure did. Less plaque and my gums are in better shape. I quit my Diet Coke addiction because I react to artificial sweeteners by becoming ravenously hungry. I'm just one of those folks for whom a sweet taste without calories makes me want more calories.
  • Aesop101
    Aesop101 Posts: 758 Member
    I guess the point was like others have said, I feel better and I have more money. I thought I would lose weight because I have heard others say they lost weight after they stopped drinking diet cola. I've heard because of the sodium. Now I'm no expert on that. I am however pretty happy to have given it up. Now if you folks want to drink diet colas that is fine by me. I can think of much worse things.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    Aesop101 wrote: »
    I guess the point was like others have said, I feel better and I have more money. I thought I would lose weight because I have heard others say they lost weight after they stopped drinking diet cola. I've heard because of the sodium. Now I'm no expert on that. I am however pretty happy to have given it up. Now if you folks want to drink diet colas that is fine by me. I can think of much worse things.

    Those that claim this have changed other things, too. It may not be dietary or even conscious. It may just be that they are more active during the day.

    That said, if those people were drinking say - a whole 2 L bottle of diet soda? Then maybe that much sodium could have made them retain a little bit of water. But a can or two a day - 60-70 mg of sodium? Nah.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    Aesop101 wrote: »
    I guess the point was like others have said, I feel better and I have more money. I thought I would lose weight because I have heard others say they lost weight after they stopped drinking diet cola. I've heard because of the sodium. Now I'm no expert on that. I am however pretty happy to have given it up. Now if you folks want to drink diet colas that is fine by me. I can think of much worse things.

    Interestingly enough, it's actually a very low sodium drink. IIRC, most 20oz bottles are around 85mg.


    Good job on save money. Always a good thing.
  • ribye
    ribye Posts: 59 Member
    I know what she means, there are tons of reports and studies that claim diet soda actually causes you to gain more weight even tough its 0 calorie which makes little sense to me. I do applaud you because even diet cola is heavy on acid which can do bad things to your teeth and bones. The acid will draw calcium out of your teeth and bones and just erode the enamel on your teeth, not to mention all the other ingredients that's bound to be bad for you. I drink about 5 cans a day of diet coke but I know I'm addicted but trying to cut back to just 1 can a day, oh and the cost.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    ribye wrote: »
    I know what she means, there are tons of reports and studies that claim diet soda actually causes you to gain more weight even tough its 0 calorie which makes little sense to me. I do applaud you because even diet cola is heavy on acid which can do bad things to your teeth and bones. The acid will draw calcium out of your teeth and bones and just erode the enamel on your teeth, not to mention all the other ingredients that's bound to be bad for you. I drink about 5 cans a day of diet coke but I know I'm addicted but trying to cut back to just 1 can a day, oh and the cost.
    Would you care to share these studies/reports?
  • kellyjellybellyjelly
    kellyjellybellyjelly Posts: 9,480 Member
    Your dental hygienist will notice the difference. Mine sure did. Less plaque and my gums are in better shape. I quit my Diet Coke addiction because I react to artificial sweeteners by becoming ravenously hungry. I'm just one of those folks for whom a sweet taste without calories makes me want more calories.

    At times I've experienced that while drinking diet sodas.
  • Riskay123
    Riskay123 Posts: 159 Member
    Good on you. I don't drink soda because I just don't like it. I have an ongoing battle with coffee though so I can imagine how difficult it would be to ditch the caffeine. I am down to one cafinated coffee a day but giving it up completely is just to much to comprehend. Congratulations, enjoy spending that extra money on something special.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    ribye wrote: »
    I know what she means, there are tons of reports and studies that claim diet soda actually causes you to gain more weight even tough its 0 calorie which makes little sense to me. I do applaud you because even diet cola is heavy on acid which can do bad things to your teeth and bones. The acid will draw calcium out of your teeth and bones and just erode the enamel on your teeth, not to mention all the other ingredients that's bound to be bad for you. I drink about 5 cans a day of diet coke but I know I'm addicted but trying to cut back to just 1 can a day, oh and the cost.
    Would you care to share these studies/reports?

    If you need to ask that, then you haven't bee in these threads enough.
  • Wynterbourne
    Wynterbourne Posts: 2,235 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    ribye wrote: »
    I know what she means, there are tons of reports and studies that claim diet soda actually causes you to gain more weight even tough its 0 calorie which makes little sense to me. I do applaud you because even diet cola is heavy on acid which can do bad things to your teeth and bones. The acid will draw calcium out of your teeth and bones and just erode the enamel on your teeth, not to mention all the other ingredients that's bound to be bad for you. I drink about 5 cans a day of diet coke but I know I'm addicted but trying to cut back to just 1 can a day, oh and the cost.
    Would you care to share these studies/reports?

    If you need to ask that, then you haven't bee in these threads enough.

    Pretty certain that was a “I dare you to find the studies because I know they don't exist.” :wink:
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    psuLemon wrote: »
    ribye wrote: »
    I know what she means, there are tons of reports and studies that claim diet soda actually causes you to gain more weight even tough its 0 calorie which makes little sense to me. I do applaud you because even diet cola is heavy on acid which can do bad things to your teeth and bones. The acid will draw calcium out of your teeth and bones and just erode the enamel on your teeth, not to mention all the other ingredients that's bound to be bad for you. I drink about 5 cans a day of diet coke but I know I'm addicted but trying to cut back to just 1 can a day, oh and the cost.
    Would you care to share these studies/reports?

    If you need to ask that, then you haven't bee in these threads enough.

    Pretty certain that was a “I dare you to find the studies because I know they don't exist.” :wink:

    Ironically, they do exist. The correlation to dental cavities is fairly common. The correlation of the bone density issues was found in the nurses study IIRC. I am not sure it was a strong correlation though, especially since it was an observed studied.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    ribye wrote: »
    I know what she means, there are tons of reports and studies that claim diet soda actually causes you to gain more weight even tough its 0 calorie which makes little sense to me. I do applaud you because even diet cola is heavy on acid which can do bad things to your teeth and bones. The acid will draw calcium out of your teeth and bones and just erode the enamel on your teeth, not to mention all the other ingredients that's bound to be bad for you. I drink about 5 cans a day of diet coke but I know I'm addicted but trying to cut back to just 1 can a day, oh and the cost.
    Would you care to share these studies/reports?

    If you need to ask that, then you haven't bee in these threads enough.

    Pretty certain that was a “I dare you to find the studies because I know they don't exist.” :wink:

    Exactly ;)

    I still hear crickets, through!
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