Could Diet Soda Really be the Culprit

lisafred24
lisafred24 Posts: 306 Member
edited September 30 in Food and Nutrition
I am in week 20 of dieting and week 11 of working with a trainer. From last Wednesday until today, I did not change my calorie intake (1200 per day) and I did not change my workout (3x per week for 45 minutes) and yet I lost 10 lbs in one week (been averaging 2.7 lbs). The ONLY thing that I changed, was that I drank very, very little diet soda last week (maybe 3 for the whole week). I know that diet soda is high in sodium and sodium makes you retain water, but 10 lbs? Any one else experienced this with giving up diet soda? If that is the case, I might never drink it again.
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Replies

  • SeanC86
    SeanC86 Posts: 88
    There's a lot of studies that show that diet soda can possibly retain fatty stores... not sure how much is true, but I can't imagine that drinking all of it helps all the time. :D
  • sgtaylor1
    sgtaylor1 Posts: 18 Member
    I also heard the fake sugar in diet soda can have the same effect on your body as real sugar. So yes I would and am myself cutting out diet sodas!!
  • alise_lmx
    alise_lmx Posts: 292 Member
    I've heard that when people stop drinking soda, even diet, they lose some weight pretty quickly and easily. I think it's great you drink less now! May as well try to cut it out and see what happens! I try to limit myself to 1 coke zero a week, but some weeks I don't even want it anymore. And i used to LOVE soda. Drank it all the time.
  • pkarim
    pkarim Posts: 171
    Aspartame, it's best to stay away from artificial sweeteners. It is kinda of funny in my research methods class we did an experiment with rats and gave them natural sugar water and artificial sugar. The rats that drank the artificial sugar water initially lost more weight then the regular sugar but after a few weeks they began to have a dramatic weight gain while the rats with the regular sugar stayed the same weight. It was pretty interesting :)
  • SunLove8
    SunLove8 Posts: 693 Member
    I'm not no expert but if you were drinking a lot of diet coke before this last weight loss then it could be the diet coke. Cutting it out or way down is probley allowing your body to lose water weight. Congrats on the weight loss!!!
  • mohawk1971
    mohawk1971 Posts: 40 Member
    As soon as I cut out diet sodas and started just drinking water soley I doubled my typical weight loss per week. That was two months ago...
  • jbucci1186
    jbucci1186 Posts: 440 Member
    .
  • coolcatcan
    coolcatcan Posts: 133 Member
    There is new research that shows that people who drink diet sodas actually gain weight and are at a higher risk for diabetes. Diet soda has artificial sweetners that no one should ever consume. It's toxic to your body and your liver doesn't know how to process it. Here is a good article on diet soda. Glad to hear you are making progress!!

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/29/diet-soda-weight-gain_n_886409.html
  • future_marathoner
    future_marathoner Posts: 170 Member
    Absolutley. I was a firm believer that diet soda was harmless because of the 0 calories... but yes the sodium adds up. I read this just the other day, so for the past 2 days I've really laid off diet soda.. and I've dropped 3 pounds in 2 days!

    FAT HABIT #5: Drinking soda—even diet!
    The average American guzzles nearly a full gallon of soda every week. Why is that so bad? Because a 2005 study found that drinking one to two sodas per day increases your chances of being overweight or obese by nearly 33 percent. And diet soda is no better. When researchers in San Antonio tracked a group of elderly subjects for nearly a decade, they found that compared to nondrinkers, those who drank two or more diet sodas a day watched their waistlines increase five times faster. The researchers theorize that the artificial sweeteners trigger appetite cues, causing you to unconsciously eat more at subsequent meals.

    Also, the artificial sweetner in the sodas actually makes losing the belly fat harder to lose!

    Good Luck!
  • misslissa555
    misslissa555 Posts: 135 Member
    I cut it out of my diet! I use to be :drinker: with diet mountain dew. Now I drink water and vitamin zero waters (only one vitamin water a day and no aspartame=ewwwwwwy). :yawn: on soda. :bigsmile: without soda! :flowerforyou:
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
    I personally don't drink them.

    I always thought that diet soda had a high sodium level too, but quite honestly it is not THAT high (40 per 12 oz)...unless you were drinking 10+ each day. There are probably worse sodium "offenders" in your diet.

    More than likely, and as someone already said, there are some theories that even diet soda can mimic a sugar response, and you may retain water due to that just as you would with too much sodium. It also could be if you swapped the diet coke for water, you are now well hydrated, and your body "let go" of some extra water stores.

    But it could also could just be timing.....losing a bit of water weight + ready for a big drop on the scale.
  • amy29fan
    amy29fan Posts: 83 Member
    I used to drink 4-5 diet cokes per day, now I drink a large diet coke every morning, I am going to try to not drink any for a week and see if there are any changes. I want to get off of it, but it's hard. I already drink 10-12 glasses of water a day, whats a few more, right...
  • susanswan
    susanswan Posts: 1,194 Member
    Aspartame, it's best to stay away from artificial sweeteners. It is kinda of funny in my research methods class we did an experiment with rats and gave them natural sugar water and artificial sugar. The rats that drank the artificial sugar water initially lost more weight then the regular sugar but after a few weeks they began to have a dramatic weight gain while the rats with the regular sugar stayed the same weight. It was pretty interesting :)

    That makes total sense. Google "metabolic syndrome" I think there is reference to abdominal fat and diet drinks. Chemical free is the way to go whenever possible!
  • susanswan
    susanswan Posts: 1,194 Member
    Aspartame, it's best to stay away from artificial sweeteners. It is kinda of funny in my research methods class we did an experiment with rats and gave them natural sugar water and artificial sugar. The rats that drank the artificial sugar water initially lost more weight then the regular sugar but after a few weeks they began to have a dramatic weight gain while the rats with the regular sugar stayed the same weight. It was pretty interesting :)

    That makes total sense. Google "metabolic syndrome" I think there is reference to abdominal fat and diet drinks. Chemical free is the way to go whenever possible!

    here is a quick one for metabolic syndrome diet soda google search: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/health/nutrition/05symp.html
  • ArchyJill
    ArchyJill Posts: 548 Member
    I just cut it out of my diet because I suspected it was triggering my migraines (I was drinking a LOT of it), but now you all have convinced me to keep it out on a permanent basis!
  • misslissa555
    misslissa555 Posts: 135 Member
    :explode: If you do cut out the diet soda, be prepared for a wicked aweful headache! :explode:
  • anastasiawildflower
    anastasiawildflower Posts: 197 Member
    It is pretty much all of the above. The article that turned me around on diet soda, was one stating that while the artificial sweeteners mimic sugar, they still aren't sugar. When you taste that sweetness and your brain doesn't receive the kick it is expecting, it starts to crave sugar. You may not realize it but you probably seek foods that are higher in sugar.

    Maybe your calorie count hasn't changed, but rather the quality of your food?
  • TripMom
    TripMom Posts: 102 Member
    Wow! I've really cut down on the number of diet drinks I drink. Perhaps I will try this the rest of the week.
    Thanks for posting all the info.
    TripMom
  • susanswan
    susanswan Posts: 1,194 Member
    :explode: If you do cut out the diet soda, be prepared for a wicked aweful headache! :explode:

    But this too, shall pass! = D
  • susanswan
    susanswan Posts: 1,194 Member
    It is pretty much all of the above. The article that turned me around on diet soda, was one stating that while the artificial sweeteners mimic sugar, they still aren't sugar. When you taste that sweetness and your brain doesn't receive the kick it is expecting, it starts to crave sugar. You may not realize it but you probably seek foods that are higher in sugar.

    Maybe your calorie count hasn't changed, but rather the quality of your food?

    So far I am okay with stevia. I keep that white flour and sugar away, that is what really gets my cravings going!
  • SoCalSwimmerDude
    SoCalSwimmerDude Posts: 507 Member
    OK, just because this thread has not gone down the "diet coke is the most evil thing in the world and expect a 3rd eye any day now" route, I will give it a whirl... no diet coke for a week. (watch someone post it while I'm writing this :laugh: )

    I'm a diet coke a day guy in the mornings. I've lost all the weight I've really wanted to lose, but the slightest bit of fat is still on my tummy and blocking those darn abs from saying to the world "look at me!". The kicker is that I'm a very healthy eater, I just don't see an issue w/ the diet coke! Should probably add that I drink TONS of water and watch potassium... so sodium isn't an issue for me.

    Anyways, I'll give it a shot. If I see/feel really good results then I'll report back. If I don't then I'll probably just stay silent in fear of the food police.... and my wife (she is also the food police). :laugh:
  • PeachyKeene
    PeachyKeene Posts: 1,645 Member
    OK, just because this thread has not gone down the "diet coke is the most evil thing in the world and expect a 3rd eye any day now" route, I will give it a whirl... no diet coke for a week. (watch someone post it while I'm writing this :laugh: )

    I'm a diet coke a day guy in the mornings. I've lost all the weight I've really wanted to lose, but the slightest bit of fat is still on my tummy and blocking those darn abs from saying to the world "look at me!". The kicker is that I'm a very healthy eater, I just don't see an issue w/ the diet coke! Should probably add that I drink TONS of water and watch potassium... so sodium isn't an issue for me.

    Anyways, I'll give it a shot. If I see/feel really good results then I'll report back. If I don't then I'll probably just stay silent in fear of the food police.... and my wife (she is also the food police). :laugh:

    Perfect! I must try this myself, especially sense I still have a good bit to lose and my weight loss has come to another stand still. I will see if it effects my weightloss or how I feel for the next fiscal week. Starting in the morning.
  • Gsc122
    Gsc122 Posts: 36
    I dunno, I've lost nearly 100 lbs so far, and for the majority
    Of it all I did was swap regular pops for diet. How much are you drinking?

    If salt its your issue I think the most I've seen its
    40 to 80 mg of sodium per 8 ml. In the grand scheme of sodium intake daily its not a lot.
  • stephanielynn76
    stephanielynn76 Posts: 709 Member
    I don't keep it in the house but still drink diet soda frequently. It has not hindered me from reaching my goals.
  • kinnick1
    kinnick1 Posts: 1
    I switched from diet soda to unsweetened iced tea. I lost 10 lbs over a ten day period without making ANY other changes to my diet or exercise routine.
  • tacfo6
    tacfo6 Posts: 1
    Nope.
  • Femtec74
    Femtec74 Posts: 347 Member
    :explode: If you do cut out the diet soda, be prepared for a wicked aweful headache! :explode:


    I tried to cut out sodas about a year ago. I did it for 2 months, but I was so miserable it wasn't worth it. I had no energy and felt tired all the time. I also had a migrane every day.
  • anastasiawildflower
    anastasiawildflower Posts: 197 Member


    So far I am okay with stevia. I keep that white flour and sugar away, that is what really gets my cravings going!

    I am happy someone likes it. I really can't take the after taste. It just gets to me.

    I do drink diet coke still. I know the research is out there to prove it not so beneficial, but sometimes you need a few bubbles. I love water, but it does get boring.
  • AmandaR910
    AmandaR910 Posts: 991
    I drink one large Diet Coke a day and it hasn't affected me reaching my goals (57lbs to goal weight, lost it in 6 months). I want to stop drinking it though. It's expensive (I have to have the fountain kind lol, no bottles or cans).
  • TS65
    TS65 Posts: 1,024 Member
    :explode: If you do cut out the diet soda, be prepared for a wicked aweful headache! :explode:


    I tried to cut out sodas about a year ago. I did it for 2 months, but I was so miserable it wasn't worth it. I had no energy and felt tired all the time. I also had a migrane every day.

    If this doesn't make you want to give them up permanently (causing a migrane for NOT having it?!?), then you are a lost cause. That's just scary! :laugh:
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