Diet Dr. Pepper - 0 Calories - Can I Keep My Guilty Pleasure

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OfficePoliticsNinja
OfficePoliticsNinja Posts: 20
in Health and Weight Loss
I need your advice.

First, I know that Diet Dr. Pepper is not "good" for me and I know I should drink water instead. But, it's a guilty pleasure. Some have vices like beer, cigarettes and Twinkies - mine is Diet Dr. Pepper.

Afterall, Diet Dr. Pepper has 0 calories. It has 55mg sodium. But 0 calories!

I drink 4-5 cans a day. Being that this is a "lifestyle change", not a "diet", I don't want to immediately cut out my major vice if I don't have to. If I can have my Diet Dr. Pepper, I don't feel altogether deprived.....

So the question is.... I know I "should", but if I don't, will the Diet Dr. Pepper hurt my efforts?

Thanks for your advice.
Brandon
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Replies

  • inlander
    inlander Posts: 339 Member
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    It *can* - a lot of people "stall" when losing weight because they drink diet soda. I think it's the sweetener, but I'm not really sure. If you're just starting out, you're probably good to drink it like you do, but after awhile you may want to consider cutting back to a can a day (or even less) if you notice that it's causing your weight to stall.

    I drink diet pepsi/diet coke/diet ginger ale like a mother trucker and I know it's stalled my weight loss. Especially because I don't drink enough water.
  • Leslietheriot
    Leslietheriot Posts: 303 Member
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    I am also a diet soda junkie. I think that as long as you are drinking enough water you can still have a soda or two.
  • aa1440
    aa1440 Posts: 956 Member
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    I stopped drinking sodas about three years ago. You will be surprised how much better you feel if you can get off of that junk. The only things I drink now is water, milk and I love my vodka.
  • channa007
    channa007 Posts: 419 Member
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    People say that diet soda increases hunger which eliminates the benefits of it being zero calories. Many people agree that the fake sugar *kitten* isn't good for you either and if you're going to drink soda then drink the real thing just in a limited fashion.
  • Jeni322
    Jeni322 Posts: 63 Member
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    4 or 5 cans a day might be a bit much alright, but you don't have to cut it out altogether. I've lost 42lbs and I still drink a can of diet coke a day and 3 a day on the weekends :-)
  • jenswwjourney
    jenswwjourney Posts: 181
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    My fav. thing to do w/ Diet Dr Pepper is to cut up an apple and place it in a baking pan or bread loaf pan and pour the soda over top and bake it @ 350 for 40 minutes. The soda caramelizes and apples soften and it is a yummy treat.
  • ericalynn104
    ericalynn104 Posts: 382 Member
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    This coming from a water addict, try to get as much water as you can. I'm no expert but I would try to cut down because it might help with weight loss. Water cleanses your system but soda isn't great whether it is diet or not. Personally I can't drink diet soda because the aspartame gives me headaches, so soda (real soda) is a treat for me. And I honestly don't miss it. You don't have to cut it out entirely, but I would try to drink less soda.
  • LisaKyle11
    LisaKyle11 Posts: 662 Member
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    ...maybe try to cut it down to 2-3 a day for a while... but you are right about attempting to make a lifestyle/lifetime change, so don't completely deprive yourself... there is no need to. if you do, it will backfire. enjoy your diet drinks within reason and drink your water!
  • omega1227
    omega1227 Posts: 8
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    A few years back I quit drinking sodas altogether and I'm very glad I did.
  • dckim
    dckim Posts: 311 Member
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    Check my board on this http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/333962-do-diet-sodas-make-you-fat :drinker:
  • kr3851
    kr3851 Posts: 994 Member
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    As with everything that we know is 'bad' for us... try to cut down. I still drink 1 can every day of Pepsi Max. I have it at lunch time and make sure I get my 4 glasses in before my Pepsi Max and 4 glasses after.

    Do you want to eat and drink 'perfectly' and be miserable? I don't, and feel that I would be if I didn't allow myself my guilty pleasures most days.
  • PS5253
    PS5253 Posts: 13
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    I drink 2-3 cans of diet sprite & coke a day, and my weight loss has been comin' along just fine :) in fact, i'm drinking one right now :)

    Also, if you crave the carbonation, sparkling flavored waters are pretty good as well!
  • AmerTunsi
    AmerTunsi Posts: 655 Member
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    I find for myself personally that anytime I drink soda, including diet, it catches up with me and I find that I gain water weight. If i stop drinking it within about a week and a half I quickly drop up to 5lbs. But, at the end of the day if having the diet soda is what keeps you on track in all other aspects of your lifestyle change ... so be it .. drink away. Kind of have to pick your battles right?
  • AmerTunsi
    AmerTunsi Posts: 655 Member
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    I find for myself personally that anytime I drink soda, including diet, it catches up with me and I find that I gain water weight. If i stop drinking it within about a week and a half I quickly drop up to 5lbs. But, at the end of the day if having the diet soda is what keeps you on track in all other aspects of your lifestyle change ... so be it .. drink away. Kind of have to pick your battles right?
  • Allasauna
    Allasauna Posts: 6
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    I think you should cut back to 1-2 a day but in general if you still drink a lot of water and eat well, it shouldnt hurt you. There is a theory out there that when you taste something sweet, your body thinks "Im getting sugar!" and gets ready to burn those calories. But when no calories come, like in diet sodas or other things with sweetners, your body actually learns not to respond to sweet tastes anymore. This suggests that when you do grab hat piece of cake or whatever every so often, your body wouldnt expect calories and therefore it might be stored as fat instead of burned.

    If your weight loss is going well, I wouldnt worry too much except cutting back. On the good side, think of the money you'll save drinking only 2 a day instead of 4 or 5!
  • pippifax
    pippifax Posts: 13
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    not if you don't want to!

    my vice is "real" soda. the bad stuff in all its sugary-calorie ridden goodness. i would drink 4 or 5 cans (sometimes an entire 2 liter bottle) per day before... and i tried cutting it out completely to lose weight and i was totally miserable! i don't recommend cutting it out entirely, because you need to be happy and have the things you love! i've cut down a ton, but i still have one every few days.

    anyway, my rule is that if i drink a 12 oz soda, i drink an additional 12 oz of water right after. i think it keeps me accountable and keeps me from drinking one after another. alot of people are against "bargaining" with yourself like that, but you might find it helps you cut back :)
  • scottlikescake
    scottlikescake Posts: 36
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    Where is this 0 calorie Dr Pepper sold? In the UK I think it has 3 calories if I remember correctly.
  • Inspiremyweightloss
    Inspiremyweightloss Posts: 3
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    I didn't know you could get diet dr pepper, where have i been hiding?!
  • Cdcaldwe
    Cdcaldwe Posts: 189 Member
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    I drink at least one of the big mtn dews a day. I also drink well over one hundred and thirty ounces of water a day.
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
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    The last time I lost weight, I was drinking a can of coke zero 5 days a week at lunch time. (I then fell of the wagon. It had nothing to do with the coke zero.) I have heard that it can be counter productive for weight loss due to the artificial sweetener, but I was drinking it for the caffeine. That being said, 4-5 cans of diet Dr. Pepper sounds excessive due to the all the chemicals in artificial sweetener. If I were you, I'd cut back for that reason alone...

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