Who eats/drinks "diet" stuff?

ninerbuff
ninerbuff Posts: 49,029 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I only drink Diet Pepsi or Diet Coke for soda or Gatorade Zero when I want a "diet" anything.

I DON'T eat REDUCED FAT foods
I DON'T eat REDUCED SODIUM foods
I DON'T eat REDUCED SUGAR foods

I like to eat full flavor, full fat, full sodium and full sugar. I like to enjoy life. But I'm also diligent about not going overboard. To have fun correctly, you need to play by certain rules.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Replies

  • JustSomeJD
    JustSomeJD Posts: 416 Member
    To each their own. I'll drink a diet soda, but I put butter on my toast or use it to fry eggs. I might use reduced sodium soy sauce if I have it on hand or I'll just use what I have.
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,759 Member
    I don't normally eat reduced fat foods (at least I don't seek them out) and I don't waste my calories on drinks (unless I'm doing the liquid diet thing and have a protein shake) and I DEFINITELY don't eat reduced sugar. :)

    I try to save my calories where I can tho so I use I Can't Believe It's Not Butter on bread and stuff like that.

    I do try to stay low on sodium just in case it's why my blood pressure is normal. I still haven't figured out if it's normal because I keep the sodium low or if I don't have to keep the sodium low because it's normal. But I'm not a fantatic about the sodium thing. :)
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,029 Member
    glassyo wrote: »
    I don't normally eat reduced fat foods (at least I don't seek them out) and I don't waste my calories on drinks (unless I'm doing the liquid diet thing and have a protein shake) and I DEFINITELY don't eat reduced sugar. :)

    I try to save my calories where I can tho so I use I Can't Believe It's Not Butter on bread and stuff like that.

    I do try to stay low on sodium just in case it's why my blood pressure is normal. I still haven't figured out if it's normal because I keep the sodium low or if I don't have to keep the sodium low because it's normal. But I'm not a fantatic about the sodium thing. :)
    My take on why sodium sucks for so many is because they don't drink enough water daily and get in potassium RDA in a day. That's NOT to day that there are those that have to be careful because of genetics with sodium.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • dragon_girl26
    dragon_girl26 Posts: 2,187 Member
    I drink Coke Zero and Mountain Dew Zero, and put sugar free kool-aid packets in water bottles sometimes. Other than that, I'm mostly a full fat/ full calorie gal. Fat free (especially dairy) products aren't worth eating, IMO.
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,759 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    glassyo wrote: »
    I don't normally eat reduced fat foods (at least I don't seek them out) and I don't waste my calories on drinks (unless I'm doing the liquid diet thing and have a protein shake) and I DEFINITELY don't eat reduced sugar. :)

    I try to save my calories where I can tho so I use I Can't Believe It's Not Butter on bread and stuff like that.

    I do try to stay low on sodium just in case it's why my blood pressure is normal. I still haven't figured out if it's normal because I keep the sodium low or if I don't have to keep the sodium low because it's normal. But I'm not a fantatic about the sodium thing. :)
    My take on why sodium sucks for so many is because they don't drink enough water daily and get in potassium RDA in a day. That's NOT to day that there are those that have to be careful because of genetics with sodium.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    You know what was really weird? When I was on weight watchers and didn't pay attention to sodium and never drank water....I hit a plateau and was doing research on what was causing it. I lowered my sodium and started drinking water and it didn't make a bit of difference. I figured I'd magically drop water weight but...nope!
  • AndreaTamira
    AndreaTamira Posts: 272 Member
    I drink diet sodas, and I add non-sugar sweetener to my oatmeal and sometimes hot chocolate (when I have cals to spare I use date paste instead. Love the stuff).

    That's about it, really.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    I do use a few sugar free items(flavored syrup for coffee, sweet n low for tea, light Greek yogurt, unsweetened soymilk, coke zero/diet coke and clear sodas). I don't mind some reduced or low fat dairy items(like yogurt or milk).
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,029 Member
    glassyo wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    glassyo wrote: »
    I don't normally eat reduced fat foods (at least I don't seek them out) and I don't waste my calories on drinks (unless I'm doing the liquid diet thing and have a protein shake) and I DEFINITELY don't eat reduced sugar. :)

    I try to save my calories where I can tho so I use I Can't Believe It's Not Butter on bread and stuff like that.

    I do try to stay low on sodium just in case it's why my blood pressure is normal. I still haven't figured out if it's normal because I keep the sodium low or if I don't have to keep the sodium low because it's normal. But I'm not a fantatic about the sodium thing. :)
    My take on why sodium sucks for so many is because they don't drink enough water daily and get in potassium RDA in a day. That's NOT to day that there are those that have to be careful because of genetics with sodium.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    You know what was really weird? When I was on weight watchers and didn't pay attention to sodium and never drank water....I hit a plateau and was doing research on what was causing it. I lowered my sodium and started drinking water and it didn't make a bit of difference. I figured I'd magically drop water weight but...nope!
    Well you may have had to see what your balance for sodium/potassium and water is to drop water weight. Lots of people miss out on potassium and that's what moves water out of the cells. If there's more sodium than potassium, water moves into the cells for what's called osmolality, meaning you need equal amounts of water inside and outside the cell.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
    Eh, some of both. I use light mayo and margarine. I do diet soda and sometimes do halo top. I use stevia in my coffee. I use unsweetened cashew milk for most things. Conversely my cottage cheese, yogurt, ranch and cheese are regular full fat stuff. If I want a baked good or chips, I'm going for the real thing.

    Just depends on how much of a difference I notice. In some things, none. In others, a lot. When a lot I don't care, it's a painless way to cut some calories.

    That said I DID have to go specifically to some full fat versions of some stuff because apparently I went too far and was losing my actual crap from hunger due to not lack of calories but lack of fat.
  • pancakerunner
    pancakerunner Posts: 6,137 Member
    I don't do low fat or low sodium as i think both are essential in any diet (unless it is something that has an excessive amount of sodium like soy sauce or the like)... or if it is something like canned tuna, I opt for packaged in water over oil. BUTTTT I do often use lower sugar or sugar free items... sugar free jello, pudding, diet coke, etc. I don't think sugar is necessary and it negatively effects me.
  • MsCzar
    MsCzar Posts: 1,073 Member
    I keep a bag of monkfruit in the kitchen to sprinkle on over-tart fruit to sweeten overnight and enjoy sugar-free Jello. Once in a blue moon, I'll have a diet soda, but I'd rather get my fizz fix from sparkling water.
  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
    Oh. Sodium. I don't do low sodium. My husband does. One of us tends to eat a lot of canned crap and has high blood pressure. The other one is me and if I go low sodium I feel like crap, fast.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    edited February 2021
    I am low sodium because I have kidney stones
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    Diet coke or ginger ale.

    If you want to count low fat stuff, 1% cottage cheese and 0-2% greek yogurt (depending on the use, and what I have on hand) and 90-95% lean ground beef (depending on the usage) and skinless chicken breast/thigh (although I probably have them skin on more often).

    I've been making yogurt myself lately with whole milk, but once I am sure I have the hang of it I will try it with skim. I don't drink milk now, but grew up with 2% or skim, and for me full fat dairy (other than butter or cheese, of course, or ice cream, although I don't tend to eat sweets that often lately) has no taste advantages over lower fat, and the lower fat is just as satisfying and sating for far fewer cals. I'd rather get my additional fat cals from olives or avocado or nuts and seeds, or eating chicken with the skin on it, etc. -- more satisfying for me overall.

    Otherwise, I can't think of anything. I don't eat stuff with added sugar enough to opt for lower sugar (other than the diet soda, of course). When I do have dessert, I figure might as well have one that is really delicious.
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,460 Member
    No Diet Coke, etc. no erithritol, stevia, etc. but I prefer low fat in many recipes. I do eat fat, just picky about which ones.
    Won’t eat the fat that renders from meat. I often precook my meat, put it in the fridge overnight so I can skim the fat off and finish the dish the next day. I drink skim or 2% milk, But I will never give up my whipped cream or butter,
    I agree with enjoying life, but that will mean different things for different people.
  • Mondowefte
    Mondowefte Posts: 150 Member
    I have plenty of sugar free and artificially sweetened items, as I need to keep track of my carbs, and I have salt reduced as I often find fully salted foods overwhelming. But I love my full fat items, especially yoghurt. Many diet products take the taste out and replace it with disappointment.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,885 Member
    Well, I don't drink diet soda. But I don't drink the regular version either 😁

    I don't watch my sodium intake at all. I have borderline low blood pressure, so I don't need to.

    I don't watch my sugar intake at all either, but I don't have blood sugar issues. And I don't have much of a sweet tooth either.

    Low-fat dairy: I was raised on semi-skimmed milk, so that's what we still buy. My skyr yoghurt is 0 percent fat, but I'm not a huge fan of yoghurt anyway, just looked for the best high protein option for breakfast with not too many calories, so I have more calories left for the rest of the day, for food I really enjoy 😁
    We gave a diet version of Ben & Jerry ice-cream a try (since we always eat a pint in one sitting): I don't think it's low fat per se, more like aerated, so less weight for the same volume. It's was OK, but haven't bought it again.

    I don't look for reduced-fat options generally speaking, I tend to look for options that are lower fat inherently. Simply for the reason that my calorie allowance is not as big as that of a buff guy who works out 😉
  • VegjoyP
    VegjoyP Posts: 2,773 Member
    edited February 2021
    I do not like soda, juice, regular candy and most desserts do not make me feel good and there are endless ways I can have something that is like a treat. I am plant based, so no dairy. I do not use low fat but did for years. I do not buy things with added sugars except if a negligible amount. I do use Skinny Syrups, occasional Walden Farms syrups, unsweetened almond, coconut and cashew milk. I love Garden of Life Fit bars and some other products labeled as "Weight loss" but its because of nutritional profile. The name on a product can be misleading. There are a lot of "Diet" foods with questionable ingredients. I like using raw cacao, cacao powder, nuts, dates, figs, stevia, xylitol, erythritol and sugar free preserves. If it was between a "diet" cheesecake that was not vegan or a vegan cheesecake but with sugar I would go for vegan because I only have cheesecake on my birthday or a holiday and would rather have vegan than no sugar. I am thinking about ordering sugar free halvah because I love halvah! lol. I love hot chocolate and make my own with unsweetened chocolate almond milk, unsweetened cocoa powder, stevia and skinny syrups. I have made desserts using protein powder, coconut flower, etc.

    This is a great site for alternatives to foods and desserts-

    https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/
  • SuzySunshine99
    SuzySunshine99 Posts: 2,989 Member
    I drink diet sodas (Coke Zero is preferred).
    Nonfat Greek yogurt. (Tastes good to me, and I'd rather save the calories for something else)
    Reduced fat milk (1%, this is what I grew up with, so tastes normal to me).

    That's about it...cheese always needs to be full fat.
  • jamloche
    jamloche Posts: 109 Member
    G. Hughes Barbecue Sauce. Only 33 calories per 100g.

    Saved my life.
  • FitAgainBy55
    FitAgainBy55 Posts: 179 Member
    edited February 2021
    I don't drink soda, so the only diet drink would be light beer :smile:

    We don't eat diet food -- we eat real food, lots of fat, salt and other seasoning but not a lot of sugar.

    One benefit of working from home for the last year and my wife's early retirement is that we now eat almost 100% whole foods cooked from scratch. There are no low fat ingredients in those meals. I don't believe snacking is beneficial, so no need for light snacks or fat free yogurt etc... My wife cooks dinners during the week when I work, and I cook dinners on the weekends. We don't cook diet meals, we cook normal full fat foods with LOTS of veggie sides and control portions. On weekends I smoke ribs, steak, pork shoulders, salmon, whole chickens with skin etc... I use LOTs of salt and olive oil when cooking but there is generally no added sugar in anything we prepare.

    While I don't monitor my micros or try to hit any specific target, this kind of eating lends itself to about 50% fat, 25% carbs, 25% protein.

    Eating real food and simply controlling portions has always been successful for me. My weight loss always matches the CICO model and I really don't have issues with hunger, even at a 750 per day deficit.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    VegjoyP wrote: »
    I do not like soda, juice, regular candy and most desserts do not make me feel good and there are endless ways I can have something that is like a treat. I am plant based, so no dairy. I do not use low fat but did for years. I do not buy things with added sugars except if a negligible amount. I do use Skinny Syrups, occasional Walden Farms syrups, unsweetened almond, coconut and cashew milk. I love Garden of Life Fit bars and some other products labeled as "Weight loss" but its because of nutritional profile. The name on a product can be misleading. There are a lot of "Diet" foods with questionable ingredients. I like using raw cacao, cacao powder, nuts, dates, figs, stevia, xylitol, erythritol and sugar free preserves. If it was between a "diet" cheesecake that was not vegan or a vegan cheesecake but with sugar I would go for vegan because I only have cheesecake on my birthday or a holiday and would rather have vegan than no sugar. I am thinking about ordering sugar free halvah because I love halvah! lol. I love hot chocolate and make my own with unsweetened chocolate almond milk, unsweetened cocoa powder, stevia and skinny syrups. I have made desserts using protein powder, coconut flower, etc.

    This is a great site for alternatives to foods and desserts-

    https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/

    I really like her cauliflower mac and cheese, although I'm not sure how faithfully I follow the recipe - I think I mash it up with my Joy of Cooking recipe. But I love the addition of cauliflower to bulk up and thus reduce the calories of homemade mac & cheese.

    She gives options for making it vegan or GF.

    https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/cauliflower-mac-and-cheese-recipe/
  • Whatsthemotive
    Whatsthemotive Posts: 145 Member
    I drink Diet Pepsi. I’m not using other “low fat” foods right now as I’m doing almost all my own cooking and so I start from real food ingredients. I’m not snobby about it though. My husband still buys some frozen meals and I’d guess we’re having those once every 2 to three weeks. When I was going into the office instead of working from home, I used Lean Cuisine or Smart Ones meals pretty regularly but they didn’t satisfy me that well and I’d hit the vending machines pretty often. Now that I’m at home, it’s easier for me to have a piece of fruit or a healthier snack. I know people plan for their days working out of the house but I never developed the good habit.
  • suzij27
    suzij27 Posts: 199 Member
    I do not care for the taste of artificial sweeteners.I tried the Skinny Syrups based on how many people on MFP love them, but it ruined my coffee! ☹️😝 I use vanilla soy milk in my coffee most days, but if I’m out I use milk and no sweetener. I have a regular root beer once or twice a year.

    I eat low-fat Greek yogurt and when I have milk. Oh, and light sour cream or cheese in recipes that have so many ingredients that it isn’t noticeable. But not if I eating a piece of cheese.

    What I’ve found is that some “light” products taste better to me than the regular versions, but it is trial and error. I feel better when I eat less packaged foods, so proportionally they are only a small part of my daily intake, whether light or regular.
  • kiwilimeade
    kiwilimeade Posts: 14 Member
    I love soda! Actually grew up on diet but then learned to love regular soda, oops. I'm cutting back now. I still drink some regular soda if I'm sharing with my partner, but now I measure it out and limit how much I drink. Otherwise, I'm going back to diet version now. I have soda once a week on average.
  • panda4153
    panda4153 Posts: 418 Member
    It’s definitely a combo for me like many others have posted. I drink diet soda, regular soda is not worth the calories for me. However I like real sugar in my tea, and real butter on my toast. I do use reduced fat milk, and reduced or no fat yogurt, but full fat cheese. It depends on the product really, if I can reduce calories without sacrificing flavor and satiety then I will go with the light version, but if it alters flavor too much it’s not worth it to me. Ranch dressing is a good example only the real thing will do.
  • 190reasonswhy
    190reasonswhy Posts: 25 Member
    I don’t drink sodas very often. When drink soda it will be diet fresca. I’m HUGE on stevia in coffee lately. I also have skinny syrups (pumpkin spice, vanilla, hazelnut). I also like diet cottage cheese and yogurt.
  • spyro88
    spyro88 Posts: 472 Member
    I suppose I have quite a few when I think about it! I drink Pepsi Max and I'll often go for low fat versions of dairy things like milk, creme fraiche, mayo, yoghurt. I use an olive oil spread instead of butter.

    With cheese I will only go for the low fat one if I'm actively trying to lose weight as I notice the difference quite a lot there. That's one thing I find it difficult to compromise on! :)

    I definitely think some of the low fat/ "diet" options have a place, for me I've always used some in every day life, for some people just when they are trying to lose weight or eat a lower calorie/ fat/ sugar diet.

    Sometimes you definitely need the real deal but I find I can happily compromise on quite a lot of things day-to-day.

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