Drinking Diet Sodas

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Beppy8
Beppy8 Posts: 9 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have heard contradictory information regarding drinking diet sodas. Some say that it doesn't matter if you drink one or two a day while others say that the artifical sugars can actually cause hunger and weight gain. What do you guys think? Is it okay to drink diet soda while dieting or is it better to avoid it all together. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks.
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Replies

  • vrdz3215
    vrdz3215 Posts: 493
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    I would say avoid it all together. Soda makes you retain water and feel bloated, plus it has absolutely no nutritional value. Many people will tell you that they lost 5 or more lbs just by no longer drinking soda. Water is always your best bet when trying to lose weight. If you want some flavor for the water there are sooo many of those drink mixers out there that add litle or no calories to water. A diet soda every know and then is okay, but the key is moderation.
  • tig3rang3l
    tig3rang3l Posts: 270 Member
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    I've been doing a little research on this, because I drink A LOT of diet coke, and so does my family. Since I started looking into it, though, I've cut back significantly. There seems to be a lot of evidence popping up that not only is pop just bad for you in general (even for your teeth...) aspartame itself does some pretty wacky things to your brain. As for the weight loss... most people generally agree that having something sweet without calories will actually make it harder to lose weight.

    My suggestion is this.... do a little research of your own. Talk to a nutritionist and doctor, or even just google "diet coke" and "health". Each of us needs to make our own choices on what we put into our bodies... none of us can tell you one way or the other what is best for you.
  • azwildcatfan94
    azwildcatfan94 Posts: 314 Member
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    In my opinion, it is ok every once in a while (less than one per day). But, the sodium can cause water retention. The artificial sweeteners could cause cancer. I have not nocticed it causing me to have increased hunger. Of course, the best thing to drink is water. But, sometimes, you just want something different.
  • belldandy1
    belldandy1 Posts: 264 Member
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    All of the information I have heard about diet soda has been negative. I have heard the same thing as you, that diet soda makes you eat more. I try to stick with water and herbal and green tea and that is really it. I have also heard that the carbonation in soda depletes the calcium in your system and makes you lose some bone density. I am not positive that that is true though.
  • fiftyandfit
    fiftyandfit Posts: 349 Member
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    I used to be a Diet Coke addict, at least a 2 litre bottle a day. Then I noticed I was getting really bloated and nauseated. Decided to give it up to see if that's what was causing the bowel nastiness......sure enough after about a week of withdrawls - headache, fatigue, etc.- the symptoms were gone. Now I drink water straight, don't like those flavor packets even tho DH does. Every now and then I'll have a Sprite Zero, but no caffeine and no dark syrup sodas.
  • abatres7
    abatres7 Posts: 146
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    My uncle is a Doctor in New York, and has always warned me about diet soda and what he calls fake sugar. Really bad for you and makes you crave more sweets. He said if you have to have sweets, eat less but go for real sugar. Watch artificial sweetner in food as well. Activia lowfat yogurt uses artificial sweetner
  • sassekel
    sassekel Posts: 114 Member
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    well there is no doubt diet soda isn't good nutrition. however as an ex diet coke addict, I still have one when I feel like it. Took me awhile to learn to drink water. I don't think one a day will cause a big problem as long as you get your water in also.
  • Valtishia
    Valtishia Posts: 811 Member
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    I'm not quite sure on this topic although I have heard that aspartame does some nasty things to your body if consumed in high amounts. The other thing I have come across is that some people do not have a tolerance for aspartame so it affects them much differently that the general population.
    For myself I reserve diet pop for when I am having a night out where alcohol will be involved. I have found since I stopped drinking it on a regular basis it makes me feel full while I am having a meal long before I should be when I have it... but that is just the carbonation doing that. I don't bother now for that reason cause I already have a hard enough time now getting my calorie intake in for the day.
  • Hanni
    Hanni Posts: 158 Member
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    dont do it. (read the skinny b*tch book) and you will prefer water, just like me now. I was addicted to diet coke until i read whats in it. :frown:

    Even my boyfriend calls it now "cancer juice" and has turned to juice instead...
  • LadyZen
    LadyZen Posts: 153 Member
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    I used to drink a lot of diet sodas. I would also have headaches daily no matter if I took headache medicine or not...they would last all day sometimes. Then someone told me to stop drinking them because aspartame causes headaches (along with other really bad things). Also to stop eating anything with aspartame in it like light yogurt, etc. I stopped around Christmas time and honestly have only had 2 or 3 headaches since!!!!! That was just because I was really tired. If I crave a pop, I'll have a real one. I can burn off those cals; it's hard to get rid of all that aspartame in your body though. I was also told that it turns into fermaldihyde (I don't think that I spelled that right...) which is what they use to embolme (again spelling?) things! YIKES!!!:noway: :noway: :noway:
  • lessertess
    lessertess Posts: 855 Member
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    I find that I can have a couple to three sodas a week and they actually curb my cravings for sweets. I'm not allergic to artificial sweeteners so I don't have any poor physical responses to them and I have no trouble with weight loss.

    That being said, when I consume more than that I find that other poor behaviors follow. I think it's because I've become lax on concentrating on my health. I don't have any bad physical responses and I don't really crave sugar any more than normal.....I just tend to lose some of my will power to be healthy.

    So, once again...moderation is key.
  • MissVitaVonCherry
    MissVitaVonCherry Posts: 709 Member
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    :flowerforyou: Im not a soda drinker, but I would think if you need one have one, you know:bigsmile:
  • vrdz3215
    vrdz3215 Posts: 493
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    dont do it. (read the skinny b*tch book) and you will prefer water, just like me now. I was addicted to diet coke until i read whats in it. :frown:

    Even my boyfriend calls it now "cancer juice" and has turned to juice instead...


    I read that book and it def makes you not want to drink diet coke, or milk, or eat meat....
  • Sezzwick
    Sezzwick Posts: 12
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    I think the ladies here have some very valuable advice! As a reformed Diet Coke addict I have turned to water as well. sometimes I find it really hard to drink as much as I should and I was putting crystal light into it...but then I realized I was trading one artificial sweetner for another. So now if I need to "jazz up" my water I make some steeped herbal fruit tea and a little honey and keep it in a water jug in the fridge.....it's delicious! Also if you fill a water jug with lemon and lime slices and keep it in the fridge it's very refreshing!!

    :drinker:
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    soda
    diet or regular is crap and you should avoid it

    take a test

    dont drink it for 10 days..your skin gets clearer and you feel better

    who doesnt want clear skin and to feel better?

    there is nothing good about it
    it is garbage and it costs money
  • kimber607
    kimber607 Posts: 7,128 Member
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    Hi

    I have to agree...soda is just crap no matter how you cut it
    I drink water, green tea and the occasional fuze (slenderize)
    You get used to it, and you won't miss soda after a but...promise!
    Kim
  • mommyto2cuties
    mommyto2cuties Posts: 82 Member
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    I drink diet coke at restaurants. It helps me feel like I have something to enjoy and prevents me from overeating. I try to avoid it at home because I know that water is clearly the best thing to drink.
  • molsongirl
    molsongirl Posts: 1,373 Member
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    I've been doing a little research on this, because I drink A LOT of diet coke, and so does my family. Since I started looking into it, though, I've cut back significantly. There seems to be a lot of evidence popping up that not only is pop just bad for you in general (even for your teeth...) aspartame itself does some pretty wacky things to your brain. As for the weight loss... most people generally agree that having something sweet without calories will actually make it harder to lose weight.

    My suggestion is this.... do a little research of your own. Talk to a nutritionist and doctor, or even just google "diet coke" and "health". Each of us needs to make our own choices on what we put into our bodies... none of us can tell you one way or the other what is best for you.

    excellent advice....I used to drink 4-8 cans of diet coke a day, now it's one can every other day, eventually i'll cut it all out, but not yet, and i've switched to diet decaf coke. I don't smoke, drink, drive fast, rob banks or steal candy from babies, so I figure I can have this one little "bad" indulgence..lol
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    Options
    I've been doing a little research on this, because I drink A LOT of diet coke, and so does my family. Since I started looking into it, though, I've cut back significantly. There seems to be a lot of evidence popping up that not only is pop just bad for you in general (even for your teeth...) aspartame itself does some pretty wacky things to your brain. As for the weight loss... most people generally agree that having something sweet without calories will actually make it harder to lose weight.

    My suggestion is this.... do a little research of your own. Talk to a nutritionist and doctor, or even just google "diet coke" and "health". Each of us needs to make our own choices on what we put into our bodies... none of us can tell you one way or the other what is best for you.

    excellent advice....I used to drink 4-8 cans of diet coke a day, now it's one can every other day, eventually i'll cut it all out, but not yet, and i've switched to diet decaf coke. I don't smoke, drink, drive fast, rob banks or steal candy from babies, so I figure I can have this one little "bad" indulgence..lol

    you would be better off robbing banks baby
  • chrissyh
    chrissyh Posts: 8,235 Member
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    Well the last soda I had was April 30th - haven't had one since and at this point don't miss them....I have found that I get my servings of water in easily when I am skipping the soda. I've read the carbonation is bad for your digestion and of course the artificial sweetners are bad, the caffiene isn't a bonus either.....I will drink one when/if I want one but definitely glad to be soda free at the moment.

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