Diet soda ?

k900
k900 Posts: 140 Member
edited November 8 in Food and Nutrition
Is it really that bad ? I know water or tea is a better choice but i have been hearing lately how even diet soda can make you gain weight/prevent you from loosing weight.
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Replies

  • Shazam27
    Shazam27 Posts: 5
    I probably have seen some of those same things you have seen about how diet soda is bad for you. I drink a lot of diet pepsi. I used to drink about 2x44oz while at work, then come home and have at least 2-3 more cans with dinner and into the evening. Over the last 4 months, I usually have a couple cans in the morning, a 20oz bottle at lunch, and 1-2 in the evennig - - which is a lot less :)

    Since I started a weight loss contest 3 weeks ago here at work, I am losing weight with that 68ish ounces every day. I havent adjusted my pop intake at all. I have however started drinking a lot more water.

    So long story short, I dont think it prevents or hinders weight loss. Maybe my weight loss would be more accellerated (started 3 weeks ago at 222, now 214) - but I think I am doing just fine. I do worry about the other effects of the other chemicals within the diet soda (carbonation on my stomach, aspartime on who knows what, caffeine)...
  • kardowling
    kardowling Posts: 221 Member
    I gave it up. Drink fruit flavored Seltza water. Too much junk in it. I felt I was setting a bad example for my kids. I let them have soda only once in awhile.
  • MrsLawsonNavyBrat2B
    MrsLawsonNavyBrat2B Posts: 170
    ** keep it mind I am saying this while drinking a diet coke **

    Diet soda is not great for you, but it is better than regular. I drink a soda once every 1-2 weeks. I use to only drink diet soda (no water, no milk- except during softball/volleyball season).

    You can drink it, just do not let it be the ONLY thing you drink!


    Good luck!
  • PDiddy0913
    PDiddy0913 Posts: 65
    From my experience, I lose weight while drinking diet soda. Its helps keep me full and keeps my sweet tooth in check. I don't drink alcohol at all. I don't smoke. I figure if this is the ONLY "bad" thing I do, then so be it. I drink 1-2 cans of diet soda a day and otherwise, it's water. No coffee. No tea. No juice. It's all I got and I love it!
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
    I just don't trust what's in these drinks.
    It's a personal decision not to drink these diet sodas or any soda.

    I prefer water - pure water contaminated with pollution run off with a twist of pesticide laced lemon.

    It's the best that I can do given that I live on this planet.
    Maybe diet soda isn't all that bad after all, but I'm willing to take my chances with water.
  • cooter2533
    cooter2533 Posts: 108
    In terms of weight loss I think the negative affects of diet soda gets blown out of proportion, I drink it sometimes and it has never impacted my weightloss
  • SomeMorr
    SomeMorr Posts: 220 Member
    What my nutritionist told me is:

    Diet soda has artificial sweetener that is many times sweeter than natural sugar and sugar is a natural energy source for your body (obviously over indulging is not good). So when you ingest Diet sodas with no natural energy source for your body it starts to crave the energy it thought it was getting, so you tend to overeat and crave high calorie (carbs and sugars) as a result. I have switched to water and occasionally crystal light tea which still has artifical sweetener.
  • guidnca
    guidnca Posts: 64
    Diet Soda has a lot of sodium in it, so it creates some water retention. That is water weight.
  • malliexo
    malliexo Posts: 76 Member
    The artificial sweetener in the diet soda is terrible for you. Try your best to stay away from it.

    If you have any type of headaches at all the artificial sweetener is probably to blame.

    This is a pretty good article about the pros and cons of artificial sweetners: http://www.medicinenet.com/artificial_sweeteners/article.htm
  • iuangina
    iuangina Posts: 691 Member
    Never had a problem with diet soda and weight gain. I drink A LOT of it, but I also drink tons of water. I make myself drink at least 64 oz of water before I have a diet soda. There's actually not that much sodium in diet soda. Every pound I've lost has been covered in coke zero and diet coke.
  • gopatsgo09
    gopatsgo09 Posts: 2 Member
    I've been drinking diet soda since I started my diet, and I'm still losing. The reason they say it can make you gain weight is because the artificial sweeteners can trigger your craving of sweets. So, the bottom line is, if you can keep that in check, you should be fine. I find that the diet soda helps my sweet tooth, but everyone is different. Good luck!
  • malliexo
    malliexo Posts: 76 Member
    What my nutritionist told me is:

    Diet soda has artificial sweetener that is many times sweeter than natural sugar and sugar is a natural energy source for your body (obviously over indulging is not good). So when you ingest Diet sodas with no natural energy source for your body it starts to crave the energy it thought it was getting, so you tend to overeat and crave high calorie (carbs and sugars) as a result. I have switched to water and occasionally crystal light tea which still has artifical sweetener.

    She's absolutely correct!
  • hawkeygal
    hawkeygal Posts: 133 Member
    I'm a firm believer that regular pop is way better for you than diet (although ANY pop is bad for you!). Here's my PERSONAL reason why:

    I used to get migraines so severe that my doctor thought it could be a tumor (IT'S NOT A TUMOR. Sorry, bad Kindergarten Cop reference). Anyway, after 4 neurologists later, and then giving up in life, I stopped drinking diet pop. Migraines decreased SEVERELY. Not saying I'm not getting any migraines now, but ever since I stopped drinking diet, I'm getting less, and the severity of the migraines has decreased.
  • sbh2781
    sbh2781 Posts: 7
    I am not sure about the effects, I was drinking a glass of diet Dr Pepper almost every day and still lost 12 pounds in 2 weeks. If you are looking for an alternative, MiO is fantastic! I love it because it tastes great and has no sugar, fat, calories, or sodium. The best part is it fits in your purse, so when I go to a restaurant I ask for ice water and put a few shots of that in there, gives me flavor with my meal without the bad stuff, and bonus...saves me $2-3 on my bill!
  • wildhehr2
    wildhehr2 Posts: 122 Member
    I gave up my Diet Mountain Dew habit on January 1 (as part of a bet with friends). It has not affected my weight loss at all. If anything, giving up the soda has caused me to drink more regular calorie lemonade when I go out--which isn't that often. I can't wait til I win the bet, and then I'll probably go back to my regular soda consumption. The only thing I have noticed is that some foods that are sweet taste a LOT sweeter to me now. Unfortunately, it hasn't caused me to eat less of the sweet stuff. I'm working on it.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,994 Member
    What my nutritionist told me is:

    Diet soda has artificial sweetener that is many times sweeter than natural sugar and sugar is a natural energy source for your body (obviously over indulging is not good). So when you ingest Diet sodas with no natural energy source for your body it starts to crave the energy it thought it was getting, so you tend to overeat and crave high calorie (carbs and sugars) as a result. I have switched to water and occasionally crystal light tea which still has artifical sweetener.
    Your nutritionist is spouting anecdotal evidence. Ask your nutritionist to provide peer reviewed evidence to support the claim. You'll see that this is just hearsay going around the health and fitness community.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,994 Member
    Diet Soda has a lot of sodium in it, so it creates some water retention. That is water weight.
    35mg of sodium per can ISN'T alot of sodium.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • PrincessEliNa
    PrincessEliNa Posts: 524 Member
    Oi, this thread is making me crave a nice cold coca cola...
    I haven't had soda in so long, the last time I did, it tasted really weird >,>
  • ramonasowner
    ramonasowner Posts: 136 Member
    Diet soda can take the paint off your car.... I don't drink it.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,994 Member
    The artificial sweetener in the diet soda is terrible for you. Try your best to stay away from it.

    If you have any type of headaches at all the artificial sweetener is probably to blame.

    This is a pretty good article about the pros and cons of artificial sweetners: http://www.medicinenet.com/artificial_sweeteners/article.htm
    Articles aren't evidence. Peer reviewed clinical studies are.



    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,994 Member
    Diet soda can take the paint off your car.... I don't drink it.
    Myth.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • christinal83
    christinal83 Posts: 84 Member
    I'm a firm believer that regular pop is way better for you than diet (although ANY pop is bad for you!). Here's my PERSONAL reason why:

    I used to get migraines so severe that my doctor thought it could be a tumor (IT'S NOT A TUMOR. Sorry, bad Kindergarten Cop reference). Anyway, after 4 neurologists later, and then giving up in life, I stopped drinking diet pop. Migraines decreased SEVERELY. Not saying I'm not getting any migraines now, but ever since I stopped drinking diet, I'm getting less, and the severity of the migraines has decreased.

    Sounds like caffeine withdraws..
  • tylersmama1224
    tylersmama1224 Posts: 79
    I cut soda out all together and it's killing me. If I want to cheat I have dr.pepper 10. Diet soda is horrible for you though, it has twice the amount of acid that regular soda does. My dentist said if I am going to drink soda he would rather it be regular so I am not acid bathing my teeth, lol.
  • LabRat529
    LabRat529 Posts: 1,323 Member
    You can find all the scientific literature you want about diet drinks (or specifically the sweeteners in the drinks) at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed (suggested search terms: artificial sweeteners, or aspartame, or sucralose). I've spent a lot of time ready about them. I personally have concluded that diet drinks are fine.
  • ramonasowner
    ramonasowner Posts: 136 Member
    I'm a firm believer that regular pop is way better for you than diet (although ANY pop is bad for you!). Here's my PERSONAL reason why:

    I used to get migraines so severe that my doctor thought it could be a tumor (IT'S NOT A TUMOR. Sorry, bad Kindergarten Cop reference). Anyway, after 4 neurologists later, and then giving up in life, I stopped drinking diet pop. Migraines decreased SEVERELY. Not saying I'm not getting any migraines now, but ever since I stopped drinking diet, I'm getting less, and the severity of the migraines has decreased.

    I think this has happened for me. I lived off the stuff, had horrible headaches, and plantar facitis( foot pain). A doctor told me once that it increased calcification on my ligaments, making my foot pain worse. I quit the stuff and ended up becoming a runner years later, no PF pain.
  • mathgirl
    mathgirl Posts: 61 Member
    Diet or not, its very low in pH and tears away the enamel of your teeth.
  • christinal83
    christinal83 Posts: 84 Member
    When I switched from reg coke to diet coke a few years back I actually lost some weight. Everyone is different though.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,994 Member
    I cut soda out all together and it's killing me. If I want to cheat I have dr.pepper 10. Diet soda is horrible for you though, it has twice the amount of acid that regular soda does. My dentist said if I am going to drink soda he would rather it be regular so I am not acid bathing my teeth, lol.
    Where is the information that states that diet soda has more acid than regular soda?


    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • mrsbeebs
    mrsbeebs Posts: 5
    I cut it out cold turkey. I seriously went through a 2 day withdrawal, I loved it so much. Haven't had one in a month. I've lost 9 lbs along with a healthy diet and exercise.
  • ramonasowner
    ramonasowner Posts: 136 Member
    Diet or not, its very low in pH and tears away the enamel of your teeth.
    Word.
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