Diet Coke/Pepsi

alex6971
alex6971 Posts: 51 Member
edited November 10 in Food and Nutrition
Are these bad for diets?
«1

Replies

  • kandyjay
    kandyjay Posts: 265
    pop makes your stomache expand!
    I don't drink any pop at all. Only water with lemon juice in it
  • Soft drinks are a no no when you're dieting =P
    perhaps a treat once a week? but never daily, NEVER!
  • RAFValentina
    RAFValentina Posts: 1,231 Member
    No. I have diet coke every day and has never been detrimental... just left me on occasion feeling bit fizzy! :) Some people will say it is and that it makes you crave sugar yada, causes all this other rubbish, but a little isn't gonna harm you, maybe 1-2 cans most every day (330mlx2) I don't drink it every day, but maybe 4-8 cans a week? Maybe not every week too but y'know when I fancy a bit :)
  • they're worse for your teeth and stomach than they are your diet necessarily. sure, they're low in calories, but you have to think what else are they putting in there instead to make up for that?

    you can eat/drink anything in moderation though - the point is this should be a sustainable change to your diet, not a fad one that lasts just a few weeks. x
  • wilkyway
    wilkyway Posts: 151
    I guess it depends on the amount you drink per day. Diet sodas can be high in sodium, so if you're watching your sodium intake, that could be an issue.
    Obviously, it isn't a natural food, so lots of additives, sweeteners etc.

    But tbh, I do enjoy a tin of diet coke or diet energy drink at times. I have never noticed any 'side-effects' or any other negative effects on my weightloss at all.
    Thou that's probably bc I drink my 3-4l of water in addition each day.
  • JennieAL
    JennieAL Posts: 1,726 Member
    LOL... here we go :)

    You'll get people who say all sorts of things about diet drinks. Just use the Search function and see what I mean.

    My personal opinion: They are fine to drink while dieting or not dieting as far as weight loss goes... there doesn't seem to be any evidence that they inhibit fat loss.

    Personally, when I drink them I do find that I have some odd aches & pains if I drink quite a few. And this is not in my imagination. Do I think they're dangerous? Not sure, but I don't get those odd aches & pains if I drink lots of water. So, my common sense tells me that diet drinks are best kept in moderation, just like most things.
  • kittyminxx
    kittyminxx Posts: 14 Member
    Everyone keeps saying yes, its bad for your teeth.
    It sweet tasting so it'll make you crave for sweet things, its full of chemicals etc etc

    I used to religously only drink water, non fizzy drink ets for the last 4 years

    But how holy are you?
    I've just quit smoking started eating healthier and excercising more often.
    Diet coke helps me because i just don't like drinking plain ole water at the moment and the bubbles fill me too.

    Plus my productivity has gone through the roof with all the caffeine from them. I'm currently in the process of finding a new job & home. I could do with a boost like that!

    Life's a balance
    My best advice is don't do it all in one go because you will just end up quitting the whole thing and feeling bad about yourself...

    Lol ... sorry this diet coke argument really got to me didn't it? LOL
  • alex6971
    alex6971 Posts: 51 Member
    Thanks for all the replies.

    I could easily drink two 500ml bottles a day but have started limiting myself to one bottle.

    I do drink alot of water also but enjoy a mouthful of coke every now and again.
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
    I have Coke zero. 0 calories 0 sugar...... whoever said no soda was lying. You CAN have diet soda when you want :) just make sure you add it to your intake.
  • WhittRak
    WhittRak Posts: 567 Member
    Yes. Any kind of soda whether diet or not is bad for you.
  • Pookylou
    Pookylou Posts: 988 Member
    I have diet Coke most days and continue to lose weight.
    For me it is my sweet treat, it doesn't trigger me to want more sweets, and satisfies my cravings.
  • I am completley addicted to diet coke/pepsi. To the point where I get headaches if I try and go a day without it.

    I am working on it and have myself down to two cans a day. I have always managed to lose weight when drinking it but the problem for me is that I was choosing it over water so now I am having a can in the morning, water throughout the day and a can at night. Next step is to stop the can at night but I deffo need my morning can for now!
  • lookslikeyoda
    lookslikeyoda Posts: 161 Member
    I used to but water is just so much better for your body, I'll have probably 1 can a week.
  • alexbelly
    alexbelly Posts: 277 Member
    Diet Coke for example has no calories, and no sugar, however, fizzy drinks do bloat you.

    I think everyone will agree that soda isn't a health food and not good for you. However, a treat every once in a while won't hurt.
  • Since joining MFP i have cut them sorts of drinks and now only really drink water... find that the things i used to crave endlessly has stopped since i no longer drink coke... and water usually helps me feel fuller for longer... not to say one now and then will damage your diet though... i'm a believer of.. if you deprive yourself, you're destined to fail!!
  • sondra216379
    sondra216379 Posts: 174 Member
    I used to only drink diet coke...no water or anything else, but now thankfully I am down to 1 can a day...and 4-8 glasses of water depending on the day, and I feel so much better!
  • neo200120018
    neo200120018 Posts: 106 Member
    if you aware of the risks I dont see the problem, Im addicted to coke zero and I can admit it, on stage one is to lose weight then address the other issues, it doesnt effect my weightloss, I know when I drank caffeine free diet coke and caffeine free everything else I lost more but I need my caffeine
  • neo200120018
    neo200120018 Posts: 106 Member
    but I try not to let it stop my water intake try to drink a couple litres a day of water that is
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
    Soft drinks are a no no when you're dieting =P
    perhaps a treat once a week? but never daily, NEVER!

    So glad im not dieting then, just watching my cals and macros.

    If you account for the cals and stuff, nothing wrong with having it in moderation. It alone wont make or break a diet that way.
  • I swell up so bad bc of sodium that diet or regular colas I have to cut out. That's just my body though. I am successful when I have a Diet Rite and no I'm not advertising for them it's just what works for me and I only have one or two a week. Love the lemon water with some sweet and low for a sweet treat but personally can't do the cola's. Plus it makes my nutritionist nuts when I add things like cola and pizza to my menu. What can I say I'm doing well on the lifestyle change so a couple of bad habits are here to stay, but only in moderation. :)
  • xMsAlly
    xMsAlly Posts: 164 Member
    Apparently diet sodas are more carbonated which makes you look even more bloated. I'd just ditch the fizzy drinks all together! I rarely drink pop as a first choice. I prefer water or tea
  • im trying to get abs so i dont drink it. i used to be addicteddd.. like 5 a day. horrid!
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
    The real question should be...do you log your diet soda as water?
  • kiminikimkim
    kiminikimkim Posts: 746 Member
    Researchers have found that diet soda drinkers are 44 times more likely to suffer a heart attack compared to none drinkers:
    http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/20/us-soda-diet-idUSTRE81J03920120220

    Diet soda inhibits vitamin and mineral absorption as well. http://web.mit.edu/athletics/sportsmedicine/wcrminerals.html

    What's the point of eating fruits and vegetables if the diet soda will negate all the good stuff?
  • Railr0aderTony
    Railr0aderTony Posts: 6,803 Member
    LOL... here we go :)

    You'll get people who say all sorts of things about diet drinks. Just use the Search function and see what I mean.

    My personal opinion: They are fine to drink while dieting or not dieting as far as weight loss goes... there doesn't seem to be any evidence that they inhibit fat loss.

    Personally, when I drink them I do find that I have some odd aches & pains if I drink quite a few. And this is not in my imagination. Do I think they're dangerous? Not sure, but I don't get those odd aches & pains if I drink lots of water. So, my common sense tells me that diet drinks are best kept in moderation, just like most things.


    Yea, What she said, I used to drink too much diet soda, now i have found that I really do not need it as much. I still enjoy one every once in awhile, i have started drinking more tea and water.
  • The occasional soda probably won't hurt you. But, just something to think about here. Dark colored sodas are considered bad for your kidneys. My father was on dialysis for many years and was always told never drink dark soda. The exception to that was root beer. I never found out why.

    As with anything, it's all about moderation.
  • rjt1000
    rjt1000 Posts: 700 Member
    I guess it depends on the amount you drink per day. Diet sodas can be high in sodium, so if you're watching your sodium intake, that could be an issue.
    Obviously, it isn't a natural food, so lots of additives, sweeteners etc.

    But tbh, I do enjoy a tin of diet coke or diet energy drink at times. I have never noticed any 'side-effects' or any other negative effects on my weightloss at all.
    Thou that's probably bc I drink my 3-4l of water in addition each day.

    actually, diet coke is very low sodium especially when compared to regular soda.
  • rjt1000
    rjt1000 Posts: 700 Member
    Thanks for all the replies.

    I could easily drink two 500ml bottles a day but have started limiting myself to one bottle.

    I do drink alot of water also but enjoy a mouthful of coke every now and again.

    I drink anywhere from 4-8 cans of diet coke a day. I've lost almost 30 pounds since September. Drinking DC has no effect on weight loss. Only way it has an effect is if you are switching from regular soda to diet or vice versa.

    As far as teeth and stomach- well, yes, it does stain your teeth, same as coffee and tea do. Stomach? All depends on the person. Some people have issues with carbonation, others don't. Doesn't bother my stomach at all other than if I chug a can of it, I have a tendency to burp loudly afterward.
  • I agree...I love it, but I HAVE limited myself to a cup a day with some ice...it fills my craving and doesn't do too much damage I think. I am addicted but I've learned to squish it to a minimum :)
  • I try to drink diet coke only 1 - 2 a week, but it really helps relieve pressure in my stomach and deal with nausea and pain associated with my gastroparesis. If I need more, I'll drink more. It hasn't affected me negatively, but I know it's been linked to a generally larger waist than those who do not drink it. With that said, I think it's more the theory that by drinking diet coke, you are more inclined to binge, or crave junk food.

    Either way, I love it and I'm not giving it up. My waist is fine, it's all about moderation and self-control : )
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