Ex diet soda drinkers...

I used to drink 4-5 Diet Cokes a day. I quit the day I decided to get healthy. Not lose weight, get healthy. There is nothing healthy about pop. I never looked back. People drink it around me from time to time and I have not probelm with it. I never thought that I could do it. I sleep better (more deeply) and the pain in my muscles is now from hard cardio and strength training not form Aspertame in my system. I will never drink it again and I won't miss it. My daughters both quit drinking it 6 and 7 years ago and are much happier that they stopped.

This has been an interesting thread to read. I switched to diet soda thinking it was a better choice ...I love cola. Just the sound of the bottle opening makes my mouth water. but then I found that my asthma was out of control. I already watch what additives my kids eat, esp msg and preservatives. what I didnt know was that preservatives set off my asthma and combined with artificial sweetners ( any) and I could hardly breathe!

I also notoced a significant mood swing after drinking cola, any - very irritable and grumpy.

I figure through my own experience I was reacting to sugar overload.

I rarely have any soda now. If i do it would be full sugar variety, but only Schweppes lemonade is preservative free.

In NZ and aussie there is an interesting book
- fed up with food additives- which shows what effect additives and preservatives can have. Not everyone reacts, but it sure is interesting reading. There is a website too, I think it is Fedup.com

I few years ago I found myself dring 2 or 3 32 ounce cups of diet pop each and every day. Like you I had heard random theroies about diet pop causing weight gain, fooling your body into releasing insulin, bloat, and people dixolving nails in diet cola, and what it might be doing to me. I decided to give up diet pop for lent (6 or 7 weeks). I'm not particularly religious, but used the opportunity for my own well being and as a test. I substituted milk, water, lemonade (real sugar), iced tea (straight - no sweetener or sugar).

I did NOT lose OR gain weight as a result of eliminating diet pop from my diet.

I did notice other changes. I no longer needed 3 refills on my drink in restaurants. I didn't have to make as many trips to the restroom. I wasn't thirsty all the time, in other words, I was better hydrated even though I drank less fluid.

I do drink diet pop now, but I have never returned to the huge amount I drank before. One is enough. Tea, water, milk, juice and even coffee have been shown to have beneficial effects, when taken moderately. I have never seen an article about the healthy benefits of diet pop. The only thing diet pop has going for it is no calories.

Soda, diet or not, has a lot of sodium, which retains water as well.

No, it doesn't. This 20 oz bottle I am drinking has 70 mg.

if you throw back several a day and pair it with a salty meal, it adds up. Sodium also exacerbates thirst

Not to be rude, but what's your point? I don't throw back several a day and the salty meal would still be salty regardless of the small amount of sodium in the soda I drank with it.

I love how when people are being rude, they say "not to be rude"
My point is do what you want, just most people are not aware of what they are doing to themselves. Not necessarily people on here, I am just saying education is a good idea about foods and beverages. I am not trying to diss anyone's choices, I am just saying sodium in diet soda can add up especially when people are not paying attention. Also, I never said that this makes diet soda a "high sodium" food. Sheesh.

I wasn't being rude. I genuinely wanted to figure out what you were trying to say. But since YOU were rude, allow me to spell it out for you. You made no sense.

I went from 3 or 4 cans a day to 0... and I've actually gained weight... I drink water...like 100oz per day... and am still gaining... very annoyed by this... because I would understand if I went from drinking a 0 cal drink to like juice or milk that has like 100 cals per serving...but I went to water... Maybe my body is protesting because it wants the DC back... not sure, but since I am already past the headache stage, I'm not going to ever go back to diet coke! It was totally a one-sided relationship!

I cut it out completely the first month. I don't know if it's helped with the weight loss (I think my nutrition and exercise overhaul has really done more for that), but I believe that when I had soda during my work day (probably had 1-2 20 oz. bottles a day, almost every day), I felt the urge to snack more, usually salty snacks.

I have a Diet Coke on occasion now. I actually -enjoy- the taste of the soda again when I have one.

Oh yeah when I quit drinking it I lost a lot of weight fast. The sodium artificial sweeteners and chemicals are so bad for you.
I gave it up cold turkey and I was grouchy and had bad headaches at first but I feel a lot better in general.

The major reason I gave up drinking soft drinks is because of health concerns. Soft drinks (diet or otherwise) *can* contribute to osteoporosis and kidney issues. I'm sure it's not a problem for everyone but it was a concern for me, especially since I'm short and have a small build. :ohwell:

I have been trying to cut calories and lose weight for a while and I exercise about 5 days a week. I only lost weight in the past 6 weeks and only after cutting out diet Coke and Crystal Lite. By eliminating them, I don't have cravings for chips, fast food, and other processed foods. I do have a diet coke every week or so, but I notice on those days I also make other poor food choices. I am convinced that it is related. Since the change I have lost 14 pounds.

I drink too much diet soda. I try to stay away from those sweetened with aspartame and go for the sucrose sweetened ones instead. But yeah, it's a habit I've yet to get out of. It doesn't seem to be adversely affecting my weight loss though.

I stopped drinking the ones with aspartame because I had more headaches when I drank those regularly. I now drink only diet rite. And for those with the sodium argument, diet rite does not have any sodium. It also is without the caffeine... if that is of concern. I say if you aren't ready to give them up... don't for now, but later on you may feel ready.

I generally have one diet soda per day; I started drinking flavored seltzer water to help keep that down to one soda per day. Although it is somewhat of an acquired taste, I like the fizz and the light flavor that is a bit like soda--not to mention that it helps on my water itake. Canada Dry has some pretty good flavors, as well.

I think you have nothing to worry about if you are drinking 1-2 cans per day, as long as you are enjoying them, and as long as you are not one of the people who react adversly to the addititives

I have cut out diet soda's at this point, and I think it is helping me reduce the cravings, but I was drinking 8 cans per day, and doing it between meals, and always had a strong urge to eat afterwards (yes I became one of those dreaded people who ate a chocolate bar with a diet soda!).

I am thinking of starting drinking them again, though as a substitute for beer (which is my major source of empty calories) and only with a meal.

I gave them up as well, but I did notice I drink more beer now. I might also try an occasional diet soda instead of a beer or drink and see how that goes. Alot less calories thats for sure, and if its only occasionally it might work. Thanks for the idea

I used to drink a lot of diet sodas and lots of sweetners. I never touch them anymore. I think it's a crutch. I have lost over 100 pounds before and gained it right back. The sweetners are like cheating.

I think I need to find the discipline to get rid of the bad stuff, and that includes the artificially sweetened drinks. If you don't you are just faking it. When you start to make wise decisions about the things you consume it starts to work.

Hi everyone, my name is Crystal and I'm a dietcokeaholic. When I started MFP at the beginning of January, I drank a whopping 9-12 cans a day. I weaned myself down and now enjoy a diet coke about once a week. I now drink 8-12 glasses of water a day instead. I didn't necessarily notice a change one way or another in the weight loss, but my wallet is alot heavier now :-)