Stop drinking diet soda? Does is really make a difference?

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I go back and forth about quitting drinking soda. I feel like it's my one thing I can't totally let go of. I'm addicted to soda and it's a daily ritual for me, one fountain drink a day. I've quit drinking soda in the past for a few months/weeks/days and etc but it doesn't seem to make a HUGE difference on the scale. Although I know it'd be an all-around better decision on my health, I wonder how much damage it's actually doing on my weightloss journey. Thoughts?

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  • Revenga1980
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    I have the same problem. I'd be interested in finding the answer to this also
  • Sheila1968
    Sheila1968 Posts: 106
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    I've tried giving it up all together for months, and saw no difference on the scale or in my clothes, so I went back to my one diet soda a day habit. (I don't drink coffee, so it's my caffeine fix at work.) Other people swear that it makes a big difference. I suppose if you're drinking lots of sugar soda the calories would add up rather quickly and switching to water or tea would help.
  • jcpmoore
    jcpmoore Posts: 796 Member
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    If you're currently drinking only one small soda per day, or one 16 oz soda per day, it's probably not something to worry about. The real issue is when you don't track it or you drink a LOT of soda. IF it's a HUGE soda (like those so-called mediums or larges at the drive throughs), that's too much generally.

    The skinny on soda, as I understand it (I'm not a pro, just fyi):

    Regular soda has tons of sugar , so tons of calories. Make sure you track it and the true amount that you drink.

    Diet soda has only a few calories, depending on whether it's made with nutrasweet or splenda. The theory is that the artificial sweeteners trick your body into wanting something sweet and then you either a) drink more diet soda than you should and not enough water or b) eat junk food.

    If your amount of soda is well controlled and you are tracking it and allowing for it in your plan, then you're probably fine and I wouldn't stress about it.

    ETA: If you're drinking one diet soda per day, I wouldn't worry about the theories out there. The main concerns are surrounding those who drink higher amounts of diet soda.
  • heatherrose86
    heatherrose86 Posts: 43 Member
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    I am curious as well. I drink a few cans of diet coke per day.

    I HAVE noticed though, that since no longer eating much sugar, it doesn't taste as good. I can taste the artificial sweetner more and it's a bit gross.

    Like the other day when I ordered a skinny caramel macchiato (sugar free syrup) and it tasted like *kitten*.