Diet coke - does it make you put on weight

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  • Kara_xxx
    Kara_xxx Posts: 635 Member
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    I feel so strongly about this.

    One week ago, I gave up diet soda. I was a diet Coke, Pepsi, and Dr. Pepper person. I probably drank a 12 pack every two days. I was insanely overboard but couldn't live without them.

    Then I started to see blood in my urine. And I was like, "Uh, what more do you need?" So I quit. Cold turkey.

    On the third day, the headache and body ache was so bad I couldn't get out of bed. I was like "Wtf?" I know about caffeine withdrawals but I had no idea it would be this bad. The following day, I felt like I did when I'd recovered from a bad flu. I was weak and groggy but I could tell the worst was over.

    I cannot express to you the difference in the way I feel "on the other side." I have lost seven pounds this week. I haven't been extreme with my dieting. I'm just doing healthy stuff in moderation. But the HUGE difference is in my appetite and cravings!!! I mean, if you hear nothing else, get this part. I have always been the kind of person who felt that my appetite controlled me, not the other way around. But not this week. It's been amazing.

    Don't get me wrong. I MOURN my coffee and diet drinks. But I don't spend too much time dwelling on it. I just don't want you to minimize how much I loved them and thought I couldn't live without them.

    But I can. And so can you.

    I will never have another diet drink again. Period. And soda of any kind will be a rariety.

    I think some people can manage diet sodas just fine. But I think others, like myself, are hyper sensitive to the chemicals they put in them and therefore get addicted and have negative reactions. The only way to know is to stop it and see how you respond.

    I am continuing to watch how things go. I want to see if this trend with my appetite and cravings continues. It may not be attributed to just the elimination of soda, but also to the fact that I've increased my water intake from 0 to 100.

    Well done for your strength in overcoming this really powerful habit. :drinker:

    There are so many people, not just on this forum but people I know IRL, who say they're 'addicted' to the stuff and they're not exaggerating. I know people who repeatedly try and fail to break this habit and who, like you did, feel absolutely awful while trying to give it up. A lot of people who claim it doesn't affect them maybe haven't gone without it recently. A bit like smokers claiming "yeah yeah I could give up tomorrow.. but I don't want to...".

    How ANYone can claim, that something that affects you like this is not harmful, is beyond reason.

    Well done again. You've achieved something many people can't. :flowerforyou:
  • happyfeetrebel1
    happyfeetrebel1 Posts: 1,005 Member
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    You won't get an honest answer here. These forums HATE soda. Any type of soda. Even diet soda. If they made a soda that cured Cancer and promoted world peace, peeps here would STILL hate it. Because it's freaking soda.

    If you like it, drink it. Go read the studies that tell you that artificial sweeteners are not the devil.

    There is more water in soda than the diuretic effect of soda, it won't dehydrate you as much as people try to scare you into.

    Man...each time this question gets asked, I cringe.

    And for the record, Crystal Light should be a food group :P
  • puffidredz
    puffidredz Posts: 119 Member
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    not sure if it makes you put on the weight but my mom drinks it religiously, probably about as much as you do; she's been drinking it ever since i can remember even as a kid. she went on a diet a few months ago to lose weight since she was diagnosed with diabetes, and she's lost a lot of weight; i think about 40 some lbs. but everyone's body is different and may affect people differently.

    i dont drink diet drinks, much less diet coke, i think it tastes nasty so i can't tell you from personal experience. i did drink a diet dr pepper tho at mcdonald's because it was the only beverage on the menu, besides diet coke, that came with the combo that didn't have any calories.

    in my case, the only thing that makes me put on weight is if i dont eat in moderation on a regular basis.
  • DrMAvDPhD
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
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    Eating at a caloric excess makes you put on weight. This happens when you give in to cravings. You can either blame the diet soda, or take personal responsibility. I drink diet pop everyday and it hasn't driven me into sugar binges. Sure, I crave sweets, but it is up to me to control my intake.
  • Agator82
    Agator82 Posts: 249 Member
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    There are so many people, not just on this forum but people I know IRL, who say they're 'addicted' to the stuff and they're not exaggerating. I know people who repeatedly try and fail to break this habit and who, like you did, feel absolutely awful while trying to give it up. A lot of people who claim it doesn't affect them maybe haven't gone without it recently. A bit like smokers claiming "yeah yeah I could give up tomorrow.. but I don't want to...".

    How ANYone can claim, that something that affects you like this is not harmful, is beyond reason.

    I have given it up for months at a time (cold turkey) without notable difference in the way I feel. Personally, it gives flavor and when you drink water all the time it is nice to have flavor. Additionally, there have been some studies that indicate the caffeine helps with weight loss.

    How can I claim it is not harmful? I don't. I claim that there have not been any controlled studies which show the dangers except by the same people who want us to be afraid of corn syrup (it is quite a stretch to call it 'Studies' it is more just reporting). I respect anyone who wants to change this area of their life, and I do not think it is a bad change in general, but I have yet to see the evidence which would indicate the Diet Coke, Aspartame, etc somehow creates negative effects on the body.

    Now, I will conclude the same way I always conclude my posts on this topc, listent to your body. If you experience negative effects stop the behavior.
  • LoyalAngel16
    LoyalAngel16 Posts: 186 Member
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    For some people the artificial sweetener is a trigger food and too much can make some people crave bad carbs. Also caffeine can cause you to retain fluid as well.
  • samanthaski
    samanthaski Posts: 6
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    Diet soda has aspertame which is a fake sugar which tricks your body into thinking its getting sugar when its not so in turn your hunger response is triggered and you will want to eat and your body will store this unnatural chemical as fat!
  • Kara_xxx
    Kara_xxx Posts: 635 Member
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    If you like it, drink it. Go read the studies that tell you that artificial sweeteners are not the devil.

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    Yeah, go and only look for the research that tells you what you want to hear. That's a great way to inform opinion.
  • islandmonkey
    islandmonkey Posts: 546 Member
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    I believe there are other factors to consider:

    1. Phosphorus: there is currently a lot of attention and research looking at ingested phosphorus and potential impact of depleted calcium and subsequent bone density loss. This is the same for both regular and diet pop.


    2. Weight gain: a few studies have looked at diet soda consumption and linked it to weight gain, with most of them showing that those who consume diet soda tend to be more overweight than their non-soda-drinking counterparts. Whether this is due to overall diet alone is unclear, but many researchers believe there is a "rebound" effect - that because the body tastes sweet it then triggers a reaction to store fat (since the body expects an ample quick, easy source of energy in the sugar and can therefore store fat for later use). Others believe that the sugary taste without actual sugar hitting your body triggers further sugar cravings (similar to the body response of a drug addict, actually).

    Whichever way you look at, no study has ever shown that drinking diet soda is connected in any way with weight LOSS.


    3. Ego-depletion: No, not how the layperson thinks of ego. :) There is also increased attention and research around will power and decision making. When people are tired and hungry their decision making abilities become impaired; eating/drink something with sugar appears to renew this ability. However, drinking something sweet without actual sugar appears to have no impact - i.e. decision making ability and will power still seem to be depleted. The implication is that you would then be less likely to choose healthy foods (since unhealthy and fast foods provide a more immediate source of energy, that your body is craving).



    Things to research, and food for thought. :)
  • DrMAvDPhD
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
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    Diet soda has aspertame which is a fake sugar which tricks your body into thinking its getting sugar when its not so in turn your hunger response is triggered and you will want to eat and your body will store this unnatural chemical as fat!

    This is just wrong. Your body cannot digest aspartame at all, it doesn't get magically converted to fat.
  • Agator82
    Agator82 Posts: 249 Member
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    For some people the artificial sweetener is a trigger food and too much can make some people crave bad carbs. Also caffeine can cause you to retain fluid as well.

    I'll agree with this, I have not had any issues but I know people who do.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    Diet soda has aspertame which is a fake sugar which tricks your body into thinking its getting sugar when its not so in turn your hunger response is triggered and you will want to eat and your body will store this unnatural chemical as fat!

    This is just wrong. Your body cannot digest aspartame at all, it doesn't get magically converted to fat.

    LOL...whether aspartame is evil or wonderful will always be debated. That It has no value is not up for debate. It has no value. But let's not get carried away. It will not be stored by the body as fat. good lord.
  • mrsevanrust
    mrsevanrust Posts: 71
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    Any kind of pop that has sodium in it can cause you to gain excess water weight. Also- on another note- a recent study confirmed soda and DIET soda consumption are large contributors for increased risk of stroke. You can look it up for more info if you're interested... but in short- H2O is always best!
  • JennaM222
    JennaM222 Posts: 1,996 Member
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    I LOVE MY DIET PEPSI, SUGAR FREE RED BULL, ROCKSTAR RECOVERIES, YOU NAME IT!!!

    My sister drank 1-2 diet pepsis a day when she was pregant with both kids and they have all their fingers and toes - GASP!

    Diet soda should be the least of peoples worries. YOU BETTER STAY IN YOUR HOUSE then to avoid chemicals in the air.

    Edit: And no, I find it actually helps subside naughty food cravings so no, I havent gained weight from it
  • slappymcgee
    slappymcgee Posts: 50
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    http://www.nutritionresearchcenter.org/healthnews/what-happens-to-your-body-if-you-drink-a-coke-right-now/

    I would say just stop drinking it. It's full of bad stuff.
    If you need a diet soda, try Zevia. It's somewhat less horrifying.
  • skonly
    skonly Posts: 371
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    it will make you crave sweets and artificial sweeteners make you gain weight by making you hungry and crazing bad things. I only allow myself one a week now. It was so hard to come off it, just posted about it in another topic. I consider it to be the crack of the food world. lol.
  • MrsB123111
    MrsB123111 Posts: 535 Member
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    I have one Diet Coke almost everyday and I've lost over 110 lbs... Life is all about moderation.
  • RunMyOregonBunsOff
    RunMyOregonBunsOff Posts: 862 Member
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    There are a lot of studies saying that long term people who drink diet soda gain as much as people who drink regular soda. Try eating something like water melon (it will have more calories than diet soda but it's actually good for you and still pretty low cal.
  • jzrharv
    jzrharv Posts: 126 Member
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    The key thing with diet colas is to dilute the initial concentration of artificial sweeteners. Its well known in the scientific literature that such materials in high doses can cause chronic ennui, malignant malaise, Routine's Syndrome and terminal monotony. I prefer to use Captain Morgan as my solvent of choice, but in a pinch The Kraken will do.
  • Mrs_Duh
    Mrs_Duh Posts: 263
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    I don't know if diet soda makes you gain weight, but I believe there is some pretty good evidence that it makes you bloat. Not to mention that diet soda is full of chemicals that probably aren't the best for you... but don't get me wrong, I LOVE diet soda. I was drinking 1-2 a day, and stopped drinking them a number of months ago. Now, I will have one every couple weeks when I really get a craving for one. Since giving up soda, I'm drinking more water. I drink a lot of lemon water, which I think helps cut the soda cravings.

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