Diet Soda
 

Is there anyone who drinks diet soda regularly and does not have it affect weight loss at all? I love Diet Pepsi and am not at a point where I can give it up or cut down much. I drink maybe 2-3 glasses a day. It's a 'treat' that I really enjoy the taste of, and I look forward to. I know that it is supposed to increase your appetite and therefore cause you to eat more calories, and that the artificial sugars are bad for you. But I still love it. :(

I guess I'm looking to hear it's ok to keep drinking it and not have it affect weight lose too much. Also, I'm curious- is there anything "bad" for you that you continue to eat/drink and still do good with weight loss?

I'll be curious to hear answers also. I drink a lot of diet coke. Sometimes as many as 5 or 6 a day! I have cut back to 2-3, but I know its still too much. I am having a hard time loosing these last few lbs, and i think if I drank water in place of the cokes it would help. My hubby cut out all sodas a few years ago, and is convinced that every bad thing in my life is a direct result of diet coke, lol. We go round and round about it!

I love my Coke Zero too!!! I have cut way back on it, and I refuse to give it up totally. I try to stick to 1, no more than 2 cans per day and I drink tons of water. I guess it's all the chemicals that are bad for you. I'm doing way better than I was and that's all I can do right now.

After taking microbiology you couldn't pay me to touch that stuff...nonetheless drink it. But I understand guilty pleasures/treats. I still eat a slice of whole grain bread (I bake my own) every once in a while even though I know I should really be cutting more carbs.

I used to drink diet soda a lot. However, it did stall my weight loss. In my experience anyway because it made me retain water. I gave it up completely. Now, I drink a diet soda once a week or every two weeks.

Like any bad habit to break, it takes time, and you need to be ready. I have a friend that has tried every diet from weight watchers, to quick weight loss, to nutrisystem, etc, and they all told her to stop drinking diet coke. She only has one a day. (it's more like her morning cup of coffee) and she hasn't been able to lose any weight. :(

Sorry if I wasn't much help! Just wanted to share my thoughts on it.

It has never affected my weight loss at all. Neither does caffeine.

I have definitely noticed that drinking diet soda affects my weight loss. I'd say it can be about a 5lb difference, for me - meaning, all other things being equal, I can weigh up to 5 pounds more when I am drinking 1 a day vs. 0 a day.

I've also read somewhere that apparently although you can lose weight, the fat cells never go away, they just are small and not full. Supposedly diet soda can inflame those fat cells, so you look bloated and heavier even if you're not. (I couldn't find the article, so I may be VERY wrong on the details of this!)

It doesn't affect me. I try to drink a ton of extra water, though, if I do have pop.

Thanks everyone.

In the past it hasn't affected my weight loss, but lately I have been feeling bloated and yucky a lot. I really need to up my water intake, I barely get two bottles in a day. I have a newborn and 3 year old and it's hard to remember to drink drink drink all day, lol! But I need to.

Unfortunately I have the immature mentality that if something is "forbidden" or "bad" then I want it even more! So I'm not ready to give up my diet pepsi yet. I need a naughty treat everyday or I start to feel restricted and am more likely to binge.

I confess that I also eat Stoufers French Bread Pizza at least once a week! :o

I try to limit it. I don't think all the chemicals are healthy. It rots your teeth. It turns your teeth brown. It makes you crave sweet stuff. etc.

I have 1-2 a week.

I know the first part is true, or at least that's what I was taught in my human anatomy class. That fat cells don't go away...they get bigger and smaller, and you can make more...but they don't go away. I'm not sure of diet sodas effect on them though. Worth researching I guess!

I drink one Diet Coke a day and a minimum of 64 oz of water. It hasn't effected me.

I would definitely limit your intake. The sodium is pretty high and can cause you to retain water.

I used to be an avid pop drinker. Then I started having a negative reaction to caffeine and switched to decaf. Once I detoxed (it was killer), I gradually weaned them out. It made a huge difference in how I felt. Now, I drink maybe 2 a month.

I also think you have to be careful of "treats". If you're eating more than 1 day, I don't think it's a treat. ;)

I actually don't drink soda so much and seeing the good point about the sodium I should say that I drink iced tea I make myself with artificial sweetner (a mix of Splenda & Stevia) these days. So... sodium in my diet drinks isn't an issue.

I sometimes drink splenda orange soda or splenda coke as Aspartame makes me really sick.

When I lost 110 pounds a few years ago, I drank all the Diet Mountain Dew I wanted. I knew it wasn't healthy, but it honestly helped me stick to my plan, which ended up with me being at a healthy weight. (I gained 80 pounds back with my pregnancy, but that wasn't related to diet soda at all!)

For some people, it makes them crave certain foods. But it's not that way for everyone. If you enjoy it and it helps you stick to your calorie limit and you're ok with taking in all the chemicals (that's the part that bothers me!), then I don't think it's a problem. If you're trying for a truly healthy diet with whole foods and no processed foods and chemicals, diet soda wouldn't have a place in that. I try to be as healthy as I can with my choices, but I do still drink diet soda. One day I'll give it up! But I just wanted to say you certainly CAN lose weight while drinking it and it doesn't stall weight loss for everyone. It didn't for me when I lost all that weight, and I was very fit and healthy after losing the weight.

I've heard that diet soft drinks can slow your weight loss. I avoid them because of the chemicals, although I do drink one occasionally (like today). I have a good friend who lost about 60 lbs. on Weight Watchers Points program, and she drinks Fuze Slenderize all day long with no affect at all.

Nancy

It doesn't affect my loss... but I try to limit it...

I drink 2-4 cans of diet soda (usually Pepsi, Pepsi One or Cherry Coke Zero but also love me some Cherry Dr Pepper and Code Red Mt Dew when I can find it in diet) and it hasn't affected my weight loss thus far. I know the artificial crap isn't good for me but coffee messes with my stomach if I drink too much of it and I need some source of caffeine for in the AM/afternoon slump. I like Zevia but they were too expensive.

I've never heard of that but it makes since. I have had about 4 coke zero's (20oz) in the last 2 days and have gained a couple of lbs. (maybe water retention?) I may cut back to one a week. Maybe on my "free day" in place of real coke.

I've never been a big soda drinker, but I treat myself to a diet soda once every two weeks or so. I've never had a problem with it effecting weight loss.

I drink a lot of extra water if I have soda. You can try drinking hot water with lemon, too, to help flush things out.

I would say it's a good place to start- even if it *slows* weight loss, weight loss is a slow transition in itself. It didn't take overnight to gain the weight/habits, so it won't take overnight to fix 'em!

I've recently discovered Pepsi Max. I love it. For the most part I don't drink soda because of the empty calories and sugar. I usually just drink tonic water and club soda. The carbonation definitely kills binge urges. Nothing makes you feel like eating less than burping. Haha.

It's never affected my weight loss at all. I've gone through phases of drinking no soda at all, all the way up to a whole 2 liter bottle in a day! :o Right now I try to drink as much plain water as I can, but I don't limit diet soda if I want it.

I drink a LOT of diet soda and coke zero. I probably drink at least a case a week I'd say. It hasn't hindered my weight loss at all.

I've also experimented enough with no soda, no caffeine, no artificial sweeteners enough to know that they don't affect weight loss.

I have changed my habits somewhat though and now use a straw (on the advice of my dentist) because I have thinner than average tooth enamel. The dentist said that in my case, the thin enamel is probably genetic, but food acids aren't doing me any favors. He said sodas were fine as long as I didn't "sip all day" (which was my habit when I was working), and either used a straw or rinsed my mouth afterward. He said even rinsing my mouth after eating an orange wouldn't be a bad idea.

This thread opened my eyes about diet soda. I think I will reconsider when I'm reaching for a diet soda even though I don't purchase them from the market. I need to get back into drinking my tea.

Can ye get 7up free and coke Zero there etc? I was told on my diet I am allowed "some" 7up free or sprite free. alternatively I am allowed use the sugar free cordial (Orange, Lime, Raspberry, Tropical etc) that you dilute with water. Maybe you could try it with soda or fizzy water?

I never really drink soda, but every once in a while will drink seltzer with a splash of cranberry juice and a lime or lemon. It's refreshing and has no artificial sugars/sweeteners.

I'm going to make a confession here, and I am prepared for the fallout :)

I drink atleast 5 cans of diet drpepper a day. I have done so since I was about 18. I have PCOS and my weight has been up and down ALOT since then, and I can tell you that how many calories and carbs I have a day is what affects my weight. There are no calories or carbs in DDP, so I have it whenever I want.

Yes, it has sodium in it. About 65 mgs. Considering that at my calorie target of 1300 that I can have around 1600 mgs of sodium a day, my 5 cans is still only about a 5th of my allotted sodium intake. If I watch the sodium in some of the other things I consume, it can still be WELL within a healthy range.

Does it make me retain water? Sure. So do carbs. So does my injury. It's not like I am going to keep retaining more and more until half my body weight is water retention. I am always retaining water, and I would still even if I never drank another diet soda.

The only thing I think is unhealthy about diet soda is the chemicals-who knows what those do, along with all of the other chemicals and preservatives in SO many other foods we eat-and the acidity for my dental health.

I figure it like this..unless you are eating strict and clean, LOTS of the things we eat and drink contain things we should probably not be ingesting. Diet soda falls into that category. But for fat loss, it has absolutely no effect.

I think the studies that have shown that people who drink diet sodas tend to be heavier is because people tend to use them as an excuse to eat higher in calories (using the logic that they "saved" calories by not getting a regular coke). Ever seen the lady who orders a double quarter pounder meal, super sized with a diet coke? It isn't the diet coke that makes her overweight.

Drinking a diet soda is more healthy than drinking a regular one. High fructose corn syrup is MUCH worse for you than artificial sweeteners.

It has never seemed to effect me, or didn't when I really lost weight - lost 50 pounds the first time drinking it daily.

first of all i here all the time how diet pop is high in sodium its not, i had high blood pressure and had to avoid salt and found that diet pop has low sodium compared to most healthy foods. that being said, as you lose weight and naturally eat and drink healthier your taste buds change and gradually drink less and less diet pop (or that is my case). i say if you are gonna choose between diet pop and a higher calorie alternative, drink the pop. some people use it to calm there sweet tooth and others just want some kind of pop. btw....carbonated beverages bloat you and if you stop drinking them you will visibly notice your stomache getting flatter.

Soda is bad for you period. It causes dehydration and you're not getting the nutrients you need. I don't mean to be gross but once after drinking a small glass of diet coke I felt sick and needed to vomit, when I did, the soda, the only thing in my stomach, came out SOLID.

My point is it does nothing for you. The reason we can't stop is because of the addictive additives in the soda. Drink water, if you need flavor, crystal light powder is great and you still drink the water you need for the day.

Diet soda does not dehydrate you. Quite the contrary.

Diet soda is not good for you due to the artificial sweetners which cause cancer given enough intake. The jury is out on exactly how much is too much but then again using a cell phone exposes your brain to microwaves which also cause cancer and no one knows how much is too much there either.

In a perfect world you should not drink diet soda. In this perfect world you should not drive on the freeway either (stressful and you're exposed to cancer causing fumes.)

In my opinion it's just not that big of a deal one way or the other unless you're drinking a lot. I would rather not define alot. :D

Coffee, tea, broth, even beer and wine do not dehydrate. Virtually all fluids "count" toward your daily water requirements. My mom learned this the hard way and was hospitalized for water intoxication (essentially water overdose, which washed out too much sodium from her blood - which water overdose tends to do, and which puts a person in iminent danger of cardiac arrest because the heart needs sodium and other elecrolytes to function). She was only drinking a little over a gallon a day, but was following her WW leaders advice to compensate for coffee with additional water. So the milk, coffee, water, and diet beverages she was drinking (about a gallon total and almost never diet soda) was too much. While my mom was in the hospital (for over a week as they tried to stabilize her electrolytes) her doctors put her on a 2 liter maximum for all fluids (and that meant everything - even the fluid in her food was measured). She was so used to drinking twice that, that she was in constant thirst and would beg the nurses for more water, which she couldn't have.

The kidney specialist called in on the case told us that all liquids count, even the liquids in foods. It's even possible to get all your water needs from food (though most of us don't eat enough fruits and veggies to do that). He pointed out that if coffee or diet soda was dehydrating, then people who drink nothing but these not-technically-plan water beverages (and there are many such people), they would be dying of dehydration (and they don't).

In the middle ages, no one drank water (because it was toxic) so beer and wine were practically the only safe beverages (and even children drank them).

Even beer and wine add more water to your system than the alcohol takes out. The only beverage that truly dehydrates is alcohol that is so pure it's barely drinkable. So even rum and coke probably isn't going to dehydrate you.

Also there is no science behind the claim that your body needs water in a pure form, without "stuff" in it - because water doesn't naturally occur that way. All drinking water has "stuff" in it, and if you take the stuff out you've got distilled water which isn't recommended for long-term drinking because it could (at least in theory) leach minerals from your blood/bones through osmosis.

Water myths get passed around like a game of telephone - the myths getting bigger and bigger therefore more and more dangerous).

If you're on a low sodium diet and/or on any medications, especially blood pressure medications, talk to your doctor about your liquid requirements and how to fill them before assuming that your can or should be drinking more than 3 liters of liquids (from all sources).

Diet sodas were developed for people with diabetes, they were not intended for weight loss.
It's irrelevant if it's 'calorie free' because diet sodas are loaded with crap.

Since I gave up diet soda my weight loss has definitely increased. I missed it at first, but after making myself drink water with lemon for a few weeks I actually love it now and never crave diet soda.

Ah, it takes posts like these to remind me that even if there are no calories in the drink, it isn't always good for you! Thanks for the information everybody!

Everyones body reacts differently to things. I use to drink a 2 liter + a day of diet coke, and people would joke the only water I drank was if it got in my mouth during a shower. I will say that cutting down on the diet coke helped my weight loss big time. I will have it once in a while, or if I go out to eat now, but for the most part. Mornings are coffee, and afternoons/evenings is water water water.

I try to drink one cup of water for every diet dp i drink... which ends up being alot through the day. water is very important, so if you are drinking so much diet soda and NO water, then you should definetly change things up a bit.

This is why I don't drink sodas period, diet or not:

http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/fe...a-osteoporosis

As far as impact on weight I doubt it would have any other than the typical diet food mental impact ( "this is low fat so I can eat 2 of them" or "I can have that sundae since I had a diet drink with dinner" style thinking)

Other than my GNC Lean Shakes, nothing artificial goes past my lips these days. I was never a junk food junky, but one of the "new me makeover" ideals I have is to eat as whole foodsie as I possibly can. Watching my Mother die with diabetes and osteoperosis causing further aggravation to an already traumatic process (metastatic breast cancer) was a serious wake up call.

But you'll get my San Pellegrino when you pry it from my cold, wet, dead fingers ;)

I love that stuff!!! I broke it out tonight and made a "Nojito" with lime and crushed mint leaves and a tbs of splenda. :) Yummy!

But for me I am a caffeine free Diet pepsi girl. I will have a large glass once a day. But I have made a habit to reach for the water with a squirt of Mio (which isn't natural at all, but neither is crystal light). I've lost more when I make sure I drink water, in addition to my morning latte and diet pepsi. :)