enchantedonyx-- Thanks for clarifying. I agree that all the chemicals in diet soda are probably not the best for us. But I've been doing a lot of reading and started to realize just how much those chemicals are in nearly all the processed foods we eat. I'm reading Michael Pollan's "Omnivore's Dilemma" and he lays out how there is corn in almost everything we eat -- not just high fructose corn syrup and the obvious, but all sorts of things. They derive so many food additives from corn, so if people are allergic to it, I really pity for them, because they can barely eat anything processed.

And all processed foods (crackers, chips, frozen dinners, etc.) have lots of chemicals, many of the same as the ones in diet soda.

I can see why diet soda may not be the best for us, but we may not be able to single out diet sodas as a sole culprit.

So, I've been doing a lot of thinking about what goes in my body these days. Notice I haven't given up the diet soda! But all of this has me thinking...

Yep, I don't eat processed foods! I do my best to have only whole foods and to prepare my own. I'm allergic to dairy, corn, and wheat so it's just better for me to not have any of those things.
You might also want to consider the books The Maker's Diet (Jordan Rubin) or The Yeast Connection and the Woman (Dr. William Crook) if this is something you are interested in. Lots of great info about processed foods and the way they interact with our bodies.

Thanks for the recommendations. I guess I wasn't telling you anything you didn't know, huh? It must be hard not to eat processed foods in this day and age. I don't know where I'll go with any of this info, and I've made so many changes with my diet already, but I'm at the stage where I at least want to know more.

Water! Huh!

I used to drink nearly all diet-coke diet-drpepper exclusively.

I've managed to ween myself and only buy a bottle now and then. I do have a problem getting all my water in most days though... never been much of a water drinker. I try for that 8 glasses but to be honest I think I only manage that a few times a week. I do drink a few lattes with skim milk and ice though so I guess I'm getting all my fluids in (skim milk is mostly water anyway)

We bought a water cooler recently though and get bottles/refills from home depot of all places, and it's really helped a lot. We used to have a brita pitcher but I'd always forget to fill it up and I hated cleaning it out.

(She says as she finishes her 20oz diet coke... oops!)

Hmmm this thread is an interesting read. I don't think diet soda is the root of all dieting evil, I still drink some from time to time. (I'm actually sipping one right now) but I've backed off my six pack a day habit and I have to say I feel a lot better.

The water thing, well if you're burning fat you need to flush out your system with fluids and I never count diet soda, coffee or tea as really a fluid that I feel flushes my system. Water on the other hand, well I know that works .

Any drinks with caffeine in them I can't really count as fluid intake because caffeine is a diuretic. Sure I could go for the caffeine free soda, but I guess I just feel better knowing I am drinking water. No guessing whether or not I'm actually hydrating my body. I still drink the occasional coffee, tea or diet soda (yes with caffeine) but I don't count any of that as water intake anymore.

Being dehydrated causes all sorts of problems I'd rather not deal with, I need the energy to exercise and feel better. So as a personal preference I'll take the easy route and go with the sure thing. Mileage may vary.

As with all my posts these are my personal preferences and observations, I am not one to try to tell anyone that my way is best. It's just what works best for me.

There's been a lot of research lately around this notion of how much water we need. Here's a good summary of a recent article that has since been confirmed with other research. (A link to the original article is at the bottom of the page).

It turns out no one knows where the recommendation to drink 8 8 oz glasses of water a day came from. Seriously! The best guess they have is that

"the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council recommended approximately "1 milliliter of water for each calorie of food," which would amount to roughly two to two-and-a-half quarts per day (64 to 80 ounces). Although in its next sentence, the Board stated "most of this quantity is contained in prepared foods," that last sentence may have been missed, so that the recommendation was erroneously interpreted as how much water one should drink each day."

There actually is a lot of water in what we eat.

Also, the research has continued and found that caffeinated beverages are not diuretics. The old wisdom was that the diuretic properties in caffeine took out more liquid than they added seems to be false (it also had never been tested). It may be true for people who have just started drinking caffeine, but quickly reverses itself. So you can count coffee and tea as part of your "water" total.

The conclusion I have come to from this and other research is that hydration IS important. But if you don't like to drink water then, for hydration purposes, you probably don't have to worry about getting enough -- much of it will come from your food and other liquids you drink. It's not JUST water.

Of course, as has been discussed on this thread, there may be other reasons people want to shift to water only, or even to drink more water. But for those who struggle to get all the "recommended" water in, you're probably fine!

And also, if you are exercising, or sweating, or someplace warm, you do need to up your intake of liquids too!

Wyllen - I agree that if you've changed your diet to a balanced diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and dairy that you probably are getting a lot of water that we don't usually take into account. However, if your diet consists of highly processed (dry) foods (100 calorie packs, crackers, cereals, grains) and very little of the "whole" foods in their natural state then you aren't getting hydration from your food. I've noticed, personally, that as my diet as switched, slowly, to the more whole foods way of eating I require less water to keep my skin soft and moist and I don't feel very thirsty, generally. When I do feel thirsty a glass of water satisfies immediately.

I have no conviction, either way, about diet sodas other than they just don't fit into the diet I'm working out for myself. I don't think they'll kill you...I don't think they're health food. I think in moderation they could be fine but as with most things they could be bad when ingested excessively.

I, personally, drink mostly water. I will drink a flavored tea every now and then but not with a meal. I don't drink sodas, I don't drink alcoholic beverages very often and I don't drink juice (mainly because I prefer to eat my calories!). I will, once a week, grab a latte from Starbucks on my way to church.

I just love seeing all the different ways we approach our eating/drinking patterns!

Good point. I think those guidelines were discussed before there were so many processed foods.

Glad to see the new research that caffeinated beverages are not diuretics. I have been drinlking a TON of plain unsweetened iced tea and I feel GREAT ! It is getting me the water I need and I don't believe it is a diuretic at all - I have not had any increased urination - other than from the increased water. I use the decaf at home but I'm on the road all day and the stuff at Dunkin Donuts rocks !! I think different people react to different things and for me - caffeine is not a problem.

for most of my life i drank regular soda. then i got pregnant and couldnt have the caffeine so I drank alot of water and once in a while I would have a caffeine free regular pepsi. then after my daughter was born I joined WW and I started drinking alot of water and I would drink diet soda. And once in a while I would want a regular soda and I would have it and it would upset my stomache. I think from the sugar. Then about the last 6 months I havent been drinking as much diet soda. My skin is alot smoother. I now drink like 3-4 bottles of water a day. I love the crystal light mix ins. I actually buy the wal-mart brand (just and good and alot cheaper).

I am a firm believer in not using the "artificial" sweetners now. (all the other times I lost weight I used them and did not have good luck) this time I cut them all out. Period. I have not ever felt better in my life. No more cravings, not ONE headache since Dec. 29th. I have been told by many many people that I look 15 years younger - which I am sure is partly due to my skin looking so much clearer, my hair is nice and thick now too. I do not miss the stuff at all. I CRAVE water now, and I am a lot happier and healthier just having that.

Each person has to find what works and then go with is, for me - I know drinking a lot of water is a big part of why this has all worked for me.