Butterthebean

Howdy. Just wanted to stop by for a while. I have been around BF for a while but have rarely ever visited the Clyde section. I love bikes and I am most definitely a Clyde, and having just turned 40, I feel compelled to start living a healthier life.

While reading through this section just briefly, I've already come across a few posts that state one should give up ALL sodas (even diet) to loose weight. I would just like to know how giving up a calorie free beverage would help with weight loss.

I would appreciate any input.

kgriffioen

I'm no expert but diet sodas have a bunch of other stuff in them that you can do with out like caffiene (sp) and sodium for starters. Both of these can stiffle your weight loss goals.

I have been on a one pound a week weight loss goal for a while and I am succeeding in that goal while still consuming quite a bit of Diet Coke.

I'm sure that everyone's body reacts differently to the diet soda.

evblazer

There might be an issue with the artificial sweetner or the sweetner making you crave sweets rather then less sweet food.
Here is an article that elaborates a bit.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/weblo...o-weight-gain/

I am really having problems finding something to drink myself.

w00die

https://www.oprah.com/article/omagazi...tz_diet_drinks
https://scienceblogs.com/cortex/2009/02/diet_soda.php
https://www.washingtontimes.com/weblo...o-weight-gain/

A bit of reading on the subject. Me personally, I have terrible blood sugar swings if I consume any significant amount of artificial sweetener. I feel like I am going to pass out or hurl. I just decided I will stick to the evil I know (refined sugar, High fructose corn syrup <-also evil) if I give in to the urge to drink a soda.

I have had some success with Stevia as a sugar substitute.YMMV

bab2000

+1 This extra stuff overloads the liver and provides false signals, often increasing desire to fulfill sweet cravings.

form this site - https://lifespotlight.com/fitness/200...u-gain-weight/

If thirsty I have found drinking water (I like it cold), helps me maintain steady metabolism through a day. I love ICE TEA, and avoid adding any sweeteners, but I have always like tea hot or cold.

Also, since I am type II diabetic, I find it easier to maintain my levels each day.

I do like my diet soda, ROOT BEER, especially, but try to limit to one soda every other day or less frequent. Fresh fruit satisfies my sweet tooth. I just must maintain moderation, 1 orange is OK, the second not required.

On rides, water cold or warm satisfies my thirst. I picked this up somewhere and found it very practical advise - "Avoid drinking your calories, they fill you the quickest and drop you faster."

zowie

There is not a significant amount of sodium in diet soda.

Caffeine is widely believed to be a weight loss aid.

The jury may still be out, but studies have shown caffeine protects, not "overloads", the liver.

Why do diet soda threads always provoke so much nonsense?

Little Darwin

Different things work for different people. I found it easier to give up soda than to develop a taste for the diet stuff.

A leader in Weight Watchers says that for her, she did well with diet soda as she was losing weight, but as she got close to her goal, she found that she needed to give it up to lose the last few pounds.

If you find that a diet soda keeps you from other things that would be worse for your health/weight, then do what works for you.

bab2000

Every one has a different experience.

I know the results for me, by tracking my blood sugar, and also know what I enjoy. The hard part was to break the habit of drinking soda to feel full, but to enjoy the taste. Not to quench my thirst, leave that to water, but again to enjoy the flavor.

It baffles me how some can consume 3 or more cans of their favorite beverage at one sitting or during one sports game, or a movie (out or at home), but then ignore their body's signal for "I'm thirsty" throughout the day.

Enjoy your beverage, regardless of choice, yet also stay healthy.

cs1

I guess the best way to answer your question is: How many skinny people do you see drinking diet pop? The answer is none. My wife is front end mgr at the local grocery store. The running question among employees is: why don't any of the skinny people buy diet food. Personally, I think the whole diet food thing is a scam.

Mr. Beanz

I've gotta drink something! It's funny, plenty of friends tell me to quit drinking diet soda cause it's bad for me. Then after not seeing them for a few months I ask where they've been Locked up for driving under the influence. Seems my soda isn't as dangerous as some of the others!

These are some of the cyclists tht complain about other drivers. I don't drink booze, never have, never will!

Diet soda and water, what else is there?

evblazer

I'm trying to think back to my grocery days. I do recall the most popular soda for older skinny folks was


Of course I was young and 140lbs lighter in those days so eating angel food cake and downing a liter of mountain dew wasn't an issue, diet just has a funny after taste, but I'm pretty sure diet food and especially pre-packaged diet foods were almost entirely purchased by overweight shoppers.

My wife is a skinny and she is addicted to diet coke and of course she makes me buy it by the cart full so that would just support your wifes observations.

zowie

Are seeing eye dogs a cause of blindness?

But to be clear, I wasn't opining on whether diet soda is healthy or dangerous or good or bad. Maybe it is bad. However, whenever the topic comes up, and not only on these boards, people jump in with "facts" that are undefensible or outright wrong, like about sodium content. I think your "answer" probably makes the list.

Butterthebean

I'm gonna hazard a guess here and say....because they are not fat, therefore, not on a diet.

I could be wrong, I'm not skinny so I don't know why they do what they do.

chewybrian 

Does the fizz have any effect? Wouldn't it expand your stomach, and make room for more food? I always felt (past tense) like I could eat more with soda than water.

ttibby

Well, for me diet sodas are just a dangerous path that leads right back to regular cola. That's why I avoid them.
Eric...

flip18436572

I drink diet soda and have lost 100 + pounds doing so. I guess each person is different. I like the taste of something besides water, because I drink about 100 ounces of water a day and then have other things to drink from time to time. I don't live on diet drinks, but I also have cut my milk from 2% to skim. I guess that will be bad for me also, because it isn't all of the calories.

Butterthebean

I guess I made a mistake. I read 3 or 4 posts saying to give up diet sodas and just assumed it was the forum concensus. Clearly not.

mkadam68

There is one truth here on BF and one truth only. The sooner you accept and realize this, the sooner your time here on BF will be happy. That truth is: Everybody has a different opinion.

Jerry in So IL

I think that the non sugar sweetener affect some folks and not others.

I don't think I coud function without my Diet Mt Dew before work! And I'm still losing.

Like anything, I wouldn't want to drink ten liters of the stuff a day. Might lead to peeing allot!

Jerry

Zoxe

Has anyone noticed that some foods taste different (better) when you cut down on processed food / sodium / sugar intake?

Stuff like asparagus, bleu cheese, steaks, and yes, even beer seem to taste better to me over the past several months. I thought for awhile it meant I was "getting older" but I think maybe my taste buds recalibrated after the onslaught of sugary/salty foods went away.

Mr Danw

I do not drink diet soda because I don't care for the taste of the stuff. Diet Dr. Thunder tastes decent, but I try not to support Wal-Mart.

Wogster

Ask 10 people and you will get at least 12 different opinions....

Most diet sodas contain stuff that should be avoided unless needed, and in this case you don't need it:

* Aspertame (also called Nutrasweet), this chemical is a sweetener, there is a debate that part of this chemical will break down into formaldehyde, a toxic chemical that should be avoided. No sweetener is perfect, some have an after taste. Some products now use Splenda, which is processed from sugar, as it has not been around that long about 10 years, the long term health effects are still unknown.

* Sodium Bicarbonate, this chemical also known as baking soda, breaks down into sodium and carbon dioxide gas, it gives the soda the fizz. There can be a lot of this, and sodas should be avoided by those on sodium restricted diets.

* Caffeine, often there is more caffeine in a can of soda then there is in a large cup of coffee. While the long term effects of caffeine are well known, your probably better to just have the coffee.

* Artificial colours and flavours, there is a whole range of chemicals here, the actual health effects of these chemicals is unknown, while small amounts may be fine, some of them may be harmful in larger quantities.

In reality though, it's a lot easier to avoid something, then to try and consume less, and switching from regular sodas to diet, simply makes you pine for the "real" thing. The best drink is still water.

Three things have put water out of favour, first of all a century of marketing from soft drink companies that make people think they need other flavours in their water. Two, pollution has often added other tastes to make it less palatable. Three, chemicals like chlorine and fluoride added to water. Fluoride is added as it has been seen to reduce tooth decay, to some municipal water supplies, chlorine is added to kill bacteria, a thinking in decades past that all bacteria that live in water are evil and cause illness. Thinking in this regard is changing, chlorine gives a nasty taste to water, and many people now simply filter it out, using activated carbon filters, a company called Brita started this trend in Germany in 1966. I keep one of their carafes full of water in the fridge, the filter removes the chlorine, and some of the other tastes that can contaminate water, makes it better, and once you get used to the taste of real water, you don't need the sodas. Also saves a considerable amount of cash, and the rather extensive pollution from bottled water and soda containers.

Use things like soda as a once in a while treat, rather then a dietary staple.

jaxgtr

I just assume drink water, un-sweet tea or maybe some fat free milk. Never was a soda\coffee drink and damn glad. My wife finally got off the diet soda deal and now I wish she would leave the coffee too.

chipcom 

I don't do artificial sweeteners...I suspect they are worse for you than the sugar they replace. Brita water is good, as is skim milk and unsweetened tea, but for riding I like pink lemonade.

deraltekluge

You can get caffeine-free Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi with 40mg and 35mg of sodium per 12-oz can.