I have been reading articles highlighting studies on the harmful affects of Diet Soda (pop where I come from ) and the connection between the chemicals in diet soda (and other diet things) and weight gain.

It really got me thinking.... I always drank sugar pop before meeting my husband. I am by no means a pop junkie but I would have one, maybe two a day. When I moved to Arizona in Feb of 2009 (moved to where DH was stationed and in with him) I was a skinny little thing. Now, granted I was 19 years old so my age may play into this story. By June of 2009 we took a trip back to Minnesota to visit and I was already 3-4 pant sizes bigger. Actually I recall buying a pair of expensive jeans for the buckle that trip because mine didn't fit. The only thing that really changed in my lifestyle was that I was a few months older and drinking diet pop. Sure maybe a little less active but still doing things like hiking in the mountains, etc.

By the time we were married in October of 2009, I was 200 pounds or more. Again, no real changes. Even doctors were baffled on why the weight gain. But said I was considered obese and needed to lose weight. Even my older brother came down on me for weight gain.

I lost 20 pounds over the next few months despite the holidays! I was going to the gym every day and drinking very little pop... Diet or otherwise. I was 180 pounds in may of 2010 when I was a bridesmaid in my brothers beach wedding. We also conceived our son in tha month.

Fathers day 2010 I found out I was 6 weeks pregnant and went to the doctor and was 225 pounds. So in almost exactly a month I gained 45 pounds! They found my thyroid was acting a little silly because of pregnancy hormones and put me on a medication and I only gained 25 pounds the rest of my pregnancy.

I had my DS and after about 6 weeks I was back at 225. I was so excited to be going down in weight! But a few months later it was creeping back up.. and that's when I started drinking diet pop again. I stayed with my mom for 3 weeks after DH deployed shortly after our son being born and drank the sugar pop they had and continued to lose weight.. it was coming home and drinking diet that started me gaining.

I am now at 260ish pounds (haven't weighed myself in a while) I am 5'7-5'8ish. Most of the weight is In my belly.. people say I don't LOOK like the typical almost 300 pound person because of how I carry the weight but I am still up there.

Am I trying to blame my weight gain on something? No. Should I stop drinking pop all together? Yes. Do I love my caffeine and hate coffee? You betcha!! Should I eat better? Who shouldnt. And should I find more time to exercise? Absolutely.

With that all being said, it makes me wonder if diet pop is a contributing factor to my weight gain. And my overall unwell feeling. If I dont eat every 3 or so hours I get shaky (no diabetes no hypoglycemia). I am always tired. Always just foggy.

The last two days, I have had no diet pop. Only a glass of sugar pop for the caffeine. and I havent been starving every few hours, no shakiness when I am hungry, I feel awake and not in a fog, and just happy and positive!

I read articles yesterday saying diet pop could cause depression, make you more hungry, bloated, gain weight, etc etc. Because its basically all chemicals.

It also said it makes you crave carbs which aids in weight gain.

I dont know... Just thought it was interesting...


Anyone have thoughts?







This was very hard to put all my weight issues out there so be kind please!!

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I am on the Ideal Protein diet and the nurse told me that drinking diet soda would interfere with my weight loss. I can drink water of course...but I can add those little sugar free packets to it.

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I stopped drinking diet pop last June after gaining tons of weight. I have lost a good amount since then. Now when I take a sip of hubbys pop it tastes so gross!

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Ahh so I am not crazy! Maybe it does contribute. I have read a lot about the good results people have with the ideal protein diet!

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I have heard of quite a few people who cut soda out completely and that alone helped them to drop a good amount of weight. Unfortunately I am not like that. I have been struggling with my weight for the last 5-6 years. I lost all the weight after my last baby, then it started to all come back, I had some depression issues, etc. - now I weigh more than when I was 9 months pregnant so I know the struggle and I try to battle it every day without success. I do not keep soda in the house - diet or regular - because I would drink it if it was here, I could easily be a diet coke addict. I do have it when we go to restaurants but that isn't very often.

I don't know if diet is worse than regular - probably is because of the artificial sweeteners but I do know its a proven fact that sugar makes you crave more. Even natural sugars like in fruit can do that to you, but a sugar overload like soda definitely does!!! I did South Beach diet for a while - its a realllllyyy low sugar diet, was hard but did work. I just couldn't make it a lifestyle change.

But I don't think you can blame the soda for more than a small fraction of the weight gain - look at your post - you lost weight with exercising - I really think that is the key (and something I am horrible at!!!). Move more, eat less - even with a can of soda a day I'd bet you'd see results if you could stick to that. I am not judging, I am in the exact same boat - I know its hard but I really do believe it is the answer. I need to force myself to do it!!!

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OK Breezy-here it goes.

This last two months I was doing awesome walking twice a day. This month I was walking twice a day and started running. I started only having 1 Pepsi (regular) a day. I gained 4 lbs in one week! I was eating very healthy and about 2 hours apart. I hurt my ankle really bad (crutches for a few days) and know my knee is really hurting so I can't work out. I went back to 2 sodas a day and for some weird reason I lost 3 lbs?

Also, everytime I quit drinking soda I have issues with my kindeys. Either kidney infections, stones, or pains in them. The doctors can't figure it out.

I do want to get back to working out and may have to fight. Its been two weeks and my ankle still is pretty swollen by night time and hard to walk on. I just thought I would give you my story on drinking regular pepsi.

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This is really interesting! I don't like anything carbonated myself, but hubby can't live without his Coke Zero. He is overweight too. Yes, he needs to eat better and exercise more, but I've always wondered if the Coke Zero was helping or hurting his efforts.

He gets irritable and almost panicky if he doesn't eat regularly -- usually every 4 hours or so. There's no diabetes or anything in his case either.

So, any hints on how he can wean himself off of the pop? I'm sure going cold turkey would be like me trying to function without my morning coffee .

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I think regardless of the weight gain or not (and I'm not blaming it all on diet soda that would be silly!!) I think its crazy how different I feel not drinking It!

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When I went down to one soda a day, I still had that one in the morning (like my coffee-). Then a couple hours later I would fill a water bottle with ice and water and keep it right by me. If I got thirsty I would just sip on that instead of going for a soda!

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Yes! I get the same way. I need it eat like right then and there or I am crabby shaky icky feeling. But with the non diet pop I have been not like that at all. I can eat like a normal person. And haven't been craving carbs like usual.

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Here is a webMd article negating the idea of diet soda = weight gain

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/d...in-not-so-fast

I didn't gain or lose any weight when I switched from regular Coke to Diet Coke.

I lost weight immediately when I stopped drinking Coke (or any pop) altogether.

I now ONLY drink water.

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Could alot of it be from doing daycare. I've gained 20+ lbs in 1 1/2 years of doing childcare! Yep, you read that right. I started doing child care full-time again almost 2 years ago and the pounds started packing on.

I think its because I couldn't be as active as before! I'm active but in a different way. There is still alot of sitting for me in this job. Most of the childcare providers I know are over weight and its sad.

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I have not had any soda since january for the reasons you state.

I was drinking diet forever & read some articles on the artificial sweeteners and really thought that I need to eliminate it from my diet completely.

I think the biggest thing for me was how the artificial sweeteners make you hungry.

I have lost 20 pounds changing my diet & exercise (although this summer has been awful trying to eat right and exercise). I have maintained and will really buckle down when school starts back up.

I drank soda like crazy I could go thru a case in a week and a half and quit cold turkey.

Funny thing is: I DON'T MISS IT!! I drink water and iced tea (unsweetened).

"With that all being said, it makes me wonder if diet pop is a contributing factor to my weight gain. And my overall unwell feeling. If I dont eat every 3 or so hours I get shaky (no diabetes no hypoglycemia). I am always tired. Always just foggy."

^^this was me too. I felt like I was going to pass out at times as well & the FOGGY feeling yep, yep. I thought it was hormone related, but since I've eliminated the soda I don't have it. Hmm interesting.

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It's a huge commitment! But, the only thing that works for me (And I have tried them all)...Carbs are my enemy

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You sound a lot like me. When I drank diet soda I would get the shakes also after a few hours. Once I stopped so did the shakes. I also hold weight in my belly and before I got pregnant I went on the insulin resistance diet. I lost 30 pounds between Christmas and March. I reduced my carbs to one serving per meal with all the protein and veggies I needed to be full. If I didn't get morning sickness and get disgusted by protein and veggies I would still be on it!

I also hate coffee but love caffeine and switched to tea. I missed the cool drink but after a few days it wasn't so bad. I would drink lemonade when out if I really wanted something other than water. I felt soo much better after the first week.

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when I switched from regular soda to diet soda to take off some weight (and also gave up beer), I drank a lot of diet soda for a while. I didn't gain weight, but my stomach was growling ALL THE TIME.

Now I drink selzer or club soda when I am craving a fiz, and don't drink more than one soda per day. I'm still 30 pounds heavier than when I started daycare again last February...

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Oh I am sure daycare has a lot to do with it. And the weather being so hot so we are stuck inside all day. When I was working outside of the home (around the time I lost the 20 pounds) I could stop at the gym on my way home and that's whey I did every day.

My husband has given me the biggest motivation to lose the weight which is telling me I am currently a 7 (out of 10) but when I was at my ideal weight I was a 10! (In his eyes) but beyond that he was so much more attracted to me because I was more confident and happy! This was after lots of prying to get him to be honest because he didn't want to make me feel bad.

I just didnt know how I could cut back on eating and eat better when I was always hungry during the day! But now my stomach no longer growls ALL day. I actually think I will go to the gym tonight after DC kids leave because I don't have to rush to make dinner rght away because I am about to pass out from that hungry feeling.

I just feel amazing and I cant help but wonder if it is because I am not drinking diet this week. That foggy feeling is gone! I am actually tempted to go to the gym during the day as I have permission to transport and at our gym on base they have a mommy work out room with a kid area to play in right in front of the exercise machine. I think I will wait though until I see how DS plays in it.

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Eating or drinking anything made up of chemicals and processed foods regularly will prevent your body from processing everything properly. It totally messes you up from your brain to your digestive system to your energy level to your behavior and emotions.

The best thing to do is eat whole foods and drink water.

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That's the other thing I forgot to mention. My digestion has been awful. I will spare you the details.

DH has even commented on my chipper mood this week and how he hasn't gotten venting text messages from me

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Breezy you should watch Food Inc, The World According to Monsanto or read any of Michael Pollan's books. They all have really good stuff about why it's important to put whole foods into our bodies and to avoid the processed stuff.

My dh has lost 60lb since we met and has shaved years off his life just by eating what my kids and I were eating when we met. He went from boxed to fresh, that's it.

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Besides being the main source of energy, carbohydrates also function to regulate the digestive system and maintain intestinal health.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/23...#ixzz22J6olsyS

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When my daughter switched to eating organic foods, she lost 20lbs! And she didn't change what she ate...she just made food exchanges. Like: She loves Pop Tarts for breakfast...so she switched to organic pop tarts... she drinks natural cola with stevia...switched to kettle chips....organic chocolate bars etc...

I tried the same thing and I didn't lose one pound! I guess different things work for different people...(plus she's 26 and I'm 49).

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I mean whole foods not processed foods that start from an organic source. They're just as bad for you IMO as non-organic processed foods. We eat fruit, veggies, dairy, whole grains (most of which I bake), grass fed meat (a recent change for us) and fish. If I can't make it or bake it, we don't eat it anymore unless it's a very special occasion. We still eat treats, just ones I make so we know exactly what is in them.

There is a HUGE, HUGE market out there of organic "junk food" that is just as processed as the regular stuff. You have to read ingredient lists very carefully these days.

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I am a soda junky. It's aweful. I never drank water growing up and always drank reg soda. In my 20s I started gaining weight so I switched to diet. But I also reduced my soda intake because I was taking supplements and didn't want to have a heart attack! So I was down to one cup of soda a day.

I went on to steadily gain weight over the next two years. I weighed about 150-135 my whole adult life. Until the last two years. I have steadily gained weight up to 220lbs in the about 1.5 yrs. I switched back to reg soda, but it didn't help me lose weight. For the last year and some I've been trying to lose weight. I work out and eat right and went on RX ********** meds. I lost 12 pounds. That's it. And I go up and down three pounds all the time. So it is so discouraging. I try so hard and lost 12 pounds!

My doctor just moved away and she was the only one who prescribe the meds. So I got a referal to another doctor (military medical) Anyway, he just gave me script for the meds and the hcg injections. I am really on the fence.

I'm tired of being over 200 pounds and struggling and nothing helps. I'm tired of my body hurting in the morning and my hands aching. I hate that even a walk makes my body hurt. I'm tired all the time. I could sleep all day and still be tired. I wake myself up because my entire side went numb just from laying on it! I'm so fat I make my body parts go numb! My knees hurt with minmal excerices. I can't breath going up stairs. I'm grumpy all the time. And I just want it to stop.

But I'm so scared of taking the meds my doc prescribed. One is the ********** meds. I've taken them before, but even with minimal exercise my heart rate was a little higher than I liked. For instance it was maxed out when I was on the eliptical. but I'm ok with taking it and walking. It's only a six week program, but I'm a little scared.

Not to high jack your thread. But I do know how you feel. And I contribute a lot of my weight gain to soda. weather diet or regular. But it's so hard NOT to drink it lol. It's my coffee!!!

NOTE: that's funny. it deleted the word weight loss. I didn't even mention the name of anything I was taking becauseI didn't want anyone to think it was an ad! Just my experience. I'm not ad anything. promise. Not my style. And I only take things under a doctors supervision. So don't think I'm spamming the board please!!!!

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What is different between drinking diet beverages and adding the artificial sweeteners to water? There is no difference in my opinion. Stay away from the artificial junk.

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Read labels, you'll find artificial sweeteners hidden in everything. I have one daughter who's allergic to aspartame (nutrasweet) and the other one has severe reactions to sucralose (Splenda).

If I want something sweet, and I am addicted to sugar, I'd rather have the real stuff that the artificial sweetners.

I've never drank diet soda, but drank a lot of regular soda. I used to joke with my chemo drs that they could just hang a bag of Dr Pepper with the meds. I quit drinking soda, but didn't really lose weight because I would snack a lot more often. I find that when I have a soda, I don't hit the pantry as often looking for something to munch every five minutes.

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You're right...but it's allowed on this program for some reason. I don't really know why diet sodas hender weight loss, but not Crystal Light. I probably should look for something with Stevia...I just cannot drink plain water unless I'm really really thirsty.

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Now she does do a little of that...whole grain breads and cereals, organic milk...but the rest is "junk food".

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thanks Sharlan,
you just destroyed my only hope in life!


I just stopped drinking diet soda cold turkey and I was so proud of myself.
Then someone said to add the sugar free flavors to my water to get variety and I have been chugging that all day!


Well, I will just drink water now, until someone says water will kill me

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I try to drink just water now too. The more I drink the better I do losing weight and also don't feel as hungry. I used to use Splenda in place of sugar and I was getting horrible headaches. Took me MONTHS to figure out it was the Splenda causing them (I was drinking naturally made green tea with the splenda in it). That artificial stuff is evil.

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Try a little lemon or lime in your water. It helps alot if you're not a water lover.

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You do know that fish and other animals pee in water, don't you?

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I gained weight when I drank Diet. Now diet actually gives me heart palpatations.
But I also have thyroid and celiacs.
Always looking for something to help lose weight.
I thought it was daycare too and thought I needed to move more.
I got a watch pedometer over the weekend. I have read all this about 10000 steps a day to lose weight.
I couldn't believe it. I got in 10,000 by lunch time. I have gotten nearly 20,000 aday. Boy we do work hard. No wonder I am so tired when the kids go home.
Now why am I so fat?

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My sil ended up in the ER with horrendous stomach cramps after switching to Splenda for two weeks. He uses stevia right now. I find it too sweet.

IMHO, a SMALL AMOUNT of real sugar is healthier and safer than any of the alternatives.

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I just brought this up when looking something up for me. Are you sure your pedometer is correct. This says you would be logging 10 miles a day!

Maybe you have heard the recent guidelines about walking 10,000 steps per day. How far is 10,000 steps anyway? The average person's stride length is approximately 2.5 feet long. That means it takes just over 2,000 steps to walk one mile, and 10,000 steps is close to 5 miles.

A sedentary person may only average 1,000 to 3,000 steps a day. For these people adding steps has many health benefits. I have outlined the basic 10,000 steps program, but also added a commentary below.

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First, I'd like to commend you for for speaking about such a touchy and personal topic. No woman likes to talk about their weight so good for you!!

I also struggle with my weight and have struggled most of my life. I think in my situation I can blame being raised with very poor eating habits

I do exercise (although obviously not enough) and generally watch what I eat although it's incredibly hard. I did notice that I was gaining weight without over indulging and still exercising...what I just realized is that I switched from regular Coke to Coke Zero so this is pretty interesting. I'm going to do a little study and continue to eat and exercise the same, just switch back to regular pop (although I usually don't even drink 1 a day) and just plain old water (which I usually drink a lot of!) and see if that changes anything.

Again, thanks for sharing and I wish you all the best with your weight loss!

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