diet drinks: myth or fact?

[Eden]

I was going to mention stevia as well, though I don't know how good they taste as one kind I tried was absolutely disgusting. I had to throw my coffee out.

It's not just you... I think stevia is disgusting, natural or not.... One of the local clubs has a stevia sweetened sports drink sponsor blech :-P it tastes like baby aspirin. I've had something else sweetened with it too and found it to be pretty foul, so I'm guessing its stevia in general and not just one brand.

I've come to rather enjoy honey in my Earl Grey. I think it needs some sweetener to bring out the bergamot.

[solobiker]

I used to drink 1-2 diet sodas a day and just a little while ago my stomach started bothering me shortly after I drank them. I stopped drinking them and now I feel much better. I tried a little sip of one the other day and I did not like the taste at all. I have not had one in about 1 month. I have also noticed that I am sleeping much better. I used to wake up several times during the night and I always had a hard time falling asleep. I am not sure if no longer drinking the sodas has helped with my sleeping but it sure is nice to sleep through the night.

[sfa]

Interesting thread, especially the research about diet drinks not helping and possibly harming efforts to lose weight. It kind of bugs me, though, that a food (or food-type product--I'm not sure that diet drinks can count as food!) can take the blame for weight gain or lack of weight loss. Regardless of whether the food increases cravings, one of the challenges of dieting is to have cravings and not give in to them. The problem isn't the food, but the willpower of the person eating the food.

And here's where I begin my rant about weight loss--all of the promises in magazines and diet books about losing weight without being hungry, or having the pounds melt off easily are just setting people up for failure. Why not acknowledge that losing weight is hard to do? It's work, and it's no fun, and it's going to take longer than you want it to, and yes, you're going to have cravings and it's best if you don't give in to them, but not the end of the world if you do. There's no one food that will destroy your efforts to lose weight and no one food or vitamin or supplement of any sort that will be the magic bullet to ensure your success. Sure, there are things that help and things that harm, but ultimately it's about the willpower and stubborness of the person trying to lose weight.

End of rant.

For the record, when I drink soda at all, I choose diet versions because they taste better to me (less syrupy). I think most tea tastes like boiled weeds (last year I gave up coffee for Lent and replaced it with tea. That was the hardest thing I've ever done for Lent! Giving up caffeine was way easier. Turns out I'm addicted to coffee itself more than I'm addicted to caffeine). Agave nectar is a pretty good sweetner (especially if you like sweet but not cloying/syrupy). I've never tried stevia that I know of. And hot drinks in the morning, no matter what the weather, is the only way to get my system going. And I drink my coffee with real sugar.

Sarah

[katluvr]

Sarah, you are right.
I am hungry now. I have given up wine (OMG) and cut back on my eating and I AM hungry. I am sticking to my training plan. And I am MAD. I am mad that I still have to fight to lose weight even though I am very active. I am MAD that I can train and run a half marathon but still have to "diet". It is really all about food and calories in and calories out. I, too, look for not the "quick fix" but what can possibly speed this up or help. But as a nurse and "athelete" I know it is about food choics, calories in and not rewarding myself for the calories I expend. That for me weight will always be an issue.

So I do enjoy my diet soda or 2. Are there better beverage choices--like water, yes. But the reason I am "fat" is I like to eat and drink (wine). And probably my body type. So I will be hungry off and on today. I will go for a run. And I will skip my nightly glass of wine--because to loose I have to create a deficit and nto just "burn as much as I consume"!

Thanks for setting up me for my "rant"!

[Miranda]

And here's where I begin my rant about weight loss--

Sarah

Sarah, I would agree. I hate those stupid ads that you can just lose weight with doing *nothing*. Maintaining is even HARDER.

I lost about 40#s I carried for years after having kids. People always want to know the magic secret. I tell them, it's simple: less in, more out. No one has ever thanked me for that advice. Because they don't want that answer. But, it's true.

Now, there are some medical conditions that can cause women big problems. Thyroid is one. Hormone changes are it too. But, that's what a trip to the doctor is for. Then, you just have to be realistic and make the most of what you have to deal with.

[Miranda]

Well I never even knew there were so many kinds of teas and things you can do to brew them! This has been very educational. I might not need the diet pop ever again.

The post about carrying the water bottle with you... that is great. I did this yesterday running errands after I left the gym. I filled my bike bottle back up after the one I drank in spin class, and viola. When I was checking out at a store with the Satan diet pop cooler case right there I though "nope... I have my water bottle waiting in the car for me (stays cold in the winter too)".

[divingbiker]

It's not just you... I think stevia is disgusting, natural or not.... One of the local clubs has a stevia sweetened sports drink sponsor blech :-P it tastes like baby aspirin. I've had something else sweetened with it too and found it to be pretty foul, so I'm guessing its stevia in general and not just one brand.

I used to hate stevia, too, until I tried the Truvia brand that's sold at Whole Foods. It tastes pretty good, without the disgusting after taste.

[ny biker]

I prefer tea with breakfast but I'll drink Diet Coke if no tea is available. When I was in college, I drank regular Coke 24/7. I also used to have frosted cherry pop tarts for breakfast every day back then. And yet I've never understood how anyone can eat cold pizza for breakfast. To each his own, I guess.

As for drinking the recommended amount of water each day, I saw an episode of Food Detectives the other day where Ted and his food techs determined that we get about 30% of the water we need each day from the food we eat. For the rest, I've heard from several sources that you can include beverages like coffee, tea, and soda even though they have caffeine when you're figuring out how much fluid you've had to drink each day. And of course juice counts too.

I drink lots of water on most days. I keep a water bottle with me at work and in the car, and I drink from it all day. At home I keep a glass of something nearby while I'm watching TV or sitting at the computer and I refill it as soon as it's empty. I find that just having it handy is the important thing, because you take regular sips, and it all adds up.

[Aint Doody]

I don't drink tons of diet sodas, but sometimes I just want something cold and fizzy. And I think that they taste different depending on the part of the country you're in--maybe due to the water being a little different tasting everywhere. And right now my diet drink of choice is Peach Fresca. Yummy!