No Soda Diet

[MarriedaGoalie]

On Christmas day, I decided I wasn't going to drink sodas anymore. I have been gaining too much weight and had too much excess "stuff" around my stomach area. I guess my question is.... has anyone had any luck on a no soda diet? If so, give me details!

I honestly haven't weighed myself since Christmas day, but I know for a fact that I have been eating better and haven't drank any soda since that day, actually since Christmas Eve.

Give me your thoughts! :)

[TracieB]

I haven't had a sip of soda since my junior year of high school (about 7 years ago!!). At first, I lost weight (I think 5-10 lbs.), but that was combined with exercise and overall healthy eating, so I don't know if I could contribute the loss solely on giving up soda.

Good luck!! I don't miss it one bit!

[Regina Phalange]

In April of last year (Lent to be exact) I went on a No Soda diet and that combined with working out I lost about 12 lbs by mid June.
I think its a great way to cut out a few calories each day....much better than just cutting down to diet soda. Good luck and know that whether you lose weight or not, you are healthier for cutting them out!:)

[MarriedaGoalie]

Thanks guys, so far it's been good. I honestly do miss the soda, but I think it's good for me. My problem is that I haven't really been working out, so we will see how much taking out soda ALONE will affect me! :)

[MidwesternGal]

Good for you for quitting soda!

Myself, I used to drink 4 cans or more a day of Diet Dr. Pepper!! Now, I've cut back to about 5 cans a WEEK. . . .which for me, is pretty good.

One thing I wanted to mention was that if you didn't drink regular pop (only diet) you may not notice a big weight reduction. . . . though your stomach won't be as bloated or big!!

Another thing (which kinda conflicts to what I mentioned above, I know--but there are too many sources that say conflicting things!) that I learned recently (maybe in Allure mag? I don't know. . . ) was that people who drink even diet sodas tend to be heavy. It seems like we're not really "fooling" our bodies, and we still crave the sugar, so we eat it anyway, plus some.

--Stepping off my little box--

GOOD LUCK to you!! Way to go!

[Janey]

Were you drinking sugary or diet sodas before? Quitting sugary sodas will have a big impact on your weight, so long as you replace them with a no-calorie drink. Here's a little math that might surprise you...

1 can of Coke = 140 calories.
1 can of coke per day for a year (140 x 365) = 51,110 calories
51,110 calories divided by 3500 calories in a pound = 14.6 pounds

That's nearly 15 pounds you could save yourself in a year by leaving out 1 can of sugary soda from your diet.

Another interesting statistic: A full 10% of an American teenagers' calories come from sugary sodas.

[keska]

I recently gave up Coke, which was almost the only soda I drank. I was giving it up because of the caffeine but I finally decided to cut out all sodas. It was easier for me to cut out my daily latte than to cut out soda.

Of course, cutting out soda only helps you lose weight if you don't replace it with other calorie containing drinks, such as juice, lattes, etc. I'm interested to see how it all works out.

[maxandmolly]

Soda is my biggest empty calorie sin, too. I am currently trying to cut back, then eventually completely off. I am trying to stay down to one a day (morning soda to get going), where for a while I was up to four a day. I am trying to drink tons of water to replace it and make myself feel fuller. Today I had one at lunch, too.
Last time I went off completely, it made a BIG, quick difference in my weight.

[kindermom]

My DH cut soda out of his diet about 8 - 12 months ago. He went from about 48 ounces a day to about 16 ounces a week. Other than that, I do not think his diet has notably changed. He did not increase exercise (or do that at all :rolleyes: ) and looks like he has lost about 10 pounds or so.

[kalogrias]

I stopped drinking soda a few months ago because the carbonation was wreaking total havoc on my intestinal system. I switched it out for iced tea (home brewed most of the time) with no sugar and some lemon. Since non-sweetened ice tea doesn't have any calories but will still give me my caffeine, it's worked out fairly well :) i've noticed that I've felt a lot better, and that now when I have a sip of soda, it tastes waaaay too sweet and slightly gummy.

[ManteoChik]

When my BF was younger he used to drink a *ton* of soda. He cut it out completely and drank nothing but water. He didn't change his eating habits nor did he change his exercise habits. He lost around 25 pounds (but he is also a guy...they lose weight faster, and he could stand to lose 25 pounds...lol).

[QueenDillyDally]

I've given up soda in the past - it lasted maybe one year (?). I can not seem to go without my diet pepsi (or decaf diet pepsi at night). I probably drink 3 cans total per day (maybe more on weekends). I truely wish I could give it up for good because I know it is not good for me (i.e. depletes the body of calcium and stains the teeth, aggrevates heart burn & gas). I don't necessarily think that giving up my soda will help me with true weight loss as I only drink diet. But, it can help reduce fluid in the body as it has sodium in it as well as it can contribute to bloating.
I just can't seem to do it!
You go girl! Hope it helps you! :)

[udsweetpea]

Thanks for posting this thread! I was wondering for the past couple of days why my stomach seemed overly bloated. I had been drinking pop and no water at all, and I hadn't even noticed I was doing it. Back to drinking water again for me!

[thelittlebabu]

I have a friend who lost 20lbs in one summer after giving up sugary soda, switching to iced tea.

[Tonysweetie]

The past few weeks I've been trying to lose about 20 lbs. and I've dropped 9 already and one of the things I've been doing is not drinking soda or sugary juices etc. I do have about 1-2 diet cokes per week. I don't know if my 9 lbs. came from not drinking soda or not. But I do know that I replaced all my soda/juices etc. with water. I drink over 100 oz. a day and I know part of my weight loss had to come from that and of coruse working out. Also another tid bit to lose weight easier is my Moms neighbor just recently lost a ton of weight and her doctor had told her that if she stops eating any type of carb. after 5 pm she will lose weight and thats what she did to lose weight. So this past week after 5 pm I do nto eat any carbs and I droped more weight way more easier and I don't seem as bloated.

[MarriedaGoalie]

Were you drinking sugary or diet sodas before? Quitting sugary sodas will have a big impact on your weight, so long as you replace them with a no-calorie drink. Here's a little math that might surprise you...

1 can of Coke = 140 calories.
1 can of coke per day for a year (140 x 365) = 51,110 calories
51,110 calories divided by 3500 calories in a pound = 14.6 pounds

That's nearly 15 pounds you could save yourself in a year by leaving out 1 can of sugary soda from your diet.

Another interesting statistic: A full 10% of an American teenagers' calories come from sugary sodas.

Wow, interesting facts!! Thank you!!

To answer your question, I was drinking sugary sodas (Coke mainly, but also Dr. Pepper and sometimes Pepsi). I used to drink at least one can a day. Now I don't drink ANY!!! I haven't had a soda (including diet... I hate diet, by the way) in 26 days!!! That's almost an entire month already!!!

It honestly hasn't been that difficult. I still drink one cup of coffee per day, usually have a Slim Fast shake in the morning for breakfast and then drink water the rest of the day! I honestly haven't noticed a different in my weight yet... my stomach may be a little less flabby, but I'm not sure. I need to get on a scale, but I don't have one, so I have no idea what weight, if any, I have lost!!! When I finally do get on a scale, I will update you all!!

[SheRa]

A few summers ago, I gave up soda (save for like maybe 2 times a month or something) and went to drinking water like crazy. I didn't exercise more than normal (which, at that time, wasn't much) or change my diet really at all, but just that helped me lose 10 lbs in about 4 months. It was great! I'm trying to do that again.

[maplekitty]

Instead of drinking soda, I drink club soda with lots of lime or lemon pieces in it. You still get the tingly carbonated feeling, but no sugar. (make sure to get club soda not tonic water, tonic water is yucky :p )

[udsweetpea]

Does anyone else remember when a can of Coke was 110 calories? What are they doing differently now and why?

[MarriedaGoalie]

Update:

Well, I did got a scale today and it read 128! I usually am 130 on the dot! I don't know if the scale is just off by two pounds or if I've really lost 2 pounds, but let's just pretend that I've lost 2 pounds!

I put some of my jeans on the other day and could definitely tell the difference. :D

[kindermom]

Tosha - Congratulations!

[udsweetpea]

Congratulations Tosha!

[princesse]

Soda science is so interesting! If you really read labels there are even discrepencies on how many milligrams they call 12 ounces. Some cut off a mg here and there. Very interesting.

Anyway since going on Topamax for migraines I can't drink soda anymore because anything carbonated tastes just horrible, even beer and champagne:-( I miss my Diet Dr. Pepper and Diet Sierra Mist TERRIBLY but I believe that the cutting out of soda has been a major factor in the 30 pounds I have lost. Don't get too excited about the 30 pounds/soda connection....most of it is the medication which is really hard to be on. But losing the bloat that comes from the carbonation has been a wonderful feeling:-)

[MarriedaGoalie]

Thanks, ladies! I'll keep you updated! :)

[lnicole35]

So glad I found this thread! Coke is my ultimate enemy. I have also vowed to stop drinking sodas (which has only lowered itself to stop drinking AS MANY sodas) but I have lowered my soda intake so that is a big step for me. I was curious as to see if I dropped any weight due to this, so far I haven't seen that big of a difference but I haven't been trying for too terrible long. Hope it works for all of us! :D

[MarriedaGoalie]

So glad I found this thread! Coke is my ultimate enemy. I have also vowed to stop drinking sodas (which has only lowered itself to stop drinking AS MANY sodas) but I have lowered my soda intake so that is a big step for me. I was curious as to see if I dropped any weight due to this, so far I haven't seen that big of a difference but I haven't been trying for too terrible long. Hope it works for all of us! :D

Thanks! I hope it works out for you as well!! :D

[Annette]

My DH stopped drinking soda a year or 2 ago and he actually lost weight cause all his pants are big on him. He drinks water now and soda occasionally. It really helped that we have a fridge with the ice/water dispenser.

[MarriedaGoalie]

I don't really know what I am trying to cut out of my diet with this no soda thing... is it sugar? Is it carbonation? Is it caffeine? Is it calories? I'm not sure...

Anyhow, I did have a can of Shasta last weekend and a strawberry Fanta yesterday, but I don't really count either of those. In that case, I think it's the calories and the caffeine I am trying to cut out. It appears to be working, though!

Also, my husband hasn't been drinking any, either and he took his shirt off the other night and OMG! Gorgeous abs are BACK!! Woo hoo!! Just thought I would share that. :)