I thought this post on another board was interesting. I know when I quit drinking diet coke, my cravings subsided and i lost 2.5 inches of my belly and about 3 lbs in two weeks!


It amazes me how many opinions float when people read an article of
> this nature. It's ok to have opinions, but to spout off without
> research or fact basis only harms the conversation.
>
> There is something very needed missing from this article and that is
> the 'why'. Why does drinking diet colas cause weight gain? There are
> different reasons.
>
> One is, that Aspartame (Equal, Nutrasweet) shuts down the Krebs cycle,
> i.e.
> the fat-burning function in the body, and clogs the receptor sites
> that need to be open and 'antagonized' to burn fat.
>
> Second, that Sucralose (Splenda, etc.) is simply chlorinated sugar.
> Anything ending in 'ose' is a sugar, and will likely be 'processed' as
> a sugar (see the post above by Michael Decker whose blood sugar
> skyrocketed when taken Sucralose).
>
> Third, many adults that are overweight would do themselves a favor by
> having their blood tested. I have worked in the fitness industry for
> years and I can't tell you how many folks I've seen that can't lose
> fat (and are gulping diet sodas), but when they have their blood
> tested, they find that they are Type II diabetic - adult onset. Adult
> onset diabetes is only another way of saying that you consumed too
> much sugar on a long-term basis. It's not a disease, but a reaction
> that turns into a long-term problem. For some, it can be reversed, but
> for others, not. How does this happen?
>
> When you ingest sugar, the pancreas (not the liver, as stated by Frank
> Johnson in a previous post), secretes insulin.
> Insulin is both the most
> helpful and most dangerous hormone in the body, depending on amount of
> secretion. Insulin counteracts sugar ingestion and manages the energy
> production of sugar, but when secreted in large amounts (following
> ingestion of large amounts of sugar), it is destructive to muscles,
> the heart and other organs. Think steroids...insulin is the most
> powerful built-in steroid. To fully appreciate the body's response to
> insulin, it is equally important to know that insulin is the most
> fat-producing hormone in the body. Another thing the over-production
> of insulin does is shut down your metabolism, totally ruining your
> body's timing and ability to burn stored energy - fat. The increase of
> insulin will also cause an increase of bad triglycerides, which clog
> arteries.
>
> So, essentially, refined sugar is, get this...a revelation for
> some...NOT HEALTHY. Fruits and natural sugars (real maple syrup, pure
> honey) are the only healthy sugars, but still should be consumed in
> small amounts. A can of pop has a lot of sugar. This brings me to
> another important point. Sugar is acidic to the stomach. If you're
> drinking pop regularly, remember that any soda is loaded with acid as
> well. If you're having trouble with heartburn, stop drinking soda, and
> see what happens. Caffeine is also acidic and destroys the adrenal
> function if taken in large quantities (more than 200mg per day - 2
> regular cups of coffee).
>
> See folks, the problem really isn't that we need an artificial
> sweetener, so we can remain undisciplined and drink all these poisons.
> The problem is how we think about food and diet. We never pose the
> question that maybe the problem really lies with us and our
> willingness to do something about our health.
>
> Don't believe the food pyramid. Anybody that eats 12 servings of
> carbohydrates per day and is not a performance athlete, will be
> guaranteed a blood sugar problem. ALL carbs are converted to sugar
> eventually.
>
> Simple sugar is for quick energy when you're in demanding situations.
> If you're on the couch watching TV and you feel lethargic and you
> think you need a candy bar or a soda or coffee, then you are lieing to
> yourself. What you need is activity. Activity starts the metabolism,
> which increases energy levels. Simply put, if you take in calories and
> you're sedentary, don't be suprised if it turns to fat...count on it.
> Any energy you take in and don't use is converted to sugar and then if
> not used, converted to stored energy (fat).
>
> If you are overweight, you have all the energy you need...you just
> need to tap into it. Get active! Think about it...work (sit at a
> desk), TV, Internet, Xbox, Nintendo...the list goes on. 90% of our
> life is spent sitting. GET UP and DO something! Live life, don't waste
> it in front of a tube. We do the very things that robs our energy -
> sit, consume sugar, caffeine, and poisons, but then compain because we
> don't have any energy and claim we need the very thing that's been
> harming us all along! We have gone insane. Part of our problem is that
> we're addicted to sugar and won't admit it...sounds like an alcoholic,
> drug or cig addict.
> The first part is
> admitting the truth.
>
> Fourth,and finally...there IS a healthy, non-caloric sweetner on the
> market that is NOT harmful, totally natural, not chemically derived,
> good for digestion, nutritive, and aids in energy production:
> It's called Stevia
> (that is not a brand name, but what it is), and is the most powerful
> sweetner known to man. Literally 5 drops can do what two teaspoons of
> sugar can. Find it, use it, get active and eat some real food in
> moderate amounts and don't be suprised if you lose fat! Eat 10 times
> your body weight in calories per day, divided by six meals (every
> three hours), exercise and you'll have more energy than you'll know
> what to do with
>
>
>> Posted by: Janet Starr Hull, PhD

By Cat on Monday, February 13, 2006 - 10:30 am:

Ugh. I LOVE my Diet Cherry Coke!!! I don't know if I can give it up. I usually drink at least two a day. Maybe I'll try to cut down to just one for now and then after a week cut them out completely to see what happens. Any tricks for caffine withdrawls???

By Kym on Monday, February 13, 2006 - 08:01 pm:

Cat, seeing as how I just went through them AGAIN, a little ibuprofen on hand won't hurt, but dring lots of water! i can't beleive how addicting it is, I still have 2 cups black coffee inthe AM, are you a coffee or tea drinker, this may help a bit, but there is something about that "fuzzy coke" with lunch I'll miss it, unless of course I fit into a size 8 next week, LOL

By Cat on Monday, February 13, 2006 - 08:29 pm:

Kym, I don't drink tea or coffee. I haven't had one today, partly because I was trying not to and partly because of being too busy to grab one from the garage. BUT, now that we're going to sit down to dinner in a little bit I'll want one after. I never drink soda with meals. I try to drink milk or water with my meals and "save" my soda to relish in between! lol How pitiful am I? I'm not getting the withdrawl headache yet, but MAN am I grumpy and just on the verge of tears. Most of that has to do with ignorant, obnoxious people (that's my story and I'm sticking to it). We'll see how it goes tonight and tomorrow. If I can't have artificial sweeteners, can I at least have a wine cooler??? Or just a little "whine"? *sigh* I must be PMSing...

By Brandy on Monday, February 13, 2006 - 09:30 pm:

I don't know but right now i'm drinking a crystal light with splenda in it and it's not giving me a headache like the ones with aspartame do = ) ...so i'm pretty happy about that lol = )

By Ginny~moderator on Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - 04:35 am:

I'd want to know the field in which Dr. Starr has her Ph.D. before I took her word as gospel.

That said, as a person with mild osteoperosis, I can tell you that carbonated beverages in general are not good for bone calcium. There is something in the carbonation that tends to interfere with the takeup of calcium by the bones or leach calcium out - I'm not sure which. But I know both my orthopedic M.D. and family M.D. have told me that carbonated beverages are not good because they cause problems with bone calcium.

By Cat on Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - 12:48 pm:

Oh, Ginny. I'm not taking her word as gospel! You know me better than that. Just given what she did say, along with all the other reasons I already know soda, diet or regular, isn't good for me, including what you wrote (which I'd read before else where), I do think it would probably be a good idea to cut back or stop drinking it all together. Now, of course coming from someone that's been drinking soda since I was about 15 and started buying my own because my parents only had it in the house for very special occasions, it's going to be very hard. As a matter of fact, I didn't drink any yesterday (probably a mistake to try cold turkey) and by 9:30 this morning my head was killing me! So I took an ibuprofen and went ahead and opened a can of diet cherry coke. An hour later and my head's feeling much better (still a little sore). I am drinking it slow so it lasts. Like I said, I'm pitiful. lol

By Kym on Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - 07:51 pm:

Ginny, I never claimed to take the word as gospel either,however I've heard splenda is BETTER than asparatame, turns out may not be the case. I also liked the added information she added to the post.
I agree with the carbonated beverages, I don't give them to my kids for that reason, I believe it leaches the calcium if I remember correctly.
Cat, you are not pitiful, caffeine is very addictive, so you are an addictLOL, that should make you feel SOOOO much better. I've over come the headaches, however I ran into my share of ignorant people on my path to pms'ing today as well, so i may still need an ibuprofen!

By Cat on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 11:52 am:

Oh, I feel MUCH better, Kym! rofl And, turns out I AM PMSing! Watch out, world. Cathy's on a warpath! roflmbo (but it's and EVIL laugh! lol)

By Mrsheidi on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 08:52 pm:

Janet Hull's Info

Ginny, above is her info.

Wow, Kym. Good to know. I am like Cat. I LOVE my diet cherry coke. I have 1 a day. I'm trying to quit though since I heard that soda is linked to increased stroke risk. (Strokes run in our family.)

By Ginny~moderator on Thursday, February 16, 2006 - 06:58 am:

Thanks, Heidi. That does make her authoritative. I appreciate your taking the time.

By Kym on Thursday, February 16, 2006 - 02:18 pm:

Thanks Heidi, I saw her post on a random site, but have checked out hers, some interesting stuff huh??

By Reds9298 on Thursday, February 16, 2006 - 08:21 pm:

Kym,
I gave up REAL Coke 15 years ago and lost 6 lbs. right off the bat! Then I gave up caffeine a few years ago and felt better than ever, THEN I'm down to about 3 caffeine-free diet-cokes/week and I think it makes a WORLD of difference in my weight and how I feel. When it's a junk food weekend (like Super Bowl) and I drink 5-6 C-Free D Cokes, I feel like I've gained 5 lbs in 2 days.

It makes a BIG difference! I think it's nice to know that weight isn't *always* about the food...it's a lot about the drink, too!!

By Kym on Friday, February 17, 2006 - 01:11 pm:

I gave it up a while ago, but when I started cutting calories, I needed a "treat" so just like an alcholic, I was up to about 32 oz a day in some form. It's been 7 days this time, I've lost 3.2lbs (watching food and exercise as well) and 1.5" off waist! Amazing.
I still have my 2C coffee w/ Stevia in the AM, but when I'm completely caffeine free I know I feel better, maybe in March

By Paulas on Sunday, February 19, 2006 - 12:01 pm:

I was drinking a Diet Pepsi everyday for a few months. We could have an unoffical survey (Pepsi vs Coke) LOL

When I started on my weight loss journey, or life changing journey as I like to call it, I stopped. It has gone well. Occasionally, when I am having an unusually stressful day I will have one. I've probably had about 6 of them since the 3rd week of December. I don't crave them anymore.

I still have tea daily but have traded in my 2-3 cups of tea for 1 cup in the am and then water the remainder of the day. What a difference.