One Month no Diet Soda Experiment

[Hudson]

November was an experiment for me. I decided to try going one month without diet soda. I actually decided that if after one week I could see no difference I would start drinking them again. I had become a little out of control in the soda drinking. I would drink 32 oz of diet Dr. Pepper in the morning and 32 oz again in the afternoon. And frequently with meals. On the worst days I might drink 100 oz of diet drinks. I could still lose weight and I liked the taste. The month is over and I am still not drinking diet drinks. I noticed 3 things:

1.I lost 8 lbs during the month. I had gained a little weight back and for the past few months had been losing it again. At about a pound a week. The first week w/o diet drinks I lost 3 lbs. This got my attention. This is the best weight loss at this weight I have ever had. Usually a pound a week is all I can do. I doubled that w/o the diet sodas.

2. I had much greater control of my appetite. Frequently when I would go home at the end of the day I was almost shaky/hungry. And so I would eat some cheese or something. W/o the diet drinks I just do not get hungy much at all. My guess is that the diet drinks were causing some kind of insulin reaction maybe. This is a very significant difference. It gives me a lot of confidence for controlling my weight going forward.

3. The BIG suprise. My hips have been a problem for me for many years. I have lost some mobility in one hip and the other causes pain. They both would "get hung up" when I would try to stand. I had to stand up in steps. Bend a little, deal with the pain, bend a little more etc. After 3 days w/o diet soda I was catching for my daughter(softball pitcher). I sit on a bucket to do this. The ball got away and I stood up. It suddenly dawned on me that I did not need 3 steps. I simply stood up. What happened? The only change was no diet soda. As I think back to when my hips were the most problem, it was days when I drank tons of diet soda. My hips are not "normal" yet. But I do not wake up in the night because the hip "catches". This has made quite a difference for me.

So now will I ever drink diet soda again? Not sure - but I don't want any right now.

[sevenoclk]

Re: One Month no Diet Soda Experiment

Wow! That's terrific. I wonder if it was the sweetener or the caffeine? It's good to know that just dropping one semi-small item from your diet gives you great control over your weight. I tell everyone that if Dr. Pepper came out with a better Diet Dr. Pepper, I would be addicted. I love real DP, but not the diet stuff.

Your experiment is interesting to me b/c I have been stalled for about 1.5 months with no cheating. I drink about 3 cups of coffee per a.m. and wonder if I should switch to decaf. I wonder if it would make a difference?

Thanks for your story!

[bivium6]

Re: One Month no Diet Soda Experiment

Thanks for posting. You always hear about this stuff, but its hard to believe until you know someone who has done their own research.

And I'm happy for you too! Congrads on your accomplishment.

< coming from the person who use to drink 4-5 20 oz Diet Cokes a day and doesn't drink any now.

[sallyseachange]

Re: One Month no Diet Soda Experiment

Great news! Really happy this experiment was an eye-opener and you got significant health and weight loss gains from taking out those diet sodas.

Kudos to you, and thanks for sharing the story.

[blue996]

Re: One Month no Diet Soda Experiment

That's great news! I am happy to hear you have had good results. I gave up all diet soda a long time ago and don't ever miss it. I feel the side effects are not worth it.

[Sherri]

Re: One Month no Diet Soda Experiment

November was an experiment for me. I decided to try going one month without diet soda. I actually decided that if after one week I could see no difference I would start drinking them again. I had become a little out of control in the soda drinking. I would drink 32 oz of diet Dr. Pepper in the morning and 32 oz again in the afternoon. And frequently with meals. On the worst days I might drink 100 oz of diet drinks. I could still lose weight and I liked the taste. The month is over and I am still not drinking diet drinks. I noticed 3 things:

1.I lost 8 lbs during the month. I had gained a little weight back and for the past few months had been losing it again. At about a pound a week. The first week w/o diet drinks I lost 3 lbs. This got my attention. This is the best weight loss at this weight I have ever had. Usually a pound a week is all I can do. I doubled that w/o the diet sodas.

2. I had much greater control of my appetite. Frequently when I would go home at the end of the day I was almost shaky/hungry. And so I would eat some cheese or something. W/o the diet drinks I just do not get hungy much at all. My guess is that the diet drinks were causing some kind of insulin reaction maybe. This is a very significant difference. It gives me a lot of confidence for controlling my weight going forward.

3. The BIG suprise. My hips have been a problem for me for many years. I have lost some mobility in one hip and the other causes pain. They both would "get hung up" when I would try to stand. I had to stand up in steps. Bend a little, deal with the pain, bend a little more etc. After 3 days w/o diet soda I was catching for my daughter(softball pitcher). I sit on a bucket to do this. The ball got away and I stood up. It suddenly dawned on me that I did not need 3 steps. I simply stood up. What happened? The only change was no diet soda. As I think back to when my hips were the most problem, it was days when I drank tons of diet soda. My hips are not "normal" yet. But I do not wake up in the night because the hip "catches". This has made quite a difference for me.

So now will I ever drink diet soda again? Not sure - but I don't want any right now.

That's great news Hudson. I too was a diet coke addict. I have RA in my hips. I learned that carbination blocks calcium from being absorbed into our bones. Also it reaps havoc on our digestive system. It's no wonder that when we quit drinking the carbination drinks that our bones started feeling better and the weightloss stalls stopped. My hips are not normal either, but there a far cry better than they were 3 1/2 years ago and with 116 lbs gone forever. I won't touch anything carbinated again! Congradulations on your weightloss. Wishing you good health!

[hopejoy]

Re: One Month no Diet Soda Experiment

Hi Hudson,
I also noticed that my hips don't hurt like they used to when I stopped drinking diet sodas so much! I only have one occasionally but used to be addicted too. I'm so happy for your wt loss success, it looks like you are only 1 lbs above your goal! That's awesome! Congratulations! I'm so happy you are feeling better with the hip pain. That is an amazing response you recieved from stopping the diet soda! Congratulations!!!!!
liz

[Hudson]

Re: One Month no Diet Soda Experiment

Thanks for the responses all. My guess from looking on the internet was that the aspertame might be the problem. I did not consider caffeine or carbonation. Caffeine has never had much impact on me. It won't keep me awake very well. And I did not notice any sleep changes from no caffeine.

And thanks to others that have posted problems with diet drinks. This is where I got the idea to try quitting.

[NemesysXXX]

Re: One Month no Diet Soda Experiment

its very true what you said about the diet pops. and i have doen some research on the tpic myself i am a HORRID diet pop drinker. if you search for aspartame and caffiene side effects on the net it pulls up some frightening info. For Example: The Desert Storm Illness that so many troops had returning back from overseas has efects identical to aspartame poisoning side effects. they were provided with sodas by the governments soda contracts but when the sodas hit a certain temperature they have chemical reaction (it was either methane or formaldehyde, cant rememeber)

theres also a documentary on google vids about aspartame i think is called "sweet sickness" or something along those lines.

I drink prolly 300 oz of diet pepsi a day which is stopping within the next day before i attempt my first full Atkins attempt

[Einy]

Re: One Month no Diet Soda Experiment

Good for you Hudson.. I have been away from these evil sodas for about 3 weeks now, and I cannot tell you how much better I feel. I don't drink coke much, mostly diet sprite or Sierra Mist.. (caffiene free) and I am not a coffee drinker either; quit that 3 years ago.

I used to feel pain on my knees each time I climb the stairs, not any more. So for me, it is either because of those 11 pounds I lost so far, or may be because of the aspertame.

My guess is that the diet drinks were causing some kind of insulin reaction maybe

That's exactly right, especially if it has caffiene in it. I remember reading such in Dr. Atkins book.

Thanks for sharing your experience in here. This is really helpful.

[Hoping]

Re: One Month no Diet Soda Experiment

That's awsome, Hudson! I rarely drink soda now but I used to be addicted to it. Like you, I feel wonderful without it.