If you Google for the answer, you’ll get a bunch of sites telling you diet soda will make you fat. Do you want to know the actual truth though?
The effect of Diet Soda on weight loss is actually a positive one. I’m not saying you should drink it but there is no need to fear it and it may be the help you need to shed those extra pounds.
Let’s be honest here. No nonsense OK?
The reason people (and yea, I mean you) gain weight and have trouble losing fat is not because they don’t know some secret food or diet program. It’s because they use food as entertainment and stress relief.
Have you noticed how smokers are usually thinner and often get fat when they try to quit smoking? It’s not because nicotine helps them burn fat!
So the hidden secret to losing fat is this…. finds a way to feel good… with as few calories as possible. That is the solution to all your weight loss problems and this is where diet soda fits in.
Now, I’m not going to tell you to start drinking gallons of coke zero everyday as a way to a flat stomach, there are obviously some drawbacks to it and better alternatives.
So let’s talk about the good and the bad of diet soda. Because, as Leonard Ellerbe said:
“That’s the beauty of being in the driver’s seat. We’ve got options.”
You are in the driver’s seat of your own life and should know your options, not just be told what to do.
Pros:
- It has zero, or nearly zero, calories.
- It can distract you from the boredom of not eating.
- The caffeine in some sodas can boost your metabolism.
Your body needs calories to function. This is why it stores fat, so that when you don’t eat enough of them, it has a supply in storage.
Because your body can’t get any calories from diet soda, it is forced to use the ones it got from your last meal and as those are spent, the ones it has stored in your fat cells. This is how you lose fat, there is no other way.
So by drinking diet soda you refrain from giving your body anything extra to burn while giving yourself a treat in the form of a guilt-free, cool drink.
Not only that, the caffeine present in most sodas actually helps your body burn fat faster by stimulating the sympathetic nervous system.
Cons:
- It’s not good for your teeth. Especially if you drink it slowly throughout the day.
- It can be addictive.
- It will make you want to pee more often.
Sodas, even diet sodas, damage your tooth enamel. At the very least, this will contribute to leaving them stained, with a yellowish tone instead of their natural white.
If you develop the habit of drinking diet soda instead of eating a caloric snack or larger meals, you will certainly lose weight, but you may trade the addiction to food for an addiction to these drinks.
Some people can easily drink 5 liters a day when under this addiction. While you won’t drop dead from this, it is certainly not ideal for your health. Your fat burning problems will be fixed, but you will have another set of problems to deal with, starting with the constant need to pee.
Bottom line is this:
Zero calorie drinks are not a magic bullet, you will still need to focus on the things that actually matter. In moderate amounts they cannot cause you any real harm and they can never make you gain a single pound of fat, unless you use them as an excuse for overeating.
Drink them smartly if you want. For example, if you notice you are eating too much but still want more, stop and have a drink instead. The bottom line is always to feel as happy and fulfilled as you can, while consuming as few calories as possible. You shouldn’t depend on any drink to feel good, but it is a tool you can use from time to time.
