Gave up soft drinks and lost weight

[Dragonslayer]

I remember last year there was a thread starting a weight loss challenge. I too went along with it and only lost a few pounds and gained them right back. I also noticed that the thread petered out after a while. I have read about the possibility of a preservative in sodas that causes one to gain weight or have increased body mass due to its consumption. The preservative is sodium benzoate or sometimes potassium benzoate. It is in nearly all soft drinks, many energy drinks and assorted foods like salad dressings and condiments. Even though I love an ice cold Coca cola or a Barq's rootbeer, I gave up sodas a litter more than 4 months ago. I drinks iced tea or juices instead and still use sugar as my sweetener, that has been the only change in my diet is the elimination of sodas and I have lost an amazing 28 pounds and they just keep dropping off daily. But, I do miss Barq's rootbeer

[Andy-Montreal]

Do you mind my asking how many portions you were consuming per day?

[TarheelGrad1998]

While I haven't had that dramatic a result, I too gave up sodas, and have dropped about 10 pounds, with very little extra effort.

I had switched to diet sodas some years back, but really that made no difference. As suggested, there must be some other ingredient in there that plays a role. Now, I'm almost 100% pure H2O, and it's made a big difference.

[BruceRTL]

Interesting and timely thread Dragonslayer! Thanks for starting it.

I drink way to much Diet Coke, not because it's diet but because I love the taste. I just don't like the taste of normal coke or coke classic or whatever they call it these days. Having said that, I know the aspartame and sodium is very bad for you. Thanks to my neighbor, I have switched to Diet Rite Pure Zero cola. The taste is pretty good in my opinion and the price is the same as normal Coke. It has no calories, no sodium, no caffeine, and uses splenda instead of aspartame. I'm sure it has it's negatives but it must be healthier than Coke. I have lost about 7 pounds in the past 3 weeks. That's not all due to the soda entirely, I have been counting calories at lunch time also.

[Pug]

Just thought I'd share my preference/habit/affliction/obsession whatever you'd like to call it... Pepsi.

Although it's not caused any "weight problems" with me (I still weigh the same as I did in high-school... must be a "metabolism thing"), I'm concerned that my stomach problems are being exacerbated by the 2liters+/day I drink.
I think it's the caffeine in it that keeps me "hooked". I get headaches when I'm without it.
Other's have a coffee habit - I have a Pepsi habit.

I wasn't aware there were such preservatives in soft drinks.
The stories about Coke's ability to remove rust from metal haven't served to lessen my concerns. Wonder what gives it this "quality"?

Good for you guy's commitment to limit your intake!

[TarheelGrad1998]

I mainly quit to try to improve symtoms of GERD, to be honest. Don't know that it's helped much there.

But I will say, I sure sleep a lot better, without all the caffiene. It used to be that I'd lay in bed for an hour or two watching TV before going to sleep. Now, I'm out within 20 minutes. And I used to have boughts of insomnia, where I just couldn't get to sleep. No more.

Anyway, I'm a big proponent of cutting the sodas, if you can do it. It's hard at first, but once they're gone, you don't miss them so much.

[ToyTruck]

You all must drink a lot of sodas.......I just don't keep them around so I don't have a point of reference regarding weight loss. I do like the occasional Dr. Pepper or an A&W root beer if I can find one.

My problem is my wife has begun baking breads from scratch--all kinds, from sourdough to 10 grain. Man, talk about bulking up. I'm on the reverse Adkins diet.

[BruceRTL]

Originally Posted by Pug

(I still weigh the same as I did in high-school... must be a "metabolism thing")

You suck! lol!!!

Seriously though, I use to be that way. Then came middle age.... You'll get yours....

[Pug]

Originally Posted by BruceRTL

You suck! lol!!!

Seriously though, I use to be that way. Then came middle age.... You'll get yours....

Heh-heh! Yeah... I get that comment from my family, alot. They've said that since I turned 30... then 40... now 50, that weightgain will start "mysteriously", at first... then the reason(s) will become evident.
I hope the Pepsi isn't one of them.

At the risk of bringing out the beer afficionados in the ROC by inserting the word beer into this thread, I HAD noticed a beer gut forming under my t-shirts to the point that they were alot shorter in front than in back.
Not visiting the local watering holes as much shrunk my belly bigtime!
But I'm not as much of a "fun person" as I once was... so my GF says.

[Andy-Montreal]

Originally Posted by Pug

At the risk of bringing out the beer afficionados in the ROC by inserting the word beer into this thread, I HAD noticed a beer gut forming under my t-shirts to the point that they were alot shorter in front than in back.

Frank, do you mean what I think you mean? No "six-pack"?

Of course, I was referring to what most women call Abs on a man's stomach and not a nicely-grouped package of a choice alcoholic beverage made from fermented yeast and hops.