Chances are if you’re reading this article you already know the negative effects associated with diet soda. Now, don’t get me wrong…I don’t think that having a diet soda every once in a while is going to kill you. Most things are fine in moderation. But if you can’t go a day without getting your Diet Coke fix or find yourself drinking lots of diet soda throughout the day it’s probably a good idea to kick your diet soda habit to the curb.
An article recently published by Health.com verifies that yes, diet soda addictions are for real. Here’s an excerpt:
Whether you feel dependent or not, drinking too much diet soda might be risky in the long run. In recent years, habitual diet-soda consumption has been linked to an increased risk of low bone mineral density in women, type 2 diabetes, and stroke. What’s more, a growing body of research suggests that excessive diet soda intake may actually encourage weight gain.
Researchers are still trying to sort out the counterintuitive link between zero-calorie soda and weight gain. One explanation may be that as your body gets used to experiencing the sweet flavor of diet soda without absorbing any calories, it begins to forget that foods containing real sugar and other carbohydrates do deliver calories.
“The next time you go for a piece of fruit, your history says, ‘I don’t know if this has calories or not,’ so you track those calories less well, and you may eat more of them,” says Susan Swithers, PhD, a professor of psychological sciences at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.
It’s also possible that people who gravitate toward diet soda are more likely to gain weight because they have less healthy diets overall than people who choose water or other unsweetened beverages. (They may use diet soda to wash down fast food, for instance.)
If a relationship between diet soda and unhealthy food choices does exist, it may not be a total coincidence. There is some speculation — largely unconfirmed, as of yet — that diet sodas have subtle effects on insulin and blood-sugar levels that trigger hunger and food cravings and influence how (and what) you eat.
So if you’re addicted to diet soda what can you do about it?
My advice is to replace your diet soda with a drink that will improve your overall health instead of dragging you down. If there was something that would help you lose weight, curb cravings, decrease your appetite, keep you feeling full, increase your energy levels and also tasted great wouldn’t you at least give it a try?
If you’re trying to kick a diet soda habit you should give Shakeology a try. Shakeology is an ultra-premium, low calorie, nutrient-dense shake. In other words, it’s A LOT better for you than diet soda, and it tastes good too! I’ve known quite a few people who have kicked their diet soda habit just by drinking Shakeology. And in the process of doing it they lost a few pounds too! 🙂
Check out this video first and then check out some of the information on my Shakeology website.
Even though I totally think it’s worth the price, I know spending $100+ on something you’ve never tried before can seem a little daunting. So you can purchase individual Shakeology packets through my website. And if you’re purchasing Shakeology with the goal of kicking your diet soda habit for good, please let me know so I can offer you some extra support! 🙂
Amanda is a wife, toddler mom, PMAD survivor, certified nutrition and running coach, recovering perfectionist, and minimalist-in-training. Her mission in life is to help others get off the pity potty, embrace their own brand of weirdness, and get after their dreams. Proverbs 3:5-6