Diet Soda: Good or bad for fat people?

[TD_washingtonredskins]

Figured I'd bump this rather than start a new thread.

Gave up Pepsi for lent. I'm now 2 1/2 weeks in. I was MISERABLE the first week while I kicked the caffiene addiction. Now I don't really miss it at all.

That being said, I haven't changed anything else, and I'm still exercising like I had been before. Haven't lost a lick of weight. Not even a pound.

Therefore, I can now conclude that Pepsi is NOT bad for me in the least!

The countdown to APril 24th is on.......

What did you replace your soda with? Other non-carbonated, artificially sweetened drinks aren't much better. Either way, if you've gone from drinking soda to drinking water, you're much better off even if you're not losing weight. Just to add to the anecdotal evidence, I did the same thing a few years ago for Lent and lost 5 pounds almost immediately and 10 for the duration of Lent. Granted, I replaced my soda with water.

I'd bet if you've done the same, you're probably better off overall even if you're not dropping any weight. It's also possible that you're filling your void with food or something? I'm not sure.

[boysetsfire]

Today is 3 weeks since I stopped drinking regular soda cold turkey. I can't even begin to tell you how much better and healthier my body feels at this point. I was reaching a pretty low point this winter in which I would consume a 2 liter of Coke every 2 or 3 days. I've loved soda my entire life but this time around I knew I had to give it up. I wish I had a scale to tell you how much weight i've lost but i've been eating healthier and exercising everyday and the difference so far is pretty remarkable.

Now going on 1 month and 3 weeks. Replaced it with just water and my body feels like a million bucks.

[Enter Apotheosis]

Jesus Christ. To listen to the most of the people here you'd think they don't do anything wrong health wise ever. Everyone is perfect. Especially me. I had a Marlboro Red, a pound of Bacon and warm coke for breakfast.

Diet is a game of averages. The people who sound the strictest don't necessarily succeed in eating healthily any more often than someone who holds less strict views. However, their successes are more likely to be quantitatively greater and, thus, do more to offset any failures.

What did you replace your soda with? Other non-carbonated, artificially sweetened drinks aren't much better. Either way, if you've gone from drinking soda to drinking water, you're much better off even if you're not losing weight. Just to add to the anecdotal evidence, I did the same thing a few years ago for Lent and lost 5 pounds almost immediately and 10 for the duration of Lent. Granted, I replaced my soda with water.

I'd bet if you've done the same, you're probably better off overall even if you're not dropping any weight. It's also possible that you're filling your void with food or something? I'm not sure.

I'd put my money on juice unless Heiden has a penchant for sports drinks.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

I'd put my money on juice unless Heiden has a penchant for sports drinks.

Juice, sports drinks, or bottled iced teas...those types of things wouldn't surprise me. I would be shocked to find out that a) he replaced soda with water and hasn't changed anything else and he doesn't feel better/hasn't lost weight.

[Homercles82]

Just to add to the anecdotal evidence, I did the same thing a few years ago for Lent and lost 5 pounds almost immediately and 10 for the duration of Lent. Granted, I replaced my soda with water.

Echoing this. Since giving up carbonated beverages in all forms, I have noticed my pants and shirts fit better. I replaced soda with tea, water, coffe and certain juices. I try to find juices that are naturally lower in sugars, or are no sugar/sugar substitute added. I limit my juices to 12 ounces per day, if I even hit that. I tend to have 4 ounces of Simply Orange or Simply Grapefruit in the evening when I want a taste of something other than tea or water. When I drink tea it is either lightly sweetend with real sugar, 1/2 cup in a gallon, or simply unsweetend, but that is rare because afterall I did grow up south of the Mason/Dixon Line! For my coffee I drink it black. Always have though so this wasn't much of a change.

I have drank the Rockstar Orange or Lemonade a handful of times so those were my only "diet-like" drinks. I am trying to cut that out as well.

Note: I have not changed one other thing about my diet or exercise program during this time frame.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

He's not really wrong, though. Eating and drinking right is an extremely easy thing to do in and of itself. It's overcoming habit, temptation, and the psychological issues that can be associated with overeating that are considerably more difficult.

The biggest obstacle to eating right for way too many people is having the money to do so.

When you have $15 dollars to feed yourself for a week, your "eating right" choices become severely limited. Water is affordable, of course...but then again you'll have to hear people tell you the horrors of drinking tap water lol ...

[Koolblue13]

The biggest obstacle to eating right for way too many people is having the money to do so.

.

That is such a myth.

http://simplemom.net/11-tips-for-eating-healthy-on-a-budget/

It's all about habits.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

That is such a myth.

http://simplemom.net/11-tips-for-eating-healthy-on-a-budget/

It's all about habits.

That article won't help a person who is eating on $15 a week.

To explain further:

1) Eat less meat.

The person eating on $15 bucks a week isn't eating much meat to begin with...in fact, they're probably eating hot dogs.

2) Emphasize grains and legumes.

Rice and beans are probably already a staple of their diet because it's cheap, not because it's healthy

3) Buy in bulk.

Yeah, right lol ...that should be self-explanatory..."stock up on the kool-aid packs"

4) Make smart choices in organic produce: dirty dozen.

Fresh vegetables and fruits are a luxury to this person

5) Clean non-organic produce well with pesticide washes.

See above

6) Buy locally.

The only things "local" to this person are liquor stores, fast food places and Walmart.

7) Invest in a Community Supported Agriculture program.

:rotflmao:

8) Eat seasonally.

Ramen noodles don't have a "season".

9) Grow your own.

The only thing being grown where he lives is weed. And those mf'ers eat better than he does, too.

10) Preserve it when it’s cheap.

Obviously "cheap" is defined differently in this article than in the reality of the person I described

11) Forgo processed foods.

They're not gonna forgo ANY food that's affordable to them.

The best and most relevant part of the article would be this part:

"Each person and family must make financial choices that are right for them."

[TD_washingtonredskins]

That article won't help a person who is eating on $15 a week.

Let's assume that obesity is only an issue in that demographic (which, of course, is not true)...tell me the UNHEALTHY food you'd eat for $15 per week that is much cheaper than buying rice, some vegetables, and chicken or something. Even horrible fast food adds up to something more like $10 per day.

[Koolblue13]

Let's assume that obesity is only an issue in that demographic (which, of course, is not true)...tell me the UNHEALTHY food you'd eat for $15 per week that is much cheaper than buying rice, some vegetables, and chicken or something. Even horrible fast food adds up to something more like $10 per day.

Exactly. I've done it myself. If you buy beans, rice and legumes in bulk and reduce your meat intake, it gets a lot cheaper.

Oatmeal in the morning, with maple syrup and raisins.

An apple a few hours later

Rice and beans for lunch

Another apple a few hours later

A piece of chicken or fish with veggies

What do you think that would cost? It's also a very healthy day of eating 5 meals.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

Let's assume that obesity is only an issue in that demographic (which, of course, is not true)...tell me the UNHEALTHY food you'd eat for $15 per week that is much cheaper than buying rice, some vegetables, and chicken or something. Even horrible fast food adds up to something more like $10 per day.

Not talking fast food, I'm talking food bought at the store:

5 packs of Ramen noodles: $1

Pack of hot dogs: $.80 cents

1 lb of rice: $1

1 loaf of white bread: $.80

1 can of generic veggies: $.90

total: $4.70

Total meals: 7-10 (if the person spreads it out right)

Compared to a healthier diet...

Package of chicken breasts (2): $3.75

1 lb of brown rice: $1.35

Total: $5.10

Total meals: 3-4 (if rice alone is considered a "meal")

[TD_washingtonredskins]

And you believe people on the first diet would be overweight or obese? I think eating a hot dog for lunch and Ramen for dinner every night would keep you pretty lean even if it's not exactly healthy for you. I see your point though...

[Califan007 The Constipated]

Exactly. I've done it myself. If you buy beans, rice and legumes in bulk and reduce your meat intake, it gets a lot cheaper.

You guys aren't getting it...someone who can only afford to spend $15 a week on food is NOT gonna be buying in bulk lol ...

Yes, it's much easier to ultimately end up spending about $15-$20 a week on food--IF you can afford to buy a ton of that food in advance. But too large a segment of our society can not do that...they are living day by day or week by week...they aren't spending $12 bucks on bulk TP because "ultimately" it will be cheaper...they're buying the generic $.69 brand to just get them through until their next paycheck lol...

---------- Post added March-28th-2011 at 09:25 AM ----------

And you believe people on the first diet would be overweight or obese? I think eating a hot dog for lunch and Ramen for dinner every night would keep you pretty lean even if it's not exactly healthy for you. I see your point though...

Easily. Preservatives and way too many carbs combined with a sedentary lifestyle can and does lead to obesity. You can buy frozen pizzas for $1...you can eat a frozen pizza a day for a week for $7...you can have a sodium-filled bowl of Ramen noodles, zero-grain carb-filled white bread and pizza every day and feel somewhat full (or satisfied, I should say) and get buy on a small amount of money. And you WILL gain weight unless you're constantly active. I live in a community like this...and this reality surrounds me all day, every day. And I see more obese people per-capita in my area than anywhere else. I go to a middle class suburb and damn near everyone looks fit and trim in comparison.

Obviously I wouldn't know how much of the obesity is based on diet and how much is based on genetics and how much is based on other factors..but the Ramen noodles and hot dogs are always flying off the shelves where I shop lol ...

[TD_washingtonredskins]

You guys aren't getting it...someone who can only afford to spend $15 a week on food is NOT gonna be buying in bulk lol ...

Yes, it's much easier to ultimately end up spending about $15-$20 a week on food--IF you can afford to buy a ton of that food in advance. But too large a segment of our society can not do that...they are living day by day or week by week...they aren't spending $12 bucks on bulk TP because "ultimately" it will be cheaper...they're buying the generic $.69 brand to just get them through until their next paycheck lol...

Well, then let's take this debate to the middle class...since I'll concede that it might be a little tougher to eat healthily for those who can only afford $3 per day. I can't really believe that is the rule, more the exception, but I have nothing to prove that.

For someone who can afford to shop for groceries and pay $75 per week or something...do you believe that only a small number of these people are overweight since money isn't the issue?

[Califan007 The Constipated]

Speaking of this off-tangent topic (heh), anyone remember this?

http://onedollardietproject.wordpress.com/

---------- Post added March-28th-2011 at 09:37 AM ----------

Well, then let's take this debate to the middle class...since I'll concede that it might be a little tougher to eat healthily for those who can only afford $3 per day. I can't really believe that is the rule, more the exception, but I have nothing to prove that.

For someone who can afford to shop for groceries and pay $75 per week or something...do you believe that only a small number of these people are overweight since money isn't the issue?

No, for that group of people it's more personal preference and habit. People can save $$ by using coupons when shopping, but a lot of people don't bother because they don't like coupon hunting or dragging all the coupons to the store with them and only buying stuff that match those coupons. It's a personal choice all around.

It's MUCH easier to eat healthier in other countries if you're poor...even like a "$5 a week for food" type of poor. Not because of government programs but because our society is built up so that everything is "fast" or "convenient"...and the food choices most available to people on the lower end of the economic scale are gonna be heavily processed foods with tons of preservatives, high in carbs and sodium, etc. Could you imagine telling someone in that circumstance "Don't eat anything that's in a box or a can"? lol...

[Koolblue13]

I see your point, but I still think it's possible.

http://our.windowfarms.org/

Might want to try and build one of these if you have a window that gets 6-8 hours of day light.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

No, for that group of people it's more personal preference and habit.

Cool...that's my take too. However, I believe that to be the main factor in every demographic. I don't believe there are too many poor people in the US packing on the pounds because they eat only Ramen for dinner.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

I see your point, but I still think it's possible.

http://our.windowfarms.org/

Might want to try and build one of these if you have a window that gets 6-8 hours of day light.

Those would be filled with weed where I live lol...seriously, I've never lived anywhere where, while I'm out walking, I can smell weed coming from the cars at the intersection.

---------- Post added March-28th-2011 at 09:55 AM ----------

Cool...that's my take too. However, I believe that to be the main factor in every demographic. I don't believe there are too many poor people in the US packing on the pounds because they eat only Ramen for dinner.

Obviously obesity is not based on just one food being eaten too much ...but in this thread we were basically talking about two separate things: losing weight/obesity, and eating healthier. My first comment was about how income level is a VERY real barrier to eating healthy (or healthier) for more people than we realize. You can't just blissfully tell people "don't eat anything out of a box or can", for example, especially if that person is trying to feed their entire family and not just themselves. Now, for all I know all the obese people where I live are Samoan lol ...

And I've lived through a period of only eating Ramen noodles and hot dogs...and yeah, I did gain weight. That's because the money aspect affects more than just your diet choices. It effects your mind-state as well. You also don't have money to go do other things, so you find yourself becoming even MORE sedentary as a result. You also start wanting those simple pleasures in life that give you some instant gratification...like buying a Mrs. Fields cookie or something like that ...you want it because you know you can't have it because you know you really can't afford it...then you discover something like pudding pies can be bought for a mere $.25 at some stores lol...Hmm...$.20 for a bag of Ramen noodles or $.25 for a pudding pie? Which to buy, which to buy...

[Enter Apotheosis]

That is such a myth.

http://simplemom.net/11-tips-for-eating-healthy-on-a-budget/

It's all about habits.

Technically putting an emphasis on grains and legumes wouldn't constitute particularly healthy eating, though it is pretty much a necessity for anyone that needs a cheap way to boost caloric load.

Easily. Preservatives and way too many carbs combined with a sedentary lifestyle can and does lead to obesity. You can buy frozen pizzas for $1...you can eat a frozen pizza a day for a week for $7...you can have a sodium-filled bowl of Ramen noodles, zero-grain carb-filled white bread and pizza every day and feel somewhat full (or satisfied, I should say) and get buy on a small amount of money. And you WILL gain weight unless you're constantly active. I live in a community like this...and this reality surrounds me all day, every day. And I see more obese people per-capita in my area than anywhere else. I go to a middle class suburb and damn near everyone looks fit and trim in comparison.

Obviously I wouldn't know how much of the obesity is based on diet and how much is based on genetics and how much is based on other factors..but the Ramen noodles and hot dogs are always flying off the shelves where I shop lol ...

You're probably not going to see any obese adults eating off of a meal plan that's as bare-bones as you've been suggesting in this thread unless they're female, sub-5'5", and damn near bedridden. You'd probably have a pretty even split between normal weight and overweight eating like that. Granted, the weight distribution probably wouldn't be particularly flattering. Malnourishment, hypertension, and diabetes would be surefire problems, too.

Most of the people in your area are probably sinking a bit more into their food budget or, at the very least, do have the ability to buy in bulk.

[Heidenreich]

First off- The "Pepsi is good for me" was a joke. I've said it plenty before I gave up Pepsi for lent that it's awful.

Second- I already drank a gallon of water every day while I was still drinking Pepsi. The 11AM one I drank at work has not been replaced, I'm just drinking more water.

With the meals, it too is usually just water. I bought a six pack of Snapple raspberry Iced tea two weeks ago, there's still one left. My caloric intake from beverages has diminished greatly......

[Califan007 The Constipated]

You're probably not going to see any obese adults eating off of a meal plan that's as bare-bones as you've been suggesting in this thread unless they're female, sub-5'5", and damn near bedridden.

That meal was to show how eating unhealthy is significantly cheaper than eating "healthy"...it wasn't a comment about obesity.

You'd probably have a pretty even split between normal weight and overweight eating like that.

Since obesity is simply being overweight by a certain percentage, it's definitely possible to eat a lot of inexpensive, unhealthy foods and end up overweight to the point of fitting the definition of "obese".

Most of the people in your area are probably sinking a bit more into their food budget or, at the very least, do have the ability to buy in bulk.

1) "buying in bulk" does not mean EATING in bulk lol...

2) I acknowledged that the obesity in and around where I live could be due to a number of factors and that it was not simply from eating Ramen noodle soup and hot dogs every day...but I also pointed out again that my imagined $15-a-week diet was not made as a comment on obesity but just on the obstacles of eating right. And, yeah, you could eat nothing but pudding pies every day for less than $15 a week...I'd imagine you'd gain some weight there. :yes:

---------- Post added March-28th-2011 at 10:27 AM ----------

First off- The "Pepsi is good for me" was a joke. I've said it plenty before I gave up Pepsi for lent that it's awful.

Second- I already drank a gallon of water every day while I was still drinking Pepsi. The 11AM one I drank at work has not been replaced, I'm just drinking more water.

With the meals, it too is usually just water. I bought a six pack of Snapple raspberry Iced tea two weeks ago, there's still one left. My caloric intake from beverages has diminished greatly......

I think you should give up Pepsi simply because Pepsi SUCKS EGGS!! lol...

Devout Coke drinker here ...

[DieselPwr44]

$15 per week to eat on??

I don't know where you get a loaf of white bread for .80. The store brand loaf of bread is running $1.40 and if you go with a name brand it's $2.25.

A gallon of 1% milk(store brand) is $3.75, brand name is $5+.

You might get a package of chicken breast for $3.75 but your talking about three small breasts that won't make it five days.

Apples are about $1 a piece at least so $5 gets you an apple a day and then your left with $10 to buy everything else.

And you wonder why poor people buy Ramen noodles and potted meat (noodles .17 a pack and potted meat 4/$1) or pinto beans and cornbread with a $2 slab of fatback for seasoning?

[Califan007 The Constipated]

$15 per week to eat on??

I don't know where you get a loaf of white bread for .80. The store brand loaf of bread is running $1.40 and if you go with a name brand it's $2.25.

The prices I used are mostly generic brands of stuff...and the store I go to often runs specials where the generic white bread is around $.80 per loaf. I notice it as I buy my high-grain/multi-grain loaf of bread with half the amount of slices for 5 times the price lol :mad:...

A gallon of 1% milk(store brand) is $3.75, brand name is $5+.

You might get a package of chicken breast for $3.75 but your talking about three small breasts that won't make it five days.

Apples are about $1 a piece at least so $5 gets you an apple a day and then your left with $10 to buy everything else.

And you wonder why poor people buy Ramen noodles and potted meat (noodles .17 a pack and potted meat 4/$1) or pinto beans and cornbread with a $2 slab of fatback for seasoning?

I don't wonder it at all ...I understand why they do :yes:

[Homercles82]

Precooked Rotissere Chicken (whole) - $6.99

Box of Giant Brand Instant Rice - $1.49

Bag of frozen mixed vegetables (big bag) Giant Brand - $1.99

12 eggs - $1.79

Loaf of plain white bread - $0.99

$11.46

$0.58 tax

$12.04 leaving $2.96 to spend on whatever. I would suggest investing it into a bag of carrots, an onion and celery. Or invest it in a bag of dried beans. Do not waste it on canned beans.

Allow the chicken to cool, shred the breast meat. Look up a free youtube video on how to butcher a chicken and remove the thighs, wings and drumsticks as needed. Save the bones, as they can be used for chicken stock if you have or can afford a $0.99 bag of carrots from giant, a single onion and a bag of $1.79 celery. If you can't afford them you can still make stock without them. You simply need salt and pepper to make a really basic stock. Stock is easy to make and can be frozen. Also, stock makes a better liquid to cook your rice in to add flavor.

Stock can also be used with flour and butter to make a gravy.

Stick to portions suggested on the vegetables and that bag easily lasts you a week.

Put some thought into it. All these items will be cheaper at Walmart too. Use everything.

[DieselPwr44]

Precooked Rotissere Chicken (whole) - $6.99

Box of Giant Brand Instant Rice - $1.49

Bag of frozen mixed vegetables (big bag) Giant Brand - $1.99

12 eggs - $1.79

Loaf of plain white bread - $0.99

$11.46

$0.58 tax

$12.04 leaving $2.96 to spend on whatever.

I ought to be able to read the paper through someone living off that because he be one bone thin son of a gun.