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Does Diet Soda Stop the Weight Loss Process?

By: Jeremy Nelms

There are many tools in our arsenal in the war against body fat. We can make wiser choices when selecting foods, as well as reduce our portions at each meal. A common fat-fighting weapon includes switching from regular sodas to the diet variety.

In fact, one of the first questions that many personal trainers ask their new clients is, "How many sodas do you drink in a day?" After all, the high fructose corn syrup found in the vast majority of soft drinks in this country is proven to be loaded with calories that send insulin levels (with a subsequent fat-storing physiological response) into the stratosphere.

Pretty simple, right? Make the switch, and you're off to the fat loss races. Unfortunately, that doesn't appear to be the case.

In 2005, Texas researchers declared that the risk of obesity increases by 41% for each can of diet soft drink that you consume. An increase of 41% for EACH can is definitely not a good scenario.

Logically, we agree that it simply doesn't make sense. Most diet sodas are void of calories, so how is it possible that fewer calories can lead to increased fat storage?

The answer to that question turns out to be fairly complex. Everyone has heard the joke, "I'll take a super-mega-cheese-bacon-mayo burger with an ultra-giant french fry, please...and a diet coke. I'm on a diet!" It turns out that, intentional or not, the joke is reality for most.

There are actually two major reasons that diet sodas may actually lead to fat gain.

The first is psychological and behavioral. When people switch to diet cokes, they often start to cheat a little (or a lot) on their food intake. Someone that switches to diet colas from 4-6 regular sodas each day may logically think that they are now entitled to cheat a few times. After all...they are now doing "better". However, it is all too simple to add a few extra calories and pack on a few extra pounds having "just one more".

The second reason is that your body is smarter than we think. When we ingest diet drinks, all those chemical ingredients have been shown by researchers to create an insulin response that potentially leads to fat storage, and our brain responds by stimulating our appetite. Suddenly, we are now more hungry, and it becomes more difficult to watch our portion sizes.

Overall, it's a pretty bad situation. A greater number of psychological and behavioral cheats, an increased insulin response, and a greatly increased appetite will have you driving back to the store...purchasing the next size up.

Finally, all research aside, the real world experience of many personal trainers and fitness professionals show that the majority of their clients lose fat faster when the diet sodas are kept at bay.

The solution is clear (pun intended): many successful dieters have experienced substantial weight loss after making the switch from diet colas to plain water. Without the chemically-induced insulin response, water will help to satiate our appetite, especially when dieting. In addition, repeated research has shown that an increase in water intake correlates very well with a subsequent decrease in fat deposits.

And isn't a reduction in body fat and inches our desired outcome, anyway?

Make your fat loss journey simpler. Kick the soda habit and grab water for quicker weight loss.

Known as "The World's Happiest Fitness Couple", Jeremy Nelms and Alissa Nelms chronicle their personal exercise journey and fitness adventures at their popular website, http://www.TheFitCouple.com .

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