Reader Question: How Bad is Diet Coke?

Can you drink water instead of Diet Coke?

Are you a diet soda drinker?  If so, you’re not alone.  A North Memorial Healthy Weight Loss reader recently asked the following question:

I drink water, but I also drink 24 ounces per day of diet soda.  How bad is Diet Coke? 

Diet Coke is one of the most popular diet drinks available.  Many people drink it even though they are not on a diet.  So, what are the pros and cons of drinking the soft drink?

Drinking Diet Coke: Pros

If you are trying to lose weight, drinking diet soda is a better choice than full calorie soda and flavored drinks.  For many people, it provides a satisfying treat during the day and doesn’t add any calories to their total caloric intake.

Drinking Diet Coke: Cons

The downside to drinking Diet Coke can include financial factors as well as nutritional factors.  Many people don’t realize that the cost of drinking soda every day can add up to hundreds of dollars every year.

But there are nutritional considerations as well.  Some studies have found that dieters tend to make poor food choices when they drink soda instead of water.  Another consideration is that soda consumption often displaces water consumption.  That means when that we drink diet soda, we often don’t drink enough water, which we need to stay healthy and hydrated.

And lastly, the caffeine in Diet Coke may affect your ability to sleep at night.  A good night’s sleep is important for good health and may even improve your ability to lose weight.

So, is drinking Diet Coke bad for you?  As with many decisions, there are pros and cons.  My advice is to keep your consumption limited and see if you can make your own flavored water to drink instead of diet soda to satisfy your craving for taste.

Do you have a question about diet, exercise or weight loss?  Post it in the comments section below, or find us on Facebook and post it there.  Then, stay tuned for your answer!

Reader Question: Is Sobe Water Bad for Me?

Make your own flavored water (source:mconnors/morguefile)

A reader recently submitted a question to the North Memorial Healthy Weight Loss Program about a popular flavored water drink. She wrote:

I like Sobe Water. Is it bad for me?

The answer to the question may depend on your typical drinking habits and your goals for weight loss and weight maintenance.

What’s in Flavored Water Drinks?

The best way to know what’s in the drinks we consume is to ignore the package advertising and look at the Nutrition Facts Label. Sobe Lifewater Strawberry Kiwi flavored drink contains 40 calories per serving. Each bottle contains 2.5 servings. If you drink the whole thing, you’ll consume 100 calories.

You should also look at the ingredients list. SoBe advertises that they manufacture “water with benefits.” The first ingredient in Sobe Lifewater Strawberry Kiwi flavored drink is water.  The second is sugar. After that, you’ll find ingredients such as erythritol, natural flavor, fumaric acid, potassium citrate, ascorbic acid, calcium lactate, and modified food starch. Other than water, these aren’t necessarily ingredients that are essential for good health.

Should You Drink Flavored Water?
So does this mean that Sobe water is bad for you to drink? Not necessarily, if you drink it in moderation. But you if you are trying to improve your health with water or trying to lose weight, you might want to think about healthier and cheaper alternatives.

Why not skip the commercially produced drinks and choose regular no-calorie water instead? If you like extra flavor, fill a pitcher with tap water and add a few strawberries and kiwi slices. You can also flavor water with cucumber, orange slices, or herbs. It takes a little bit more time, but you’ll save money and calories at the same time. You’ll also benefit from knowing what’s really in your water.

Do you have a question about diet, exercise or weight loss?  Post it in the comments section below, or find us on Facebook and post it there.  Then, stay tuned for an answer.  Thursday, I’ll answer a question about diet soda.

Best Way to Burn Off Thanksgiving Calories

Time to get moving (source: alal/morguefile)

How many calories will you consume during the big Thanksgiving feast?  Some estimates put the total count of a typical meal near 2000 calories.  Your intake may be lower, but the bottom line is that most of us will eat more than we usually do and will have some extra calories to burn off.  So what’s the best way to burn off the Thanksgiving feast?  Let’s start by eliminating the worst option.

The Worst Way to Burn Off Thanksgiving Calories

The worst thing you can do after consuming a large meal is to do too much in a single workout.  You might feel guilty about overindulging, but if you try to work off the guilt in a single session, you can easily end up injured or exhausted, and unable to continue the workout habit.

The Best Way to Burn off Thanksgiving Calories

Your best bet is to start a moderate program of physical activity.  Or, if you already exercise on a regular basis, add 10 or 15 minutes to your regular workout session to compensate for the extra holiday treats.  You’ll burn off the excess calories and build a healthy exercise habit at the same time.  Here’s a general guide to the number of calories you’ll burn in a 40-minute session.*

• Ride a stationary bike: 363
• Walk at a moderate pace: 150 calories
• Take an aerobics class: 227 calories
• Swim laps:  318 calories

(*Estimates are based on the number of calories that a 150 pound woman would burn.  Source: American Council on Exercise Physical Activity Calculator)

Find more eating tips, recipes and exercise advice on the  North Memorial Healthy Weight Loss website, Facebook page and Twitter feed.