Excessive consumption of Coca Cola

[shell477]

It always interests me that you never see thin people drinking diet drinks...

Jamie

I just wanted to point out here, people drinking diet drinks arent always doing it to try manage their weight. I am diabetic and once or twice a week will have a 600ml diet coke.

The amount of times that someone has served me, and said with a look of disdain 'why are you drinking diet coke? you're not on a diet are you, don't be stupid, you're not even fat' etc etc, and I just look them in the eye and say ' I am diabetic. I can't have sugar. Thanks' and then they just shut up. So don't assume!

 

[Pythoninfinite]

I just wanted to point out here, people drinking diet drinks arent always doing it to try manage their weight. I am diabetic and once or twice a week will have a 600ml diet coke.

The amount of times that someone has served me, and said with a look of disdain 'why are you drinking diet coke? you're not on a diet are you, don't be stupid, you're not even fat' etc etc, and I just look them in the eye and say ' I am diabetic. I can't have sugar. Thanks' and then they just shut up. So don't assume!

I had no intention to offend 477, and I do realise that not all users of these products are trying to lose weight. My comment was directed at overweight people who may think that they can lose weight just by using these products, rather than combining it with lifestyle changes.

Jamie

 

[Ash1990]

I drink 2L +/ day when studying for my exams, its the only way i can concentrate and sit still for 2 weeks reading endless piles of notes. I tend to quit after exams, but it makes me grumpy and irritable for at least 2 weeks after till the cravings stop and then I tend to not drink it unless Im driving long distances or exams start up again. I got really bad headaches when cold turkeying from it, but so far haven't seen any effects on my health from taking that much, except for the slight weight gain, which drops off when i stop drinking it.

 

[shell477]

I had no intention to offend 477, and I do realise that not all users of these products are trying to lose weight. My comment was directed at overweight people who may think that they can lose weight just by using these products, rather than combining it with lifestyle changes.

Jamie

You didnt offend me, was just pointing it out in general. Sorry if it seemed like my post was a dig at you.

 

[andynic07]

Andy - sorry mate, no offence, but Mercola is a known anti-science fanatic. Show me one peer reviewed item that backs his claims. Mercola is anti-vaccination, anti-science and all to sell his supplements which, funny enough, the FDA have told him he is marketing illegally.

Forgive my ad-hominem attack on Mercola - but this guy is a complete quack. Here's one letter the FDA sent to Mercola Meditherm Inc. 3/22/11

And a little article to go with it FDA Orders Dr. Joseph Mercola to Stop Illegal Claims

After a bit of research I am ready to say I was wrong about aspartame being as bad as it is said to be but as with anything I am sure overindulgence would be a bad thing. I usually am a science first person but for some reason got caught up in the smoke and mirrors of this one. I am sure without that my claim about water being a lot better for you is also true.

 

[OldestMagician]

I drink 2+ litres of Pepsi Max a day... Although I don't drink any other fizzy stuff because I either find it gross or is way too sugary and not refreshing.
Although I do drink a lot anyway, I probably put away 6 litres of sugar free cordial when I'm at work (6 litres made up, not neat)

 

[lizardwhisperer]

Think you'll find the artificial sweeteners are not the problem, it's the additives used to make the drink taste better after including them.

Also few fat people are fat because of laziness or stupidity. Many things influence weight gain and inability to shift the extra kg. There is a multibillion dollar industry that takes advantage of fat peoples' desires to look thin which does more harm than good.

 

[garthcapper]

regular cardio vascular exercise, healthy eating and you can't go wrong,

 

[buffcoat]

Look up the different uses for Coke. It can be used to clean battery terminals and blood stains.

I stopped cold turkey drinking sodas of any kind. Every now and then I get a hankering for a root beer, take a drink and realize how sweet it is.

Just from not drinking soda I almost immediately lost 10 lbs.

Edit: here's a list I found for some of those uses http://www.wisebread.com/51-uses-for-coca-cola-the-ultimate-list.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Bluetongue1]

Ash1990, you are using the caffeine, and not the sugar hit, to allow you to burn the candle at both ends to study and yet remain bright eyed and bushy tailed. I would suggest the reason it takes you two weeks to recover is that you are sleep deprived and no longer getting the adrenalin rush in concert with the caffeine.
OldestMagician, you are a caffeine addict.
Lizardwhisperer, Which of the additives in following contents of Pepsi Max are a problem and why?
Carbonated Water, Caramel Colour, Phosphoric Acid, Aspartame, Potassium Benzoate (Preserves freshness), Caffeine, Natural Flavour, Acesulfame Potassium, Citric Acid, Calcium Disodium EDTA (To protect flavour), Panax Ginseng Extract.
Phenlyketonurics: Contains Phenylalanine

Jamie is quite right in his statement that you can give up soft drinks but not lose weight. If your calorie intake has exceeded your calorie usage, you will put on weight. If you then remove the intake of excess calories, your weight will remain stable instead of increasing. It is only if your calorie intact is below your usage that you will lose weight. This can be achieved by eating less than you need – not a good idea as you will be depriving your body essential nutrients it requires from the food you eat. Alternatively, if your metabolism is increased through exercise, the body will start to utilise stored calories to provide its energy needs and you will begin to lose weight.

My personal belief is that weight loss should NOT be your primary goal. There are far too many unhealthy weight loss diets out there along with supposed fat burning pills and magic food supplements or foods you should never eat etc. A healthy balanced diet with lots of fruit and veg, a reduction in sugars and cereal products, due to their high storage of carbohydrates, reduced fat intake, especially saturated fats, is a good first step as it will provide your body with all that it needs without overloading the calories. What is REALLY important though, is fitness. Not muscle size or strength but cardio-vascular and respiratory fitness. You can be obese yet still develop a high degree of cardio-vascular fitness. If you maintain that then over time your obesity will reduce. So exercises like swimming will provide a much greater benefit to those overweight than a gym workout. Control your cholesterol through diet and your blood pressure and lung capacity through appropriate exercise. Don’t worry so much about what the outside of the body looks like – it is what the inside is like that is important!!!

Blue

 

[lizardwhisperer]

I'll let you search that out.

mm... "Natural Flavour" could be just about anything now couldn't it.

 

[mungus]

Erection Problems :lol::lol:

 

[Sezzzzzzzzz]

Heres my 2 cents: My dad died from bowel cancer at 31 which was aggravated by the amount of diet coke that he drank (6l a day). In saying this I haven't learnt my lesson, I love the stuff, but only a can a day (average) unless I mix it with rum and then its a fair bit more. I went on weight watchers about 2 yrs ago and swapped from regular coke to diet coke and did lose a fair bit of weight, but have since made up for it with chocolate lol. If you are really worried about your excessive usage of Coke, id suggest as others have that you go cold turkey.

 

[Sami-Lochy]

You wouldn't cheat on your partner or your mates, so why would you cheat on yourself dude. If your drinking more than a litre a week you need to seriously reconsider. Caffeine addiction is nasty, people need to be aware about the mentaland physical repercussions.
i bet you have trouble waking up in the morning from the excessive caffeine intake. And you wouldn't believe the strain you are putting on your internal organs, especially your heart.
drink a fruit shake instead. Don't be lazy, buy a blender, not a juicer but a blender, blenders leave only the juice taking away important fibre. and start your day off by drinking a complete vegetable and fruit mix. I.e. kale(an antioxidant and helps prevent cancer), celery, pear, apple. You won't feel like drinking or eating anything bad if you start your day off the right way!

 

[Bluetongue1]

Lizardwhisperer,
I have done my research and there is nothing more conclusively stated about the “natural flavours” than what you have said. Don’t get me wrong here. I am not totally denying that there may be health risks with some of the constituents given excessive consumption. I look at it a bit like salt (NaCl) – absolutely necessary for so many of our body’s functions. Without it you get majorly ill very quickly. Yet an excess amount over a prolonged period is extremely detrimental to our health. Moderation is key to avoiding ill health.

Sezzzz,
I am glad you said “aggravated” and wish to point out to those reading this is that this does not, in any way, indicate a causal relationship. Sezzzz, was it the continuous high levels of acid that were to blame. 6L of any beverage per day is staggering. Adult humans require only 1L to 2L of water per day to replenish that lost through sweat, breathing and voiding urine. That aside, it cannot have been easy for you in those circumstances.

Chocolate is known to be addictive, more so with women, and therefore generates cravings. The explanations vary widely from it releasing the same chemicals in the brain as are released during orgasm to it stimulating the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin, with the calming and other effects it has, with numerous other suggested scenarios in between. Damn! So that’s why women prefer chocolate to sex... less effort and no issues about who arrives first. I reckon half a block of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk before the “Are you awake Darling?” might just be the go. On a more serious note, chocolate addiction can be a major issue. It should either be tackled directly with the help of appropriate medical personnel or counteracted by an on-going regular exercise routine that consumes the excess calories taken in.

Se2741,
In the sentence "blenders leave only the juice taking away important fibre" I believe you meant to say "juicers" rather than "blenders".

Blue

 

[thesilverbeast]

I am sure without that my claim about water being a lot better for you is also true.

PURE water can kill you, even in small amounts!! You need all the other crap in natural water to make it safe.

 

[ingie]

I recently completely quit drinking coke zero, because I realised I was not drinking any water, and was really craving more coke all the time. I think I was so dehydrated for so long, that I stopped feeling thirsty, and really struggle to drink a lot of anything, unless I force myself to carry a water bottle and finish it. Since quitting coke, my cravings for fast food have basically ceased to exist, as I think I was only craving the coke zero, not the actual food.

Unfortunately, after quitting coke, I started a chocolate addiction and was buying and eating whole blocks several times a week. (This was pretty recent). It took me a little bit to notice that I had traded one addiction for another, and now I am trying to lessen the amount I eat, but am certainly not willing to give up all chocolate haha. It is really hard though and I struggle to go to the shops without buying chocolate. I feel ridiculous that I give in so often when it seems so simple to just not buy it or so much of it, but when I am looking at it in the shops I literally start to salivate and just can't resist. I was even buying it in secret and hiding it so no one would see how much of it I eat!

I don't smoke, rarely drink alcohol (be licky to have any even once a month) don't like tea or coffee, so that is a plus for my health I guess, just have to lay off the chocolate.

Now that I have written the word chocolate so many times, my mouth is watering and I have a strong urge to go to the shops and buy some hahahaha

 

[andynic07]

PURE water can kill you, even in small amounts!! You need all the other crap in natural water to make it safe.

Not sure what you are talking about mate , can you please explain?

 

[lizardwhisperer]

I recently completely quit drinking coke zero, because I realised I was not drinking any water, and was really craving more coke all the time. I think I was so dehydrated for so long, that I stopped feeling thirsty, and really struggle to drink a lot of anything, unless I force myself to carry a water bottle and finish it. Since quitting coke, my cravings for fast food have basically ceased to exist, as I think I was only craving the coke zero, not the actual food.

Unfortunately, after quitting coke, I started a chocolate addiction and was buying and eating whole blocks several times a week. (This was pretty recent). It took me a little bit to notice that I had traded one addiction for another, and now I am trying to lessen the amount I eat, but am certainly not willing to give up all chocolate haha. It is really hard though and I struggle to go to the shops without buying chocolate. I feel ridiculous that I give in so often when it seems so simple to just not buy it or so much of it, but when I am looking at it in the shops I literally start to salivate and just can't resist. I was even buying it in secret and hiding it so no one would see how much of it I eat!

I don't smoke, rarely drink alcohol (be licky to have any even once a month) don't like tea or coffee, so that is a plus for my health I guess, just have to lay off the chocolate.

Now that I have written the word chocolate so many times, my mouth is watering and I have a strong urge to go to the shops and buy some hahahaha

Another of my addictions - chocolate (love the stuff) , and dark chocolate is good for you.

Mountain Dew is pretty good too (looks suspiciously yellow but tastes great and also has caffeine).

 

[lizardwhisperer]

Not sure what you are talking about mate , can you please explain?

maybe he's referring to bottled spring water (which isn't sterilised), and is often marketed as "pure" AND PEOPLE pay more for per litre than a litre of petrol with the misguided opinions that it's better for them than regular run of the mill tap water is or that tap water is somehow unhealthy.