# Cutting out soda really necesscary?



## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

to be a better rider? 

i see sooo many races sponsored by redbull and monster and stuff...i know its about how much money they have but also i dont think a race company would take sponsorship from something they would normally advise against...granted these are energy drink companies but still


i will do more searches on here about diet and stuff but i wanted this answered.


i typically drink 2 sodas a day unless i have no cash. sometimes ill even have a big cup of soda from the gas station and.....my go to drink after a ride is a soda after ive finished my water and had a about 15 mins to relax

anyways general question......hope i can get good answers


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

oops shoulda put this in diet


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## AZ (Apr 14, 2009)

Soda is one of the worst substances that you can ingest.


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

^ okay why?


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## jinda (Sep 9, 2011)

Its not just about drinking soda. Its about how much you eat daily. Each person depending on his weight have what we call a "maintenance" calorie intake. Going above the maintenance means fat gains and less is fat loss.

You can drink or eat anything as long as you limit the total calorie within your maintenance level. 
If you exceed your maintenance by 3500 cals a week, then you will gain 1 lb. If you eat 3500 cals less than your maintenance in a week then you will lose a pound.


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## STT GUY (May 19, 2009)

I have the soda habit. I drink one 32oz diet pepsi or coke per day. Where else can I get my daily dose of phosphoric acid?


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## Dresdenlock (Aug 10, 2009)

Click on the link..it tells you how bad soda is for you...I use to guzzle the stuff..then I was diagnosed diabetic...and now Im trying to lose weight...Ive lost about 20 pds...and hoping to lose more...I really wish I hadnt been such a soda hound...I feel like now I was addicted to it.

Water For Life USA Water Ionizers


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

jinda said:


> Its not just about drinking soda. Its about how much you eat daily. Each person depending on his weight have what we call a "maintenance" calorie intake. Going above the maintenance means fat gains and less is fat loss.
> 
> You can drink or eat anything as long as you limit the total calorie within your maintenance level.
> If you exceed your maintenance by 3500 cals a week, then you will gain 1 lb. If you eat 3500 cals less than your maintenance in a week then you will lose a pound.


do tell me more.....i weigh 190 and im 5'10 if that helps be more specific


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

Dresdenlock said:


> Click on the link..it tells you how bad soda is for you...I use to guzzle the stuff..then I was diagnosed diabetic...and now Im trying to lose weight...Ive lost about 20 pds...and hoping to lose more...I really wish I hadnt been such a soda hound...I feel like now I was addicted to it.
> 
> Water For Life USA Water Ionizers


wow....i didnt know it was that bad....i also drink alot of pink lemonade...probably not the best either


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## 96p993 (May 21, 2011)

jinda said:


> Its not just about drinking soda. Its about how much you eat daily. Each person depending on his weight have what we call a "maintenance" calorie intake. Going above the maintenance means fat gains and less is fat loss.
> 
> *You can drink or eat anything as long as you limit the total calorie within your maintenance level. *
> If you exceed your maintenance by 3500 cals a week, then you will gain 1 lb. If you eat 3500 cals less than your maintenance in a week then you will lose a pound.


This couldnt be more far from the truth...Certain foods feed muscle and help in the recovery of muscle as well as help you boost your metabolism during the day. What you get from your food has a lot to do with the food that you are putting in your body...To say you can eat anything you want as long as you stay within a certain caloric intake just isnt true.


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## 0010 0110 (Sep 20, 2011)

Dresdenlock said:


> Click on the link..it tells you how bad soda is for you...I use to guzzle the stuff..then I was diagnosed diabetic...and now Im trying to lose weight...Ive lost about 20 pds...and hoping to lose more...I really wish I hadnt been such a soda hound...I feel like now I was addicted to it.
> 
> Water For Life USA Water Ionizers


Yikes!!!!!
Thats some crazy info right there.

I perform worst when i drink soda. not got for the body


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## frdfandc (Sep 5, 2007)

I drink WAY too much soda. One can of soda has the amount of sugar that is in 2 candy bars. All that excess sugar gets converted into fat if not totally used up. 

I've been trying to add in around 2-3 bottles of water daily. One to cut down on the amount of soda I'm drinking, and 2. to also help keep the kidneys flushed out.

A friend of mine cut out soda all together. Didn't change their diet. Still same amount of excercise. Dropped almost 20 lbs within 4 months.


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## SgtBaxter (Jul 2, 2011)

STT GUY said:


> I have the soda habit. I drink one 32oz diet pepsi or coke per day. Where else can I get my daily dose of phosphoric acid?


Phosphoric acid contributes to lower bone density and kidney stones. Best to avoid it in processed foods.


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## SgtBaxter (Jul 2, 2011)

frdfandc said:


> I drink WAY too much soda...
> 
> A friend of mine cut out soda all together.


When I was ten, the norm for soda was an 8oz. glass bottle, and a muffin was probably 1/4 the size of what a muffin is today.

It's hard not to eat too much when serving sizes are slowly and constantly being increased.


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## frdfandc (Sep 5, 2007)

SgtBaxter said:


> When I was ten, the norm for soda was an 8oz. glass bottle, and a muffin was probably 1/4 the size of what a muffin is today.
> 
> It's hard not to eat too much when serving sizes are slowly and constantly being increased.


As I type this, I'm opening up my 6th can of soda for the day. :madman:

But yesterday, I had one glass (12-14 oz) of soda. Go figure.


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## jinda (Sep 9, 2011)

frdfandc said:


> I drink WAY too much soda. One can of soda has the amount of sugar that is in 2 candy bars. All that excess sugar gets converted into fat if not totally used up.
> 
> I've been trying to add in around 2-3 bottles of water daily. One to cut down on the amount of soda I'm drinking, and 2. to also help keep the kidneys flushed out.
> 
> A friend of mine cut out soda all together. *Didn't change their diet.* Still same amount of excercise. Dropped almost 20 lbs within 4 months.


If you drink Soda regularly then its part your daily diet. If your friend cut his soda then he changed his diet and reduced his calorie intake.

1 8oz bottle of regular coca cola is 100 calories. 1 can of diet coke has ZERO calories.
Regardless of how much sugar is in your drink, the thing that will make you fat is the excess in calories you are taking. The effect of too much sugar will be in another way, maybe too much water weight retention and/or getting diabetic.


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## TXDesertRacer (Aug 15, 2011)

I'm not worried about the calories as much as the rotten teeth and kidney stones. Ever had to pass a kidney stone? If not, find someone who has and ask them if too much soda is worth it.


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## jinda (Sep 9, 2011)

TXDesertRacer said:


> I'm not worried about the calories as much as the rotten teeth and kidney stones. Ever had to pass a kidney stone? If not, find someone who has and ask them if too much soda is worth it.


I am replying based on the assumption that the OP is asking if cutting soda is good for overall performance improvement in his biking.

That's why I mentioned about calorie effect and not about the effect of soda on your kidney. I am not trying to tell people not to cut soda. Its up to them, what I am saying is the OP should be worrying about something else than just soda to perform better in his riding. That's why I pointed out diet. Exercise of course is another thing that can contribute to better performance.


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## jinda (Sep 9, 2011)

hazardousmtb said:


> do tell me more.....i weigh 190 and im 5'10 if that helps be more specific


Your weight and height may not be enough to say whether you are fit or not. It all depends on your body composition. You can be a 190 lbs muscular guy standing at 5'10" or a 190 lbs fat ass.

Assuming you are an office working guy who doesnt work out and have average daily activities, your calorie maintenance level should be around 2700 cals a day. Thats about 3 double whoppers a day That's the level where you don't gain nor lose fats on your current status.

There is a good site about losing fats naturally thru diet and just working out: Check it if you want:

Losing Fat - Bodybuilding.com Forums


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## jinda (Sep 9, 2011)

96p993 said:


> This couldnt be more far from the truth...Certain foods feed muscle and help in the recovery of muscle as well as help you boost your metabolism during the day. What you get from your food has a lot to do with the food that you are putting in your body...To say you can eat anything you want as long as you stay within a certain caloric intake just isnt true.


It depends on how people will understand what I said. If lets say your total intake per day is 2000 cals, you will not eat 2000 calories worth of chocolates right? Or drink 2000 calories worth of soda.

When I said "you can eat whatever you want", its more on not so much worrying about a small thing which is just part of a big thing. For me its like, I can drink soda, eat chocolates, rice, veggies, pork, beef etc in a single day as long as it fits in my diet.

I expected people from here not to understand it as eating 2000 cals of chocolate or whatever. Lets trust them more and hope that they know what they are doing

I just based my point from IIFYM, I have done it and more people are benefiting from it. Look it up if you think its not true


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## Guerdonian (Sep 4, 2008)

Substitute a beer for every time you want a soda, and you will be a much happier man 

IMO it all comes back to moderation. A occasional soda won't kill your fitness and won't make you diabetic, you just shouldn't guzzle the stuff. To even argue the opposite point, in the Tour De France (1980's ish i think), they often passed "bonking" riders a Coke for quick sugar and some caffeine.


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## squareback (Sep 19, 2011)

When I stopped drinking a soda per day, I lost weight. (I switched from soda to ice coffee, black)

When I stopped drinking beer, and started drinking red wine, I really lost weight. When I cut back on the red wine, I lost even more weight.

This sucks.


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## Guerdonian (Sep 4, 2008)

squareback said:


> When I stopped drinking a soda per day, I lost weight. (I switched from soda to ice coffee, black)
> 
> When I stopped drinking beer, and started drinking red wine, I really lost weight. When I cut back on the red wine, I lost even more weight.
> 
> This sucks.


When you cut back on appendages or fingers you lose weight too. Jeez man, that perspective makes this whole idea seem crappy.

What about If i ride more i lose weight, and keep the drinking to fun levels?


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

hazardousmtb said:


> to be a better rider?
> 
> i see sooo many races sponsored by redbull and monster and stuff...i know its about how much money they have but also i dont think a race company would take sponsorship from something they would normally advise against...granted these are energy drink companies but still
> 
> ...


It Soda is about 200 cal a good solid ride will burn about 500 cal/hr (breathing hard)...so each soda is 20 minutes on the bike...

Caffeine is a different issue....it helps insulin transfer blood sugar into the muscles or the fat cells....depends on whether the energy is required or not...

So if you drink a caffeinated sweet soda...you had better be riding the bike.


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## Waltah (Aug 5, 2011)

you seem pretty argumentative for just asking a question about soda. seems like you would like for us to just agree that its okay.

it depends on your personal fitness goals and what you can or cant get away with. seems to me like you just want to talk yourself into thinking its okay. and if you are comfortable at your weight/fitness level/etc... and you still drink soda, good for you. nothing wrong with that at all. it would take you all of a couple of minutes to use a search engine to find the negatives of ingesting that garbage. i stick to water on a regular basis, low cal hyrdration drinks, and the occasional beer  . that said, i am watching my nutrition and one of the first places to cut calories or sweets is getting rid of soda all together. I met my weight goal about a month ago and plan to keep it as such and now improve my fitness level....soda doesnt fit into my goals.

you ask if it will make a person a better rider to not drink soda, a question with too many variables to get a solid answer. are there pros and experts that drink soda regularly? far and few between... and even the few have strict nutritional plans that are adjusted to what they intake. 

bottom line is that stuff isnt good for you, no matter how you cut it or make excuses for it. if you can drink soda and are happy with your fitness level and abilities with those fitness levels, more power to you. if you feel like your nutritional life style is slowing you down or its something to work on, cut that crap out of there. 

my $.02 if anyone cares


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## ehigh (Apr 19, 2011)

Soda is absolutely horrible. I've lost a good bit of weight since I started to drink water instead of soda.


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## Gary H (Dec 16, 2006)

I love cycling, but I also love living. Some people put every dime they earn in the bank waiting to retire when they are too old to do anything but watch soaps.

And then there is the leafy green grass eating, PETA crowd who worries about Cow farts who eventually gets hit by a energy conscious bus.

I HATE buses! I'm drinking Mountain Dew, drinking beer, and living for the day!


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

jinda said:


> Your weight and height may not be enough to say whether you are fit or not. It all depends on your body composition. You can be a 190 lbs muscular guy standing at 5'10" or a 190 lbs fat ass.
> 
> Assuming you are an office working guy who doesnt work out and have average daily activities, your calorie maintenance level should be around 2700 cals a day. Thats about 3 double whoppers a day That's the level where you don't gain nor lose fats on your current status.
> 
> ...


my god,...how it would be to have a job...nope im in school and i workout a few times and starting today alot more a week since im training for a duathlon and my mtb races and would rather not embarass myself 



squareback said:


> When I stopped drinking a soda per day, I lost weight. (I switched from soda to ice coffee, black)
> 
> When I stopped drinking beer, and started drinking red wine, I really lost weight. When I cut back on the red wine, I lost even more weight.
> 
> This sucks.


i dont drink that much beer but i know this....my gf is gonna throw it in my face because im not drinking soda now but ill drink a beer every now and then..great


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

jinda said:


> Your weight and height may not be enough to say whether you are fit or not. It all depends on your body composition. You can be a 190 lbs muscular guy standing at 5'10" or a 190 lbs fat ass.
> 
> Assuming you are an office working guy who doesnt work out and have average daily activities, your calorie maintenance level should be around 2700 cals a day. Thats about 3 double whoppers a day That's the level where you don't gain nor lose fats on your current status.
> 
> ...


my god,...how it would be to have a job...nope im in school and i workout a few times and starting today alot more a week since im training for a duathlon and my mtb races and would rather not embarass myself 



squareback said:


> When I stopped drinking a soda per day, I lost weight. (I switched from soda to ice coffee, black)
> 
> When I stopped drinking beer, and started drinking red wine, I really lost weight. When I cut back on the red wine, I lost even more weight.
> 
> This sucks.


i dont drink that much beer but i know this....my gf is gonna throw it in my face because im not drinking soda now but ill drink a beer every now and then..great


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

Guerdonian said:


> When you cut back on appendages or fingers you lose weight too. Jeez man, that perspective makes this whole idea seem crappy.
> 
> What about If i ride more i lose weight, and keep the drinking to fun levels?


im the same way i want to be "healthier" actually no its about being a better rider and i guess being healtheir goes hand in hand but to get me to quit some stuff ..no lol ill jst ride more!


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

Waltah said:


> *you seem pretty argumentative for just asking a question about soda. seems like you would like for us to just agree that its okay.*
> it depends on your personal fitness goals and what you can or cant get away with. seems to me like you just want to talk yourself into thinking its okay. and if you are comfortable at your weight/fitness level/etc... and you still drink soda, good for you. nothing wrong with that at all. it would take you all of a couple of minutes to use a search engine to find the negatives of ingesting that garbage. i stick to water on a regular basis, low cal hyrdration drinks, and the occasional beer  . that said, i am watching my nutrition and one of the first places to cut calories or sweets is getting rid of soda all together. I met my weight goal about a month ago and plan to keep it as such and now improve my fitness level....soda doesnt fit into my goals.
> 
> you ask if it will make a person a better rider to not drink soda, a question with too many variables to get a solid answer. are there pros and experts that drink soda regularly? far and few between... and even the few have strict nutritional plans that are adjusted to what they intake.
> ...


idk where you got that from but ur advice is very noted. thanks  i am not really tat happy with my fitness levels but then again i just recently started to be shown what fast and in shape really is 

i have no interest or weight loss goal in mind. i dont have a beer belly or anything but you certainly cant see my abs..almost tho hahahahaha! but if i lose weight in the process sure! i was 185 8 months ago tho. dammit haha


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

The Effect of Coca Cola on the Stomach | Oddity Central - Collecting Oddities


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Soda is really not good for you. The only benefit it might have would be quick energy if you really needed it.

That said, it tastes good and I like it too much to eliminate it entirely. But, I don't drink it that much. I don't even drink one small soda per week. I usually don't even drink that much beer or wine for that matter. But I do enjoy all three beverages, and I will generally choose beer or wine over soda when possible because the calories that accompany one beer or wine come with other benefits, instead of with soda where you get enamel erosion, more salts that stress the kidneys, and simple sugars that screw up your body's insulin response.


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## FLMike (Sep 28, 2008)

hazardousmtb said:


> oops shoulda put this in diet


no, this type of question fits perfectly in the Beginner subforum...


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## MuttX7 (Oct 9, 2011)

Dresdenlock said:


> Click on the link..it tells you how bad soda is for you...I use to guzzle the stuff..then I was diagnosed diabetic...and now Im trying to lose weight...Ive lost about 20 pds...and hoping to lose more...I really wish I hadnt been such a soda hound...I feel like now I was addicted to it.
> 
> Water For Life USA Water Ionizers


While I'll agree that soda isn't the best thing for you to drink ( I love Coke and Sundrop), I'd find a better source than a company that's using the list to sell their product......


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## Waltah (Aug 5, 2011)

OP, why not try going 2 weeks with absolutely no soda. switch every soda you would normally drink with a water. in 2 weeks, report back how you feel. id be curious myself.


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

Waltah said:


> OP, why not try going 2 weeks with absolutely no soda. switch every soda you would normally drink with a water. in 2 weeks, report back how you feel. id be curious myself.


Don't do it that way. I have a bad soda habit since I started working from home. If you try cold turkey you will get bad headache from the caffeine withdrawals. You need to step it down.

I can't find the article, soda is processed by the body the same way beer is and can cause a beer belly, and I'm proof of that.

Stop now while you're younger.


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## rluper (Oct 25, 2011)

I drink a lot of water and try to cut out soda but moderation I think is best practice. After several weeks of just water I felt better in some ways but I always craved soda. I will say now that when I do drink soda it is like an energy drink and sometimes way way too syrupy. If there was just an alternative that was good and healthy  Even juice has too much sugar.


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## pattongb (Jun 5, 2011)

Look regular soda is terrible for you because its like taking sugar, mixing it in a glass with water and drinking it. The effects on your insulin regulatory system are profound and completely unhealthy I dont care what you weigh or how old you are.

Diet soda (which I used to drink a ton of) is full of Nutrasweet. Do some research into the effects of NS on the body and be prepared to be scared. Your body is simply not prepared to process the stuff. It has negative neurological and other physiological effects that cannot be ignored. Further it has been proven that as far as weight loss is concerned your body treats NS much the same as sugar (you dont get the calories but you do get the insulin dump). 

I used to love soda but to be honest the shi# shouldnt be legal anymore than cigarettes should be. 

I drink iced tea and water mostly. Once you get used to not drinking soda you wonder what all the hype was about...


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## mstgkillr (Oct 25, 2011)

Take it from someone who has lost 140 lbs., cut out the soda.


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## mstgkillr (Oct 25, 2011)

Diet soda is horrible too.


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## sayzawn (Jul 15, 2011)

I was totally addicted to Monster energy drinks a couple years ago and I'm pretty sure it led to me requiring a root canal. Not fun, except for the nitrous  but now I am addicted to their zero calorie/sugar version called "Absolutely Zero" which contains erythritol, inositol, and other things people have never heard of. At least I am not not drinking the sugar loaded original version. Now I need to implement some self control and get off these ones...


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## 1niceride (Jan 30, 2004)

rluper said:


> I drink a lot of water and try to cut out soda but moderation I think is best practice. After several weeks of just water I felt better in some ways but I always craved soda. I will say now that when I do drink soda it is like an energy drink and sometimes way way too syrupy. If there was just an alternative that was good and healthy  Even juice has too much sugar.


A little lemon juice in the water just might be it.


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

Waltah said:


> OP, why not try going 2 weeks with absolutely no soda. switch every soda you would normally drink with a water. in 2 weeks, report back how you feel. id be curious myself.


allright yeah i will do that  this will give me more motifivation. its so bad cuz right now im home alone and i want a SODA! so im having apple juice 



TwoTone said:


> Don't do it that way. I have a bad soda habit since I started working from home. If you try cold turkey you will get bad headache from the caffeine withdrawals. You need to step it down.
> 
> I can't find the article, soda is processed by the body the same way beer is and can cause a beer belly, and I'm proof of that.
> 
> Stop now while you're younger.


isnt my first time quitting but im hoping itll be my last. ill never QUIT but ill def try to not drink it so often



pattongb said:


> Look regular soda is terrible for you because its like taking sugar, mixing it in a glass with water and drinking it. The effects on your insulin regulatory system are profound and completely unhealthy I dont care what you weigh or how old you are.
> 
> Diet soda (which I used to drink a ton of) is full of Nutrasweet. Do some research into the effects of NS on the body and be prepared to be scared. Your body is simply not prepared to process the stuff. It has negative neurological and other physiological effects that cannot be ignored. Further it has been proven that as far as weight loss is concerned your body treats NS much the same as sugar (you dont get the calories but you do get the insulin dump).
> 
> ...


the problem with me is that im not a big drinker. i dont even like tea or cofvfee only juice, mexican cinnamon tea, or water. i dont even like milk alone -_-


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## ventura (Jul 11, 2010)

hazardousmtb said:


> i know its about how much money they have but also i dont think a race company would take sponsorship from something they would normally advise against...granted these are energy drink companies but still


Companies exist to make money. If a company told you something that contradicts that, it's because they want to make money off of YOU.


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## Hollis (Dec 19, 2003)

Did Somebody say...SunDrop :arf:
Sugar & Caffeine, the 2 major food groups :thumbsup:
I've quit Soda a few times & it is easy to _drop_ (wink wink nudge nudge) 10lbs and to once again sleep like a baby 
(minus the diaper changes).
Read those labels, some bottles of tea & even good ole Gatorade have just as much sugar than some colas.
​


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

how do they make money off me? the red bulls are free to athletes lol


i get what ur saying tho


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## Kona_CT (Apr 25, 2010)

Well, I think that if it's something you crave and something you consume a lot of it's silly to try to cut it out completely. It'll just lead to a "relapse" if you will. But yes, you'd be better off drinking less of it than you do now.

I used to drink way too much tonic. I still drink a lot (too much) but I mean I used to drink waaay too much. 

I cut back a lot, but still drank it. I just wouldn't keep any in the house. But I'd grab one at dinner, after a ride, at the office. A year later of just cutting back on that and other crap, and ridding the snot out of my bike I lose forty pounds...

That being said, a nice cold Mt. Dew is still my mid ride drink while taking a break riding BMX around Boston.


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

Hollis said:


> Did Somebody say...SunDrop :arf:
> Sugar & Caffeine, the 2 major food groups :thumbsup:
> I've quit Soda a few times & it is easy to _drop_ (wink wink nudge nudge) 10lbs and to once again sleep like a baby
> (minus the diaper changes).
> ...


gatorade  i love that ****


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## s0ckeyeus (Jun 20, 2008)

I had to give up pop during soccer seasons in college. After not having it for a long time, I lost my taste for it. I guess it's a good thing, but sometimes I want to enjoy a nice cold Coke. The idea is great, but after I drink a Coke I feel like crap.


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

Kona_CT said:


> Well, I think that if it's something you crave and something you consume a lot of it's silly to try to cut it out completely. It'll just lead to a "relapse" if you will. But yes, you'd be better off drinking less of it than you do now.
> 
> I used to drink way too much tonic. I still drink a lot (too much) but I mean I used to drink waaay too much.
> 
> ...


ive done a 24 pack in 7 days...not including what i drank when i went out or at someone elses house...that was a dark time haha


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## Repo (Feb 26, 2009)

*Soda*

I use to drink close to a gallon of soda a day. I quit cold turkey after talking to a body builder friend of mine. I understand the insulin spikes and sugar content, however was disappointed that I felt no better. I didn't drink any soda for a year with no change in feeling. It has been a few years now and I do drink some diet. I'm 145 pounds and eat around 3000 calories a day. Some days are cleaner than others and some days are garbage. I usually am around 9-10% bodyfat.


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

im not sure ill feel any different but at least my body will be happier wiith me haha


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## madaxc (Aug 6, 2011)

"Adding 140 extra calories-one can of Coke-to your daily diet can add about one pound to your weight every 25 days. If you're part of the 5 percent of America drinking more than 4 cans a day, you're looking at one pound every week."

How to Avoid Gaining 50 Pounds | Men's Health News


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

damn......thats a mind blower


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## ehigh (Apr 19, 2011)

hazardousmtb said:


> im not sure ill feel any different but at least my body will be happier wiith me haha


I didn't wake up one morning a month later and say to myself, "wow, with all the toxins out of my body-I do sure feel great!" 
I don't know if it really happens that way for anyone.. (maybe?)
Anyways, no longer drinking soda was a part of a turning point, so to speak, in my life. It was a part of losing weight and getting back outside more. I've lost a good amount of body fat and put on a lot more muscle to the point that you would have a bit of a hard time telling it was me if you looked at a picture of me 4 years ago. For that, I feel great. I'm not always euphoric about it, but I ride up a mountain and know that I couldn't do that years ago. Some people, like my older self, need to quit more then other people. Certainly, everyone benefits from it though.


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## milehi (Nov 2, 1997)

SgtBaxter said:


> Phosphoric acid contributes to lower bone density and kidney stones. Best to avoid it in processed foods.


I work in the OR, involving total joint replacements and see first hand what a soda and fast food lifestyle will do to the inside of your bones. In a worst case senario, the cancellous bone has turned to goo.


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## nwobhm (Sep 25, 2011)

As someone who has recently jumped on the diet horse, give soda a miss, empty calories dude, seriously


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

nwobhm said:


> As someone who has recently jumped on the diet horse, give soda a miss, empty calories dude, seriously


what? lol i have no idea what u said minus the diet horse


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## s0ckeyeus (Jun 20, 2008)

Oops.


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## edubfromktown (Sep 7, 2010)

If you need caffeine, drink free coffee @ work. Not the best cup of joe but beats paying for $tarubuck$ (I do not like the taste of their coffee anyway- there are a lot of non-mass production roasters that have MUCH BETTER flavor).

A colleague at work is hooked on Coke. He drinks three 20oz bottles every day! 

I suggested that it would be more cost effective to purchase 2 liter bottles @.99 each but he says that it would be too depressing to see that he kills just a bout a whole one of those each day and he likes the feel of the smaller bottle and the coldness of the ones out of the machines (must like the sound of pumping $4.50 in there every day too). Do yourself a big favor and drink water or coffee (without a bunch of crap in it) if you need a boost.


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## s0ckeyeus (Jun 20, 2008)

Nothing to see here. Carry on...carry on...


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

^ i hate coffee lol


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## jinda (Sep 9, 2011)

lol this is still going on?
OP only asked if cutting soda is necessary for his biking performance.

I guess not necessary but...
- If you don't want to gain weight but cant cut soda then drink diet soda.
- If you think its really bad for you then cut it.

Simple as that.


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

even if you are not overweight, the high sugar (corn syrup) boost causes a huge spike in blood sugar. that constant spiking and crashing stresses your pancreas and can set you up for later diabetes. now they're saying that sugary soda increases pancreatic cancer risk.

i do find that sugar keeps my engery during a long ride, but otherwise, it doesnt belong in a normal diet.


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## FLMike (Sep 28, 2008)

jinda said:


> lol this is still going on?
> .


still going on? I cant believe this thread was started in the first place!


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## ehigh (Apr 19, 2011)

jinda said:


> lol this is still going on?
> OP only asked if cutting soda is necessary for his biking performance.
> 
> I guess not necessary but...
> ...


Diet soda is a complete joke.


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## jinda (Sep 9, 2011)

ehigh said:


> Diet soda is a complete joke.


Care to explain why? I am not a soda addict but when I drink, I just get a diet or zero.


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## jaynestown (Oct 23, 2011)

ehigh said:


> Diet soda is a complete joke.


It's actually pretty good for cleaning corroded car battery terminals.

But I'd agree that it's best to remove soda from your diet entirely (diet soda or not). I believe a healthy diet would consist of veggies including lots of greens, and foods with as little processing as possible. Baked chicken, seafood, and red meat sparingly are good. Avoid fried foods, crackers, chips, cookies, candy bars, etc for the most part. And drink lots of water.


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## Drewindy2 (Oct 24, 2011)

squareback said:


> When I stopped drinking a soda per day, I lost weight. (I switched from soda to ice coffee, black)
> 
> When I stopped drinking beer, and started drinking red wine, I really lost weight. When I cut back on the red wine, I lost even more weight.
> 
> This sucks.


I did this exact thing. Except I have just a good whiskey on the rocks.

But I can noticeably tell weight loss within a week when I cut out soda and beer. Oh well. I like whiskey, so it works.


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## sjhiker (Apr 25, 2008)

Careful with those Energy drinks (monster etc) as quite a few of them have as much sugar as a soda.

Sugar in Drinks

Here's a great site that displays the sugar in cubes in front of the beverage... btw, Vitamin Water is imho the worst offender b/c it's supposed to be WATER.


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## Drewindy2 (Oct 24, 2011)

Vitamin Water Zero seems to be pretty good, regular Vitamin Water is terrible for you though.


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

FLMike said:


> still going on? I cant believe this thread was started in the first place!


 i believe its a legitimate question and it is in the beginners corner. what do you expect?

and it seems to interestt everyone else. dont read it if its a problem


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## CHUM (Aug 30, 2004)

jinda said:


> Care to explain why? I am not a soda addict but when I drink, I just get a diet or zero.


do some googling - here's an example:
*Bad News, Your "Diet" Soda Is Making You Fat Too*


> Opting for diet soda instead of regular, won't help fight the bulge.
> 
> Data from a recent study by the American Diabetes Association shows that while diet sodas may be free of calories, they do not prevent you from gaining weight (via CBS). In fact, they may contribute to weight gain. Diet soda also contributes to diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and other chronic conditions.
> 
> ...


bottom line - diet is the A#1 determining factor in long-term fitness and health...excessive consumption of any sodas* is bad for you.

As others have mentioned 'moderation' is key.

my .02

* not soda water ya goofs


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## ehigh (Apr 19, 2011)

CHUM said:


> do some googling - here's an example:
> *Bad News, Your "Diet" Soda Is Making You Fat Too*
> 
> bottom line - diet is the A#1 determining factor in long-term fitness and health...excessive consumption of any sodas* is bad for you.
> ...


Whenever I see someone with a diet soda, I have wonder what they think about drinking it. I would imagine that it is something along the lines of the assumption that *so long as there are zero calories, I'm drinking something healthy!*


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## sjhiker (Apr 25, 2008)

Why I quit drinking soda...

I visited a customer (I'm a consultant) a few years back and he had a glass with some dark brown liquid in it. He moved the glass at one point and the liquid didn't move at all, almost like it was plastic, wax or even molasses. I asked him what it was and he said that he left a glass of soda on his desk when he went on a month long vacation. When he had come back the water had evaporated and all that was left was the syrup.

The thought of ingesting that, made me leave soda.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

hazardousmtb said:


> ^ i hate coffee lol


I hated coffee, too, until a little over a year ago. My wife got me to taste 100% Organic Kona coffee grown at high altitude. Man, was that stuff smooth! To this day, we keep a bag of it around the house at all times (at $55/lb). After drinking that for awhile, I was able to appreciate other good coffees. I've been enjoying a locally roasted organic Ethiopian yirgacheff coffee in the office lately.

I still can't drink that Folgers swill, but I enjoy quality coffees completely black now. And when compared to the organic Kona (the "special occasion" coffee), everything else seems pretty affordable.


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

sjhiker said:


> Why I quit drinking soda...
> 
> I visited a customer (I'm a consultant) a few years back and he had a glass with some dark brown liquid in it. He moved the glass at one point and the liquid didn't move at all, almost like it was plastic, wax or even molasses. I asked him what it was and he said that he left a glass of soda on his desk when he went on a month long vacation. When he had come back the water had evaporated and all that was left was the syrup.
> 
> The thought of ingesting that, made me leave soda.


wow...that does sound pretty nasty


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## iridesl4 (Feb 24, 2011)

sjhiker said:


> Why I quit drinking soda...
> 
> I visited a customer (I'm a consultant) a few years back and he had a glass with some dark brown liquid in it. He moved the glass at one point and the liquid didn't move at all, almost like it was plastic, wax or even molasses. I asked him what it was and he said that he left a glass of soda on his desk when he went on a month long vacation. When he had come back the water had evaporated and all that was left was the syrup.
> 
> The thought of ingesting that, made me leave soda.


Had the same thing with apple juice. I found it interesting im sure soda wouldve been worse though.


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## RobinGB (Oct 23, 2011)

it was easier to quit smoking then it has been to quit my soda addiction, coke zero has helped but i have relapses. 

keep fighting it, cutting it out for some people isnt ever going to happen but i would like to get it to the point i only have pop when i go out once or twice a month for dinner.


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## ex-a-miner (Oct 29, 2011)

AZ.MTNS said:


> Soda is one of the worst substances that you can ingest.


I tend to agree.

Drink Kool-Aid


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## dirt farmer (Mar 28, 2005)

Soda.... it's not just for breakfast anymore


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

lost 5 lbs from biking and no soda. but ate normal so idk if its the soda or the ride..... had one soda yesterday and now im back on track i dont think ill ever quit maybe only drink when i go out


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## torreyaz (Jul 17, 2011)

YouTube: Sugar The Bitter Truth


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## NEPMTBA (Apr 7, 2007)

Remember its not "all" about the uphill...

... getting fatter and flying downhill is part of it also!

Gravity is your friend... LOL :thumbsup:

Dew da Dew
Dip the chips
Yummm...donuts!


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## In-Yo-Grill (Jul 19, 2011)

This is a depressing post. I love soda...

I do notice that the more I ride the less I crave soda. My body wants water.


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## Will Goes Boing (Jan 25, 2008)

Two cans a day is a LOT. I love soda, but I try to drink it in moderation. If I'm eating something that goes REALLY well with soda (ie. bbq), I'll do it. 

You'd be amazed how much of that soda can add up inches of fat to your gut. When I was trying to drop into the single digit bodyfat I went on a cut and didn't drink soda at all for a good 3 months. Funny thing is after a certain amount of time you don't even crave it anymore. 

If you're serious about training, drink water water water water water.... cut out the soda.


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## glenn a (Oct 30, 2011)

I recently kicked a one can of ginger ale a day habit. I also cut out sugar in my morning coffee. That I had to do slowly. From 2 sugars down to 1 then none. The good side effect of having no sugar in the coffee is now I can appreciate a good cup of coffee for what it is as opposed to drowning it in sugar. A bad cup of coffee is still just bad.
I feel better about not drinking soda and some of it might even just be mental. looking around at a restaurant or the mall or out in public and seeing the big fat guy with his supersize soda in hand is gross.


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

lol who blamed corporate?


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## TXDesertRacer (Aug 15, 2011)

Come on! Cola was invented in 1886. It became VERY popular in the early 1900's, yet people didn't have obesity problems back then. The same can be said about McD's.
You can't blame soda and McD's for obesity or anything else. Laziness and ignorance are the culprits. You can't eat McD's every day just because you're "too busy" to cook a real meal.

Cola and McD's are treats. Do you eat icecream and sugarsticks for every meal?

Sorry about the rant, but the typical "blame the corporate giant for my problems" argument came to mind. lol


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## scorchedearth (Aug 30, 2011)

I quit the once a day pop habit years ago and dropped 20 pounds within about a month. 

Nowadays, I have one once a week with a meal or as a treat. By no means is my regular source of hydration. That would be frightening....


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

Waltah said:


> OP, why not try going 2 weeks with absolutely no soda. switch every soda you would normally drink with a water. in 2 weeks, report back how you feel. id be curious myself.


been about a week n a half, i didnt sucessfully QUIT soda but ive had maybe 4 in the past 11 days and while it was NOT my intention, i shaved off 7 pounds off my morning weight lol

i feel the same tho, only difference is a craving for more to drink rather than drinking less when i had soda,i drink alot more water now, so much im filling up my bike water bottle every 3 hours or so or if i use my 32 oz one, twice in an 8 hour day and while i would like to blame drowsiness in my chemistry class on no soda (since lunch/soda is typically right before that class), i really shouldn't but i cant help it lol in class is when i miss soda the most so i nibble on something like peanuts or gum...

also with eliminating soda ive eliminated caffeine since i dont drink tea or coffee or eat chocolate minus Halloween 

let me know if anyone wants more updates


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## CHUM (Aug 30, 2004)

hazardousmtb said:


> ...let me know if anyone wants more updates


congrats!

and keep'em coming...:thumbsup:


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## Skippy_S (Nov 4, 2011)

I've almost cut soda out completely, it's a treat or a caffeine pick me up when I do drink it. Don't drink much coffee either, which makes it 'interesting' when I eat or drink anything with caffeine.


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

i really do miss the sodas after a ride lol havnt ridden this week tho


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

CHUM said:


> congrats!
> 
> and keep'em coming...:thumbsup:


will do, i figure i can update it again in 2 more weeks


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## Senor StrongBad (May 21, 2009)

I cut out Diet Coke which I was drinking a lot and drink Carbonated Water now. I tried just water but I still craved Diet Coke but now with Carbonated Water I do not have the cravings anymore. 

Is there anything wrong with Carbonated Water I should be worried about? I like that I can get 2liter bottles from Publix for $0.89


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## dkbikes4life (Nov 20, 2010)

Gary H said:


> I love cycling, but I also love living. Some people put every dime they earn in the bank waiting to retire when they are too old to do anything but watch soaps.
> 
> And then there is the leafy green grass eating, PETA crowd who worries about Cow farts who eventually gets hit by a energy conscious bus.
> 
> *I HATE buses! I'm drinking Mountain Dew, drinking beer, and living for the day*!


Amen!!

I try to not drink too much soda or drink too much beer, but I want to live a little too and not worry about every little thing I do. I believe that unless you are getting paid to ride, a little common sense and moderation goes a long way to making a nice balancing act between being healthy or not.


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

Senor StrongBad said:


> I cut out Diet Coke which I was drinking a lot and drink Carbonated Water now. I tried just water but I still craved Diet Coke but now with Carbonated Water I do not have the cravings anymore.
> 
> Is there anything wrong with Carbonated Water I should be worried about? I like that I can get 2liter bottles from Publix for $0.89


just the acid in it, not much else. i drink that stuff alot too


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## 05kas05 (Mar 20, 2010)

im not sure about others but i made some minor changes to my diet and one major change,no more sodas. so far its been about two months and i have lost 30lbs im sure the other minor changes helped also but the soda was the best change i have made.not only did i lose weight but i can take that 5.00$ from the 12 pack's and the 6.00 from the cigs i also quit and buy bike parts. also most of the people i talked to all said diet soda was as bad or worse than regular soda so i wouldnt go that route,nothing like good old water and ice tea.


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## Gary H (Dec 16, 2006)

Be safe and drink water, from the tap.


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## Will Goes Boing (Jan 25, 2008)

05kas05 said:


> im not sure about others but i made some minor changes to my diet and one major change,no more sodas. so far its been about two months and i have lost 30lbs im sure the other minor changes helped also but the soda was the best change i have made.not only did i lose weight but i can take that 5.00$ from the 12 pack's and the 6.00 from the cigs i also quit and buy bike parts. also most of the people i talked to all said diet soda was as bad or worse than regular soda so i wouldnt go that route,nothing like good old water and ice tea.


That's awesome dude..... I love it when people see the light. A lot of my friends smoke and drink, and I always tell them if they quit they're essentially killing 2 birds with 1 stone. They get to save money AND be healthier.


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## gillotte (Oct 22, 2011)

Dresdenlock said:


> Click on the link..it tells you how bad soda is for you...I use to guzzle the stuff..then I was diagnosed diabetic...and now Im trying to lose weight...Ive lost about 20 pds...and hoping to lose more...I really wish I hadnt been such a soda hound...I feel like now I was addicted to it.
> 
> Water For Life USA Water Ionizers


yes i admit soda is in excess bad for you. but to be honest there are others just as bad but arent listed. but all in all id say juices are better even if their ph is roughly the same. but the occasional soda for energy isnt that bad to be worried about. runners drink soda for energy same with bikers though theyre not drinking many cans of it. just drink it in moderation. bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-224043.htm
fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FoodborneIllness/FoodborneIllnessFoodbornePathogensNaturalToxins/BadBugBook/ucm122561.htm
fapc.okstate.edu/files/factsheets/fapc118.pdf


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## kapusta (Jan 17, 2004)

hazardousmtb said:


> to be a better rider?
> 
> i see sooo many races sponsored by redbull and monster and stuff...i know its about how much money they have but also i dont think a race company would take sponsorship from something they would normally advise against...granted these are energy drink companies but still
> 
> ...


Without reading the rest of the responses, all I can say is how could stuffing that much refined sugar in your body possibly be a good thing? I mean, if it is just before or during a prolonged exertion, I think there might be a justification for it, but outside of that, it is a complete waste of calories. 2 12oz sodas are around 300 calories, but 16-20oz bottles are pretty common as well, so that number could be closer to 500 calories. 500 calories that are not doing $h!t to satiate your appetite, and are accompanied with zero nutrition worth mentioning.

Is cutting it out necessary? Well, no. But there is a good chance you will loose some weight and feel healthier if you do.

As far as the sponsored racers..... forget about it, it's just about the money. I don't touch Red Bull or Monster, but if they were paying me to ride, I'd rock their stickers on my bike in a heartbeat.


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## mwerling1212 (Oct 21, 2011)

I cut out soda and starting drinking a gallon plus of water a day for like 3 months(was trying creatine) and didnt notice much of a difference in how i felt besides how much i pissed. I dont think its as bad as it seems other than the whole deteriorating your teeth thing. I know of a Navy SEAL who drinks a liter of coke a day if that says anything. lol. Even if I wanted to quit it would be nearly impossible because my college meal plan has every soda imaginable in fountains...uggg maybe next year.


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## gillotte (Oct 22, 2011)

if you check out that fda link i posted youll find all those sodas arent as bad for your teeth as cranberry juice. ph of 2.3-2.5, apple 3.4-4.0, grapefruit 3.0, but to be fair there are also juices that are better too but the only one above 5.0 is carrot juice and thats a whopping 6.4 but the rest are between 2.3-4.3. so aside from carrot the rest are pretty much about just as bad as sodas for your teeth. i cant find anything for energy drinks though so who knows? as the curezone says, rinse with some water for a bit and/or chew some sugar-free gum afterwards and of course brush regularly whether or not you drink soda much or at all.:thumbsup:

edit:found these: energy drink pH chart 
Sports drinks even worse for your teeth than pop, study finds at News Forum (MessageID: 587380)
http://www.sgsm.ch/ssms_publication/file/240/Osmolality_54_3_06.pdf


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## DannyHuynh (Sep 13, 2011)

don't drink your calories. soft drinks are made usually with high fructose corn sugar, very bad substance you should steer clear from. 

drinking soda is like eating spoonfuls of sugar. you should really drink water and 100% juices if you are jonesing for something sweet. 

im sure after you quit soda for a month or two and have been only drinking tons of water and juice you will notice your body change. you will either have less moodswings and energy swings and just feel good. or you will loose weight and feel more confident and happy.

both are win win situations.

Don't drink soda! unless its all natural soda from trader joes or whole foods or something and even those should be consumed sparingly. 

my 2Cents


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## kapusta (Jan 17, 2004)

*About fruit juice....*

I've seen juice mentioned a few times in this thread.

Read the label on a jar of juice, and see how much sugar it contains. Sweet fruit juices (even the 100% juice) have a LOT of sugar. On par with soda in many cases.

Now certainly it is a heck of a lot better than sugared soda, as it offers some nutritional value. However, being a former juice fiend, (I would drink almost a quart a day of 100% fruit juice), I cut an enormous amount of sugar out of my diet by bringing that down to a glass or two a week (I seldom keep it in the house).

Not trying to discourage juice drinking, and it is certainly preferable to sugared soda for reasons besides the sugar, but if you just replace the soda with juice, you are not really doing much to reduce the sugar intake.

I think the problem with sugary drinks of any sort (soda, juice) is that it is not a very efficient way to taste sweetness. I think eating it makes better use of the sweetness. A Hershey Chocolate bar has 24g sugar. So, you can eat ~1-1/2 Chocolate bars for the same amount of sugar in 12oz Apple Juice or Coke. I can easily put down 12 oz of soda or apple juice, and don't feel like I've had much sweet stuff, but I can barely finish one chocolate bar in a sitting due to the sweetness.

Long of the short is that when I crave something sweet, I get a chocolate bar. Much less sugar than a can of most juice and soda (especially considering I don't finish it at one time), but way more satisfying for my sweet craving.

I do eat a bit of fruit, and in the right season it can satisfy a sweet craving as well, and is very healthy.


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## She&I (Jan 4, 2010)

Flavored sparkling water with a splash of fruit juice can bridge the soda-to-water divide without being too boring or high in sugar.

Mike


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## DannyHuynh (Sep 13, 2011)

the best juice is the ones you make at home with your juicer.


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## gillotte (Oct 22, 2011)

yes but the no sugar added, home made juice are the same ph wise. and they drink the soda for the energy not sweetness while riding.


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## jtmartino (Jul 31, 2008)

It's far better to eat a piece of fruit than to drink the juice made from that fruit. There's greater nutritional value in the flesh of the fruit than the juice, and your hunger will be satiated quicker.

Soda is not as bad as people here are saying it is. While it offers almost no nutritional value, it doesn't affect the calcium in your bones unless you drink it in tremendous excess and fail to meet your dietary calcium requirements (and are female.) Additionally, the acid in soda doesn't affect your teeth if you brush regularly.

Don't get me started on soda's acidity and the stomach...that post early in the thread made me LOL. And the high fructose corn syrup found in soda is very similar to the sugar found in fruit. 

From a physiology perspective, obviously drinking too much soda every day will be bad for you, if it takes the place of more nutritional foods. But if you eat a healthy diet that includes calcium, exercise enough to stay in shape, and take care of your teeth, soda won't really do anything to you.


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## gillotte (Oct 22, 2011)

or if riding or such just rinse mouth with water or chew some sugar free gum and your teethll be just fine. and there are sodas made with real sugar now too and not the syrup if youre worried about that.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

people are still arguing about this and STILL not finding common ground?

too many calories makes you fat (depends on how many you burn. athletes have more leeway than sedentary people)
sugary drinks make it easier to consume too many calories, therefore making it easier to get fat.
eliminate sugary drinks and you've made some headway on excess calorie consumption.

there are other issues - yes, acidic foods/drinks can be a problem. the toothpaste companies are hyping the problem, for sure. but the way you consume acidic/sugary foods impacts the way that acid affects your teeth. if you down it quickly and do something to neutralize the remaining acid, it's not going to harm you all that much. but consider how many people will nurse the same soda for several hours, maintaining a low pH in their mouth with every sip. those are the people the toothpaste companies are aiming for.

my pet reason for hating on HFCS is because it is a symptom of the excess quantities of government-subsidized cheap commodity corn produced on farms, which takes productive land away from producing REAL food and actually winds up hurting the real farmers (but not the giant megalithic agribusinesses they're indebted to)


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## jtmartino (Jul 31, 2008)

NateHawk said:


> people are still arguing about this and STILL not finding common ground?
> 
> too many calories makes you fat (depends on how many you burn. athletes have more leeway than sedentary people)
> sugary drinks make it easier to consume too many calories, therefore making it easier to get fat.
> ...


Good info here!

Seriously, though, corn farmers are jackasses. Farming like that also does irreversible damage to the land.


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## Kanik (Sep 28, 2011)

I drink about a 12 pack of vanilla coke a week. I don't really keep track but some days I just drink one, none, or two.

However, I drink tap water (with ice, yumm) in a much higher proportion. I carry a water bottle and refill it many times a day. Yeah, I pee a lot. I don't mind. The tap water here is also fluorinated, which helps with teeth.

It probably is bad for my teeth, but not drinking it would not cause me to loose weight. I'm one of those people who can use every calorie I manage to consume and not add it to body weight. I enjoy drinking it too much to stop drinking it for the negative health effects it may have on me. But those health effects are pretty minor.



jtmartino said:


> It's far better to eat a piece of fruit than to drink the juice made from that fruit. There's greater nutritional value in the flesh of the fruit than the juice, and your hunger will be satiated quicker.
> 
> Soda is not as bad as people here are saying it is. While it offers almost no nutritional value, it doesn't affect the calcium in your bones unless you drink it in tremendous excess and fail to meet your dietary calcium requirements (and are female.) Additionally, the acid in soda doesn't affect your teeth if you brush regularly.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the actual info. I laughed at the person who posted the link to the water treatment vendor's site. I knew it was grossly biased before I even clicked the link. Do your research people so you can form your own viewpoint on it. Saying it shouldn't be allowed to be sold just isn't inline with our concept of freedom.


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## S_Trek (May 3, 2010)

This thread is harrd to fap to.:sad: and I didn't get pass 1/2 of page 1:skep:


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## callmeclyde (Nov 1, 2011)

Waltah said:


> you seem pretty argumentative for just asking a question about soda. seems like you would like for us to just agree that its okay.
> 
> it depends on your personal fitness goals and what you can or cant get away with. seems to me like you just want to talk yourself into thinking its okay. and if you are comfortable at your weight/fitness level/etc... and you still drink soda, good for you. nothing wrong with that at all. it would take you all of a couple of minutes to use a search engine to find the negatives of ingesting that garbage. i stick to water on a regular basis, low cal hyrdration drinks, and the occasional beer  . that said, i am watching my nutrition and one of the first places to cut calories or sweets is getting rid of soda all together. I met my weight goal about a month ago and plan to keep it as such and now improve my fitness level....soda doesnt fit into my goals.
> 
> ...


i completely agree with waltah here! it all depends on what your goals for performance are.
im not training for any crazy 100 mile trail race, or an ironman, or any tour, so i drink soda(mostly mt dew). i am cutting down on how much though. personlly, i think most of the energy drinks are a joke! when you read the labels, theres not much difference between them and soda. hfcs just traded for a bunch of stuff most of us have no idea what it is. not to mention i just flat dont like the taste of the few that i have tried.

i read in mens health magazine a few years ago, that 1 beer(12oz) after a hard training session/race, can be the same as 1 32oz gatorade for replenishing electrolytes and other vits/minerals that aid in recovery. i was also told by a pharmacist friend, that sitting in the hot tub with a few beers is one of the worst things you could do to recover. any lactic acids just sit in your muscles, and excessive alcohol just makes it worse. not to mention the dehydration.


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## FLMike (Sep 28, 2008)

callmeclyde said:


> i read in mens health magazine a few years ago, that 1 beer(12oz) after a hard training session/race, can be the same as 1 32oz gatorade for replenishing electrolytes and other vits/minerals that aid in recovery. i was also told by a pharmacist friend, that sitting in the hot tub with a few beers is one of the worst things you could do to recover. any lactic acids just sit in your muscles, and excessive alcohol just makes it worse. not to mention the dehydration.


Nonalcoholic Beer Aids Marathon Recovery - NYTimes.com

ive only read about nonalcoholic beer benefits...


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## tazmetal (Aug 17, 2011)

*Forgetting about diet soda...*

I recently stopped drinking any beverage that has more than 5 calories per serving. This will seem weird, but I just don't like water, never have. with a slightly stricter diet, and only drinking diet soda, I have lost 40 pounds in 5 weeks(270-230). I plan on getting to 190, and diet soda is a huge help. I used to hate it, but now I can't sand regular soda. Point is, if you love soda, don't stop drinking it, switch to diet. 2L(the big bottles) only has about 15 - 75 calories, and I don't think you will drink 2 L in a day!


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## Varaxis (Mar 16, 2010)

I'd like to thank the military for getting me completely off soda. It's a nice side benefit of enlisting. All that exercising (commuting + PT) managed to get me in the best shape of my life too, but too bad I'm becoming lazy now that I'm out. I'm proud that I managed to get a sub-10 minute 2 mile, something I dreamed of in HS running spring track. Maybe it was from cutting out soda from my diet. 

Still, sub 10 minutes is still so far from the legends out there that it only increases my respect for them. Sub 9 minutes 3200m in High School?! WTF!!!!!!!!!!!! Even these roadies in the Tour de France... OMG!!!!!! I think I stand a better chance at something requiring more skill than fitness and endurance.


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## hazardousmtb (Sep 26, 2011)

major soda replase  lol im gonna reduce and not just QUIT, i do not feel any difference tho between soda and no soda body lol



i cant believe this thread is still going


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## jtmartino (Jul 31, 2008)

tazmetal said:


> , I have lost 40 pounds in 5 weeks(270-230)


This is highly unlikely, unless you somehow lost a limb or had surgery. 40lbs of fat is about 140,000 calories, which means you needed at least a 4,000 calorie deficit per day, on average. Not only that, but fat won't burn instantly, so technically you need to be at an even greater deficit to lose that kind of weight.

And if you truly did lose that amount of weight, your weight reduction cannot possibly be due to the switch from regular soda to diet soda. That's about 900 cans of Coke worth of calories, which is 25 cans per day.

On top of that, losing that kind of weight that rapidly can be pretty detrimental to your health. Even people with lap bands only lose 1-3 lbs per week.


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## tazmetal (Aug 17, 2011)

This is highly unlikely, unless you somehow lost a limb or had surgery. 40lbs of fat is about 140,000 calories, which means you needed at least a 4,000 calorie deficit per day, on average. Not only that, but fat won't burn instantly, so technically you need to be at an even greater deficit to lose that kind of weight.

JT, While I don't claim to be a dietician, I did wrestle all through high school, and have always been good at losing weight quick. As for being unhealthy, I am in the best shape I have been in since I wrestled. My avg speed on the XC trails I ride has almost doubled. Diet soda was a huge help, as I used to drink exclusively Chocolate milk.....not exactly low fat...


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## jtmartino (Jul 31, 2008)

tazmetal said:


> JT, While I don't claim to be a dietician, I did wrestle all through high school, and have always been good at losing weight quick. As for being unhealthy, I am in the best shape I have been in since I wrestled. My avg speed on the XC trails I ride has almost doubled. Diet soda was a huge help, as I used to drink exclusively Chocolate milk.....not exactly low fat...


I misunderstood your statement - I thought you were trying to say that by switching from regular soda to diet soda, you were able to lose the weight. Instead, you are saying that you lost all that weight by switching from chocolate milk to diet soda.

In 5 weeks.

I still call BS. It's incredibly unlikely that you put yourself at a 4,000+ calorie deficit every single day over a 5 week period and lost all that weight. And even if you did, losing weight that fast is pretty darn dangerous, according to a vast majority of physicians, nutritionists, and dieticians. Aka my co-workers.


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## mtbtrdtalus40 (Nov 17, 2011)

Its hard to give up on Soda! So far, I stop drinking the energy drinks and beer. But I love soda. I'm doing my best to cut to only 1 a day, hopefully get myself off of soda for good!


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## Flanker90 (Dec 16, 2010)

Rootbeer is the real deal


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