Over the years, I’ve had clients who did have a fairly good diet but were unable to lose weight. When I analyzed their dietary habits, it came down to certain fluids they were drinking on a daily basis.
When they stopped consuming these drinks, the weight started to come off. They, like most people were amazed. They never thought it was what they were drinking that was causing them to not be able to burn fat and get a lean body.
The Diet Soda And Belly Fat Connection
One of the hardest bad habits to break for so many people wanting to lose weight is their consumption of diet sodas.
I know what you are thinking, diet soda that should be helping you to lose weight because “diet” means less calories. Yes, that’s what the companies and the marketing want you to believe. That’s why so many people consume diet sodas and similar drinks, and consumption has grown massively.
From an overall health perspective, these drinks are actually one of the worst things you can consume, and especially if you want to lose weight.
Many studies have shown the link between diet soda consumption and the accumulation of belly fat. Abdominal fat increases the risk for many diseases such as cancer and heart disease through to diabetes and osteoporosis, just to name a few.
Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, conducted a study where they followed diet soda drinkers for close to 10 years.
What they found was that their waistlines grew by 70 percent when compared to non-diet soda drinkers. New research also confirms that diet soda consumption tends to promote more weight gain rather than prevent it.
The Artificial Sweetener In Your Soda Is Making You Ill
The longest and most comprehensive human study which spanned 22 years assessed the effects of aspartame (the artificial sweetener in diet sodas) consumption and cancer.
What they found was a clear association between the consumption of aspartame and leukaemia and non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
So yes it would seem that the chemicals and artificial sweeteners in these diet sodas are not only making you put on weight and ruining your health, but could also be setting you up for one of these major diseases.
So one tip that will help prevent these diseases and speed up your weight loss is to stop drinking diet soda. It’s as simple as that.
I’ve helped many people kick their diet soda habit. I know it can be hard sometimes, just like it is for any bad habit you’re trying to kick.
But if you want to burn that stubborn belly fat and lower your risk of serious diseases then there is no better time to quit than now.
The best way to start is to throw out any diet soda you currently have stocked in your house. Do the same if you have any stocked at work. If you don’t have it then you can’t drink it.
You’ll need to keep your willpower on point as you also have to refrain from buying any when you’re out as well. Stay away from those vending machines full of crap too. Just because something has “diet” or “healthy” or even “natural” labeled on it, doesn’t mean that it’s healthy. More on that another time!
Healthy Alternatives
You can substitute diet soda with a range of herbal teas as these can be very refreshing. My advice is to not sweeten the tea, especially if you’re trying to lose weight. If anything, add a small amount of raw honey. Other alternatives include freshly squeezed juice or smoothie.
If it’s the bubbles you like then try iced soda water with a slice or two of fresh lemon or lime. Make sure you squeeze the juice in so you get the flavor. This is not only tasty but also such a healthy drink. You won’t feel like you’re left out on social occasions too!
And you can’t go past a healthy glass of water. When you think about it, the reason you are thirsty is because your body actually needs water to hydrate. It doesn’t need diet soda, which actually dehydrates you further. If you need some flavor then add a fresh slice of lemon and/or lime.
Just remember when trying to kick a bad habit that it will take willpower and a little time. Like I said, I’ve helped people kick serious diet soda addiction and in the end they couldn’t stand the taste when they tried it again. It’s hard at the start because of the addictive chemicals they contain, but little by little you can remove diet soda consumption from your life.
The good thing is if you’re trying to burn fat and lose weight, this will happen more easily. Plus, you’ll also feel better!
