For a long time diet soda in moderation was on the Feel Great in 8 Challenge “Safe List.” I honestly didn’t love that it was on there, but I figured that, at least for weight loss, it was better than regular soda.
Then, I did a little research on artificial sweeteners (you’ll hear more from me about this soon too), and decided I really didn’t want either of them on there. I honestly don’t believe daily soda intake is part of a healthy diet. So, while I know kicking a soda habit is hard, diet and regular soda are now both on the unhealthy food list.
You will feel better if you cut out soda! Soda is full of sugar, high-fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners, and caffeine. I promise your body will feel and look better if you cut soda from your regular daily diet. Plus, since you’d be replacing it with 64 oz of water you get all the added benefits of healthy hydration. Save soda for a rare treat.
I’m sorry. Please don’t hate me. 😉
I support you in taking away soda!!!!
I am not on your program and I totally appreciate your efforts to help people start down the road to a healthy lifestyle, but I read this post and I just had to say something about your choice to include soda on the “safe list”. It surprises me that soda remains on this list, yet juice or other drinks with added sugars are on the “unhealthy food list”. To decide what is healthy and unhealthy should not be based on a “revolt” by your participants. Something is either healthy or it isn’t. I am sure if the participants revolted and wanted brownies on the “safe list”, they wouldn’t find their way there, or you wouldn’t see a just a few fries move over because people love them so much. Like I said before, I think you are doing a great thing, but if you are going to promote a healthy lifestyle you should do it all the way. Soda and diet soda are so unhealthy and should be as far away from the safe list as possible.
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/01/09/nih-study-links-soda-with-depression
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/03/30/diet-soda-too-dangerous-to-drink-every-day/
http://todayhealth.today.com/_news/2012/10/19/14543969-diet-soda-is-doing-these-7-awful-things-to-your-body?lite
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/14/soda-and-heart-attacks_n_1343163.html
The list goes on and on……
(I am sorry, I had to get this off my chest as well and hopefully you will read this and realize the intention for which it is written.)
Jen,
Thanks for commenting, and honestly I totally agree! 🙂 This was an extremely hard decision for me because I feel strongly just the way you do.
My biggest concern was that I knew a lot of people that truly wouldn’t even try the challenge if soda was banned. My main goal is helping people get healthier and I want to be able to help as many people as I can. For so many people 64oz of soda a day is completely normal and I’d much rather they reduce to 8oz to start off with and then hopefully cut it out eventually than have them unwilling to try at all.
I really did wrestle with this choice for a long time, and I’m still not totally sure of my decision. But, hopefully it means the challenge will help more people in the long run.
Anyway, thanks again for your comment. I hope lots of participants read it too and make the decision to cut soda out completely! 🙂
Tiffany