Worst Diet Plan Ever: Diet Soda

"You look amazing! Have you lost weight?" I overheard a gentleman ask a lady acquaintance of his at the local coffee shop.

"Yes," she said, "Ever since I started drinking diet soda, the pounds have just fallen off me." Then he invited her to sit down and chat over a Diet Coke, and they fell in love. And that was the day Diet Coke put match.com to shame.

Okay, I admit, the scene above did not transpire. Seriously, when was the last time you heard someone tout diet soda as their weight loss solution? Never. Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi, and Diet Mountain Dew do not have a Jared like Subway does. When I think of the stereotypical diet soda drinker (or pop, as they call it in Minnesota....dummies), they are an overweight person who appear overjoyed to drink such a tasty beverage that is also conducive to being on a diet.

As a personal trainer with a nutrition background, I cannot stress enough how bad diet soda is for people trying to lose weight. It is bad for all of us, but it is an emergency brake to momentum for the weight-loss minded. I have three major problems with diet soda.

Diet Soda Slows Down Metabolism

Our bodies have a positive natural metabolic response to sugar. When we consume sugar, be it in fruits or in candy, our body picks up on the presence of sugar and says, "I pity the fool who ate sugar. It's time to turn on the metabolism because an energy rush is coming!" (Yes friends, we all sound like Mr. T on the inside). Every single time we eat sugar, our metabolism kicks on in anticipation of the pending energy rush.

Enter the artificial sweeteners in diet soda. When we consume them, our metabolism turns on because it anticipates the energy rush that usually follows the consumption of a sweet taste. Artificial sweeteners, however, do not increase the blood sugar like real sugar does. As we drink more and more diet soda with artificial sweeteners, and all of them have artificial sweeteners, our body begins to adapt to the idea that a sweet taste does not result in an energy rush (as sugar has taught it).

The end result is that our metabolism is taught over time not to respond to sweet tastes, even when it should. Artificial sweeteners, in fact, teach our body's metabolism not to respond properly to sugar. Diet soda is a dagger to the metabolism!

Diet Soda Makes Us Eat More

Quite simply, the artificial sweeteners in diet soda confuse the digestive and metabolic system. Studies have proven that humans who consume diet sodas are more likely to be obese and havemetabolic syndrome (discussed above).

In a Purdue University study (see it for yourself here), rats who were given calorie-free and artificially-sweetened yogurt ate more over time than rats who consumed yogurt sweetened with glucose. The rats fed artificial sweeteners gained significantly more weight and more fat, and showed no ability to cut back on their intake later. These results are consistent with what scientists have seen in diet soda drinkers among humans.

The ingredients in diet soda confuse our system, which results in weight gain and fat gain. Yikes!

Diet Soda Makes Cardio More Difficult

Some might be thinking, "Okay, I'll keep my diet soda and just do more cardio to keep my metabolism in gear." Fat chance.

If you have ever been off soda for awhile and then you have one, it burns your lungs for a second. That is your lungs saying, "I pity the fool who just made my lungs cringe!" (Again, we all sound like Mr. T on the inside). The carbonation in soda is a killer to lung capacity. That's right, the diet soda you had at 3pm is going to reak havoc on your 6pm cardio session. You won't be able to intake as much oxygen. Proven.

The negative effects carbonation has on your lung capacity goes away over time, but why compromise your workouts and favorite athletic activities?

If you want a premium metabolism, a better chance at weight loss, and a better cardio session, stay away from diet soda!

Adam Erwin is a personal trainer who travels the world working with people who want to change their body now! Adam follows good weather, which means he is currently training clients in Minnesota…anywhere within a 10 mile radius of Wayzata, MN When fall and winter arrive, Adam will be headed toward Florida, Arizona, Australia, and other warm climates. Visit www.rapidresultsfitnessmn.com to learn more about his work and how he can help you lose fat, keep muscle, and keep your better half.