By now, most people know that a can of regular soda is a weight-loss disaster. These sugary beverages are high in calories and low in nutritional value—the perfect recipe for packing on the pounds. Diet soda is what many people reach for when they’re trying to lose weight, but it turns out these drinks might be hindering your weight loss efforts and your health as much as regular soda. Here are a few reasons you may want to consider ditching diet soda:
Kidney Decline - Your diet soda habit could be hurting your kidneys. According to a Harvard Medical School study of 3,000 women, drinking more than two cans of diet soda per day is linked to higher levels of kidney function loss. In the study, women drinking diet soda were twice as likely to experience kidney problems as those who drank other beverages. Researchers think that artificial sweeteners could be to blame.
Obesity - Diet soda could be sabotaging your weight loss efforts in a big way. Researchers at the University of Texas found that people who drank two or more diet sodas per day were 500 percent more likely to become overweight. Thanks to a Purdue University study, researchers have evidence that the artificial sweeteners in soda make it difficult for your body to practice natural portion control. You become more likely to overeat because your body is giving you incorrect hunger cues.
Metabolism Problems - For weight loss, you need your metabolism to be firing on all cylinders, but diet soda can slow it down. The University of Minnesota found that drinking one soda per day is linked with a 34 percent increase in the risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is associated with high cholesterol and dangerous belly fat, putting you at risk for not only weight gain but also heart disease.
Tips for Overcoming the Top Exercise Excuses
When your schedule is jam-packed, the first thing to get erased from the to-do list for many people is exercise. Skipping your workouts is a mistake for your health and your weight loss efforts, however. Instead of giving into the temptation to miss another exercise session, commit to making physical activity a non-negotiable part of your day. Use this advice to beat your excuses once and for all:
Excuse: I’m Too Busy
Hectic schedules are a way of life these days, but you may have more free moments than you think. Multitask by exercising while you watch television. At work, grabbing a few minutes throughout the day to walk in place, jump rope, or do any other activity you can fit into your schedule can add up to a good workout by the time the day wraps up. Remember that you don’t have to get all of your exercise in one session. Taking ten minutes here and there to be active a few times a day will boost your weight loss.
Excuse: I Hate to Exercise
Chances are that you don’t hate to exercise. You just hate the exercises you’ve tried. Experiment with different kinds of physical activity until you find one you can actually look forward to doing. Whether it ends up being dancing, biking, or playing basketball in a rec league, if you love doing it, you’ll keep it up. Your weight loss could speed up significantly if exercise became a joy.
Excuse: I’m Too Tired
You may feel exhausted when you start your workout, but you’ll feel energized and renewed when it is over. The endorphins released during exercise will lift your mood and give you more pep. Be sure to work out at the time of day that feels best for you.
At Physicians Weight Control, we can help you kick your diet soda habit and learn the right beverages to drink to support your weight loss efforts. Our medical weight loss centers are dedicated to helping you achieve weight loss while learning techniques to keep it off for good.
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