Reader question.........I love soda...is diet soda my best bet for dieting?

Question..... is diet soda (coke Zero) the best bet for dieting?  I love soda.......

My answer:  I know this isn't what you want to hear, but if you really want results when dieting, you also need to drop the diet soda.  I know what the bottle says, zero calories......blah, blah, blah......but guess what?  Artificial sweeteners and flavors affect out bodies in more ways than you can imagine.  If you google it, there are tons of articles on the strange side effects that they can cause, and one of them is that they can stall your fat loss.  A few years ago when I was getting ready for a fitness competition I was drinking a ton of diet soda, and doing everything else right with my diet, but not dropping any weight.  I was also very tired and anxious......I talked to my coach, who said that I MUST drop the diet soda immediately, and I did....although it was hard!  Within a week the weight began to fall off, and I felt so much better.  Fake food does some funny things to your body, and with artificial sweeteners, your brain gets confused.  It expects calories from sugar....after all sweetener tastes like sugar, but it gets .....nothing!  No energy, no nutrients...  When you're dieting (or just trying to lead a healthy lifestyle) you need to get more bang for your buck.  You need good, old fashioned water, or green tea....that's what you should be drinking for optimal success and health.  Treat yourself to one or two sodas a week, but just know it's not helping you.

Tips for getting leaner......

1. Include protein at every meal, it will keep you satisfied for so much longer than carbs alone.  If you eat a piece of fruit, be sure to include protein as well....cottage cheese, greek yogurt, chicken, nuts, something that will keep your blood sugar stable, and keep you going for a long time:)

2.  Drink more water than you think you need!  Much of the time, we think that we are hungry, when in fact we are dehydrated.  Drink at minimum 8 ounces of water before every meal, and your appetite will diminish greatly.  I keep a little container of lime juice around which I add to my water, and it makes it so much easier to drink.  A touch of cranberry juice does the same thing.