Yes… It Will Make Me Crazy

Since I scoffed at the news of the Texas study that suggests that diet soft drinks are making people more prone to gain weight… I’ve gotten some interesting feedback from some buddies of mine who read my blog, but are “above” publicly commenting on it. So instead they call me up and bug me while I’m trying to be a productive adult at work.

In a nutshell, they are telling me that with the “proof” of this research, it must mean that diet soft drinks do make people gain weight. They turn a deaf hear to my lecture of bad science vs. good science… the former describing the Texas study. When I defend my precious diet soda, they tell me it’s because I’m addicted.

So now they’ve accused me of twofold:
1) I need to seek help for my addiction – anyone know of an ATL chapter of diet drinkers anonymous?
2) If diet drinks make people gain weight… they must think I am looking pudgier lately.

I’ll have you know I have not gained ANY weight since leaving college! In fact, I have actually lost 5 lbs since graduating. Consider this me sticking my tongue out at them. Excuse me if I repeat myself with the following info, but calories are calories!! I drink diet drinks not because I am addicted, but because I can save calories from my overall diet. Also let me preface this by saying that I have no problems consuming sugar. I consume sugar throughout my day, and even consume full-calorie drinks every now and then. But on a regular basis I would rather consume a diet soda of zero calories, rather than a regular soda with 150 calories. It allows me to save the calories for other foods (ahem… beer) or allows me to create a calorie reduction if I so desire (to watch my girlish figure).

I am not addicted to diet drinks, rather, I enjoy them. When I began drinking wine, I did so because my parents drank it, and it was new and interesting. But now, as an adult, I have developed a palate for wine and truly enjoy the taste and texture that wine brings to dining experiences. When I began drinking diet drinks, it was so that I could save calories throughout my day. I knew I needed the nutrition in that banana or container of yogurt, so I “spent” my calories on nutritious foods and allowed myself the freebie of a zero-calorie drink. But again, I have truly come to enjoy the taste and refreshment of drinking diet drinks.

And another thing, I truly dropped seven pounds over the course of my senior year in college, with the only change in my diet and exercise regimen coming from switching to diet drinks as opposed to full-calorie ones. I was doing the same number of workouts, had the same number of rowing practices, was eating the same types of foods, and drinking the same amounts of beer as I had the year before. Granted, it may have been copious amounts of beer, but I digress.

Regardless, I still feel that Texas study is bunk… no matter how many times my friends feel the need to bug me while at work.