Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi? It’s one of the most contentious questions of the past thirty years in the world of soda pop. But now that there’s Diet Coke with Splenda, Diet Coke with Stevia, and Coca-Cola Zero, things have gotten even more confusing—especially when it comes to weight loss.

Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Water?

• Many dieters rely on water to fill up before meals. While that can be a good thing if you're trying to lose weight, you may want to think about drinking less of it at mealtime. Studies have shown that people who drink more water eat fewer calories and gain less weight over time than those who drink little H2O. One study in Obesity Research suggests that when people drink two cups of water before eating a meal they consume 75-90 fewer calories than when they don't. Many dieters rely on water to fill up before meals. While that can be a good thing if you're trying to lose weight, you may want to think about drinking less of it at mealtime.

What Is In Diet Tea And How Does It Work?

• The basic idea behind diet tea is that it’s designed to help you lose weight by providing very few calories. Most teas are naturally calorie-free and come with a range of health benefits. Plus, adding sugar and cream to your regular cup of tea can increase its calorie count. There are many varieties of diet teas: Some are made with herbal ingredients (like green tea) while others have fruit and vegetables in them. Check out our guide to popular diets for more on why diet teas are so popular—and what we think about them!

Comparing the Calories in Regular vs. Zero Cokes

• Regular Colas are almost always 150 calories per can. If you drink one a day and don’t exercise, you will gain about seven pounds per year. This isn’t healthy for your body so it would be best to find another alternative. One alternative that many people have been suggesting is Diet Coke. Because of all of its extra sugar, it could potentially be better than regular Coca-Cola at least in terms of weight loss. The only thing wrong with that statement is that there isn’t any proof to support it. The reason for this has a lot to do with how certain ingredients react with other ingredients to break down into calories.

Drinks to Drink Instead of Water – Sports Drinks and Energy Drinks

• While drinking water should be your first choice for quenching thirst and staying hydrated, sports drinks and energy drinks can offer a unique boost to athletes. Sports drinks are specifically formulated to replace fluids lost during activity; they contain electrolytes and carbohydrates in addition to water. Energy drinks have long been targeted toward people who work out regularly and need extra energy to finish their workouts. While they may sound similar at first glance, sports drinks and energy drinks are designed differently and their uses differ significantly. Before you decide which one to drink next time you head out for a workout, take a look at our guide below.

Is One Bigger Than The Other?

• With new diet sodas and sugar-free drink options like Hi-C Fruit Punch Sparkling drinks making their way onto grocery store shelves, consumers are thinking more and more about losing weight. So they’re asking: which one is better for weight loss—diet soft drinks or zero-calorie drink options? Both are alternatives to sugary sodas that are going to make your diet healthier. But how do you choose between them? The answer depends on your personal needs. Some of you might want a flavor substitute so you don’t miss out on your favorite beverages. Others might need a boost to kick start weight loss by adding in fewer calories than regular soda pops do.

Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle

• If you look at health from a bodybuilding perspective, zero-calorie diet drinks are more effective for weight loss than even water. With no calories, zero-calorie drinks help reduce hunger and keep dieters hydrated. But if you're using H2O for weight loss, there's no contest. After all, studies have shown that diet sodas increase the risk of obesity by three times. If it seems like I'm telling you to drink more Diet Coke with that particular piece of advice—well, I am. Stick with good old regular Coke and make sure to read labels on all other products in your grocery cart too! Remember: Not all zero-calorie foods are healthy just because they say zero. That's why paying attention to calories matters too!

Alternatives To Drinking During Meals

• Drinking beverages with calories during meals may not seem like a big deal at first, but over time it can become hard to lose weight. No matter what you’re drinking (milk included), adding in extra calories here and there can put a damper on your diet. That’s why it’s important to have alternatives when it comes to drinks: diet soda; sugar-free ice tea; diet fruit juices; water. You might think you have no other choice than to drink regular soda while you eat dinner out—but that couldn’t be further from the truth! It pays off in more ways than one to keep calorie-laden drinks out of your dining routine altogether.

When Can I Drink Water Instead of Other Beverages?

• Water is important for weight loss for a couple of reasons. First off, it’s incredibly hydrating—it can help keep you from feeling bloated. Second, when we drink water throughout our day, rather than just drinking other beverages (coffee and soda pop especially), we end up taking in fewer calories—by way of example if you drink an 8 oz cup of coffee with milk and sugar in it (150 cals) instead of plain water you've cut down on your calorie intake by 150 calories. It may not seem like much but after a year that's enough to make you lose 10 lbs!

My Morning Beverage Routine

• Before you eat breakfast in the morning (or anytime), try to drink a can of water. It doesn’t have to be ice cold, it just needs to be room temperature. Drinking water first thing in the morning will help get your digestive system moving and clear out any gunk that might be sitting there from a previous meal (or night of drinking). Drink as much as you can stand - sometimes I'll even go through two cans! Next, depending on how hungry I am, I'll have a glass of diet coke zero. If I'm really hungry and need a little more energy before breakfast (and there's nothing good on TV), then I’ll have an ice tea made with one packet of Stevia or another natural sweetener instead.