VA: Pet Peeve #6: People Who Assume I Drink Diet Because I Think I’m Fat
Mar 2nd, 2007
(8 votes, average: 4.13 out of 5)
Loading ...I used to work with a woman who was a very lithe 97lbs. Every day for lunch, she’d down a diet pepsi or two with her meal. Rumors started spreading […]
Original post: Pet Peeve #6: People Who Assume I Drink Diet Because I Think I’m Fat
I started drinking diet when they stopped using cane sugar. I didn’t know it at the time, but it gradually started not tasting as good and never was right after the switch was complete. Years later (recently) I had the opportunity to compare cane to HF corn sweetener. No contest. Cane costs more and it’s worth every cent IMO.
I always wondered why it wasn’t good anymore, but I attributed it to maturing tastes. Turns out it was a lot simpler - a switch to a more cost effective but worse tasting formula.
Yeah but that Phenylalinine or Asspartame or whatever it is
kind of causes brain damage and cancer?
…just what i’ve heard.
….and yes cane sugar is yummier than HFCS.
I understand the diet thing. Both my parents drink diet because they like the taste better. But they also drink protein shakes and go to the gym every day while on their lunch breaks.
2 — New Wives Tale, along with Power Lines, cell phones, and anything else that’s popular. The truth is that even saccharine doesn’t cause cancer in doses that are merely extraordinary. Personally, I prefer stuff sweetened with sucralose (aka Splenda) because it has less aftertaste, but normally stored aspartame isn’t going to hurt you.
Left out of V’s post is the idea that diet sodas are useful to diabetic folk as well.
I didn’t say I was right…
…could be ALL hearsay?
Not a big fan (acutally, not a fan at all) of Coke, but the diet one (at least where I live) is just undrinkable. So yeah, taste is important in choosing a drink. Some dumb & fat people left their mark in people’s minds by ordering 10 kg of burgers and a Diet Coke, loudly exclamating they’re trying to watch their calories, and now everyone attributes that to every diet drinker they see. So immature…
agreed with 5 -
there are some of us who can’t/don’t want to consume so much sugar…
for me, it’s about soft teeth & cavity prevention.
Diet drinks taste like sludge. Gimme a tankard of Mountain Dew any day with a side of Coke.
Drinking diet junk and complaining when people tell you you’re skinny is like wearing a nazi getup and getting pissed off for people calling you a nazi. You may wear it just because you like the look, but everyone’s first impression is going to be different.
Hey this is kinda like the full flavor vs. ultra light cigarette debate…
Pet Peeve #1 ~
Pet Peeves
What’s the opposite of Pet Peeve?
Favorite?
Favorite #1 ~ ya’ll ~ every one.
uh huh…
jump back
what’s that sound?
Well… no one else is saying anything… and I’m just waiting
for my niece and nephew (it’s his birthday tomorrow)…
…actually his ‘golden’ birthday.
Happy birthday lil’ guy.
I think diet drinks taste VILE.
They’ve got that weird under/aftertaste that gives me the shivers, and not in a good way.
Just to let ya’ll know…
I am officially retiring from comments
on this and every other blog-type
comment page.
I love you.
I may still read, but shall remain silent.
You’re welcome,
Emerild
I believe that V makes the point to discuss individuals that bully not physically but mentally. They are the ones that prey on others to alter their personal well-being. Regardless if the topic is diet soda (you on a diet?), cigarettes (do you have to smoke that here?), clothing (you aren’t really going to wear that out, are you?), to personal hygiene (did you forget to brush and floss before you left from home?). Those types enjoy altering one’s space with their immature maneuvering. Passive aggressive behavior should be left alone. Even children need not be subjected to that form of control. Yet, many people thrive on that particular act. By placing guilt where guilt wouldn’t ordinarily be, people feel subjected to blatant disreguard to one’s privacy. Interfering in others’ lives to their own vile enjoyment. I say, V has a well founded point.
Myroid: What is “nazi getup” (except for the cross)?
Shadowbird: http://www.bytwerk.com/gpa/images/ob/ob2.jpg
That.
Myroid: Exactly. Take away the nazi symbol, and it’s just normal military getup. And if you’re gonna tell me diet coke for losing weight is the same as the nazi symbol for being a nazi, there’s not much I can help you with. :)
That’s exactly what I’m saying.
Perhaps I should’ve been clearer: people associate DIET drinks with wanting to lose weight, much like how people who wear swastikas on their shoulders are associated with nazism. You can’t get mad at someone for making a reasonable assumption.
http://www.myroidtypecomics.com/nazisoda.htm
myroid: you can’t get mad at someone for making an assumption, but the point is people should generally keep their assumptions to themselves. and i’m not so sure its reasonable to assume diet soda = on a diet, as diet soda can just be a way of life. some people prefer not to drink their calories, but rather save it for something else. also, what if the person hasdiabetes??
on_with_living, while it might be true in some cases that people make those comments to bully, sometimes they are just nosy and think they are helping. i’m not saying that’s right, but peoples intentions aren’t always bad.
as far as cigarettes are concerned, however, i think its perfectly okay to ask someone (maybe not passive aggressively) to not smoke near them, because cigarette smoke effects everyone around them. i’m not just talking about the dangers of cancer (which are only a real concern if you are exposed incessently to second hand smoke) but smoking can also trigger allergic reactions (ie asthma), and gets into your hair/clothes and lingers. a person has a right not to have that happen even moreso than someone else has a right to smoke wherever they want. but i digress.
If that’s the case Sunny, the title would be something like “Pet Peeve #6: Assholes who annoy me because they don’t know any better” or something. But it’s not.
“i’m not so sure its reasonable to assume diet soda = on a diet”
So it’s equally unreasonable to assume someone’s not on a diet if they’re cramming down fudge cakes and Twinkies? Come on.
you’re right that she said her pet peeve was people who assume, but in the article the people she gets annoyed at are the ones who actually say something.
i don’t think you can compare drinking diet soda = on a diet to cramming down fudge cakes = not on a diet (although I will say that also isn’t necessarily true because perhaps they are on a diet, but allow themselves to binge every now and then, or perhaps they have temporarily fallen off the diet wagon)
like i said, there are other reasons to drink diet besides weight. diabetes is a huge one, especially since the incidence of diabetes is rising. another one is avoiding cavities, like inlovewithV said. and lastly, watching your calories in general doesn’t mean you’re on a diet, it could just mean you want to maintain a healthy weight.
@ Emerild
“Hey this is kinda like the full flavor vs. ultra light cigarette debate…”
-Hi Emerild.. actually no, it’s not simply a flavour question. “Lite” (i.e. artificially sweetened) products can pose serious health risks. Your earlier post was right on the money:
“..that Phenylalinine or Aspartame or whatever it is kind of causes brain damage and cancer?”
Aspartame contains 3 nasties: phenylalinine, aspartic acid, and methanol. Industry tries to cover up by saying these are found in foods and alcohols, but neglect to mention that in traditional foods they are bound up chemically so they do not cause harm (e.g. aspartic acid in fruit is bound to pectin, methanol in booze is counteracted by ethanol, etc). In aspartame, the human gut can split the 3 nasties up & then process them. Aspartic acid is an excitotoxin and has been linked to neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s Disease. When the methanol gets broken down into formaldehyde it attacks the optic nerves & can damage your vision & even case blindness. Check out a speech that was given in the British Parliament in December 2005 - the speaker mentions how media has been muffled with legal threats from industry, but he is protected by parliamentary immunity and can speak out on the matter officially: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm051214/halltext/51214h05.htm
Also check out a new book published in 2006: “Sweet Deception” by Dr Joseph Mercola http://www.sweetdeception.com . This also has information on Splenda / sucralose, which is an organochlorine - discovered during research on INSECTICIDES (it is related to DDT, phosgene & dioxins).
For a good web article on artificial sweeteners, see http://www.westonaprice.org/modernfood/sugarfree_blues.html
While V might not like to have people commenting on what she puts in her mouth, the news about the evils of artificial shit is just not that well known (e.g. only one person here had “kind of” heard about it) and needs to be circulated by word of mouth, as industry is making too much money from harming you to want to tell you about it.
As too much sugar is bad for health as well, the short story is: avoid sodas as a general rule. Per capita consumption of sodas in the USA is shockingly high - shifting to unfluoridated water, raw (unpasteurised) certified organic milk, and unsweetened, freshly squeezed non-reconstituted fruit juice would contribute to better health, but of course big soda companies, artificial sweetener companies don’t want this and keep pouring millions of dollars into advertising to drown out good sense.
sharpsight, i’m sorry, but I don’t really buy what you’re saying. first of all, phenylalanine and aspartic acid are two of the 20 amino acids that make up all the protein in our body. they’re far from being nasties. even though they are ingested as normal foods as part of a chain of amino acids, proteases will still break them up into smaller peptides and even individual amino acids, causing them to be absorbed by the body. yes there are diseases associated with unnatural amounts of these amino acids, particularly phenylalanine, but i don’t think the low doses found in a bottle of diet coke will cause such a problem, especially since the body has enzymes that can break down all these amino acids.
as far as methanol is concerned, yes it can cause blindness, etc, but studies have shown that 2000mg of aspartame (1800mg more than that found in a 12 ounce can of coke) will not raise the amount of methanol in the blood. even men who took 10,000mg aspartame did not have any side effects of methanol poisoning. a tiny amount of methanol production most likely isn’t going to cause any problems, especially since metabolism of normal fruits and vegetables can cause the same production.
i’m not saying that down the line its possible that studies could show with actual statistical significance that aspartame causes serious negative health benefits, but there has not been any to date. and really, these days, everything is coming under fire. one week coffee’s good for you, the next bad.
as far as your advice to avoid soda in general, that’s probably good advice. switching to all organic? maybe that would make a small difference, but would definitely make a big difference on money spent on groceries. i’m not so sure about the unpasteurized milk though.
Hi Sunny,
while phenylalanine and aspartic acid may be found in our food and bodies, the ingestion of an artificially created substance which delivers a concentrated, readily metabolised dose doesn’t sound to me to be a sensible thing to be eating. Pro-aspartame studies (e.g. at tc.engr.wisc.edu/UER/uer98/author2/content.html ) acknowledge that each one of the three metabolites “can cause harm when consumed separately and in high doses.” Such studies go on to state that dosages are so low there is nothing to worry about, however opponents claim that, for example in the case of methanol measurement, use of an outdated testing method, relied on in papers published as recently as 1996, conveniently yields results of “no detectable levels”, as a person’s levels would have to rise by 350% to 600% to register. See http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/abuse/methanol.html#hiding
Dr Russell Blaylock, a retired neurosurgeon, notes that the negative effect of excitotoxins can be enhanced by the consumption of other excitotoxins, and that these and methanol ingestion effects are CUMULATIVE. How many people will knock back a packet of chips flavoured with monosodium glutamate together with a diet coke? Every day? It’s a worry.. Check aspartametruth.com/blaylock/interaction.html for more.
Re studies showing negative health effects, the Ramazzini study in 2005 is an interesting read if you are after a recent scientific study. Link to the paper & background info at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame_controversy#Ramazzini_Foundation .
As for the immediately noticeable difference re switching to all organic - yes, the first thing you notice is that it might cost a few dollars more, due to economies of scale making various processed foods cheaper to produce. In general, Crap costs less. People with a short term view might opt to save a few dollars now and deal with any potential sickness-care costs later. Those with a long term view opt for taking care of themselves and avoiding unnecessary medical expense and discomfort in the sooner or later. But really, if one stops buying cordial, sodas/soft drinks, chips, tv dinners, biscuits/cookies, sugary breakfast cereals etc there will be money for the good stuff. I guess it comes down to the question of what do you value most - your money, your convenience, or your health?
Re your doubts about unpasteurised milk, I’d thoroughly recommend a book to you called “The Untold Story of Milk”, by Ron Schmid, ND. Further info over at http://www.realmilk.com . And if you have any worry about the cholesterol/fat issue, check out what the doctors & scientists at http://www.thincs.org have to say.
The popularisation of aspartame, sucralose and acesulphame potassium sweeteners did not just “happen”, it was deliberately and carefully planned, and is consistently promoted (both overtly and covertly) by corporate interests. Given the suspiciously accelerated approvals of these chemicals and that industry-funded research is unlikely to be free of corporate self-interest, current artificial sweetener consumption represents a massive global long-term toxicological trial, with many of the participants completely unaware they are participating.
While everyone will of course make their own choice as to what to put in their mouths, I feel it’s important to at least let people know that there are scientists, researchers, doctors and nutritionists who have grave concerns backed by medical and scientific data. Become aware, and think for yourselves, my fellow consumers! Industry’s propaganda machine is so effective (and sneaky, with ‘health facts’ being issued by corporate-funded ‘consumer organisations’) that lots of poor folks are simply lulled into thinking there isn’t even any argument going on!
Coke 12 fl oz = 140 cals (calories)
Diet Coke 12 fl oz = 0 cals
I’m from the south so when I say coke I mean any general soda product you yankees might call “pop.” Pepsi, Sunkist, Dr. Pepper, etc.
I loved my coke because of the sugar I’m sure. Diet products at the time just tasted nasty and did not enjoy them. Last spring I planned a cruise with a couple of friends and decided to get in shape for the trip. Now I’m not saying that I’m out of shape. I go to the gym four days a week and enjoyed power lifting at the time. Bigger = Better. That was pretty much my mind set from 18 to 24. Then one summer some ass on I75 decided to fall asleep at the wheel and rear end my truck going about 65 mph. I was at a stand still because traffic was backed up for miles.
Lucky for me he just f***ed up my neck and my shoulder. Basically my shoulder is screwed which restricts my max lifting weight in the gym. Ok so now that the pity parade is over I will get back to my rant.
Cruise preparation! More cardio, smaller healthy meals, and nothing but diet drinks. I was amazed on how many cals I drink with regular coke products. We are talking 4-5 cokes = 600 cals. Damn that’s the same as a small meal. Plus I learned to enjoy the taste of diet. Now I drink nothing but diet. I can speak from experience and drinking diet really does help. By the time I went on the cruise (2 months of dieting and hard work) I had a 6pack and basically was in the best shape of my life. I had more increase energy and I felt great. I know give me a medal, rose, or cookie. Muscular, lean, and the 6 pack. Now I have no idea what it is about the 6 pack but ladies seems to enjoy it. Maybe the ladies here can explain it to me, please post your response. I’ve had several of my girl friends (platonic girl friends) tell me it’s just “hot.” So guys stop being that fat ass at the pool or beach and get in shape. Plus it’s healthy and you will honestly feel better in life.
Now that I’m 26 the mind set is not bigger = better, but healthy eating and low body fat.
Web link to fast food calorie count:
http://chowbaby.com/fastfood/fast_food_nutrition.asp
Other helpful link:
http://www.weightlossforall.com/calorie-intake.htm
…either way, coming up to me on the street and telling me i don’t need to be on a diet when i’m drinking my sugar-free beverage is more likely to earn you a punch in the face, rather than a thank you.
you’re call though.
sharpsight
I’ll have to look at those studies. thanks for pointing them out.
you’re right that eating organic in general is better than TV dinner, packaged cookies, etc. I guess I just think you can still eat healthy without going completely organic. But i could be wrong.
You’d punch someone in the face for trying to pay you a compliment? Sure maybe they should be minding thier business but come on, chill the fuck out… as for V, I guess she’s just going through menapause or something. There’s more to life than just complaining about what everyone else does to piss you off.
But then again I guess “pet peeves” aren’t usually reasonable annoyances and everyone has them. I just don’t buy the whole world-hardened cynicist thing V has going on, It doesn’t seem like her life is bad enough to be so bitter but I guess I don’t know the whole story.
jennu984: There’s more to life than deliberatily visiting blogs of people you don’t like and reading every single article just so you can then express your dislike with the author in the comments.
Heh, nice link Rage;
McDonald’s©
Sandwiches - Double Cheeseburger©
Serving Size: 173 grams
Calories: 490
Calories from Fat: 240
Total Fat: 26 grams
Saturated Fat: 12 grams
Cholesterol: 85 milligrams
Sodium: 1220 milligrams
Carbohydrates: 38 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Sugars: 8 grams
Protein: 25 grams
French Fries - large©
Serving Size: 198g
Calories: 580
Calories from Fat: 250
Total Fat: 28 grams
Saturated Fat: 6 grams
Cholesterol: 0 milligrams
Sodium: 960 milligrams
Carbohydrates: 77 grams
Fiber: 6 grams
Sugars: 0 grams
Protein: 6 grams
Beverages - Iced Tea - Med 21 oz©
Serving Size: 1
Calories: 0
Calories from Fat: 0
Total Fat: 0 grams
Saturated Fat: 0 grams
Cholesterol: 0 milligrams
Sodium: 15 milligrams
Carbohydrates: 0 grams
Fiber: 0 grams
Sugars: 0 grams
Protein: 0 grams
Crazy. My favorite meal from McDonalds is 2 x Double Cheeseburgers, a large fry and a med. Iced tea.
Calories: 1560
Fat: 80g
Sat. Fat: 30g
Protein: 56g
Ouch, apart from the protein. Even then, 50+g is a bit much for one meal. Guess it’s a good thing I only go there once a month.
First of all, the word is deliberately. Second of all, I’m pretty sure that I can do whatever the fuck I want to and you and the rest of the blog police can’t do shit about it :)
and PS, people read my blog all the time just to bitch about me in the comments section, why should it bother me? Individual people have individual opinions, and sometimes when I’m bored at work, I like to read other people’s blogs and bitch about them to piss off people like you because it’s funny and it passes the time. I started reading this blog becuase it won some funniest blogger award, the only thing that’s really funny about it is how ridiculously bitter this chick is.
I can’t tell all of you what to eat, and don’t want to - it’s your business, but as for me, I don’t eat anything that 1) I can’t pronounce easily, 2) cannot imagine in pure form, or 3) my great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as “food”. Soda is weird. Diet is even weirder. My opinion, obviously.
jenny984: Yup, I mistyped. :) Of course you can - and so can I. It’s just that “There’s more to life than just complaining about what everyone else does to piss you off.”, coming from you sounds, well - hypocritic (did I spell that right?). But of course, you can do whatever you want, including being a hypocrite.
P.S. You sound much more bitter than V.
The word is hypocritical, nice try though. I don’t understand how you could possibly surmise that I’m a bitter person? Maybe I am, but you certainly don’t have any room to tell me I am. Do we know each other? How could you possibly know If I’m a hypocrite? I’m pretty sure you don’t know anything about me and I don’t know much about you other than the fact that you have a less than stellar understanding of the English language.
P.S. You sound like a douchebag :)
jenny, I never said you were bitter. I said you sound bitter. There’s a difference (a crying baby sounds a lot like a cat and vice versa, for example).
Even if I said that you are bitter, I don’t see what right you have to tell me off about that, as you are the one saying V is bitter without knowing her at all - same thing you’re accusing me of. There goes that hypocracy again.
Why do I say that you sound bitter? Same reason (most probably) why you surmise that V is - you bitch about what pisses you off, when it’s something you have to actually take action to experience (unlike what V is talking about).
I don’t know if you’re a hypocrite, I only see that you’re making hypocritical statements.
And I really don’t see what my “less than stellar” English has to do with this, but since you brought it up - yes, English is not my native language and I learned most of it on my own, so there’re bound to be some words I misspell (and anyone can mistype).
“Can’t we all get along?!?!?”
Rodney King, law enforcement punching bag
I’m blessed with a metabolism that means I don’t have to watch what I eat to stay looking decent so I guess everything I say can be discounted because of that, however I don’t understand the constant polar behavior of V about looks. Either you’re a chick that doesn’t give a flying fuck about what the rest of the world thinks or you’re obsessed about body image. The two are like oil and water. Don’t even try the crap of “I do it for myself”. Ya right. You don’t talk about having good endurance or high energy levels. You talk about being slim. If you’re confident and happy inside then your only care about your physical self will be how well it works… ie things like endurance and energy.
When you aren’t into the how I look crap, BTW, your blog and opions generally rock. Kudos about the orignal homeless episode. I’ve shown that to many.
Another link for my beer drinking buds out there!
http://www.beer100.com/beercalories.htm
I stopped drinking pop (in any form) in 2003. I now refer to it as “liquid death”.
buy paxil without prescription…
news…
i drink diet because i am diabetic
i really hate the line about drinking a diet coke when i do eat fast food, people are fucking sheep adn will utter just about any stupid and lame comment they can.