If you’ve been wondering about the link between sugary drinks and weight loss, you’re not alone. Many women in their 40s, 50s and 60s tell us at Trinity that they’re doing their best with food and exercise, but still not seeing results.
What they don’t realise is how much of an impact their drinks are having on their waistline. Whether it’s sugary drinks, diet drinks, or even sparkling water, what you choose to sip each day could be holding you back from your goals.
The truth is this: drinks can make or break your progress. It’s not just about what you eat. And in menopause, when your body is more sensitive to stress and hormones, making smart swaps is more important than ever.
What Names to Look Out for in Your Drinks
One of the biggest problems with weight gain during menopause is how sneaky added sugar can be. You may think you’re making healthy choices, but if you check the labels on your favourite drinks, you’ll often find hidden sugars.
If you see any of these on the label, you’re essentially drinking a sugar-sweetened beverage:
- High fructose corn syrup
- Glucose
- Dextrose
- Fruit juice concentrate
- Cane juice
- Honey
- Syrup (maple syrup, malt syrup, molasses, etc.)
- Sucrose
Even so-called “healthy” drinks like juice, kombucha, or flavoured drinks often sneak in 10–30g of sugar per serving. That’s 2–6 teaspoons in just one drink.
The Worst Sugary Drinks If You Want to Lose Weight
Here’s where most women get caught out. They’re eating well, moving more, but their drinks are quietly wiping out all the progress.
A few common culprits:
- Lattes – Even a skinny latte has around 102 calories, most of it from sugar. One a day adds up to two extra meals a week.
- Frappes – A Starbucks frappe can have 338 calories and 9 teaspoons of sugar. Have one daily and you could gain ⅔ of a pound every week.
- Orange juice – A 300ml glass has 30g sugar (6 teaspoons) and 130 calories. Not far off a can of Coke.
- Fizzy drinks – A regular can of Coke has 35g sugar (7 teaspoons) and 129 calories.
- “Healthy” fizzy sodas – Brands like San Pellegrino may feel lighter, but still contain 15g sugar and 64 calories per can.
And let’s not forget alcohol. Around menopause, your body becomes more sensitive to alcohol, meaning not only the calories count, but also the knock-on effect of cravings, poor sleep, and missed workouts.
A single glass of wine is over 200 calories. A cocktail like a mojito has more sugar than your daily allowance in one glass.
The big problem? You can drink hundreds of calories in minutes without ever feeling full. That’s why calorie beverages are one of the fastest ways to stall fat loss, even if your diet looks great on paper.
What to Drink Instead Of Sugary Drinks
The good news is you don’t need to cut out flavour, fun, or fizz to hit a healthy weight. You just need to make smarter swaps.
1. Choose Low-Calorie Coffee & Tea
Black coffee = under 5 calories. Black tea = 2 calories. Even with a splash of milk, you’re still looking at under 30 calories per cup.
2. Switch to Sparkling Water
If you love fizz, swap sugary sodas for sparkling water or carbonated water. Brands like Loveau or Aqua Libra give you flavour without added sugar or artificial sweeteners.
Drinking carbonated water can help you feel satisfied without piling on unnecessary calories.
3. Try Diet Drinks (in moderation)
Yes, there’s debate around artificially sweetened drinks, but most clinical trials show that swapping full-sugar drinks for diet drinks can support weight loss by cutting hundreds of daily calories.
Just don’t rely on them as your main source of hydration.
Plain Water Always Wins
It sounds boring, but nothing beats plain water for health and fat loss. It’s calorie-free, helps digestion, supports energy, and often reduces cravings mistaken for hunger.
“Before I started TRINITY I weighed 92kg and I was the heaviest I’ve ever been. I felt lethargic, unhealthy, embarrassed and unhappy. I was squeezing into size 14 elasticated waists and bursting out of size 16 tops. I have made amazing progress with Trinity from day one! I lost a stone in 3 weeks and have just continued losing weight whilst gaining strength, energy and bags of confidence! I have a much flatter stomach and abdomen. I have waist definition and definition on my sternum…never knew this was a thing! Trinity has changed my life completely!”
– Julie Bates (51), Trinity Client
Other Ways to Lose Weight (That Actually Work in Menopause)
Weight loss always comes down to one thing: burning more energy than you consume. But in menopause, your body reacts differently to stress, food, and exercise. That’s why old methods, like cutting carbs or doing loads of cardio, no longer work.
Here’s what does:
1. Focus on LIST (Low Impact Strength Training)
Heavy cardio can raise cortisol (stress hormone), which makes it harder to burn fat, especially belly fat. Instead, we use LIST (Low Impact Strength Training), a style of physical activity designed for women over 40.
It helps you get stronger, fitter, and leaner without wrecking your joints.
2. Balance Your Food Without Cutting Everything Out
Starvation diets backfire. You end up tired, achy, and craving sugary drinks for energy. Instead, build meals with protein, fibre, and healthy carbs to keep you satisfied while still in a calorie deficit.
3. Manage Sleep & Stress
Poor sleep makes you more likely to reach for high-sugar snacks and drinks the next day. Managing stress keeps hormones balanced and makes fat loss smoother.
4. Stay Consistent with Support
Most women don’t struggle because they don’t know what to do and they struggle to stick with it when life gets busy. That’s where coaching, accountability, and a proper plan makes the difference.
Watch How Rebecca Lost 3 Stone in Her 50s
How Trinity Can Help You
At Trinity, we’ve helped over 7,000 women in their 40s, 50s and 60s transform their bodies and lives, with a 97% success rate.
Unlike quick-fix diets, fads, or even weight-loss jabs, our Fit Over 40 programme is designed specifically for women in menopause. It’s a complete re-education, so you finally understand what works for your body at this stage of life.
Here’s why it works:
- We show you how to avoid sneaky calorific drinks that block results, without giving up the foods and drinks you love.
- We tailor your nutrition and physical activity to match your hormones, metabolism and lifestyle.
- We give you coaching, accountability, and support so you don’t fall off track when life gets busy.
- We teach you habits you can keep for life, so you don’t just lose weight but keep it off, without strict dieting.
If you’re tired of hiding in baggy clothes, dreading holidays, or feeling older than your years, it doesn’t have to stay that way.
With the right plan, you can drop 1–2 dress sizes in the next 12 weeks, feel strong, confident, and finally like yourself again.
And it starts with one small step: cutting back on the wrong drinks and learning the smarter swaps that fit into your life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, regular fizzy drinks are high in sugar and calories, which can prevent fat loss and make it harder to lose weight.
Does cutting out fizzy drinks help lose weight?
Yes, removing fizzy drinks reduces calorie intake and can make losing belly fat and overall weight much easier.
Will I lose weight if I stop drinking sugary drinks?
Yes, cutting out sugary drinks reduces excess calories and often leads to steady, sustainable weight loss.
Is Coke Zero okay for weight loss?
Coke Zero has no calories, so it won’t directly stop fat loss, but relying on it too much may keep cravings for sweet foods high.
