Wouldn’t it be great if you could just drink yourself thin without having to worry about any special fitness routines. No expensive gym memberships, no more fad diets just relax, take a sip of your favorite beverage and watch the fat slip away.
As far fetched as this sounds it’s not too far from the truth, but probably not in the way that you think.
You probably realize how important it is to exercise, not just to keep obesity at bay but to improve circulation and overall health. It doesn’t have to mean that you end up spending hours a day in your local fitness center, just going for brisk walks can be enough to stay in shape.
Even if you are doing everything right, eating healthily, avoiding junk food and keeping your hand out of the cookie jar it doesn’t automatically mean that you’re going to get that beach body that you desire.
The number one reason that people fail to lose weight is because they forget to factor in how many calories they are actually consuming though their drinks and beverages.
Drink to hydrate, not just because you like the taste of it.
Most people understand that sugary drinks and soda’s can derail even the best fitness regime but even the regular trips down to the local coffee shop can add inches to your waist.
Grabbing a 16 oz Starbucks double chocolate chip frappucino blended crème on your way to work will set you back 510 calories. If you’re looking to lose weight then you’re probably looking to reduce your calories below 2000 a day so this would account for 25% of your daily caloric intake and you’d be missing out on many nutrient that you’d normally get with real food.
If you like to socialize at the weekends then remember that alcoholic drinks are some of the worse offenders when counting calories.
For example a 7 oz Long Island Iced Tea (which actually contains zero tea) can have up to 780 calories in it. That’s actually a third of your daily calorie intake in a single glass.
Even so called healthy drinks are not much better. Energy drinks are regularly promoted as being essential to any fitness fanatics regimen but even these are best avoided. Grab one during your grueling workout and it’s likely that it contain 200 calories plus, enough to offset any gains that you may actually have made in the gym and more than that can of soda you were trying to avoid in the first place.
Think diet soda’s are good because they contain zero calories? Think again!
Recent research has shown that the artificial sweeteners used in diet and zero calories soft drinks actually have the opposite effect and can lead to an increase in your appetite leading your body into being fooled to eating more.
How about smoothies, surely they must be healthy?
Smoothies and milk are not to be trusted. either. Milk contains fats and sugars that could put any diet at risk if not taken in moderation. Although milk is rich in protein and great for promoting muscle growth it’s easy to overdo your daily fat intake.
Thought that your early morning breakfast was safe, maybe not. Break open the fruit juices and you could be in for a nasty shock. While fresh fruits contain natural sugars they also contain minerals and fiber that is good for you body, unfortunately bottled fruit juices are not as healthy.
Check the nutritional label to see just what you’re consuming and you may be amazed to see just what your drink contains. Some have added sugar, others may even contain an blend of juices. Apple juice is often added to juices to make them more sweet. That cranberry drink is likely to be closer to apple than you thought.
Now you’re probably thinking that since all your favorite drinks appear to be bad for you that life is going to get very boring, but that isn’t necessarily so. The hardest part is weening yourself off sugary drinks but once you get past that you’ll never look at them the same again.
The good news is that there are some healthy alternative to keep the calories at bay and help give you that body that you desire.
Try these alternatives instead
Unsweetened tea. Green tea is a healthy low calorie drink, high in anti-oxidants but there are also some fruit flavored varieties of black tea that you may prefer. Just keep it simple and avoid adding milk or sugar.
Freshly squeezed fruit juices. Go for 100% fruit juice varieties. If you squeeze the fruit yourself then you’ll get the added benefits of the fiber in your diet.
Eat foods that have a high water content. Soups and broths are great for this, both filling and hydrating.
If you need a boost before your workout then try a cup of black coffee. You’ll get the caffeine kick but without all the sugar of an energy drink.
Water, Water Everywhere. The ultimate weight-loss drink
Finally you have the best drink of all, water. The ultimate hydrate, zero calories and essential to life. Add a slice of lemon if you want a little variety just make sure that you drink enough of it. It’s recommended that you consume at least 2-3 liters each day.