DRINK your weight away!!

Many of us watch what we eat but not what we drink when on a diet. That’s a mistake.  The average person drinks one out of five of their daily calories.  

Choosing the right drinks can tweak your metabolism, curb your appetite, and help cut calories.

SPOILERS

• Soda

Every time you chug a bottle of soda, you get hundreds of empty calories.   Switching to diet soft drinks is an easy way to cut calories, but the research is uncertain on whether this switch leads to weight loss.  Some studies show only a short-term benefit.  Others find diet soda drinkers gain weight.

• Energy Drinks

Most sports and energy drinks are calorie bombs like soda.  They may have more added nutrients, but you can find the same vitamins and minerals in low-calorie foods.  When you're working on weight loss, stay hydrated with water rather than sports drinks, unless you need the extra nutrients because you're exercising hard and sweating a lot

• Fancy Coffee

Once you add flavored syrups, or a snowcap of whipped cream, your mug of black coffee is full of fat and sugar.  Specialty coffees can have up to 570 calories per cup: possibly more than an entire meal!  If you don’t like your coffee black, add a little skim milk and stevia to keep the calorie count low.

NEITHER HERE NOR THERE

• Fruit Juice

Juice can have as many calories as soda, but it has more nutrients.  This presents a dilemma: You want the vitamins and antioxidants without all the extra sugar.  Look for 100% fruit juice.  Steer clear of juice drinks that have added sweeteners.  Check the nutrition label for the percentage of real juice.  You can also slash calories by drinking water with a tiny bit of juice added

• Smoothies

Blend a banana, strawberries, and blueberries into a frothy smoothie, and you’ve got a delicious drink.  Make your own, so you can control the ingredients: skim milk (or an alternative, like soy milk), stevia and fresh or frozen fruit are all you need.  Restaurant smoothies may include ice cream, honey, or other sweeteners that boost the calorie count sky-high.

HELPERS

• Water

Replacing carbonated soft drinks with water will cut hundreds of calories per day.  Drinking two glasses of water before a meal may also help you feel full faster, so you don’t eat as much.  Drinking enough water may have a positive effect on your metabolism.

• Vegetable Juice

Vegetable juice is as nutritious as fruit juice, with about half the calories but a lot more sodium.  One cup of tomato juice has 41 calories, compared to 122 calories for orange juice.  Choosing juice with pulp provides some fiber too, which may help control hunger.

• Black Coffee

When you need a shot of caffeine, coffee is a better choice than soda or energy drinks.  Black coffee is calorie-free and rich in antioxidants.

• Green Tea

Green tea is an excellent choice when you’re looking for a little boost. Not only is it calorie-free, some research suggests green tea extract may stimulate weight loss.

So… now you have more tools to drink healthier and even reduce some pounds... cheers!