If you are currently trying to lose weight, you already know the importance of keeping track of the number of calories that you consume each day and following a reasonable and balanced diet. Many people, however, forget to include the calories that they drink when totaling calories for the day or week. This can lead to unanticipated weight gain or a pause in weight loss.
Sugary Beverages
Sugary beverages, such as soda, sweetened iced tea and fruit drinks, have the potential to supply you with many empty calories, stalling your weight loss. Even 100-percent fruit juice provides you with more calories than simply eating the fruit itself would. A study published in the April 2009 "Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine" and reported by EurekAlert found that sweetened beverages may be responsible for 235 calories in the average adolescent's daily diet. The simple way to stop weight gain associated with the consumption of these beverages is to switch to drinking water. If you don't like the taste of plain water, add a wedge of lemon or lime for flavor.
Diet Beverages
While diet sodas, teas and other beverages don't contain calories, they also are not the healthiest option for weight loss. Drinking one or two servings of diet soda each day may help quench your thirst for a sweet beverage without adding calories to your diet. But if you regularly consume more than that, you may still be putting yourself at risk for obesity and the health problems that go along with it.
Alcoholic Beverages
Alcoholic beverages can add a lot of calories to your diet. A beer has about 114 calories per glass, and special mixed drinks may contain 600 or more calories per serving. Drinking alcohol with a meal may make it more likely that you will consume more food during that sitting. Limit your consumption of alcohol to special occasions, and even then have only one or two alcoholic drinks, and sip water in between to cut your total caloric intake.
Other Considerations
If you are drinking too many alcoholic beverages and find it hard to stop, talk to your doctor about whether you may be addicted. Other symptoms of alcohol addiction include drinking in private to hide your consumption from others and needing to drink in order to feel good. Although milk also contains calories, switching some of the sweetened beverages you drink each day to milk will add calcium, protein and vitamin D to your diet. Drink skim milk if possible to reduce the number of calories and fat grams you are drinking.
Member Comments