Grab Best Fitness Blog Feed...By Karli Taylor
Overall we are increasing the amounts of beverages we consume, which may be increasing our caloric intake much more that we think. Most of us are not really mindful of what we are drinking, and don’t pay too much attention. While trying to lose weight, we watch the food we put in our mouths, but what about the drinks?
Your favorite drinks may have more calories than an ice cream cone.
Studies show that we're chugging 411 liquid calories daily. Most of us don’t cut back on food because if the beverages we consume, we typically eat the same amount. While we may be trying to watch what we eat, we also need to watch what we drink.
When we chew, our body recognizes and processes the calories we take in. Some experts suspect that the act of eating (biting and chewing), sends signals to the brain that trigger satiety. We have our favorite double whipped mocha coffee in the morning, some soda for lunch, juice with our snack and a cocktail, or two, once we get home from work. There goes our ability to lose weight.
Keep reading for some helpful tips to remember when sipping your favorite beverages.
Water
Though we no longer need 8 cups of water a day because we get so much water from other sources, we do need to drink the stuff! Drinking water can really help with weight loss. Often, our brain says we are hungry, when actually we are thirsty. Next time you think that you may be hungry between meals, drink a glass of water and then wait 15 minutes. If you are still hungry, then you can have a snack. If not, you were probably dehydrated.
Cocktails
Here is the good news: Women who drink one to two servings of wine, beer, or liquor a day tend to gain less weight over time than teetotalers, according to researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Some studies indicate that regularly drinking a small amount of alcohol may reduce our appetite. Just remember that’s ONE or TWO- anything in moderation can fit into a healthy lifestyle.
Juice
Orange juice makes up most of our fruit juice consumption. If you have a hard time getting enough fruits and vegetables in your diet, then a glass of OJ is fine; however, if you can eat an orange instead of drinking it, that is much better for you. The fiber in an orange is necessary for your diet as well. If you eat enough fruits and vegetables in your diet, than skip the juice. If you absolutely have to have your morning OJ, mix half of the amount you would normally drink with water and enjoy
The bottom line is, when you are trying to lose weight or just eat healthy, no more than 10% of your total daily calories should come from beverages. Remember to check the labels too; some cans have 2 or more servings!
