So now you’re a few weeks into your lifestyle change, and you’re eating healthier and exercising regularly. That’s great news! You’re feeling a lot better about yourself, and you’re ready to take on the world. So what’s the next step?
Well, we’ve changed your regular eating and exercising habits, but what have you done about your drinking habits? No, I’m not just talking about alcoholic drinking habits. I’m talking about your everyday drinking habits. From soda to ice tea, it’s time to learn what you should drink, and what you should avoid at all costs.
1. Soda
The most obviously unhealthy drink would have to be soda. Almost everyone knows that it isn’t good for you, but a lot of people drink it anyways. Maybe that’s because they don’t exactly know why it’s unhealthy. Then there are those people who drink soda as if it was water. That’s even worse. Studies show that soda contributes greatly to America’s obesity problem, but people seem adamant on consuming it anyways. Maybe this article will finally be the encouragement you need to put down the bottle. Just because the main ingredient is water, that doesn’t mean it’s good for you!!
Soda doesn’t just fatten your body; it also fattens your organs! In a study conducted by researchers in Denmark, they found that just after six months, the individuals who drank soda everyday had experienced a dramatic increase in harmful hidden fats (liver and skeletal fat). But on top of that, their cholesterol levels also increased by 11% compared to the other groups who drank milk, diet cola or water instead.
Drinking soda can also greatly increase your chances of heart disease, a heart attack, or type 2 diabetes. Tossing back just one soda a day alone can actually increase your chances of type 2 diabetes by 15%; two a day can increase it by 26% according to a Harvard study. Soda also affects your bones; it increases your chances of osteoporosis because it eats away at enamel and weakens bones.
That’s some pretty frightening stuff right there. Try some seltzer or carbonated water instead.
2. Diet Soda
Another unhealthy drink that’s less obvious would be diet soda. A lot of people think that diet soda is a miracle sent from the gods. Drink all the carbonated goodness you want without the worry of it polluting your body.
That’s only slightly correct.
Many studies show that diet soda is linked to weight gain for numerous reasons. From increasing your sugar cravings, to psychological factors, diet soda has been shown to be just as bad as regular soda.
It doesn’t have the sugar that can increase weight around your stomach area, but it does have the artificial sweetener that makes you crave sugar; therefore, resulting in you eating more sugar. On top of that, even if you’re able to resist the sugar cravings, you might unknowingly start believing that since you’re reducing your calorie intake while you drink, you can increase your calorie consumption in other departments, which isn’t true. You want to reduce your calories as much as possible. Eating more calories because you’re drinking diet soda is kind of unprogressive. Wouldn’t you think?
Also, long-term use of artificial sweeteners have been linked to the decrease of kidney function in women. Two servings or more a day can cause this to happen as time progresses, which means two or more diet sodas a day can harm your kidney in the near future.
If you drink diet soda (or soda in general), you are at a 61% higher risk for vascular problems than non-soda drinkers are. This means it increases your chances of heart attack or stroke, which are all very scary ordeals.
Still think diet soda is fantastic?
3. Loaded Coffees
When adults consume coffee in moderation, they are actually helping to improve their own health. They can decrease their risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and more! That’s so fantastic, isn’t?
However, if you order a caramel macchiato with mocha from Starbucks (my personal favorite), you are sneaking more than just a few calories into your system. Even the lower-calorie beverages can have up to 200 calories in it!
It isn’t the coffee that gets you—coffee has about 5 calories in one cup, so that’s actually pretty good. It’s how you dress it that really brings your calories up. Sugars and creamers are not calorie free, so be sure to always keep in account how many calories you’re adding to your caffeinated beverage.
4. Alcohol
You don’t need a dry diet to get fit. You can still keep healthy and have a social life that includes some fancy drinks if that’s what you’re into, but you should definitely be careful. A lot of people consume more calories than they realize when they go out drinking—they can consume as many calories as they get in one meal in just one drink! That’s insane.
Not to mention, as you consume, your inhibitions aren’t the only thing that drop while you drink. Your willpower to resist unhealthy food does as well. So the more you drink, the more likely you are to order that big, delicious basket of deliciously fried mozzarella sticks with a side of marinara sauce on the side (man, I really need to get some lunch before I start drooling). You can consume more calories than you’d realize at a part.
So instead, go for the “mocktails”, or light cocktails. These drinks can lighten your calorie intake as well as give you the buzz you’re looking for.
Here are a few charts to show you the difference in calorie quantities in different beverages:
|
Wine |
Calories |
Carbs |
Per 5-oz Serving |
|
Chardonnay |
20 |
0.4 g |
100 calories, 2 g carbs |
|
Pinot Grigio |
20 |
0.4 g |
100 calories, 2 g carbs |
|
Zinfandel® White Wine |
20 |
0.4 g |
100 calories, 2 g carbs |
|
Cabernet Sauvignon |
20 |
0.8 g |
100 calories, 4 g carbs |
|
Merlot Red Wine |
20 |
0.8 g |
100 calories, 4 g carbs |
|
Hard Liquor |
Calories |
Carbs |
Per 1.5-oz Serving |
|
Vermouth |
32 |
0.2 g |
64 calories, 0.4 g carbs |
|
Coconut Rum |
51 |
5.3 g |
77 calories, 8 g carbs |
|
Beefeater® Gin |
65 |
0 g |
98 calories, 0 g carbs |
|
Rye Whiskey |
69 |
0 g |
104 calories, 0 g carbs |
|
Scotch Whiskey |
69 |
0 g |
104 calories, 0 g carbs |
|
White Rum |
69 |
0 g |
104 calories, 0 g carbs |
|
Vodka |
69 |
0 g |
104 calories, 0 g carbs |
|
Cognac |
69 |
2 g |
104 calories, 3 g carbs |
|
Tequila |
69 |
5.3 g |
104 calories, 8 g carbs |
|
Gilbey’s® Gin |
79 |
0 g |
119 calories, 0 g carbs |
* hard liquors are often mixed with sodas or juice, which increases the calorie count.
|
Beer |
Calories |
Carbs |
Per 12-oz Serving |
|
“Light” Beer |
9 |
0.5 g |
108 calories, 6 g carbs |
|
Draft Beer |
12 |
1.1 g |
144 calories, 13.2 g carbs |
|
Lager |
14 |
1.1 g |
168 calories, 13.2 g carbs |
|
Ale |
18 |
1.1 g |
216 calories, 13.2 g carbs |
|
Liqueur |
Calories |
Carbs |
Per 1.5-oz Serving |
|
Chocolate Liqueur |
103 |
11 g |
155 calories, 17 g carbs |
|
Mint Liqueur |
103 |
11 g |
155 calories, 17 g carbs |
|
Peppermint Liqueur |
103 |
11 g |
155 calories, 17 g carbs |
|
Strawberry Liqueur |
103 |
11 g |
155 calories, 17 g carbs |
5. Milkshakes
Do I really need to say much about these? They’re drinkable desserts. That’s really all there is. Loaded with ice cream, milk, syrups, and all kinds of sugary substances, milkshakes can sabotage a person’s entire day with just one beverage. Even yogurt shakes aren’t all that healthy. A large milkshake from any given fast food joint can have more than 700 calories in it. Still worth it?
No. Not to me, it isn’t. And I’m sure you’d agree. So why not try a smoothie instead? Not one of those sugar-loaded ones, but the kind that is all natural and fantastic. Maybe a fruit smoothie with vegetables? Hmm?
6. Whole Milk
Milk is full of nutrients, yes, but whole milk (often disguised as Vitamin A or D milk) is also full of more calories and fat than the lighter versions. Creamy and delicious, you might want to think twice before you down that next glass of whole milk. Try skim and lower fats instead.
7. Sweat Tea
I’ve fallen for this trap more than once, so it’s hard for me to admit to this. But sweet and flavored teas (Arizona Ice Tea and similar) are not as healthy as you think. Sure, they’re supposedly healthier than soda tea, but the sugars that are loaded in to sweet and flavored teas actually cancel out the antioxidants in tea. Therefore, you’re not benefiting at all and it’s kind of pointless.
I feel bad for drinking that 42 oz bottle of Arnold Palmer Half & Half today now…
But one bottle or cup of sweet tea can contain up to 4 tablespoons of sugar. The bottle I drank today had 5 servings in it, and in each serving there was 13 grams of sugar. That’s almost a tablespoon of sugar in each serving, which means I drank five tablespoons of sugar in one bottle. According to My Fitness Pal (an app I will write later about), I should only consume 31 grams of sugar a day. I drank almost half within just a few hours. That’s insane. And I’m still thirsty as I’m typing this!
And when it comes to the diet sweet and flavored teas, refer back to the diet sodas and make the connection. I don’t want to have to write a whole other section for diet teas.
Instead of buying sweet or flavored teas at the store, I advise you make your own! That way you can sweeten it to your liking, or not sweeten it at all, and you know right away how much sugar is in it. And you don’t have to put as much sugar in is as the big companies do. You can avoid their sugary schemes with delight and satisfaction as you down your own, homemade brew that is so much healthier than anything they could ever make.
Or try the teas that are naturally flavored! Mango-ginger green tea, mint tea, or chai tea usually don’t require further sweeteners. Again, it all depends upon what you like.
8. “Juice” Drinks
So you’re drinking healthier, and you’re quite proud of yourself that when you go out, you choose a juice drink instead of sugar-laden sodas or teas. You’re heading in the right direction! Here’s where I’m about to (unfortunately) burst your bubble of happiness. Juices can contain just as much sugar and syrups and calories and other artificial gunk as sodas, and more often than you’d think, they’re not even made with real fruit. Those vitamins and minerals on the fancy label aren’t from the healthy fruits, but rather from manually added nutrients. That’s disappointing.
So avoid that artificial stuff at all cost, and instead drink 100% fruit and/or vegetable juice! No artificial flavors, sugar, or empty calories. Vegetable juice contains more vitamins and minerals and far less sugar and calories than fruit juice, but the choice is all yours. I personally don’t like vegetable juice. It’s all what you prefer. And if you want even fewer calories and sugars, dilute your juice with sparkling water. It kind of turns it into a healthy soda, you know? I’m going to start doing this myself! It sounds tasty. Plus I get my carbon-fix, which is great! Problem solved.
The next step you’re looking for isn’t a step that people often take, but it is more important than a lot of people realize. In order to advance towards a healthier you, cut back on the unhealthy drinks and start consuming healthier options. Or drink water!! Drinking water is not only the healthiest option you can choose, but water is also a necessity to keep yourself healthy. Your body is 70% water, and if you don’t get enough water in your system, you can become dehydrated. Which will decrease your motivation to work out. That’s not cool.
So surprise your liver! Rethink your drink! Drink some water (or at least something healthier than what might be in your hand right now). Quench your true thirst.
xoxo,
Lindsey
Geeky Fit 