Drink Yourself Slim-Not Fat

If you, like so many of us, are dedicated to reaching and/or maintaining a slim, toned body, there is an essential question to ask. Are you drinking yourself thin–or fat? As it turns out, beverages play a highly insidious role in weight gain. In fact, many Americans are literally drinking themselves obese while being virtually unaware of it.

A study from the University of North Carolina1 shows that the consumption of beverage calories by adults in the U.S. almost doubled from 1965 to 2002. This research indicated that the average American consumed 458 calories per day from beverages alone in 2002–with sodas, sweetened beverages and cocktails being the main offenders. Perhaps the most shocking part was that these extra beverage calories weren’t even substituting for other foods. Rather, they were empty calories in addition to daily meals.

Clearly, many of us pay far closer attention to what we eat than what we drink. There seems to be a feeling that somehow–since non–nourishing liquid calories aren’t filling–that they don’t count when it comes to weight gain. Au contraire! Fortunately, this is a simple matter to get a handle on. If you begin to focus carefully on your beverage calories, you will probably find it relatively painless to make adjustments as needed to protect both your waistline and your wellness.

Your path is clear. Delete the unhealthy sodas and processed juices and increase the pure water, iced herbal teas, and stevia–sweetened drinks. Learn to love whole fruit instead of high–glycemic juices. And–if you enjoy alcohol–celebrate that excellent glass of wine, but leave the calorie–dense cocktails for special occasions only. Cheers!

References
1 Obesity (2007) 15, 2739�2747; doi: 10.1038/oby.2007.326