Is Your Beverage Choice Making You Fat?

Have you tried to lose weight, but just can't seem to do it? You can probably eliminate a good 100-250 calories from your diet just by changing what you drink. These simple beverage choice changes will help you lose weight.

Give water a chance. Use a filter such as a Brita Filter to improve the taste of tap water. Try different brands of bottled waters (they really do vary in taste), and consider alkalized water, which has a unique taste. Add slices of lemon, lime, or cucumber to your water to add an unsweetened taste.

Wean yourself off sweetener in your tea and coffee. Sugar, agave nectar, and honey all provide nothing but empty calories. Begin by limiting the amount of sweetener you use, and slowly using less and less. Because artificial sweeteners have recently been linked to weight loss problems (per medical studies), you will want to avoid these altogether. Just work towards taking your tea or coffee without any sweetener at all.

There are several teas and coffees that are good without any sweetener at all. For example, try Good Earth Original Blend tea, which is sweet and spicy, as well as flavored coffees. Your taste buds will adjust after time.

Cut out soft drinks altogether. Sugar sodas deliver approximately 140 calories of sugar per every 12-ounce serving. Diet sodas are linked to weight gain, to the mystery of most dietitians. Common explanations are that either artificial sugars interfere with your body’s ability to metabolize calories, or artificial sugars increase your cravings for more sugar. You may find seltzer water reduces your cravings for sodas.

Reduce juice consumption. You may be fooled into thinking juice is a great way to get your servings of fruit and vegetables, but the truth is juices are high in calories and sugar. The juices supplemented with artificial sweeteners probably aren't much better for you. If you must have some juice, drink no more than four ounces (usually about 60 calories) at a time.

By changing what you drink, you can cut calories and increase your overall wellness.