The #1 Worst Drink if you want to lose weight.
We have been been trying to support you guys this month by giving you the best bite sized tweaks and tips that involve small changes to your routine that are achievable, but pack powerful fat loss benefits. If you are working towards your weight loss goals, there are certain foods that you should be consistently trying to get on your plate as often as possible, and foods that you should definitely avoid.
The same principle applies to what you drink, but a shocking number of people seem to have an almost total blind spot when it comes to the calories and sugars in liquids. We know that our bodies struggle to register feelings of fullness when it comes to the beverages that we consume, but it goes beyond that. Most of us give the drinks that we enjoy a free pass even tho they can contribute to weight gain in exactly the same way that solid foods impact our waistlines. The good news is that with this awareness, there is usually a pretty significant opportunity to help boost your weight loss efforts simply by adjusting what you drink each day. Depending on what your drinking routine looks like, the calorie and sugar savings can be significant.
If you were expecting this article to be about Soda, you are wrong, but regular soda (non-diet) gets an honourable mention. If you are drinking a can or three of coke each day, there are hundreds of calories and a shovel full of sugar that you can save every single day. Cutting this out, or even down shifting to diet / zero calorie versions of your favourite soda brand will seriously bolster your fat loss efforts.
This article is actually about regular Soda’s evil cousin, the Energy Drink. Let me spell this out as clearly as possible. Energy drinks are terrible for you if your goal is weight loss and a flatter stomach.
Energy drinks are now everywhere. They have taken over large sections of drink sections in gas stations, corner stores and supermarkets. They are often positioned close to the cash register as an impulse buy item. Energy drink logos are all over sports, and they aggressively market to anyone that leads an active lifestyle. Because most of us are not getting the recommended 8 hours of sleep per night, energy drinks are often used to bridge energy gaps that open up in our days, helping us to artificially keep moving with energy that magically flows from a can.
The main problem with energy drinks, is that they are typically loaded with an absolutely obscene amount of added sugars. This sugar has been directly linked to an increase in belly fat, and fat storage around the love handles.
A 12 once can of Rockstar Energy Drink has approximately 61 grams of added sugar, which is more sugar than most regular sodas. Weight loss aside, this amount of sugar in one serving is not good for your health. If you are working on losing weight or shedding excess body fat, drinking this stuff is going to seriously sabotage your efforts. Additionally, because these drinks are sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, drinking them can lead to gas and excessive bloating which is never fun.
The truth is, most people are drinking Energy drinks because they have no idea how bad they are for them, or they are flying blind when it’s comes to understanding what they should be eating and drinking to support their weight loss efforts. I’ve run across people who legitimately thought energy drinks were good for them. Again, it comes down to a lack of awareness and knowledge. Because Energy drinks are marketed so aggressively in relation to athletics and extreme sports, they have escaped some of the negative stigma associated with Soda.
If you are looking for a liquid energy boost during the day, our Meal Plan (which is full of healthy drink options and even covers the best alcohol choices for weight loss) suggests black coffee (you can add a splash of dairy and sweetener), black tea, or green tea options. It takes a few days (usually a week) to make the adjustment feel comfortable, but the immediate benefits are too great to ignore. There are likely hundreds if not thousands of calories that you could be saving on a weekly basis, not to mention a pile of sugar.
Look at your daily routine. Stop and take note of what drinks you are ordering or reaching for. These are all opportunities to make a difference when it comes to your weight and your overall health. If you are looking for a common sense approach to weight loss and you feel like you could benefit from some structure and guidance, check out our best selling meal plan here - it also covers the best choices for low calorie, low sugar, alcoholic drinks - which for most people is another massive area to optimize for fat loss. In addition to easy to make recipes and decisions healthy meals, the plan covers the cocktails and wine to stick with, and what to avoid. You can check it out here (it’s also on sale).
Cheers,
Freddy.