Drinking Water - A good choice...
Apr. 18th, 2011 09:12 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
phynckeI am doing this Active for Life thing at work where we log our activity minutes and keep track of things for a few weeks. They just sent this interesting info on drinking water so I thought I would share this with the flist. I never drink enough water each day but am going to try...on a personal note, when I stopped drinking Pepsi, I lost 20 pounds - no joke!
Begin paste info....
Awareness of what and how much you eat is important when managing your weight. However, when it comes to drinks and fluids, many people don't realize the number of calories they're drinking. If you're one of those people who drink their calories in the form of smoothies, juices, sodas (diet or not), coffee, tea, and their blended variations , you might want to re-think your drink and consider how liquid calories affect you.
Calories in drinks are not hidden (sometimes they are listed right on the Nutrition Facts label or available by just a click on the internet), but many don't realize just how many calories are in the beverages they drink and how those calories factor in to their daily intake. The point is to be aware of what you are drinking on a daily basis and how, over time, those liquid calories add up and can contribute to weight gain without even realizing it.
Many beverages can contain over 100 calories per serving (1 serving can be approximately anywhere from 6 to 20 ounces, depending on the drink). For example, a 12-oz glass of 100% apple juice is 192 calories; a 20-oz bottle of sports drink (Gatorade, Powerade, etc) is 165 calories; and a 20-oz bottle of Coca-Cola tops out at 240 calories!*
Another example is the daily coffee order. A 16-oz (Grande) Caffe Mocha made with 2% milk at Starbucks is 260 calories, while a Grande Iced Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha made with 2% milk (and chock full of sugar) is a whopping 400 calories. Even if you just stick to brewed coffee, adding cream and sugar could tack on an additional 95 calories to your coffee.** Switching out to nonfat milk helps shave off a few calories, but still not by much.
Even diet drinks may contain a small number of calories not listed on the nutrition label. Also, diet drinks, while being low in calories, are not necessarily the healthiest choice. Many studies have shown some possible negative health effects from long-term consumption of diet drinks.
Your best bet, both calorically and nutritionally, is to make water your drink of choice. It contains zero calories, zero sugar, and zero fat. It's hydrating, thirst-quenching, and almost always readily available. However, the question many people ask is "how much water should I really be drinking?"
The answers vary: some health experts recommend eight 8-oz glasses of water per day; others suggest taking your body weight and dividing that in half to give you the number of ounces of water your should be drinking. Plus, factoring in the weather, your level of activity, and your own health, the amount of water needed really does vary with each individual.
The Mayo Clinic offers this suggestion as a good rule of thumb:
If you drink enough fluid so that you rarely feel thirsty and produce 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) or more of colorless or slightly yellow urine a day, your fluid intake is probably adequate. If you're concerned about your fluid intake, check with your doctor or a registered dietitian. He or she can help you determine the amount of water that's best for you.
Now that you know how much difference a drink can make, here are some ways to make smarter beverage choices:
-Choose water, diet, or low-calorie beverages instead of sugar-sweetened beverages.
-For a quick, easy, and inexpensive thirst-quencher, carry a recyclable water bottle and refill it throughout the day.
-Don't "stock the fridge" with sugar-sweetened beverages. Instead, keep a jug of cold water in the fridge.
-Serve water with meals, and at meetings or events.
-Make water more exciting by adding slices of lemon, lime, cucumber, strawberries, watermelon, or drink sparkling water.
-Add a splash of 100% juice to plain sparkling water for a refreshing, low-calorie drink.
-When you do opt for a sugar-sweetened beverage, go for the small size. Some companies are now selling 6 or 8-oz. cans and bottles of soda, which contain about 100 calories or less.
-Be a role model for your friends and family by choosing healthy, low-calorie beverages.
*From the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention .
**From Starbucks online nutrition information.
by hisescape
Begin paste info....
Awareness of what and how much you eat is important when managing your weight. However, when it comes to drinks and fluids, many people don't realize the number of calories they're drinking. If you're one of those people who drink their calories in the form of smoothies, juices, sodas (diet or not), coffee, tea, and their blended variations , you might want to re-think your drink and consider how liquid calories affect you.
Calories in drinks are not hidden (sometimes they are listed right on the Nutrition Facts label or available by just a click on the internet), but many don't realize just how many calories are in the beverages they drink and how those calories factor in to their daily intake. The point is to be aware of what you are drinking on a daily basis and how, over time, those liquid calories add up and can contribute to weight gain without even realizing it.
Many beverages can contain over 100 calories per serving (1 serving can be approximately anywhere from 6 to 20 ounces, depending on the drink). For example, a 12-oz glass of 100% apple juice is 192 calories; a 20-oz bottle of sports drink (Gatorade, Powerade, etc) is 165 calories; and a 20-oz bottle of Coca-Cola tops out at 240 calories!*
Another example is the daily coffee order. A 16-oz (Grande) Caffe Mocha made with 2% milk at Starbucks is 260 calories, while a Grande Iced Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha made with 2% milk (and chock full of sugar) is a whopping 400 calories. Even if you just stick to brewed coffee, adding cream and sugar could tack on an additional 95 calories to your coffee.** Switching out to nonfat milk helps shave off a few calories, but still not by much.
Even diet drinks may contain a small number of calories not listed on the nutrition label. Also, diet drinks, while being low in calories, are not necessarily the healthiest choice. Many studies have shown some possible negative health effects from long-term consumption of diet drinks.
Your best bet, both calorically and nutritionally, is to make water your drink of choice. It contains zero calories, zero sugar, and zero fat. It's hydrating, thirst-quenching, and almost always readily available. However, the question many people ask is "how much water should I really be drinking?"
The answers vary: some health experts recommend eight 8-oz glasses of water per day; others suggest taking your body weight and dividing that in half to give you the number of ounces of water your should be drinking. Plus, factoring in the weather, your level of activity, and your own health, the amount of water needed really does vary with each individual.
The Mayo Clinic offers this suggestion as a good rule of thumb:
If you drink enough fluid so that you rarely feel thirsty and produce 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) or more of colorless or slightly yellow urine a day, your fluid intake is probably adequate. If you're concerned about your fluid intake, check with your doctor or a registered dietitian. He or she can help you determine the amount of water that's best for you.
Now that you know how much difference a drink can make, here are some ways to make smarter beverage choices:
-Choose water, diet, or low-calorie beverages instead of sugar-sweetened beverages.
-For a quick, easy, and inexpensive thirst-quencher, carry a recyclable water bottle and refill it throughout the day.
-Don't "stock the fridge" with sugar-sweetened beverages. Instead, keep a jug of cold water in the fridge.
-Serve water with meals, and at meetings or events.
-Make water more exciting by adding slices of lemon, lime, cucumber, strawberries, watermelon, or drink sparkling water.
-Add a splash of 100% juice to plain sparkling water for a refreshing, low-calorie drink.
-When you do opt for a sugar-sweetened beverage, go for the small size. Some companies are now selling 6 or 8-oz. cans and bottles of soda, which contain about 100 calories or less.
-Be a role model for your friends and family by choosing healthy, low-calorie beverages.
*From the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention .
**From Starbucks online nutrition information.
by hisescape
