By the year 2015, three quarters of adults in the US are projected to be overweight or obese. Beyond an issue of outward appearances, obesity contributes to many health dangers, problems which will only get bigger as an increasing amount of us do.
The obesity epidemic is to be expected when you realize that we take in from 150-300 more calories per day than we did 25 years ago. There are a variety of reasons for this – processed foods, ready made meals, ever increasing meal sizes, too many bad fats and too few good ones, and the unfortunate and always expanding selection of calorie laden drinks.
Our modern tastes have gotten used to calories in liquid form, such as energy drinks, flavored waters and coffee drinks. The problem is that all those liquid calories are difficult to keep track of and they add up quickly. Further, liquid calories just don’t satisfy hunger in the same way as solid food and lack any nutritional value.
Experts have discovered that the process of drinking calories, and not having to chew or take steps to prepare as you would with a normal meal, help these calories slip aside of the counting radar with ease.
Removing those calories that provide the least amount of nutrition will help in your weight loss efforts and promote healthy eating habits. Cut out the least satisfying, and least nutritious, calories initially, and then look at the rest of your diet.
On reading drinks labels you should primarily be looking for the the amount of calories contained – don’t worry about the list of ingredients for the time being. Even drinks labeled “healthy,” that are thought to be a better option for weight loss, can bring along extra calories as well. Ultimately, it’s the number of calories, whether solid or liquid form, that really count.
So, if your objective is to lose weight, you’re better off drinking just zero calorie, all natural water. But if you can’t change over to sugar free drinks immediately, try sugar-free drinks until a less sweet taste seems easier to take in.