Still seeing little to zero results with your diet? You may be wondering why no matter how hard your workout routines are and how strict your diet is, all the effort just doesn’t convert to what the weighing scale tells you.
Hidden diet ‘villains’ are among us, and they come in the form of the beverages you choose to drink every day. Some are obvious suspects that would jeopardize your weight loss, while the others are disguised as harmless drinks that claim to be ‘low-calorie’ read:
’healthy’ alternatives. We’re giving you a list of the most common drinks you should avoid if you want to shed some pounds.
Alcohol
Alcohol like beer and wine, are packed with calories that can directly cause you to gain unwanted weight.
A glass of beer contains roughly 150 calories—that’s close to consuming an entire cup of white rice, which is at 200 calories. Cocktails are also sugar-laden, as most have fruit juices and syrups as ingredients.
If you can’t give up alcohol completely, there are beer variants with less calories, and cocktail mixes with less sugar that you can try. It’s also best to take in any type of alcohol in moderation.
Coffee
Let’s face it—nobody really wants to chug down a glass of water during mornings or afternoon breaks at work. However, your favorite cup of coffee can mean weight gain especially with all the chocolate, cream, and sugar add-ons.
If you want to shed pounds but wouldn’t want to give up your daily caffeine fix, you may opt for black coffee therefore avoiding adding too much sugar and milk as much as possible.
Diet Soda
Hey, it’s better than regular soda, right? Wrong! Diet sodas, just like regular ones, could spell doom for you.
Findings in a study published in the International Journal of Obesity showed that people drinking diet alternatives just end up making up for the calorie difference in between the diet drink and the regular kind.
Diet sodas were also proven to increase the desire to eat, one of the things you would least want to feel when on a diet.
Energy Drink
Just like coffee, people oftentimes count on energy drinks for a pick-me-up before hitting the gym or the office.
But energy drinks, be it a sugar-free or low-calorie type, could also be a source of unwanted calories and will result in some serious weight gain.
Eating right, having a healthy sleep routine, and getting enough rest and exercise is proven to be a natural and guilt-free source of energy that you will need throughout the day.
Iced Tea
You might want to put down that refreshing glass of iced tea if you want to lose weight. Harmless as it may seem like at first, a bottle of store-bought iced tea could contain as much as 116 calories.
Most iced tea products in stores are sold in single-serve bottles, making it easy for you to consume a huge amount of sugar and calories without you taking notice.
Take the time to learn a skill or two by making your iced tea at home! This way, you can regulate the sugar you put into your drink.
Juice
Most store-bought fruit juices, even all-natural variants, are very high in sugar content, making it a major no-no for people who want to lose weight.
As reported by Women’s Health, a glass of 100 percent orange, grape, and apple juice has six, nine, and seven teaspoons of sugar, respectively. Fruit juices, compared to fruit in its whole form, has less fiber.
It is highly advised to limit the intake of fruit to one cup per day to avoid going overboard with the sugar.
Milk Substitutes
Contrary to popular belief, studies show that consumers who opt for fat-free milk are more likely to gain weight rather than those who drink the whole milk variant, Time reported.
Steer clear of milk substitutes which have additional sugar content, such as almond, skim, rice milk, and flavored milk products.
To get your dairy fix while sticking to your weight loss routine, it’s best to go for whole or 2 percent milk, which are high in calcium and muscle-building protein, and will aid in fat burn.
Smoothies
As with all food and beverage, smoothies—no matter how natural and healthy the ingredients are, must also be consumed in moderate portions.
Smoothies and the now “in” healthy snack which are the smoothie bowls, offer numerous health benefits when the portions and ingredients are wisely chosen.
Switch regular yogurt with Greek yogurt or milk, and limit your serving of fruit to a cup to make an effective yet satisfying weight loss snack.
It may seem like a total dread to give up all these. But once you get the hang of it, give yourself a nice pat on the back—you have just made your way to a healthier lifestyle.
This is so true. One must avoid this drinks if you’d like to lose weight. Thanks for sharing this.