LiveLongAgeWell

Last Wednesday I presented some information about average weight gain during the holidays, and while the problem may be exaggerated in the media, none of us wants to arrive at New Year’s needing to make a weight loss resolution. More significant, the data indicates that whatever weight you gain during the holidays is especially difficult to lose and keep off, and that year after year, many people’s weight may creep up because of the those cumulative gains.

When we think of high calories, we might think more about what we eat, and less about what we drink, but beverages could be a big part of the problem. There was an interesting WebMD feature last week regarding the best and worst beverages for weight loss. You can watch the slide show here, or if you don’t want to slog through fifteen pages (and see lots of ads), you can read my summary below. I have added my own spin on their recommendations.

Let’s start with the drinks BAD for your diet:

SODA: The single biggest source of calories in the American diet, and switching to diet soda is of questionable help (paradoxically, may just induce you to eat other sweet foods). Best to avoid.

FANCY COFFEES: The ones you buy at coffeeshops with the fancy names that cost $3 to $6. May have close to 600 calories in a large. I detailed these in a recent post.

WINE COOLERS: A 12 oz. bottle may have 190 calories and 22 gm. of carbs. Regular wine or a mix of wine and sparkling water much healthier.

FANCY COCKTAILS: If add sugary syrups, chocolate, or cream watch out. For example, a white Russian has over 700 calories, and a super-size margarita more than 1000. Yikes!

Here are the QUESTIONABLE drinks:

FRUIT JUICE: May have as many calories as soda, but at least has nutritional value. Look for “100% Fruit Juice” on label, and note the calories per 8 oz. serving. Mix with water or sparkling water to cut calories.

SMOOTHIES: If someone else makes for you, probably full of calories. Make your own with low-fat milk and fresh fruit.

Now, the GOOD beverages:

WATER: May fill you up so you eat less. Pass on the bottled water and go for filtered tap water.

VEGETABLE JUICE: Lower in calories than fruit juice and usually more nutritious (look for ones with more fiber, which helps control hunger). Try to find “Low Sodium” versions, as regular often full of salt.

COFFEE: If black, calorie-free. Full of great anti-oxidants, and caffeine is healthy for most people. Again, see my recent post for details.

GREEN TEA: WebMD says it helps with weight loss but that effect is small. Still, it has some caffeine and is full of great phytonutrients, so drink up.

LIGHT BEER: About 50% less calories than regular beer.

LOWER-CALORIE ALCOHOL DRINKS: Not on the WebMD list, but for some people, can be both healthy and low-calorie. This is the topic for next Monday, just in time for New Year’s.

This Wednesday “A Simple, Inexpensive, And Valuable Last-Minute Gift”. In the meantime, enjoy your Holidays!