Bittersweet truth

Every morning most people wake up and can’t get the day started without a morning coffee. Then at lunch you get a nice refreshing juice and maybe a soda in the afternoon as you start to crash at work. And then it’s time to relax with a glass of wine or beer while you get dinner ready.

You are probably gradually gaining weight and not sure why it’s happening.

It’s time to stop and look at what you are drinking and rethink. Time to face the facts - Your drinks are hiding calories in every sip without you even knowing!

Empty calories anyone? Sugary drinks such as soda, energy drinks, alcohol and cordials are notorious for being filled with loads of empty calories. This means they give you calories which are high in sugar but low in nutrients such at vitamins, minerals, fibre and fatty acids. And this excess sugar you are consuming in your drinks go straight to fat.

Spiking your insulin levels is also doing no favours to your metabolism which is going to slow down the rate down, which is going to lead to weight gain.

Most people think having a fruit juice is healthy, right? Consider this, a whole orange has 53cal and five times more fibre than the juice. Where the juiced orange contains 72cal and only 0.5g of fibre. Eating the actual fruit gives the body time to process it and lets you know when its full.

Health Concern!

US studies estimate one can of soft drink per day can lead to a 6.75kg weight gain per year.

This increases your risk on Diabetes Type II, bittersweet, isn’t it?!

Cut the habit & pay attention

Drinking while on the move, at work or busy doing something can keep you distracted. You don’t realise how much you have drunk or when you drank last. Sometimes it becomes habit to drink that coffee on the way to work, sip a smoothie in a meeting and pour that glass of wine when we get home.

Most drinks we buy are larger than one serving size, would you drink that much milk at home in your coffee? Would you have a whole container of orange juice at home or just enough to fill your glass. It is easy to drink too much of a good thing, start paying attention to what you are drinking.

Tips for smarter sipping:

Drink water with a squeeze of lemon
Drink unsweetened back tea, herbal tea or coffee. Cut back slowly until you don’t need the sugar at all.
Drink sparkling mineral water for a treat
Want that coffee? opt for reduced fat milk
Keep a jug or bottle of water on your desk or at eye level as a reminder to drink. Reach for a water before you think about another drink.
Don’t keep juice, cordial or soda in the fridge at home. Save these drinks for special occasions
Carry a refillable water bottle at work or when you are on the go
Avoid meal upgrades! It might only be an extra 50 cents but that is going to cost you in calories
Don’t rush! Sit down and sip your drink and pay attention to what you are drinking
Save sodas, energy drinks and cordials for special occasions. These should not be a part of your daily routine.

Out with friends:

Opt for a light beer or a lower calorie drink
Don’t do top ups, how will you keep track of how much you’ve had to drink?
Drink a glass of water between each alcoholic drink

Brunch:

Always opt for reduced fat or skim milk. There are great options now like almond milk, coconut milk for example that are much lower in calories and fat
So, you want to order that smoothie, go for it! Then order a lighter meal with less kilojoules to compensate for the drink.
Avoid the extras in your drink like flavoured syrups and ice cream