Water

We love water for weight loss. Foods with low caloric density tend to have a lot of water, it makes you feel fuller, and has a plethora of health benefits such as keeping your bowels regular, lubricates your joints, freshens your skin, keeps your organ systems working optimally and helps flush unwanted toxins from your body. In fact, our bodies are made up of 60% water and our blood 90%!

How much water does a person need to drink?

We recommend about half of your body weight in ounces. So if you weight 180lbs then we suggest 90 ounces. This isn't a hard science and does depend on various factors such as how active you are and if you live in a warm or cold climate. Most people are fine with 8-12 cups a day, but if you live in a warmer or humid climates then you will need to increase the daily amount.

I have a hard time drinking water. What can I do?

• See if you like it warm. Try Herbal tea or warm water with lemon

• Sparkling and seltzer water gives you that extra fizz like a soda

• Add fresh fruit. You can use squeezed citruses, fresh berries, or true lemon packets.

• Keep it in your presence as a reminder to get your daily dose.

• Be consistent, make it a habit.

• Wake up and drink 1 large glass of water in the morning.

• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Yes, the water in these low caloric dense foods count. Getting 5-10 servings of fruits and vegetables is the goal.

• Drink one serving of water with every meal or snack

Water in food

Having foods with high water content make you feel fuller. Take advantage of this principle to feel more satisfied with less calories.

Give me some examples

• 1 large apple has the same amount of calories as 5 dried apple slices (100 calories). You will feel more full with the apple.

• 1 pound of grapes and 1/5 pound of raisins both have the same amount of calories (306 calories). You will feel more full with 1 pound of grapes.

Stay away from drinks

By drinks, we mean sugary ones such as sodas, fruit juices, energy drinks, sports drinks, sweetened teas and coffees. Drinks are responsible for about 47% of added sugar in our diets.

Sugary drinks have a tendency to give you a sugar high followed by a jittery, tiresome crash. But there's more than you would have thought to it.

Reason #1

They don't make you full

They're basically calories that supply taste only. You get no other benefits in terms of your diet. They don't have protein, fiber, or healthy fats. All of which make you feel full on less calories.

Reason #2

They make you feel hungry

Don't take our word for it. Ask Katherine Tallmage, MA, RD, who says that drinking calories fulfils your thirst because your blood & cell volume is increased by the fluids. However you need stimulation in your stomach and intestines to signal to your brain that you are full.

Reason #3

You end up eating more

You're probably thinking "well yeah, you're drinking more calories." But we're actually talking about eating more food. You just don't feel as full and you eating more. At least this is what studies show.

Reason #4

Prevent weight loss

Sugary drinks increase your daily caloric intake and decreases your daily calorie burn. Choose water. Water literally helps your burn calories through a process called water-inducted thermogenesis. Drinking just 500mL of water can increase your metabolism by 30%!

Water is really good and staving off your cravings and hunger. A lot of times, people mistake thirst for hunger. And the more water you drink, the less hungry you are throughout the day. Be healthy with this concept. Don't only drink water to make you feel full. If you're hungry, then eat. But drink water throughout the day and stay hydrated to help stave off cravings and hunger throughout the day!

Water alternatives

Yes, water is the ultimate refresher, but sometimes we want some alternatives for our taste buds. Let's talk about soda, sugar-sweetened beverages alcohol and alternatives.

Soda

A review of 88 different experiments showed that people who drink soda usually gain more weight. They also found that people who drink a lot of soft drinks tend to eat more more calories. Remember, it's not calories that make us full, it's volume. Plus the spike in blood sugar causes a drop and makes us feel hungrier.

And just because diet drinks don't have calories doesn't mean that you're safe. The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine indicated that drinking artificially sweetened beverages make us crave sugar. Research reveals that artificially sweetened beverages links to weight gain. When we consume something sweet, our brains anticipate receiving energy in the form of calories. If no calories are provided, our brains perceive it as a deception, leading us to crave sugar nonetheless. It starts with one diet coke and ends with two Ding Dongs!

Swaps

Infusing water with fruit, herbs and veggies

1. Grapefruit + basil

2. Apple + cinnamon

3. Pear + sage

4. Kiwi + mint

5. Lemon + lavender

6. Peach + ginger

7. Strawberries + basil

8. Blueberries + blackberries + mint

9. Cucumber + mint + lime

10. Mint + lemon + ginger

11. Strawberries + jalapeño

More Fizz

Use the same pairings above but with sparkling water, club soda or seltzer water with fruit or a splash of 1005 juice.

Kombucha

Kombucha, a fizzy fermented beverage rich in flavor and potentially offering health perks, is widely available. You can purchase bottled kombucha at stores, find it served in various coffee shops, or embark on making your own batch. However, it's important to note that kombucha typically contains some sugar, so it's advisable to check the labels before consumption.

Sugar-sweetened beverages

We're talking about energy drinks, sweet tea, sports drinks, Starbucks yummmies etc. The American Diabetes Association research shows that drinking sugary beverages is connected to higher rates of diabetes, metabolic syndrome and weight gain.

Swaps

Coffee

Substitute sugar with a unsweetened vanilla almond milk or add cinnamon or unsweetened cocao powder to your coffee grounds. We recommend 1-2 teaspoons per 4 tablespoons of grounds. You could also, add some drops of vanilla or almond extract.

Tea

A multitude of delightful, flavored, caffeinated teas awaits exploration, ranging from peach to raspberry, vanilla chai, and lavender. Experimenting with new flavors may lead you to discover a personal favorite among them. Try a batch of your tea but use half of the sugar.

Smoothie

Combine your preferred fruit along with water or the milk alternative of your liking in a blender. Optionally, toss in a handful of greens for added color and nutrition. Blend the ingredients together and savor a wholesome snack that provides roughly the same calorie content as a sports drink.

Alcohol

Alcohol does have some health benefits, but of course that's in moderation. If you drink a lot regularly, there's a good chance that you will gain weight. One gram of alcohol has 7 calories.

Swaps

Cocktail

Prepare your own cocktails with a reduced amount of alcohol, such as half a shot. Use club soda or seltzer water instead of soft drinks, tonic, or sugary mixes when mixing your liquor in a blender and then flavor with a lemon or lime slice. Vodka and gin have less calories than whiskey or rum.

Wine

Make a homemade wine cooler with half a glass of wine with half a glass of seltzer, sparkling water or club soda. Make sure to watch for sugar content when choosing your wines. look for "brut," "extra brut," or natural champagne. If you're into white wine, go for dry chardonnay, pinot grigio, or sauvignon blanc. If red wine is more your speed then a dry cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, merlot or tempranillo is a good substitute for the port. Make sure you drink in moderation. A glass of wine is 5 ounces.

Beer

Watch your calorie content closely. Lower calorie beers will be light beers and believe it or not, Irish stout. Drink beers with low ABV(alcohol by volume). The lower the ABV, the more likely they will have less calories. beers with around 10% ABV usually have around 300 calories of alcohol, while beers with ABV 5% usually have 125 calories or less.

See, were not stiffs who think you should only drink water! You can enjoy your favorite drinks in moderation and with healthy substitutes. Give them a try!