Start by Eliminating Soda

Posted by Rob on July 8, 2007 11:41 AM PDT

Recommend this? YES NO

You are what you eat... and drink! Sometimes we get so focused on "watching what we eat" that we forget to factor in the beverages we drink. It's easy to underestimate the caloric impact of beverages. Soda and soft drinks contain over 100 calories. That means two sodas contain 10% of total calories one should consume each day. Many people drink several sodas a day. No wonder we have an obesity epidemic. Soda consists primarily of sugar. No nutritional value. Worse, the carbonation in the soda can actually weaken your bones! Best advice: eliminate or minimize your consumption of sugary soft drinks.

The biggest benefit is that you eliminate empty calories from your diet. If you are trying to lose weight, this is a pretty easy step towards your goal. If you are trying to build muscle, then you'll free up your caloric budget for more nutritious foods.

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4 Comments

Rob I completely agree. Not only is Soda all sugar - it is made with high fructose corn syrup which is the worst sugar you can put in your body. HFCS is very difficult for your body to digest, it does a number on your insulin levels, it is one of the top three biggest contributors to obesity in this country (the other two being white bread and hydrogenated oils).

Posted by jns on July 15, 2007 9:32 PM PDT

What's your opinion on fruit-juice sodas, like Crystal Geyser or The Switch or IZZO sodas? Whole Foods Market also has a house brand fruit-juice based soda.

Posted by Lycurgus on July 18, 2007 3:10 AM PDT

Everyone says to drink X cups of water per day, and I know some folks who have gravitated toward electrolyte-rich SmartWater. Hey - I love it too, as it tastes good, rehydrates me when I need it, and it always seems to be on sale at my closest Stop N Shop. That said, are there any negative side-effects to drinking so many electrolytes? Does your body get "too" used to them, to the point where the water doesn't have the impact it would if you only drink it when necessary?

Posted by MattB on September 27, 2007 4:49 PM PDT

Hi Rob
Thanks for starting the thread here.
What I now do is drink at least 4 650 ml bottles of filtered water that I add a little tea bag. This gives the water added nutrients and changes the pH to around 9.6. Thus giving me the protection against the nasties that are trying to get to me. Since being on this I have never felt better I sleep and wake refreshed and have so much energy during the day. Best thing is I can take my tea bags with me when I travel.So I get hydrated with Alkalized water and never need to drink soda period.