Avoid Drinking Your Calories - Drink Smart

I have been in the weight loss field for 8 years, and time and time again, individuals are good at recalling food eaten, but often forget to report liquid calories or snack type items. If you are trying to lose weight, over time this oversight can lead to frustration, lack of weight loss and weight gain.

Every time you eat, your body and brain are monitoring the calories coming in and using the information to alter metabolism and control appetite and hunger. Unlike solid calories, liquid calories are not perceived or "read" by the body in the same manner. Liquid calories can slide under the metabolic radar, which is not a good thing. The body does not count them the same, and often the brain does not think of them as "food."

Think about this for a moment, most people can stop at a gas station, purchase a 500-700 calorie Soda and still go meet family and friends to eat dinner a half hour later. However, if that same person were to eat a 500-700 calorie meal, appetite would be suppressed and eating would end. It should be noted that this information pertains to beverages/liquids that are mostly sugar and provide a substantial amount of empty calories.

Below are some common summertime beverages and their healthier, lower calorie alternatives. Cheers to your health!

Cold Stone Creamery: "Love It" Cake Batter = 550 calories
"Like It" Watermelon Sorbet = 160 calories

McDonalds: Medium Chocolate Shake = 750 calories
Vanilla Ice Cream Cone = 150 calories

Dunkin Doughnuts: Large Coffee Coolatta = 800 calories
Large iced coffee with skim milk and splenda = 60 calories

Starbucks: Grande Iced Caramel Macchiato = 230 calories (no whipped cream)
Grande Ice Cafe Late with skim milk = 90 calories

Dairy Queen: Small Chocolate Xtreme Blizzard = 650 calories
Small Pineapple Sundae = 230 calories (DQ did not have anything under 200!)

McDonalds: Large Sweet Tea = 230 calories
Large iced tea with lemon = 0 calories

Alcoholic Beverages:
16 oz. margarita is about 368 calories
16 oz. pina colada is 700-900 calories
5 oz. Pino Grigio wine = 120 calories
1 oz. Rum, Diet coke and lime = 64 calories