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Did you know that calorie counting is the most common weight-loss strategy used by dieters? Think about it. It’s a weight-loss strategy that doesn’t require fancy gym equipment, doesn’t require a nutritionist, and doesn’t require much thought about which foods to eat. It’s fairly straight forward and simple, especially when you compare it to the fancy diets and extreme fitness regimes that populate the web today.
However, despite its simplicity, despite the sheer number of dieters that practice this strategy, the most common complaint that dieters make is the inability to lose weight! Some even complain about weight gain: putting on nearly double the weight that they started at.
So, where are so many dieters going wrong? What’s sabotaging your diet?
Sometimes, it’s a simple matter of remembering that not all calories come from food: beverages have calories too. It’s great to eat a salad and to only eat fish and chicken for dinner, but having five soft drinks with your meal will set you off your mark. With a daily calorie limit of 1200, for example, it’s common for dieters to eat only 1000 worth of calories, and still be over their daily limit by 600 calories—just by drinking the wrong types of drinks.
The following are the top three most common drinks that sabotage a healthy diet. If you can’t avoid them entirely, approach them with caution.
Coffee Drinks
Black coffee has very few calories (about 5 calories for an 8 oz. cup). But how many people drink coffee black? It’s the “extras” that’ll kill you.
A 10 oz. coffee, for example, with cream and sugar from a prominent cafe has approximately 120 calories. Worse still, a small, tiny tinny, sweetened latte contains a whopping 230 calories. How many of these fancy drinks do you drink a day? Even if you only had one, that’s 840 – 1,610 added calories per week!
And don’t think you’re getting off easy with a bottled coffee drink, either. One Frappuccino packs the caloric equivalent of three fast food cheeseburgers.
When it comes to coffee, keep in mind that any added cream, sugar, or sweetened syrup can really pack on the pounds. Thankfully, many cafes offer “skinny” versions that include skim milk, nonfat creamer, and artificial sweeteners instead of the heavy stuff. Go for the skinny. Drink less of the heavy.
Soft Drinks
We’ll keep this one short. Some of us love our soda. But drinking too much can really throw your caloric balance off the scale. Drinking two non-diet sodas per day, for example, can add 1,000 or more calories per week. And even a 12 oz. can of soda can contain anywhere from 150 – 200 calories, and, more importantly, over 52 grams of sugar! Soft drinks are a major saboteur of diets.
Energy Drinks
Need a quick boost and want to really pack on the pounds? Many people reach for energy drinks like Bolt or Red Bull when they need a jolt. But when you consider that most of the “energy” in these drinks comes from sugar and caffeine, you may want to consider reaching for something else. A typical can of energy drink can contain anywhere from 110 – 300 calories, and over 55 grams of sugar!
In conclusion
If you need a drink, the best choice is water. It contains no caffeine, added sugars, or banned substances (unless you’re drinking NJ tap water). But if you just can’t stand the taste of this timeless beverage, try to find a healthier alternative to these three saboteurs. As we’ve outlined above, many of these drinks are filled with hidden calories and sugars that will push you off your weight-loss goals. Stay on track. Don’t let these beverages sabotage your diet.
If you’ve tried all the diets and they don’t seem to be working for you, we invite you to make an appointment to see one of our surgeons by calling our office at (516) 616-5500 or, if you prefer, use our online contact form to start a conversation now.
