Smart Drinking Options that Will Not Sabotage your Diet

 

Picture by yumsugar.com

Everyone knows that eating the wrong foods while dieting can prevent weight loss; however, people tend to overlook the effects that drinking may have on your diet’s success. Dieting requires a certain amount of discipline in both areas. There are a few helpful hints that dieter should be aware of when deciding what to drink while trying to lose weight.

To begin with, whether you are on a diet or not drinking eight 8 ounce glasses of water a day can have huge health benefits. Water will help keep your body hydrated while flushing out any unhealthy toxins. Keeping your body hydrated can also help keep your metabolism stimulated.

It is okay to drink alcohol while dieting as long as a moderate amount of it is consumed. It is hard to determine the exact effects of alcohol intake on a weight loss diet because of the variety of drinks available. There are numerous alcoholic drinks, which can be made with a variety of ingredients, possess a different amount of calories and have unique effects on your diet.

In general clear liquor is one of the best alcoholic drinks to consume if you are watching your weight. These liquors are usually low in carbohydrates and contain an average of 100 calories per one-ounce shot. These clear liquors can be rum, vodka, or gin, and can be served straight up or over ice.

Mixed drinks that contain water, club soda, tonic water or club soda are also good selections because they will make a shot of liquor last longer. These are the four low calorie mixers that experts recommend.

Having a glass of wine with your meal is a completely acceptable addition to your diet plan. A five-ounce glass of red or white wine contains a minimum amount of calories and carbohydrates. In addition, red wine contains healthy antioxidants that may prevent heart disease. It is important to avoid sweet wines when making your selection, as they often have more calories than a red or white wine.

If you feel the need to have a beer while you are dieting it is important to choose a light version. Beers generally are high in carbohydrates so choosing one that targets a low carb market may help avoid adding unwanted weight to your midsection.

Another option for people who enjoy drinking while dieting is selecting a cocktail with a vegetable juice, such as a Bloody Mary.

While you are trying to lose weight, you should avoid any alcoholic drink that contains heavy cream, as they are high in fat and calories. Also, limit the amount of cocktail you consume with fruit juice. These drinks may have a high sugar and calorie content.

Drinking coffee while you are dieting is acceptable depending on what you add top the coffee. Coffee itself is fat free, but adding heavy cream, whole milk, or large amounts of sugar can make it an unhealthy beverage. Try to add low fat or skim milk, and an artificial sweetener to avoid unnecessary calories.

Drinking tea when participating in a weight loss diet presents many of the same challenges that coffee does. Tea itself does not have any calories; however, that all changes if you add cream or sweeteners.

When drinking iced tea, make selections that are sugar free. If you must have sugar in your iced tea you should be the sugar free kind and then add your own sugar at home. This way you have control of the amount of your sugar consumption. Keep in mind that two teaspoons of sugar contains 30 calories.

Drinking fruit juice will not necessarily sabotage your diet. You should select brands that are made from real fruit and are low in sugar.

While drinking milk does have its health benefits, a dieter should be cautious of how much and what kind they drink.  Drink milk in moderation and choose low fat options. Milk can increase your bone density, lower your blood pressure, and help you feel full between meals. For these reasons you should not cut it out of your diet altogether, just make informed decisions.