Anyone struggling to lose weight may be focusing all of their energy on the wrong thing...food! It is equally important to make sure you are drinking liquids that accelerate healthy weight loss. Staying hydrated is essential for your body. What you drink can effect your mood and focus not to mention your health. If you pick the right drinks, you will benefit from the nutrients, antioxidants and proteins that will help with a healthy weight loss.
Americans in general are problem drinkers. We crave high-sugar, high-calorie drinks like sodas and smoothies. Over 20 percent of American's calorie intake comes from drinks such as soda pop, fruit punches, and the oh-so trendy Starbuck lattes. We are becoming obese because of all these extra calories we do not need. The next time you feel thirsty and have trouble determining whether or not a drink is healthy, refer to the list below.
Healthy Weight Loss Drink #1: Water
Water is a crucial part of healthy weight loss success. Forget flavored energy drinks and expensive bottled water. Remember the free stuff that comes out of your kitchen sink? We all grew up on this stuff and no one became unhealthy because of it, yet for some reason we flock to the store to buy it in a bottle just because a television commercial tells us to.
If you think your tap water is full of impurities, buy a Brita water purifying pitcher or some type of water filter. The main point here is that pure water is healthier than any kind of diet soda or energy drink you can pay for. Drink up to 8 glasses a day and you will notice an acceleration in your weight loss.
Healthy Weight Loss Drink #2: Pomegranate Juice
Drinking concentrated pomegranate juice may reduce cholesterol and blood pressure while slowing down LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) oxidation. Because they contain beneficial antioxidants, they rid your body of harmful free radicals that can slow down any weight loss program. The healthier your body is, the better it can perform.
Pomegranate juice is safe to drink, but just like anything else you should not over-indulge. Most studies have shown that a daily helping of 1.5 oz. of pomegranate juice is the most beneficial. Anti-oxidants are found in bright colored fruits like red grapes. Unlike pomegranate juice, be careful when drinking grape juice. Manufacturers tend to add a lot of sugar into fruit juices so they seem healthy, but they really are not.
Healthy Weight Loss Drink #3: Green Tea
Green tea is one of the drinks I use on a daily basis that contributes to helping me keep an ideal weight after losing 70 pounds 15 years ago. Just like pomegranate juice, it is full of powerful antioxidants that give your body the very best fuel a drink can possibly give. Depending on the manufacturer, green tea comes in all kinds of flavors.
One cup of green tea every morning gives me enough energy to last all day long. It is a natural energy, unlike the sugar rush you get from fitness drinks and coffee, so you never feel let down as the day goes on. Energy is obviously important for weight loss because the more you move around, the more calories you will burn.
Healthy Weight Loss Drink #4: Soy-Based Protein Shakes
Along with green tea, soy-based protein shakes are responsible for my weight loss and weight maintenance. Imagine getting 2,000 calories worth of nutrition in a 200 calorie smoothie. Your body gets what it needs without the excess baggage that comes with eating tons of food. It is the closest thing to a magic weight loss potion that you will find.
Depending on how much weight you need to lose, this drink acts as a meal replacement. Obese people who need to lose over 100 pounds should obviously replace each meal with a shake, and those maintaining weight should replace at least one. I would never let a day go by without one of these powerful drinks. Why would I? I have been at my ideal weight and medication free ever since I introduced them into my diet.
The bottom line here is that you must pay attention to what you drink as much as what you eat if you are trying to lose or maintain a healthy weight. Start by replacing what you are now drinking with any or all of the suggestions above. Living a healthy lifestyle is the key to reaching your healthy weight loss goals. That requires the mindset of person willing to make small changes on a daily basis.
You are what you eat...and drink!
