It's the LITTLE Things

+How the Little Things Add UP +

So you're trying to do all the right things for your health.  You are working out consistently and eating fairly well.  Great!  Let me help you stay on track :) We all know that calories in must equal calories out or we will gain weight.  So let's take a look at some little ways that we can keep the number of unneeded calories down.  One big intake we sometimes overlook is DRINKS.  Sugary drinks filled with high fructose corn syrup can be the devil and for many reasons!

Increase weight gain

Sugar decays teeth

Increases your risk for a # of diseases

High sugar causes dehydration

  If at all possible it is best to substitute these sugary drinks with water.  If you still feel like you need a little taste to your drink try adding fruit or vegetables! I love adding watermelon, berries, lemon, lime, cucumber, apple, orange and the list goes on! Not only is this simple trick low calories, it has added benefits. :)

Drinking soda is even worse than drinking sugar filled juices but that doesn't mean that drinking DIET is much better.  Diet drinks contain Aspartame which is possibly one of the most dangerous substances added to foods/drinks.  Drinking a 330 ml can of soda translates to more than 1lb of weight gain every month... thats 12 lbs a year!

The last thing I want to talk about is COOFFFFEEEEE!  It's what wakes us up in the morning and carries us through a rough day.  We love it! But it doesn't have to destroy us and our beautiful goals we've set! It actually pains me to see what some people order at coffee shops.  Just to think that its 9:00am and they have already consumed 300 calories, and that's not counting their actual breakfast. If you are a coffee person and you do purchase coffee mixes, I challenge you to go online, find the Starbucks calculator, and find out its nutrition facts.  Below is a typical drink ordered:

Caffe Mocha made with 2% milk, no whip cream

Nutrition Facts Per Serving (16 fl oz)

Calories 290	Calories from Fat 70
	% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g	12%
Saturated Fat 5g	25%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 25mg	8%
Sodium 140mg	6%
Total Carbohydrate 42g	14%
Dietary Fiber 4g	16%
Sugars 34g
Protein 13g
Vitamin A 10% Vitamin C 2% Calcium 35% Iron 25%
Caffeine 175mg**
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
**Each caffeine value is an approximate value.

Now, I'm not telling you not to have your daily fix.  I'm just encouraging you to do it in a smart way. :)  

Here are some of my tips:

Try Skim, Almond or Soy Milk

No Whip Cream added

Use natural alternative sweeter

I use this stuff and I love it! It is made from a Stevia plant so it is all natural and it has Zeroooo calories.  You can buy it at your local grocery store and it is sold in two ways.  You can purchase it in individual packs so you can take it with you or straight.  I personally have both so I have it at the house and on the go! 

So DRINK IT UP, in a HEALTHY way :)