I’ll Drink to That
Wow, the holidays really are closing in fast! Whether you like it or not, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years will be here eventually—you can’t avoid them. There will be parties, dinners, get-togethers and afternoon teas. This is the season where you can blow apart your diet and workout regimen. I’ve written many, many columns on the dangers of overeating, too much partying, and lack of time to devote to your workouts. But this one is different.
While celebrating the holidays, you really don’t think too much about what you are drinking. It’s usually (always) about the food. But this time it’s about what you drink. There are several great choices and some terrible choices. So let’s delve into the good, the bad, and the ugly.
First: soda. Always a standby because it’s cheap to buy and easy to serve, but it is so bad for you. Soda really is crap. There are nine tablespoons of sugar in each 12 ounce can of soda. Holy molars! And its high calorie content is guaranteed to ruin your waistline. We are talking close to 350 calories a serving. Ouch. And don’t get me started on diet soda. It is useless and bad for you. Why would you want to drink an item that produces Formaldehyde in your system? Yuck.
So let’s try a good choice —good old H20—water. Ice water can be a real treat. My favorite waters are the flavored seltzers: lemon lime, orange, raspberry, cherry, or just plain bubbly water. Plus, they have no calories, no sodium, and no artificial sweeteners.
I went to a party where the ice chest contained energy drinks. Not a good choice. Sugar, caffeine, and calories are the main ingredients. Bypass these and choose black coffee if you need a caffeine kick. Much better for you! But beware of that coffee if you decide to add cream and sugar. And those flavored coffee creamers are loaded with junk!
Like fruit juice? Well, it’s an okay choice. Not great, but okay. Juices can contain lots of natural sugar plus added sugar (corn syrup). Cut them in half with plain water or try a bubbly seltzer water/juice cocktail. A cranberry combo is really a good choice.
If someone offers you a cocktail, be careful. A White Russian cocktail contains 700 calories, so if you have two that is 1400 calories!
Don’t like coffee? Try Green Tea. Loaded with phytogens, it’s a popular choice, especially among women.
For those of you who just aren’t into alcoholic drinks, there are other choices. I really like vegetable juice such as V8, but watch out for the high sodium content. They now have lo-sodium V8, and its imitators, so drink up. Heck, I’ve even had milk offered to me. It goes great with that small piece of pumpkin pie. Mmmmm tastes great.
Rick Moore is a personal trainer certified by the American Fitness Professionals & Associates.