I hate diets that restrict you from eating things. I want to be able to eat that donut, pizza or mac and cheese, guilt free. I want to be able to drink that damn margarita. But I do have one rule...
OK OK OK -- before all you smoothie, juice and pumpkin spice latte lovers come at me with your sharp straws -- hear me out!
Twenty-some years ago, when I was just a kid, I was on a weight roller coaster. I would get pudgy then grow a few inches... get pudgy then grow ... in cycles. I was never "overweight" by medical terms (at least I didn't know it if I was), but I do remember a doctor's appointment where I was lectured by my pediatrician about choosing fruit over cookies. Of course there are also those photos from my past that definitely make me cringe and I did get teased about my weight by the boys my brother played baseball with over the summers.
I always played sports and danced so thankfully my active life didn't let things get totally out of control. I just always loved food and I didn't know how to eat healthy when my mom wasn't around to cook for me. When I got to high school and dieting became the "IT" thing to do, I did make my first diet rule for myself. And this one stuck with me from then on out...
Thou shall not drink beverages that contain calories. *
*Some of my exceptions:
ALCOHOL
with calorie-free mixers
PROTEIN SHAKES/SMOOTHIES
post workout or as meal replacement
MILK
b/c I can't eat my lucky charms with water
Before I go on to discuss anything else, I want to hammer this point home....
When I cut out the non-diet soda, sports drinks, energy drinks and juices, the weight literally melted off of me. Not kidding, calorie laden beverages were the only thing I cut out.
Let's talk calories...
The average large soda at a fast food restaurant : 310 calories
The average grande coffee drink at Starbucks : 380 calories
The average 16oz blended coffee drink : 560 calories
The average 16oz blended fruit smoothie : 380 calories
The average 16oz cold pressed or fresh squeezed juice: 230 calories
This is all fine and dandy until I think about people having said beverage in addition to their meals... for those calories I would rather eat food! Now, not everyone has the time every morning to sit down to a delicious balance breakfast and would prefer sucking down a protein smoothie. I cannot stress enough that this is not a problem. I preach to do what works for you. But I also want to preach that dropping a few pounds could be as easy as cutting this stuff out... or just being aware of what you're taking in through that straw and tracking it properly.
So I know you're all thinking it.... YES, I'm the person that goes to Mcdonald's and orders a cheeseburger, fries and a freaking diet coke. But hey, it works for me.
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