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When one of my cousins visited from Mexico I noticed that every time we went out to eat she would order water. She gave up soda because as a runner she felt like soda would weigh her down. Soda can be addicting, you crave the bubbly and before you know it you’re gaining weight if you drink it regularly and don’t exercise. I admire my cousin for taking the initiative to stop drinking sugary drinks, not to mention the health benefits she gets from taking this step.
For starters drinking two cans or soda can add 20-30 pounds of fat per year. On average, each can of soda, Coke, for example has 140 calories, if you drink a 20-ounce, that’s 240 calories. It would take you five miles of walking or an hour of jogging to burn off that 20-ounce bottle. That’s a lot of work for a glass of soda. Plus drinking too much liquid sugar can increase your risk of diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.
Luckily, you have options.
- Water: A plain glass of water can make you feel full, plus it makes your skin look great. Studies show that drinking 10 glasses of ice water can help you burn between 10-80 calories. Not a bad deal!
- Fruit: Many people don’t like the taste of water, so add something like cucumber or fruits like mint, oranges, strawberries, or lemon. This helps you trick your brain into getting the sweetness from a drink minus the added calories. Adding lemon to your water helps flush out toxins to your body and helps fight hunger cravings.
- Unsweetened Tea: Don’t be fooled by drinking sweetened tea, those teas can contain as many calories as soda, so skip it and make your own. This will give you the caffeine you crave from soda. The antioxidants prevent various diseases like cancer and even reduce your risk of heart disease.
- Seltzer Water: One of the things that people love the most about soda is the carbonation, the bubbles. Give seltzer water a try and if you don’t like how it tastes add some fruit and you’ll immediately see the difference.
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