By The One on One Team
Last Updated: 9/17/23
For those interested in losing weight and improving body composition, beverage choices are just as important as food choices. High calorie drinks can sabotage an otherwise well executed weight loss strategy. What’s more, these beverages are calorie-dense but nutrient-poor, meaning that while they increase your total caloric intake for the day, they do little to help you feel satiated and nourished like whole foods do.
To lose weight, you must create a caloric deficit by either eating fewer calories, burning more calories through physical activity, or (preferably) a combination of the two. A great place to start is to eliminate, or at least reduce, high-calorie beverages from your diet.
It only takes 3,500 excess calories to gain one pound of fat. Below are some examples of how daily caloric intake can add up from drinking beverages:
| one beverage | seven beverages/week | |
| 16 oz. frappuccino | 420 calories | 2,940 calories |
| 20 oz. bottle of soda | 240 calories | 1,680 calories |
| 18.5 oz. bottle of sweet tea | 190 calories | 1,330 calories |
| 12 oz. can of beer | 155 calories | 1,085 calories |
| 20 oz. sports drink | 130 calories | 910 calories |
| 5 oz. glass of wine | 125 calories | 875 calories |
| 8 oz. cup of juice | 120 calories | 840 calories |
| 1.5 oz. liquor | 95 calories | 665 calories |
Limiting your caloric intake from beverages doesn’t mean drinking less. In fact, your water consumption should increase as you reduce consumption of high calorie beverages. Among many other things, sufficient hydration helps keep your metabolism elevated and your body functioning at a high level. If you don’t like plain water, try some of our suggestions below:
- Seltzer and carbonated waters such as Sparkling Ice® Sparkling Water, Polar Seltzer Water, LaCroix® Sparkling Water, and Bubly™ Sparking Water.
- Add fresh fruit and herbs (such as mint leaves) to plain water for flavor variety.
- Mix in sugar-free flavor packets such as Crystal Light® or True Lemon®/True Lime®.
For this week and moving forward, consider how many calories you consume through beverages. Start small and follow our less is more concept as you develop a strategy to reduce your caloric intake from drinking beverages. Make one small modification to your current habits, then build on your success. You can make a major impact on your health and fitness by making a conscious decision to substitute high calorie beverages with water.
