How To Drink Your Way Slim And Sexy
Summer Issue 2012
Now that beach season is in full swing, it’s time to bring out the bikinis. This can be either good news or bad news for you, depending on how you’ve treated your body over the past year. If you made healthy living a priority and have that slim and sexy body all ready to go, you probably can’t wait to show it off. If on the other hand, you still have a few pounds to lose, then you’re probably dreading the fact the clothes are shrinking smaller and there’s less fabric to hide behind.
But you shouldn’t worry. It’s a long summer and you still have time. If you’re eating right and exercising but still not seeing the results you want on the scale(or in the mirror), what I’m about to share can make an immediate difference in getting you a beach body you can be proud of.
See, just eating all the right foods isn’t enough to drop those stubborn pounds. The foods you eat only make up half of what you consume. The other half comes from what you drink. And if you make the poor beverage choices most people make, those calories can add up fast and stunt your weight loss efforts. Especially now, as the weather gets hotter and we have to drink more often just to stay hydrated. So while it’s great you decided to pass on that greasy cheeseburger for a healthy chicken salad, it’s all wasted if you’re washing it down with a sugary soda.
By making the wrong choices, you can literally be washing away all hope of ever getting that head-turning beach body.
What are the wrong choices?
Well, first and foremost, you want to avoid all sugary drinks. This includes soda, sports drinks, and iced tea. It also includes all the high-sugar fruit juices that are more like liquid candy than they are actual fruit. These drinks are all incredibly high in calories, with most of those calories coming from simple sugar. This spikes insulin, wreaks havoc on your blood sugar, and is easily stored as fat.
However, don’t think you can just drink the “Lite”, “sugar-free” or “diet” versions of these drinks. While having much less sugar, these drinks are full of toxic artificial sweeteners that mimic its effects. They also cause sugar cravings, making it much harder for you to eat healthy.
You’re going to also want to avoid drinks loaded with caffeine. This includes coffee and other energy drinks (many of which are also loaded with sugar). These stimulants stress your adrenal glands. They also dehydrate you, making it much harder for you to shed the pounds. Yes, I know they provide a short-term energy boost, but this is almost always followed by a crash.
You also need to limit your consumption of alcohol. I know it’s not what you want to hear, and the occasional drink is fine, but not while you’re trying to lose weight. Alcohol also dehydrates you, makes you crave junk food, and impairs your judgment. Plus, when you take into account all the high-sugar, high-calorie mixers used in most drinks, it becomes a two-headed monster of bikini body destruction.
So, what should you drink?
Well, the obvious choice is water. It makes up around 70% of our bodies and is needed by all of our cells to function. It has 0 calories, keeps you hydrated, and helps eliminate toxins. Plus, if you drink it cold, it burns fat! A study has shown just by drinking eight glasses of ice cold water per day, you’ll burn 7.3 extra pounds of fat per year! Water is that special. If you find it boring or tasteless, try drinking it with a squirt of lemon or lime.
Another great drink is hibiscus tea, also known as “Jamaican water.” It comes from the flower of the Hibiscus tree. It’s rich in nutrients and has a great natural fruity flavor. Hibiscus tea has been shown to lower blood pressure as well as bloating, giving you the appearance of a slimmer waistline.
If you feel you need an extra boost of energy, you should try oolong tea, which is a healthy substitute for coffee. In addition to its great taste, it has been shown to increase our rate of fat burning by 12%. In fact, its metabolism boosting effects are an incredible 250% more effective than green tea, which is known for its weight loss effects.
Don’t underestimate how important the liquids you’re drinking are to your appearance. By eliminating all those empty calories from unhealthy drinks, you’re giving your body the boost it needs to shed the fat and finally form the slim and sexy beach body guaranteed to impress.