As a personal trainer, I often hear clients complain about eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly, but still finding it hard to lose weight. Sometimes they wonder about how many calories are in the things they drink.
The information I give them is often a surprise, and not a good one. You may be taking in many more calories than you realize because many things we drink are loaded with them. Here’s a look at some popular beverages and their calories:
Soft Drinks – it varies a bit, but figure an average of 150 calories for a 12 oz. can. How many cans do you drink a day? And think about how many ounces are in the large cup you get at fast food restaurants. These add up quickly.
Energy Drinks – again, it varies, but they come in at about 110 calories for an 8 oz. can.
Alcohol – Figure it averages about 150 calories for a glass of wine, a beer, or a regular sized cocktail. Figure on a lot more for the super-sized cocktail, and for those that add in a lot of other ingredients.
Fancy Coffee Drinks – Even using non-fat milk and skipping the whipped cream, these can come in at nearly 300 calories. Might be nice for an occasional treat, but stay away from them daily. And the extra-large, full fat variety? These can easily approach 1000 calories.
Fruit Juices – Hey, aren’t those healthy? Well, yes, they do provide vitamins and minerals, but they are also full of calories. One cup of most juices is well over 100 calories. Eating the fruit is a healthier choice than drinking the juice, but when you do, be sure to count those calories.
Vitamin Water – well, it’s water, so it should be fine, right? Wrong! While the calorie count isn’t as high as for other drinks, it is still sugar water that you are drinking, and that sugar will have to be worked off. Plain water would be a better option.
Don’t let what you drink ruin your daily calorie count. Having one as an occasional treat is fine, but keep track of the calories you drink as well as eat so you don’t overdo it.
