You can exercise for two hours a day, but if you are downing thousands of calories during your post-workout meals, then all your hard work is not doing much to help sculpt your physique.
And even if you are not indulging in hot fudge sundaes and pepperoni pizza following your sweat sessions, you could still be sabotaging your fitness goals.
According to a new study, 75 percent of U.S. adults are projected to be overweight or obese by 2015, and many of them have their drinking habits to blame.
Researchers say Americans consume anywhere from 150 to 300 more calories than they did three decades ago and half of those calories come from liquid. The new study out of John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health also found that reducing liquid calories, especially ones contained in sugar-sweetened drinks such as punches, fruit juices and sodas, helps people lose weight and keep it off.
This study reminds me of my old workout buddy. We would lift weights and do an hour of cardio and within minutes of her cool down she would be guzzling a Cherry Coke.
Researchers say unlike calories from solid food, it’s much harder for people to track how many calories they consume from drinking. What’s more, most beverages contain “empty calories,” meaning they typically lack nutritional value.
And lest you think you doing yourself a favor by refueling with one of the many “healthy” drinks on the market, health experts warn to think again. Studies show many energy drinks are loaded with sugar and various sweeteners. Drinking a 16-ounce fruit smoothie may seem like a healthy beverage to consume after working out, but the majority of smoothies contain hundreds of calories, which you might not account for. Experts also note that teas, fruit juices, shakes and fortified waters can be marketed as healthy drinks, but are often loaded with calories.
What do you drink after working out?
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