The Quick Cut

• This ‘sharp’ practice will help you avoid one of the biggest fat loss mistakes people make: drinking calories.

• Drinking caloric beverages can really thwart your fitness & fat loss goals.

• That’s because they 'rush' calories into your system, which causes an insulin spike.

• Insulin is a fat-storing hormone, thus, we want to limit caloric beverages as much as possible.

• Water is your best bet because it has zero calories and nothing will hydrate you better for your workouts and daily activities.

• If you get bored easily with water, you can try suitable substitutes, including infused waters.

The Long Slice

Caloric beverages, especially those with sugar, enter our digestive system way too fast (as compared to slow burning carbs, like oatmeal, for example). 

The body can not burn this onslaught of calories quickly enough, unless you're in the middle of intense exercise, and has no choice but to store these calories as fat for later use. 

In slightly more scientific terms, this causes a rise in blood sugar and your pancreas releases insulin to help the body absorb the rapid rush of carbohydrates you are ingesting and convert it into glucose. 

The more you spike insulin via fast-burning carbohydrates, the more fat your body will store. This is true for both fast-burning beverages and sugary foods, but the effect is pronounced for beverages.

So this means it’s best to stay away from things like (don’t freak out):

• Sodas

• Juices

• Beer

• Wine

• Alcoholic drinks

• Sugar-infused beverages including iced teas

How Much Water Should You Drink?

Water is really your #1 choice of beverage. Nothing will hydrate you better. Plus, water keeps you full and helps flush out fat, so drink plenty of it.

The rule of thumb is to take your weight (in pounds) and divide it by two. That is the minimum number of ounces of healthy, filtered water that you should drink every day. 

So, for example, if you weigh 160 LBs, you want to drink about 80 ounces, or 10 cups, of water each day. 

What If You Don't Like Water?

If you’re not a huge water fan, you can try drinking fruit-infused water, such as HINT (which is my favorite!). Unsweetened coffee and teas are good options, in moderation.

An even better option to plain water is mixing in some Organifi into your water for great taste and an immediate health boost.

Sugar-free club sodas and sweetened sports drinks such as Propel are also OK in moderation (don’t overdo them because artificial sweeteners can mess with your insulin and gut health).

Ideally, drinking pure water will provide you with the best hydration there is.

So, remember: To keep fat down and your body lean, don’t drink your calories. Eat them instead.