Nutrisystem provides me with three meals, plus the option of a snack (I'm not a big snack person--I don't crave salty things as much as I crave sweetness) OR a dessert. But if you're like me, there's the question of what to DRINK with your meals. So many Americans tend to unwittingly consume huge amounts of empty calories and sodium with their beverage choice and this was something I myself needed to address. I'm a big fan of regular, full-calorie CocaCola but it's obvious that Coke is NOT what I should be drinking if I want to see progress on this program, especially not in the quantities I was used to consuming! I'm a little embarrassed to mention that I used to drink about a liter of Coke every day. Every. Single. Day. If you do the math, that's about 400-500 empty, sugar-packed calories a day! One-third of my dietary allotment! That went straight to my poor tummy!
This past week, I focused not only on sticking with the program but also being mindful of how much Coke I drank. Now, I haven't quit cold turkey yet--I have a can every other day and indulge a bit more on the weekends. But it's a definite change from the liter I was drinking a day! Though I'm drinking more water, I needed a suitable replacement and here are some of the options I've found :
1. Coke Zero : 0 calories but artificial sweeteners are controversial. I drink this when I need a soda fix but don't want to reach for the regular stuff. Diet soda IS a free item, that is, you can have unlimited amounts while on the program but I'd still advise caution--articial sweeteners have been linked to greater risks for certain diseases.
2. Tea : I don't drink coffee AT ALL. But I need a little caffeine to get me going in the morning. So I usually make myself a cup of green tea with honey or a cup of black Victorian tea with 2 sugars and a tsp of coffee creamer. Remember that the 2 sugars would count as a carb so I have learned to be mindful of that too--you don't even want to know how many sugars I used to take before!
3. V8 : Check for low-sodium varieties but V8 is a good way to get those vegetable servings, if you're like me and aren't a big fan of greens.
4. V8 Fusion : BEWARE of quantity here! Although at first glance, this seemed like a great option, my counselor pointed out the sugar quantities in this which would count towards the Smart Carb allotment--restrict yourself to no more than a cup!
5. Juice : Again, be mindful of the sugars!
6. Water : Of course, this is the best alternative. But if you need a little something, check out the 0 calorie flavored waters available all over the place now. It's a hint of flavor that makes drinking water so much more enjoyable, at least for me!
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So there you have it, my darlings! I hope my trials and errors help some of you out there too. Basically, it's about training your taste buds to lose some of those unhealthy cravings.
Now, I know I mentioned the Fast Five last week but my first attempt at it didn't go so well--I haven't had a chance to speak to my counselor yet to figure out why but I will update you as soon as we speak.
As always, if you have any questions, comments or concerns about the program, please reach out to me in the comments below OR email me through the email address found in the ABOUT ME section. I'd be happy to chat!
Until next time,
<3
B
****Food provided to me for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.****
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