Beverages

Staying properly hydrated is essential to effective weight loss and optimal health. Hydration can suppress hunger by helping you feel fuller. Many people mistake the feeling of thirst for hunger, so ensuring adequate hydration eliminates this common eating trigger.

More importantly, a low carb, low insulin state causes frequent urination and associated fluid losses. So, you need to replace what you’re losing.

Your goal should be to drink at least 80-100 ounces of fluid each day. At least 60 ounces of your daily intake should be water. Use a bottle with a known volume to track your progress to your goal.

• Water Minimum of 60 oz per day
• Caffeinated coffee or tea Limit 2 per day
• Diet soda Limit 1 per day
• Non-caloric beverage, salty broth, JumpstartMD Hydration Mix – No limit
• Salty, bone broth – Track protein content
• Almond, coconut, hemp milk, unsweetened – Limit to 16 oz per day
• Milk (whole), soy milk, goat milk, unsweetened – Limit to 8 oz per day, count as a carb box

Alcohol is a fermented carbohydrate with little or no nutritional value. Drinking alcohol interferes with the way your body burns fat. The liver preferentially breaks down the alcohol before it breaks down fat and uses calories from alcohol or fuel first, hindering weight loss.

Alcohol lowers your inhibitions, which can sabotage your weight loss and health goals by allowing you to succumb to cravings. Alcohol Is also caloric but not satiating (i.e. caloric without curbing hunger).

Drinks that contain sugary mixes, such as juice, tonic or soda, will add even more unwanted carbohydrates.

Since it is not mandatory that alcoholic beverages have a nutrition label, it can be challenging to know the nutrition content. Although most alcohol is naturally low in carbohydrates, it’s important to pay close attention to the amount you are consuming. The alcohol content of the beverage contains 7 calories per gram and can amount to a large number of “empty calories” the body has to metabolize before it can begin to metabolize food.

For best weight loss results, avoid alcohol entirely. If you choose to drink alcohol, limit to one or two drinks one or two days a week and choose low carbohydrate options, such as wine or lite beer (instead of regular beer); tequila on the rocks, vodka with soda or diet tonic (instead of a sugar infused margarita or cosmopolitan).