Everyone who knows The Life Wellness Approach knows I never advocate much other than water and a couple of dairy alternatives like rice milk and almond milk unsweetened.  Here is a great report I feel you can benefit from that relates to healthy options and sugar-loaded drinks, even if they are named “Vitamin Water”.

Beverage Consumption a Bigger Factor in Weight

When it comes to weight loss, what you drink may be more important than what you eat, according to researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Researchers examined the relationship between beverage consumption among adults and weight change and found that weight loss was positively associated with a reduction in liquid calorie consumption and liquid calorie intake had a stronger impact on weight than solid calorie intake. The results are published in the April 1, 2009, issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

“Both liquid and solid calories were associated with weight change, however, only a reduction in liquid calorie intake was shown to significantly affect weight loss during the 6-month follow up,” said Benjamin CaballeroMD, PhD, senior author of the study and a professor with the Bloomberg School’s Department of International Health.  “A reduction in liquid calorie intake was associated with a weight loss of 0.25 kg at 6 months and 0.24 kg at 18 months. Among sugar-sweetened beverages, a reduction of 1 serving was associated with a weight loss of 0.5 kg at 6 months and 0.7 kg at 18 months.  Of the seven types of beverages examined, sugar-sweetened beverages were the only beverages significantly associated with weight change.”

Researchers conducted a prospective study of 810 adults aged 25-79 years old participating in the PREMIER trial, an 18-month randomized, controlled, behavioral intervention. Caballero along with colleagues from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; the National Heart, Lung, and Blood institute; Duke University; the Pennington Biomedical Research Center; the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research; the University of Alabama; and Pennsylvania State University measured participant’s weight and height using a calibrated scale and a wall-mounted stadiometer at both 6 and 18 months. Dietary intake was measured by conducting unannounced 24-hour dietary recall interviews by telephone. Researchers divided beverages into several categories based on calorie content and nutritional composition: sugar-sweetened beverages (regular soft drinks, fruit drinks, fruit punch, or high-calorie beverages sweetened with sugar), diet drinks (diet soda and other “diet” drinks sweetened with artificial sweeteners), milk (whole milk, 2 percent reduced-fat milk, 1 percent low-fat milk, and skim milk), 100 percent juice (100 percent fruit and vegetable juice), coffee and tea with sugar, coffee and tea without sugar and alcoholic beverages. They found that at 37 percent sugar-sweetened beverages were the leading source of liquid calories.

Consumption of liquid calories from beverages has increased in parallel with the obesity epidemic. Earlier studies by Bloomberg School researchers project that 75 percent of U.S. adults could be overweight or obese by 2015 and have linked the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages to the obesity epidemic, which affects two-thirds of adults and increases the risk for adverse health conditions such as type 2 diabetes. Researchers recommend limited liquid calorie intake among adults and to reduce sugar-sweetened beverage consumption as a means to accomplish weight loss or avoid excess weight gain.

“Among beverages, sugar-sweetened beverages was the only beverage type significantly associated with weight change at both the 6- and 18-month follow up periods,” said Liwei Chen, MD, PhD, MHS, lead author of the study and a Bloomberg School graduate. “Changes in the consumption of diet drinks and alcoholic beverages were inversely associated with weight loss, but were not statistically significant. Our study supports policy recommendations and public health efforts to reduce intakes of liquid calories, particularly from sugar-sweetened beverages, in the general population.”

“Reduction in Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages is Associated with Weight Loss: The PREMIER Trial” was written by Liwei Chen, Lawrence J. Appel, Catherine Loria, Pao-Hwa Lin, Catherine M. Champagne, Patricia J. Elmer, Jamy D. Ard, Diane Mitchell, Bryan C. Batch, Laura P. Svetkey and Benjamin Caballero.

The research was supported by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute; National Institutes of Health; the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Center for Human Nutrition; and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Media contact for Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: Natalie Wood-Wright at 410-614-6029 or nwoodwri@jhsph.edu.

1. Salmon

2. Spinach and Kale

3. Eggs (whole)

4. EFA’s like flaxseed oil

5. Cinnamon and other spices like Curcumin

Do this and watch how much better you can feel in 30 days.

Tony D.
http://tonydassisi.com

IS IT YOURS??  I find the winter months to be a time that many people just don’t get into their fitness routine, for whatever reason.  Well, we’re now approaching the final days of February and I suggest exactly what I suggested last winter…………”Wanna Summer Body?  Start training NOW!”  If you set up a Blueprint that you can actually accomplish, your summer body awaits.

If you don’t set up a Blueprint………..you will have a tough time finding your summer body and then it’s WINTER AGAIN!!

Don’t let this happen to you, START NOW!

Tony D
BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT HAPPENS!

Don’t wait any longer, ask me how I do it and anything else you need to succeed this year. Do it now.

Tony D.
Click here to read some of my articles for inspiration!

I worked out today did you? Remember, each and every workout you get in over the holidays is a great move toward the new year that will be just around the corner.
If you want to have a fitter body for Summer 2010 START NOW!! Don’t wait until after the holidays, you will regret the 5 or 7 or 10 pounds that some people put on if you go that route, so STOP…DO NOT GIVE IN!!
I urge you to keep a focused mind over the next 7 days and get yourself into the gym AND watch how, what, when and with whom you are EATING.

Stay healthy and keep hitting the targets you set out for 2009!

Tony D.
http://articlesbytony.com

Sandy

They just keep coming in, thanks for the great questions and issues you’re having..listen here:

Another Great Fitness Question Answered 

Sandy

Great question listen for my reply…

Time, the dreaded short day, week, month and year! 

Hope that helps…keep moving forward and hitting those targets!

Tony D.
http://tonydassisi.com

Sandy

This is a question I receive quite often and one that is very difficult to answer if you “count calories”….

Click below to listen to a quick explanation:

Health and Fitness Answers 

Happy Healthy Eating!

Tony D.
http://tonydassisi.com

1. Good sleep habits-for body repair and recuperation

2. Frequent exercise-flexibility, cardio and strength training with periodical shifts and changes in focus throughout any given year not only for the sake of variety but also to stimulate your brain differently too

3. Healthy eating-not dieting but “what, how and when you eat”

4. Stay hydrated-your body is made primarily of water and many chemical and muscular actions need water to work optimally

5. Stress and anxiety management techniques-don’t think you should keep things bottled up  you’re killing your insides and adrenal glands

6. Pre-habilitation with help from natural healthcare professionals-keep your body tuned up just like  you would an important appliance or car

If you can follow these simple six steps and be consistent and follow through with relentless action…..you will be healthy and fit.

Back at you very soon.

Tony

However you look at it, if you have not taken my advice in the past year…….start now.

Last January I wrote a blogpost stating you should have started your fitness goals then for the summer.

Then I wrote another in April mentioning you should start for this Fall back then. And now, guess what season I am going to tell you to start getting prepared for when it comes to achieving your health and fitness goals?? You got it. Winter. Yup, I know some of you are possibly going to hate reading this but in all honesty, I only want to share my point which is STOP PROCRASTINATING NOW!

If you need help you must ask ok. The answers will follow.

Tony D.
Start Your Journey Now!