(Don't) Drink Up

eDiets has an article offering 8 Ways to Lasting Weight Loss. While many of the tips are the same old tried and true "tricks" we've come to expect, such as don't eat junk food, one tip stood out for me: Don't drink your calories.

It's something those of us seeking a healthier way of life tend to forget from time to time -- those coffees and teas and frozen, extra chocolate mochachinos have calories too. As I sit here writing this, there's a cup of coffee (light, two sugars) by my side. While I do get in my eight glasses of water a day and avoid soda, I do drink coffee. I don't even think the sugar in the coffee is a big deal, it's the cream. Switching to milk can cut the calories, but whole milk still offers up a fair amount of fat and calories. I actually measured how much milk I need in a large coffee to make it that lovely caramel color I adore -- a half cup! I wouldn't drink a half a cup of whole milk or cream. Perish the thought! But I drink it every day (and sometimes twice) when I have a coffee.

Then there's the diet soda pitfall. New research is showing people who drink diet soda have a higher incidence of obesity. While researchers aren't sure why, there is proof that rats who are given artificial sweetener crave more calories. That means all those sugar free juice mixes we use to add some flavor to our water may not be any good either. I believe flavored waters also have artificial sweetener.

I like to add some fruit to my water -- a squeeze of lemon, lime or orange to zip it up, keep it calorie free and stay natural. Now I have to work on drinking black coffee or cut my food calories to accommodate my cream habit.

And a quick note to Tess ... I agree, most of us eat when we're stress. Those who don't -- Pffft!