Mike Arone Fitness

Do you remember growing up and going to the beach?

You used to dig a hole to the “center of the earth” and place a towel over it ever so discretely.  That way when someone walked on it they would fall in.

So funny…

Until your dad became the victim.

The rest is history.  By ‘history’ I mean a reenactment of any Steven Siegel movie, except karate chops were replaced with ass spankings.

Well, just like that innocent joke was thought to be harmless and turned into a disaster…

There are so many beverages that seem just as innocent on the outside, but are just waiting until YOU step on that towel and break an ankle.

Do you see where I am going with this analogy?

Here are 5 Gut-Busting Beverages that are Sabotaging Your Six-Pack…

Fruit juice

You grew up thinking that orange juice was a great source of vitamin-C and a great replacement to any soft drink.

Not quite.

Take a look at the nutrition label next time you’re looking to accompany your Frosted Flakes with a tall glass of OJ.  It has about over 20 grams of sugar for every serving.  Sure, it is a great source of vitamin C, but the insane amount of sugar cancels out any health benefits you might get from orange juice…or any fruit juice for that matter.

Solution: If you want to get your daily dose of vitamin C, suck on an orange by itself, take a multivitamin or eat some veggies.  There are so many ways to get vitamin C in your diet. Am I saying not to drink OJ or fruit juice all together? Not quite.  Cut the serving in half or look for a lower calorie alternative.

Sports drinks

Sports drinks have been a staple with athletes since the day they hit the market.  It wasn’t until recently that we really started to analyze the nutrition label on them and realize how many sugars were contained in one bottle.  I believe the amount on the label is a “shit-ton.”

It was accepted that these sports drink were a good alternative to water for anyone.

Hardly.

Water doesn’t contain the equivalent to six packets worth of sugar per bottle.

Solution: Gatorade, and other sports drinks, are perfect to consume during and after a workout.  When your insulin, glycogen and electrolyte stores are on empty at these times- a sports drink is a perfect way to fill them back up and help shuttle nutrients back into your muscles.  It will actually help aid and speed up recovery.

Alcohol

Beers with your buds?…Good idea.

Funneling 16 beers after bobbing for apples in a “Gin Bucket”? …Impressive…but not the best idea.

Alcohol is a selfish dude.  By that I mean everything is put on hold until it’s done doing what it does.  Fat-burning is put to a halt and your metabolism is compensated for ridding itself of all the alcohol that you just consumed.  This can put a huge dent in your quest to getting jacked and shredded.

Suggestion: A few frothy beverages in moderation are your best bet. Limit it to one day a week or a few drinks per week.  That way you will be able to enjoy a drink, but not sabotage your hard work in the gym and on your diet.

Check out my past post on alcohol for more suggestions.

http://mikearonefitness.com/2010/05/09/a-is-for-alcohol/

Soft Drinks

Duh!

“Yeah Mike, I know bro.  I never drink soda…except with my lunch and when I sleep walk to the fridge at 4am.”

Oh…ok, in that case then…it’s still not good for you.

Soft drinks have more sugar in them than your standard candy bar.  They contain about twelve packets worth of sugar.  With all honesty-if I had the choice of a doughnut or a soda…I would choose the doughnut hands down.

Suggestion: I understand the cravings for something carbonated-I get it.  When you get these cravings, reach for a diet, low calorie or sparkling water beverage instead.

No one will judge you for drinking Fresca. They are actually quite refreshing.

Milk

Milk in your coffee…Hardly worth the worry.

Milk in your cereal…Not too concerned about it.

Slugging back a half-a-gallon of milk because you’re thirsty…Really???

Milk has always been looked at as a great way to get your vitamin D and calcium for “strong bones.”

True.

Beside the fact that many people have intolerances to dairy for various reasons, I am more concerned with the sugar contained in just one 8-ounce serving of milk.  Thirteen grams of sugar in one measly glass.  So if you thought that gallon of milk was going to help you slap on some muscle, you may be right…but along with it will come a few pounds of fat.

Suggestions: Opt for milk alternatives that don’t contain sugar or limit sugar.  Almond milk or soy milk (not a huge fan; but still better for your waistline) are a couple alternatives you can try out.  If you insist on milk, try ‘Skim Plus.’  It has a creamier taste and added protein and calcium.  It also tends to last longer for those who only use milk for coffee and cereal.

Check out this post by John Romaniello for some interesting perspectives on milk:

http://romanfitnesssystems.com/blog/does-a-body-good

The Replacements

After reading the above you may be thinking, “what the hell am I going to drink?”

Here is what I drink on the daily or when I am craving some gut-busting beverages:

Water-Not explaining this.

Green Tea-Add Truvia to sweeten it-none of that bottled shit by that company that rhymes with ‘apple’ unless it’s diet.

Crystal Light-Sugar-free.  This is a great alternative for those who have trouble getting in their daily requirement of water.

Diet or Low-Calorie drinks-Sometimes I crave a carbonated delight. When I do, a diet soda or a carbonated water usually does the trick.

Coffee-It’s great for a jumpstart to my day and contains an array of antioxidants. If you want to add a little cream and sugar-Go for it. That one packet of sugar and dash of cream isn’t the culprit…it’s the four Mountain Dews and 37 beers you drank last weekend.

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So there you have it 5 Gut-Busting Beverages that are Sabotaging Your Diet…and, of course, how to combat it.

Don’t say that I didn’t warn ya.

What do you drink throughout your day?

Sweet Tea? Red-Bulls? …Gasoline?

Let me know in the comments below! Maybe I will have some HEALTHY alternatives for ya!