Tip For Tuesday: Ditch the Soda!

Seriously, it's bad news in the fight against obesity! Among other things.

I know, that image is gross, but think about it. All of those calories for no nutritional value! Some people drink their daily caloric intake and more, plus food! No satiety! You don't stay feeling full; that means you eat more. Need more info?

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), the main sweetener in soda, has been shown to directly cause leptin resistance. 
Why is that a big deal? What does leptin do? 

Leptin is a hormone that is tied closely to regulating energy intake and expenditure, including appetite, metabolism and hunger. It is the single most important hormone when it comes to understanding why we feel hungry or full. When present in high levels, it signals to our brain that we’re full and can stop eating. When low, we feel hungry and crave food. Source

Fructose doesn't suppress our hunger hormone, either! 

Your brain literally cannot tell you when you are full! 

Every corn syrup- or sugar-sweetened drink a child consumes each day increases his or her obesity risk 60 percent! JM p.102

The most common associated risks include: obesity, nutritional deficiencies, tooth decay, diabetes, osteoporosis and bone fractures, heart disease, food addictions, blood sugar disorders and other eating disorders, neurotransmitter dysfunction from chemical sweeteners, and neurological and adrenal disorders from excessive caffeine. Source

High phosphates, low calcium, high sodium = increased risk for osteoperosis and bone fractures

Sugar, acid = decreased tooth enamel

Drinking one or more soft drinks per day was also correlated with an increase in these symptoms: A 32% higher chance of having low HDL levels; a 31% higher risk of becoming obese; a 30% higher chance of increased waist circumference; and a 25% greater chance of having increased blood triglycerides or fasting hyperglycemia. Source

Think Diet Sodas are better? Think again!
For each can of diet soft drink consumed each day, a person's risk of obesity goes up 41 percent!

 Normally, when we consume sugar our body recognizes the sweet and understands that sweet things mean lots of calories. BUT, when we "fake out" the sweetness, the body begins to understand that sweet things have little to no calories. Then it doesn't recognize the real sugar and calories when you do have them and you can overeat them! As we continue to eat "fake sugar" the metabolism starts to forget that sweet has calories. Furthermore, aspartame (NutraSweet) negatively effects our appetite center.

And this doesn't even address the preservatives and artificial colors!

 Then, there is the issue of caffeine! Caffeine makes your endocrine system think you are under stress/threatened. Your adrenals pump out their hormones to help you out. These stress hormones begin a myriad of fattening hormonal actions. 

Liver releases sugar, pancreas releases insulin, blood sugar dips, blood vessels constrict so you feel like your sugar is dipping even lower! Short term energy burns out! You grab another caffeine loaded drink! When this happens over and over again, your adrenals get worn out, your body is inflicted with long-term effects of REAL stress (oxygen to the brain slows, immune system is suppressed, excess cortisol increases appetite and encourages belly fat, continued insulin spikes create insulin resistance!)  
JM p. 117-118

Caffeine is also a diuretic, so you could be losing precious water and nutrients, too! Spicy wrote a great article here on water intake!

Tip for Tuesday: Ditch the Soda! Drink Water!

(JM: Master Your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels)