"People tend to turn a "blind eye" to the concept of liquid calories. If a liquid has color, flavor and/or bubbles...chances are, it has calories. The only liquid that definately has zero calories is unadulterated still water. So, let's take this opportunity to discuss two calorific drinks, namely alcohol and flavored coffees.
Now, I'm sure most adults can testify to the unpleasent aftereffects of too much alcohol. But in addition to the postbinge hangover, there's something else that fitness folk should be concerned about--consuming a calorie-loaded cocktail that kills your conditioning. Newsflash: Alcohol can be a big problem for fat-conscious bodybuilders. Why? There are several reasons. Alcohol adversely affects exercise performance and recovery. It can cause dehydration and nutrition deficiencies. Alcohol is also a source of unnessecary calories. It doesn't matter how meticulous you are with your diet, if you're drinking alcohol every day, you won'y get ultra-lean. What's more, alcohol interferes with the body's ability to burn fat. Your body uses alcohol as an energy source rather than deriving it from stored fat, so you body holds on to fat, contributing to that beer belly. Think before you drink, and check out these facts:
1. A regular beer has about 150 calories.
2. A six-ounce (180 ml) glass of red wine has 120 calories.
3. A margarita can contain 450 calories.
4. Partygoers who drink a Red Bull with vodka slurp down 250 calories.
5. Many cocktails contain more calories than a double cheeseburger.
6. Drinking a glass of wine every day adds up to an extra 40,000 calories per year.
You also may be tempted by the lure of a refreshing jolt of iced java. The trendy java huts have been busy creating new chilled recipes to tempt our taste buds during the hot summer months. But for the consumer, there's a heafty price to pay. These cold, flavored coffee drinks not only cost an arm and a leg but also pack a heavy caloric punch! How many calories?? Well, make sure you are sitting down, because you're in for quite a shock. Check this data out. First up, let's evaluate a medium-size 16-ounce (480 ml) cup of black coffee. As you might expect, this standard favorite contains only 10 calories from a couple of grams of carbohydrates. Next, a 16-ounce cup of cappuccino bumps the calorie count up to around 150 calories on account of the steamed milk. Now here's the shocker, a 16-ounce serving of one of those new blended iced coffee drinks contains nearly 300 calories. And when you add whipped cream to that drink, it delivers a whopping 430 calories with a massive 16 grams of fat. Yep, you read that right. Quench your thirst with this baby and you'll gulp down almost 500 calories. If you're looking for a fast-acting weight-gain supplement, this is it, my friend. Sadly, you probably won't find these nutrition facts on display in the coffee shops -- and that ought to be a red flag for any calorie-conscious bodybuilder. Personally, I think that any 500 calorie drink should come with a health warning on the cup! If you want anything that resembles an abdominal six-pack, you best stay clear of the java hidden with a jolt of calories. You could request that you drink be made less calorific by using nonfat milk, but even then you still get a drink that tops 200 calories. If you are serious about losing weight, choose a chilled ready-to-drink can of protein."
SOURCE: Men's Body Sculpting (2nd Ed.) by Nick Evans, MD.
Now, I'm sure most adults can testify to the unpleasent aftereffects of too much alcohol. But in addition to the postbinge hangover, there's something else that fitness folk should be concerned about--consuming a calorie-loaded cocktail that kills your conditioning. Newsflash: Alcohol can be a big problem for fat-conscious bodybuilders. Why? There are several reasons. Alcohol adversely affects exercise performance and recovery. It can cause dehydration and nutrition deficiencies. Alcohol is also a source of unnessecary calories. It doesn't matter how meticulous you are with your diet, if you're drinking alcohol every day, you won'y get ultra-lean. What's more, alcohol interferes with the body's ability to burn fat. Your body uses alcohol as an energy source rather than deriving it from stored fat, so you body holds on to fat, contributing to that beer belly. Think before you drink, and check out these facts:
1. A regular beer has about 150 calories.
2. A six-ounce (180 ml) glass of red wine has 120 calories.
3. A margarita can contain 450 calories.
4. Partygoers who drink a Red Bull with vodka slurp down 250 calories.
5. Many cocktails contain more calories than a double cheeseburger.
6. Drinking a glass of wine every day adds up to an extra 40,000 calories per year.
You also may be tempted by the lure of a refreshing jolt of iced java. The trendy java huts have been busy creating new chilled recipes to tempt our taste buds during the hot summer months. But for the consumer, there's a heafty price to pay. These cold, flavored coffee drinks not only cost an arm and a leg but also pack a heavy caloric punch! How many calories?? Well, make sure you are sitting down, because you're in for quite a shock. Check this data out. First up, let's evaluate a medium-size 16-ounce (480 ml) cup of black coffee. As you might expect, this standard favorite contains only 10 calories from a couple of grams of carbohydrates. Next, a 16-ounce cup of cappuccino bumps the calorie count up to around 150 calories on account of the steamed milk. Now here's the shocker, a 16-ounce serving of one of those new blended iced coffee drinks contains nearly 300 calories. And when you add whipped cream to that drink, it delivers a whopping 430 calories with a massive 16 grams of fat. Yep, you read that right. Quench your thirst with this baby and you'll gulp down almost 500 calories. If you're looking for a fast-acting weight-gain supplement, this is it, my friend. Sadly, you probably won't find these nutrition facts on display in the coffee shops -- and that ought to be a red flag for any calorie-conscious bodybuilder. Personally, I think that any 500 calorie drink should come with a health warning on the cup! If you want anything that resembles an abdominal six-pack, you best stay clear of the java hidden with a jolt of calories. You could request that you drink be made less calorific by using nonfat milk, but even then you still get a drink that tops 200 calories. If you are serious about losing weight, choose a chilled ready-to-drink can of protein."
SOURCE: Men's Body Sculpting (2nd Ed.) by Nick Evans, MD.
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