Cutting out all liquid calories....

yasminroseee
yasminroseee Posts: 15
in Food and Nutrition
I've decided to cut out all liquid calories with smoothies as the only exception. Would you guys recommend this?

Sometimes I'll substitute lunch for a smoothie and to be honest, they're pretty filling. My favorite is Strawberry Banana from Boathouse farms and it only has 130 calories.

Replies

  • funchords
    funchords Posts: 413 Member
    Yes, it's a good rule of thumb: Eat your calories. Don't drink them.

    All rules have exceptions, and as long as you're making an informed choice, you should be satisfied with your decision.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,131 Member
    I tend not to drink my calories unless they get me drunk.
  • HugeBum
    HugeBum Posts: 47 Member
    I try and follow this as much as possible, with the exception of the milk in my tea and the odd social drink. I drink water throughout the day and lemon water with my meals which is probably like 2 calories. It would have to be a damn special occassion for me to drink juice with calories in it
  • WildOkapi
    WildOkapi Posts: 81
    I agree about not drinking up your calories. If I do choose to, I prefer making a homemade smoothie. In the end, though, all that really matters is calories out > calories in.
  • socalkay
    socalkay Posts: 746 Member
    edited November 2014
    If you are getting your nutritional needs met, you like that method and it works for you then, sure, sounds like a good plan for you.

    My only suggestion would be that you try making your own fruit smoothies from fresh fruit (or frozen without addition sugars added). Good stuff!
  • yasminroseee
    yasminroseee Posts: 15
    edited November 2014
    socalkay wrote: »
    If you are getting your nutritional needs met, you like that method and it works for you then, sure, sounds like a good plan for you.

    My only suggestion would be that you try making your own fruit smoothies from fresh fruit (or frozen without addition sugars added). Good stuff!

    I just checked and it said there's 26g of sugar. Is that bad for weight loss? Btw, I won't be taking in any other sugars from what I eat.
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    I typically don't drink my calories....eaten calories are more filling. But I still have an occasional apple or orange juice.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Agreed, I make an exception occasionally for a bit of milk in my coffee, and maybe a glass of wine once a year, but that's pretty much it. Even homemade smoothies really don't fill me up that much for the calories sadly.
  • warriorguy
    warriorguy Posts: 143
    I get my liquid in the Crystal Light Peach tea variety, plus diet Crancherry and homemade skimmed milk kefir. I think it adds up to about 50 to 60 ozs. Hydration is important and so I need the flavor as water is not too appealing to me. Oh yes, some water through my Keurig Colombian machine.
  • RangedLunatic
    RangedLunatic Posts: 49 Member
    Probably a good decision. It's way too easy to get lots of calories in without being filled up. Even the smoothies are a risk, unless you make them really thick. The exception is if you are trying to get lots of calories in... training for a marathon or something.
  • raysputin
    raysputin Posts: 142 Member
    I've only drunk straight tap water for years - not dead yet.
  • mrsKOrtiz
    mrsKOrtiz Posts: 949 Member
    I do not see this as wrong. I think it is smart but remember that you can make your own smoothies at home made from real fruits and vegetables. Pure in vitamins and nutrients. I plan on adding this in once I purchase a nutri bullet.. Great job. The only calories that I drink is coffee and trust it is well needed! Lol
  • funchords
    funchords Posts: 413 Member
    raysputin wrote: »
    I've only drunk straight tap water for years - not dead yet.
    I've heard that water causes drowning.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,131 Member
    funchords wrote: »
    raysputin wrote: »
    I've only drunk straight tap water for years - not dead yet.
    I've heard that water causes drowning.

    Did you know that 100% of people who drink water DIE????
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
    raysputin wrote: »
    I've only drunk straight tap water for years - not dead yet.

    I'll agree with this so long as your pipes are good... municipal water is checked regularly and is often perfectly fine to drink, but I filter ours beause we live in an old apartment
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
    yasminroseee wrote: »
    socalkay wrote: »
    If you are getting your nutritional needs met, you like that method and it works for you then, sure, sounds like a good plan for you.

    My only suggestion would be that you try making your own fruit smoothies from fresh fruit (or frozen without addition sugars added). Good stuff!

    I just checked and it said there's 26g of sugar. Is that bad for weight loss? Btw, I won't be taking in any other sugars from what I eat.

    it's hard to say without knowing exactly where that sugar comes from. When I buy things like that, I compare the fiber per serving, too. If the ratio is under 5:1 sugar to fiber, then I'll take it. So for 26g of sugar, you should hare at least 5g fiber. This isn't a hard-and-fast rule, but it's a guide (because it depends on where that fiber comes from, too - I mean, cellulose is fiber, and it is also called sawdust). Anyway, if you feel fairly confident with the brand and the sugar is under 5:1, then I'd say go for it
  • njitaliana
    njitaliana Posts: 814 Member
    I used to only drink calorie-free beverages (water, SF flavored water, seltzer, etc), but now I have a glass of skim milk in the morning and put FF Half & Half in my coffee. And I got a Keurig, so I have the occasional chai latte as a treat. But for the rest of the day, it's water. So, I generally have less than 150 cal a day in beverages. I'd rather eat the rest. :smiley:

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  • kmarc33
    kmarc33 Posts: 25 Member
    karinaortiz23 wrote: »
    I do not see this as wrong. I think it is smart but remember that you can make your own smoothies at home made from real fruits and vegetables. Pure in vitamins and nutrients. I plan on adding this in once I purchase a nutri bullet.. Great job. The only calories that I drink is coffee and trust it is well needed! Lol

    Be careful about the nutri bullet. Consumer Reports this past summer rated them as a safety issue and recommends the Nutri Ninja Pro instead. I bought it a few months ago, works fine for smoothies. I make one almost every morning. Coconut Water is sort of like natural Gatorade. After my run this morning I had Coconut Water, frozen strawberries, frozen mango and a banana. I also added Flax seed, fiber and Soy Protein. ~450 calories, ~20 ounces. Full until lunch.

    http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/07/nutribullet-pro-900-don-t-buy-safety-risk/index.htm
  • Missjulesdid
    Missjulesdid Posts: 1,444 Member
    I cut out all EMPTY liquid calories long ago. I still put milk in my coffee and sometimes drink protein shakes or green juices or green smoothies. For me the fruit is just something I'd add to them in order to make the greens taste less like lawn clippings... but these things all have positive nutritional value.. Sugared soda, sugar in my coffee/tea, bottled juices, etc. NOPE, I'd rather enjoy a candy bar and drink water. I'm also not a fan of bottled smoothies.. I just am not convinced that the enzymes and nutrients are actually still in there... I would rather toss stuff in a blender and drink it.. that way I'm in control of exactly what I'm getting..... Tastes better too!
  • Tea_Mistress
    Tea_Mistress Posts: 105 Member
    Sounds about right, except I always have a light hot chocolate with dinner , I dunno, I feel like it really fills me up XD
    + booze
  • halobender
    halobender Posts: 780 Member
    Bolthouse is my go-to store-bought smoothie; their list of ingredients and nutrients are ... OK. The smoothie that I make for myself has 27 grams of sugar but it also yields about 21 oz of smoothie as opposed to 15.3 oz of Bolthouse (their smallest bottle) which has about 42 grams of sugar. Looking at their web site the nutrition facts list 8 oz as a serving for the 130 calories and 22 grams of sugar. So for the amount you're better off making your own smoothie but ... sometimes it's just easier to open a bottle.

    Anyway, just watch serving size, really. I'm one of those people ... if I get a 15.3 oz bottle, I'm pretty sure I'll just finish the whole amount and that's 42 grams of sugar right there, even if it is from fruit/veggies. (Also, if you wanna go by the above fiber:sugar ratio Bolthouse would fail as their fiber amount for 8 oz is 2 grams.)

    With regard to cutting out the liquid calories, that's not a bad idea. I have hot cocoa and irish cream once a day, usually ... but everything in moderation, right? Also if you're drinking lots of water (as opposed to diet sodas, etc) it'll lower your sodium levels and so long as you're not wiping them out entirely that's not bad.
  • Patttience
    Patttience Posts: 975 Member
    No if i followed this rule, i'd have to give up drinking coffee. And coffee is one of the things that has made my diet so easy. Ie the milk in my coffee. Coffee with milk is my go to in between snack. It keeps me going through the day. Yes i count all the calories. but the great thing about coffee is that it doesn't spike your appetite. Rather it can knock the edge of it, unless you are seriously hungry.
  • 0somuchbetter0
    0somuchbetter0 Posts: 1,335 Member
    Alatariel75 wrote: »
    I tend not to drink my calories unless they get me drunk.

    *LIKE*
  • maria0elisa
    maria0elisa Posts: 199 Member
    Alatariel75 wrote: »
    I tend not to drink my calories unless they get me drunk.

    Haha perfect philosophy

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