21 Drinks To Help You Get Fit
Losing weight is never easy. There are so many things to keep in mind and so much to care about that it can all get quite overwhelming. And quite often, while we are watching what we eat and how much we eat, we forget all about the drinks that we put in our bodies during the day, which is a huge mistake as the beverages are just as important for our figure as the foods we eat.
The drinks that we will be talking about today are some of the best beverages for people who wish to lose weight. You will find a number of teas, juices, smoothies and other beverages that will help you lose weight in one way or another. Or in a number of ways.
1. Water
Not enough could ever be said about how important water is for the proper functioning of our bodies and how essential it is for us to drink it. Our bodies are 70% water and our bodies crave it in order to work at the peak of their efficiency.
When it comes to losing weight, there is no beverage that is more recommended than water. For one, it helps our digestive tract work at its best, it does away with water retention and on top of all that, it also makes you feel full and helps curb appetite. It also enables you to exercise without the fear of getting dehydrated. Proper hydration is also essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system, which is always important when trying to lose weight.
Drinking water can get a bit boring at times, but there is plenty of things that you put in it to give it flavor while still keeping it slimming, such as fresh herbs, cucumbers or citrus fruits.
2. Fat Free Milk
Most real nutrition experts and physicians will tell you that drinking milk makes very little sense once you turn 5. In fact, in many cultures world-wide, adults do not even drink milk and they find it quite strange to see us Westerners enjoying a tall, cold glass of milk.
When it comes to its effects on weight loss, regular milk that contains fat is not your best ally. In fact, it is a beverage that you would probably be better off cutting from your diet.
On the other hand, fat free milk is a completely different story. The reason for this? Calcium, which is found in high concentrations in milk. Calcium, for instance, suppresses calcitriol, a hormone that “helps” you gain weight. Without it, your body is enabled to break down fat much more effectively. In addition to this, calcium can suppress appetite, which is always a bonus when you’re trying to lose weight.
3. Green Tea
Green tea is often lauded as one of the best allies in any weight-loss effort and there are quite a few studies that have shown its beneficial effects on weight loss. It is a versatile beverage that does a few things for you.
For one, green tea, like any other tea, contains caffeine which is a stimulant, which also makes it an appetite-suppressant. In addition to this, due to its stimulating properties, it provides you with added energy which will allow you to exercise more fervently, which will lead to increased weight loss.
Furthermore, green tea contains compounds called catechins which break down the adipose tissue by enhancing the release of fat from the cells and helping the liver turn that fat into needed energy.
As you can see, green tea has a number of ways in which it helps you lose weight and with a few cups every day, you will definitely be losing weight more efficiently.
4. Coffee
Coffee is a beverage that people just cannot agree on. Is it good for you? Is it bad for you? Is it simply necessary in today’s world?
On one hand, most experts will agree that drinking anything more than a cup or two per day is probably not good for you, both because of the caffeine and some other compounds found in the drink. However, if you are smart about your coffee, you might actually discover that it can be a great aid in trying to lose weight.
Once again, we are talking about the beneficial effects of caffeine on your weight loss regiment. Firstly, it suppresses the appetite and helps you stave off the cravings. It also boosts the metabolism, which ensures faster melting of the fat. Finally, it will provide you with added energy for those extra-strenuous and effective workouts.
Of course, all this is completely pointless if you drink your coffee with a gallon of milk and a mountain of sugar.
5. Oolong tea
Oolong tea may not be as popular in the west as green tea is, but in China, it is one of the most popular types of tea and it is becoming more and more popular in the west as well. One of the reasons behind this is that it can be quite helpful in losing weight.
We are, once again, thanking the catechins found in the tea, a compound that boosts the body’s natural ability to break down and metabolize fats found in the adipose tissues. It has been found that oolong is particularly rich in these compounds.
However, this is not all. Oolong tea has also been found to reduce the risks of diabetes and to regulate insulin levels. Furthermore, some studies have shown that it might even lower the risks of cardiovascular diseases.
Finally, we should also say that oolong also contains caffeine, which despite some of its “questionable” properties still is a stimulant that can help you in your weight loss program.
6. Watermelon Smoothie
We will be mentioning a number of smoothies as part of our weight-loss drink list and the first of these is the watermelon smoothie. One thing before we go on, you should always remember that we are talking about smoothies that will not contain any sugary ingredients such as sherbet.
The watermelon smoothie is one of the best smoothies when it comes to weight loss and it is because of the watermelon, which is actually quite an excellent fruit if we’re talking diets and losing weight.
For one, watermelon is just an explosion of water at its finest, perhaps even making it the best hydrating fruit of them all. However, watermelon is our friend because of some other nutrients that are found in it, such as lycopene, which helps fight cancer and lower the risk of cancer and also because of arginine, an amino-acid which helps melt the fat and even increase lean muscle mass, among other things.
7. Red Wine
In general, alcohol is not recommended if you are looking to lose weight. It is highly caloric, even in drinks that you would never think are caloric like vodka soda. Also, alcoholic drinks often contain high levels of sugar, which makes them even less appealing for those who are trying to lose weight.
Red wine, however, can become an aid in losing weight, if you are smart and careful about drinking it. For instance, several studies have shown that those who drink wine moderately have the lowest accumulation of fat in the belly area. Also, moderate consumption of red wine has been shown to have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system.
Of course, if you do not drink wine, you will probably not be taking it up just to try and lose weight. However, if you are a fan of it, this means that you should not cut it out completely. Just be moderate.
8. Mint Tea
The next on our list of beverages that help you lose weight is another tea, more precisely mint tea. Mint tea boasts a few properties that make it one of the best types of tea for people who are trying to lose weight.
First of all, it has been found that the scent of mint suppresses appetite. The exact mechanisms of this are not known, but the studies have shown that people who simply sniffed peppermint regularly lost more weight than the control group.
In addition to this, mint tea has been found to help with digestion and processing of fats in the stomach. This means that it will be great help if you choose to indulge in something particularly fatty and that it will prevent bloating.
A great thing about mint tea is that you can enjoy it both hot and iced in the summer when it becomes one of the best ways to refresh with a cold beverage.
9. Cranwater
In case this is the first time you encounter the word cranwater, it is exactly what you think it is – water combined with cranberry juice. It is one of those super-beverages that are great for your overall health and that can also help you lose weight.
The main reason why cranberry juice is so good for you is that it contains very high levels of organic acids which have been found to help the body dissolve deposits of fat in the body. In order for this to happen, however, you will need to drink it regularly.
The combination of water and cranberry juice works only when the cranberry juice is actually 100% cranberry juice made from fresh cranberries. The perfect ratio for most people is 6 ounces water with 8 ounces cranberry juice.
Cranberry juice has also been found to help fight certain type of bacteria and it is also rich in anti-oxidants which is always a plus.
10. White Tea
When we are talking beverages that help you lose weight, there is another type of tea that we just could not leave out from our list – white tea.
White tea is dried naturally, meaning that it is the least processed tea, which in turn means that it is the richest in antioxidants. For instance, it contains three times the polyphenols that you can find in green tea. Of course, this means that it is also excellent at helping you lose weight.
The most recent study that was published in Nutrition and Metabolism established that white tea not only boosts breaking down of fats in your body, but also prevents formation of new fat cells thanks to a number of compounds that interfere with the process of fat creation. This is something that you just do not get with other beverages and it should be enough to make white tea permanent part of your diet.
11. Green fruit and vegetable juice
It is a well-known fact that vegetables are good for you, especially if you are looking to lose weight. One of the easiest and best ways to reap all the benefits of having vegetables in your diet is to juice them. The juice we are talking about can be found under a number of names, but we will be keeping it simple – we’ll just call it green fruit and vegetable juice.
The ingredients include a stick of celery, half a cucumber, a handful of spinach and a handful of lettuce. 3 apples are added for the taste and some additional benefits, as well as a cup of ice to make it chilled and beautiful to drink.
This particular juice is great for flushing the toxins out of your body, providing your body with a hefty dose of essential nutrients and helping you lose weight as well. If you wish, you can add a bit of ginger root for added kick.
12. Grapefruit Juice
For a long time, dieters have been swearing by grapefruit and it seems that the scientific community is finally catching up with them.
Namely, a recent study has shown that grapefruit is excellent at doing away with fats that are ingested through food. The study involved rats that were fattened with starch and fats. The rats were they introduced with grapefruit juice and it was discovered that they lost a ton of weight thanks to it.
In addition to this, grapefruit juice has been found to be incredibly good at regulating blood sugar levels, which is always helpful when trying to lose weight.
If you are looking to lose weight, you should definitely start drinking grapefruit juice. Still, you need to be careful not to overdo it because grapefruit actually contains quite a bit of calories. We are not talking anything dramatic, but more than a few cups of grapefruit juice might actually make you gain weight.
13. Pineapple Frappe
Frappes can be quite fattening if you go for the “commercial” kind that you can get in stores or that most places sell. However, if you make it yourself and ensure that there are no fattening ingredients in them, they can be a great delicious alternative that will help you lose weight.
Our recommendation is the pineapple frappe which will also include a tablespoon of flaxseed oil. Flaxseed oil is packed full of monounsaturated fatty acids that can do amazing stuff for you when you are trying to slim down.
Also, the pineapple itself contains high concentrations of an enzyme called bromelain which has been found to ease digestion, break down proteins and prevent bloating. As you can see, it is a drink that is just full of potential and the best thing is that it just makes you feel happy and sunny.
It is probably because of its taste that will always remind you of sunny beaches and happy people.
14. Rooibos tea
Rooibos tea is not really a household name and it may be a bit pricy, which is no wonder considering the fact that it is grown only in a certain part of the world, the Cederberg region in South Africa. It is made from leaves of the “red bush” plant that grows in the area.
The secret behind its incredible weight loss properties is a flavonoid called Aspalathin which is very rarely found in such high concentrations in nature. Quite a bit of research has been done into this compounds and the results are more than encouraging.
Namely, this flavonoid has been found to reduce the levels of certain stress hormones which can trigger hunger, as well as fat storage. In addition to this, these hormones have been linked to high blood pressure, diabetes, insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease. With rooibos tea, the levels of these hormones are significantly lowered which leads to weight loss and some other beneficial effects.
15. Lemonade
First of all, when we are talking lemonade, we are not talking about the stuff you buy in stores. That kind of lemonade has very little lemon and copious amounts of sugar. No, we are talking about freshly squeezed lemons and water, perhaps some ice and that is that.
Lemonade is definitely a drink that can help you lose weight, while being incredibly refreshing as well. Lemon juice has been found to help break down the waste that has built up in the digestive tract. Also, lemons are an incredible source of vitamin C. Lemons also help maintain the acid/alkaline balance in the stomach, contributing to healthy digestion.
Furthermore, lemonade can help decrease the risk of constipation while also contributing to breaking down of fats.
The greatest thing about lemonade is that you can make it as strong or as weak as you want. If you wish, you can just squeeze a bit of lemon in water and get lemon water basically.
16. Mango Smoothie
Another smoothie that is great for weight loss is also one of the most delicious ones that you can make. As you can guess from its name, its base is mangoes and it truly is a refreshing and delicious beverage by all standards.
The reason why this is such a great slimming smoothie is that mango is packed with phytochemicals which are natural fat-busters which not only help break down the fat but can also help impede development of new fat cells.
The smoothie we are talking about will contain mango cube and juice, combined with mashed ripe avocado, a tablespoon of freshly squeezed lime juice and some fat-free vanilla yogurt. If you wish, you can add some sugar, but not more than a tablespoon.
The avocado added to the mix will provide your body with monounsaturated fatty acids which we have already talked about and which are beneficial for weight loss.
17. Fruit Blast Juice
For our next entry, we have gone with another juice, this time bursting with fruity weight loss goodness of apples, pineapple, kiwi and nectarines. The combination not only makes for a delicious beverage, but also packs some serious fat-melting action.
Apples are well-known for their rich fiber content, as well as some enzymes that have been shown to help with digestion. They are also very low on sodium and calories. Nectarines are also rich in fibers and very low on calories while packing a whole array of vitamins that will help you lose weight and stay energized.
Kiwi is another fruit which is extremely rich in fibers and vitamins, as well as flavonoids and carotenoids, antioxidants that provide a whole bunch of beneficial properties. When you add pineapple to the mix, you get a very powerful combo which makes for an exquisite weight-loss beverage by any standard.
18. Peach Smoothie
Peach smoothie is the next entry on our list, and another smoothie on our list. When made with fresh peaches, it is particularly good for you as peaches are one of the most underrated fruits out there.
For instance, peaches contain very, very few calories and no fat whatsoever. They are also amazing for flushing out toxins from the body and they pack a serious amount of different vitamin complexes, as well as minerals that will do wonders for your diet. In addition to this, peaches are an excellent source of antioxidants. Furthermore, they have been found to have mild laxative properties, which means they will help regulate your digestion.
The peach smoothie will also include two tablespoons of organic flaxseed oil, which we have already covered previously and which is noted for its MUFA levels. A great thing about this smoothie is that peaches are so sweet that you will not need to add any sugar to the smoothie.
19. Pomegranate and Lychee Juice
We have another juice on our list and it is definitely one of the more exotic. In the west, pomegranate is nowhere near as popular as in some other parts of the world, like for instance middle Asia where it is considered to be one of the most important fruits. And while we are on the subject of “exotic” fruits, how about lychee, a fruit that is mostly grown and used in eastern and southeastern Asia.
These two make for a very powerful combination that not only results in delicious juice, but also juice that will do wonders for your weight loss efforts.
Pomegranate is extremely rich in antioxidants and fibers and it has been shown to dramatically reduce cholesterol levels. It can also block triglycerides and thus prevent the formation of fat cells in the body. Lychee is another fruit that is rich in fibers and contains no cholesterol or saturated fats. It has also been found to maintain healthy and regular digestion.
20. Super Energy Smoothie
This is one of Dr. Oz’s weight loss smoothies and if someone knows about nutrition, weight loss and what is good for you, then it is everyone’s favorite TV doc. This particular smoothie contains pineapple, watermelon, coconut water, spinach, blueberries and green apples.
Watermelon is an exquisite hydrating fruit and it contains an enzyme which helps obliterate fat accumulated in the body. Pineapple contains bromelain, a fantastic enzyme which can do wonders for your digestion and weight loss. Coconut water keeps the blood pressure in check while apples do their wonders as well in this smoothie. Blueberries contain a whole army of antioxidants and compound which help give you energy and break down the fats in the body. Spinach is included in this smoothie due to its appetite curbing properties which are quite staggering.
All in all, this is a smoothie that will keep you energized all day long while helping your body do away with fat.
21. Yellow Pepper and Grapefruit Juice
Once again, we are tapping into the amazing weight-loss world of fruit and vegetables with another juice on our list. This one contains carrots, yellow peppers, grapefruit, kiwi, fresh ginger, beet and, if you wish, some hot peppers for the added kick.
We have already talked about the incredible things grapefruit and kiwi can do for your body, your health and your weight loss efforts. Peppers are included because of their ability to increase body heat, thus leading to more effective fat metabolisation. In addition, peppers can decrease triglyceride and cholesterol levels while providing your body with important phytonutrients and amino-acids.
Carrots are very low on calories and they are very rich in fibers. Fresh ginger also helps keep cholesterol in check and provides aid to your gastrointestinal system, keeping your digestion in perfect balance. Beets are famous for their wealth of fiber as well as folic acid, iron and calcium, all nutrients that will aid in your battle against excess weight.
