Sep 14, 2017Choosing Carefully
For athletes who are working hard to not gain weight, they often don’t realize how many calories they are consuming in what they drink. But in reality, a soda or even a sports drink can up their calorie count drastically.
The best way to avoid the beverage calorie trap is to know how many calories are in different drinks. Here’s a look at how a football player reduced his caloric consumption significantly by changing his drink choices.
Meal………….. Original Drinks…………………………….. Substitution
Breakfast…………… 2 20 oz. bottles orange juice (480 calories)……….2 20 oz. bottles water and a fresh orange (60 calories)
Throughout morning….. 1 can soda (200 calories), 2 large glasses fruit punch (700 calories)…………1 can diet soda, 2 bottles water or sugar-free flavored beverage (10 calories)
Lunch………………….. Large lemonade (300 calories)……………Large water (0 calories)
During training session….. 72 oz. sports drink (135 calories), water……..72 oz. sports drink (135 calories), water
After training session…….. Recovery shake (350 calories)………Recovery shake (350 calories)
Dinner………. Restaurant soda with free refills (650 calories)………….2 restaurant unsweetened teas, water (0 calories)
After dinner……….. Large glass Kool-aid (400 calories)…………Water or sugar-free flavored beverage (10 calories)
Totals……………………………..3,215 calories…………………………………565 calories
