Consider this graphic the uncomplicated answer to every question you’ve ever had about what to drink. And here’s a surprise: You don’t have to swear off the drinks you love in the name of better health and nutrition. Instead, use this guide to make beverage choices that match your lifestyle, taste preferences, and goals, no matter what your starting point.
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“I’m not allowed to drink anything!”
Ever feel that way?
When it comes to improving our nutrition, many of us have been told, quite matter-of-factly: Cut out liquid calories.
No soda. No juice. No alcohol. (Oh, and no fun!)
This well-meaning advice is at least partially justified.
Most drinks don’t make us feel full, yet they compose about 20 percent of the average person’s daily calorie intake.
Yanking them out of your diet makes for a simple solution. The problem: It’s often not a welcome one.
That’s because it instantly limits your choices to water, unsweetened tea and coffee, and zero-calorie diet drinks. For some, this can lead to serious feelings of dietary deprivation and make it harder to practice healthy nutrition habits.
Thankfully, there’s another option.
Instead of making certain drinks entirely off-limits, think of all beverages on a continuum, from “drink more” to “drink some” to “drink less.”
Need a visual? We’ve created just that with this easy-to-use infographic. (And if you want to make better food choices, check out our ‘What should I eat?!’ infographic.)
Here’s what to do:
Look at our continuum, and ask yourself: ‘How might I do just a little better?’
For example, if you’re drinking four regular sodas a day (“drink less”), maybe you swap one of those for a diet soda (“drink some”). Then gradually, you continue to make adjustments, exchanging some of your regular and diet sodas for carbonated water (“drink more”).
This is how you make lasting change.
But it’s just the start of what this infographic has to offer. You can use it to:
- Strategically improve your drink choices (without a rapid overhaul)
- Customize your beverage intake for your lifestyle and preferences
- Create your own personal continuum and expand your drink list
All so you can work towards better nutrition, while still enjoying the drinks you really love. (Including milkshakes and jalapeño margaritas.)
Download this infographic for your tablet or printer and use the continuum to decide which drinks are right for you (or your clients).
If you’re a coach, or you want to be…
You can help people build sustainable nutrition and lifestyle habits that will significantly improve their physical and mental health—while you make a great living doing what you love. We'll show you how.
If you’d like to learn more, consider the PN Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification.
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