Drinking Habits for Weight Loss

Eat This, Not That!

This article discusses drinking habits that can aid in weight loss. The author from Eat This, Not That! interviewed different registered dietitians and health professionals to get their take on drinking tips for optimizing health.

The recommendations in this article range from staying hydrated with water to considerations when drinking alcohol. Check out the full article and apply whichever tips you think would help you best!

My contribution to the article is that maintaining adequate hydration is essential in regulating your appetite. If you're dehydrated, this can lead you to have more cravings and turn to food, when what you really need are fluids. That being said, the types of fluid you consume make a big difference when considering health outcomes and your personal wellness goals.

• The consumption of artificially sweetened beverages was associated with a higher risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, all-cause mortality, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease incidence.

  
  

• Also, high intake of alcohol has been associated with weight gain and adverse cardiovascular effects. Remember that recommended daily intake is not what is necessarily "normal" in our culture, but what is formally recommended based on evidence.

Alcohol Intake Recommendations 

The recommended daily alcohol intake varies depending on gender, age, and other health factors. Here are the general guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: 

Men: Up to 2 drinks per day, no more than 14 drinks per week

Women: Up to 1 drink per day, no more than 7 drinks per week

Therefore, "high" levels of alcohol intake could potentially mean more than one drink/day for a woman.

Here is a link to the full article: https://www.eatthis.com/drinking-habits-for-weight-loss/

Resources

1. Alcohol and Cardiovascular Health: The Dose Makes the Poison…or the Remedy. O’Keefe, James H. et al. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Volume 89, Issue 3, 382 - 393. https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(13)01002-1/fulltext

2. Diaz C, Rezende LFM, Sabag A, Lee DH, Ferrari G, Giovannucci EL, Rey-Lopez JP. Artificially Sweetened Beverages and Health Outcomes: An Umbrella Review. Adv Nutr. 2023 Jul;14(4):710-717. doi: 10.1016/j.advnut.2023.05.010. Epub 2023 May 13. PMID: 37187453; PMCID: PMC10334147. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37187453/

3. Lane MM, Travica N, Gamage E, Marshall S, Trakman GL, Young C, Teasdale SB, Dissanayaka T, Dawson SL, Orr R, Jacka FN, O'Neil A, Lawrence M, Baker P, Rebholz CM, Du S, Marx W. Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Adverse Human Health Outcomes: An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analyses of Observational Studies. Annu Rev Nutr. 2024 Aug;44(1):383-404. doi: 10.1146/annurev-nutr-062322-020650. PMID: 39207876. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39207876/

4. Traversy G, Chaput JP. Alcohol Consumption and Obesity: An Update. Curr Obes Rep. 2015 Mar;4(1):122-30. doi: 10.1007/s13679-014-0129-4. PMID: 25741455; PMCID: PMC4338356. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4338356/

5. About Moderate Alcohol Use. CDC. January 14, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/about-alcohol-use/moderate-alcohol-use.html