Have you made a resolution to eat better and lose weight? Follow our month-long program of daily nutrition tips, created by dietitian Leslie Beck to change your lifestyle for January - and beyond. And to get your fitness on track, try our personal trainer-designed .
DAY 15: Ban sugary drinks
Consuming too much sugar – especially from sweetened beverages – is linked with a greater risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Today your goal is simple: Replace all sugary drinks with water, clear tea, black coffee, herbal tea, milk or soy milk.
What constitutes a sugary drink? Regular pop, sweetened iced tea, lemonade, fruit punch, vitamin waters, energy drinks and sports drinks all count.
While 100-per-cent fruit juice does not have added sugar, it's still a concentrated source of natural sugar (and calories) that lacks fibre. For this reason, more than a six-ounce (175-millilitre) serving will count as a sugary drink today. (In other words, it's fine to drink one small six-ounce serving a day as part of your daily fruit intake. But that's it.) Replace fruit juice with a serving of whole fruit. And if you regularly drink fruit juice to quench your thirst, replace it with water.
Want more information related to today's tip? Read on:
Missed earlier days? It's easy to get caught up.
DAY 14: Eat an orange vegetable
DAY 13: Add ground flaxseed to your diet
DAY 12: Eat one vegetarian meal
DAY 11: Pass on the salt
DAY 10: Plan next week's meals in advance
DAY 9: Eat a leafy green vegetable
DAY 8: Drink a cup of green tea
DAY 7: Snack on fruit
DAY 6: Use a smaller plate
DAY 5: Eat more veggies
DAY 4: Practise eating slowly
DAY 3: Boost fibre at breakfast
Leslie Beck