Category: The Daily Thought

All About Squats

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MOVE OF THE MONTH: SQUAT

Why squats are important:

  • They work more muscles at one time than most other moves
    • There’s the obvious lower body muscles such as the hamstrings, the quads, and the glutes, but squats also can work your arms, your abs, and your low back.
  • Although deemed as a lower body exercise, they actually build and enhance muscles throughout the whole body
    • Think about it, if you are doing any kind of weighted squat you are using your arms to hold onto that weight, therefore enhancing the muscle tone in your upper body. Adding to a full body workout, your abs are your support system in the movement. As you squat and come back up, your abs are contracting to stabilize the movement.
  • You burn more calories per rep
    • Working multiple muscles at once is going to burn more calories than working a singular muscle group. Think about it as each muscle will burn X amount of calories per rep, and if multiple muscles are being used, you will be burning that many more calories
  • Squats help make your everyday movements and tasks easier
    • There is a thing called functional movement, which mimic movements that are done in real life situations. These movements usually involve multiple muscle groups that move in multiple planes. By incorporating functional movements into your workouts, you are readying your muscles to ease through daily movements better.
  • Help with your balance
    • A strong lower body equals a better center of balance. By improving your lower body strength you are also improving your muscles stability. You will find that your balance is better in not only other exercises, but as you get older as well.

How to perform the perfect squat

  • Step 1: tilt your hips back
  • Step 2: feel the weight of your body in your heels
  • Step 3: with your hips titled back and your weight in your heels, start squatting down
  • Step 4: make sure your knees stay behind your toes on the way down
  • Step 5: once you hit a 90 degree angle with your knees, start standing by pushing up through your heels and lifting through your butt
  • Step 6: finish the movement by fully extending the hips

 

 

source: http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2012/05/25/darin-steen-demonstrates-the-perfect-squat.aspx

The What, How, and WHY of Breakfast

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Healthy-Breakfast

BREAKFAST: The what, how, and WHY

You’ve heard it before, “eat your breakfast”, “don’t skip breakfast it is the most important meal of the day”, yet many Americans go without breakfast and don’t realize the effect that has on their body. Breaking down to importance of breakfast we have the “what, how, and more importantly- the why of breakfast”

  • Why people skip breakfast- they either don’t feel hungry or they are incorrectly trying to cut calories
  • Why you should always have breakfast- not only does it set a standard for your day, but it interrupts the fasting state your body has been in all night. Breakfast is a chance to replenish your body with essential nutrients that will last you throughout the day with abundant energy, as well as being a chance to kick start your day and set you on the right track to healthy eating. Studies have shown that people who miss out on essential nutrients in their first meal of the day are less likely to make up those lost nutrients throughout the rest of your day. In addition, when you skip breakfast you are more likely to splurge on your next meals or overeat due to excessive hunger, which in the long term can lead to weight loss and health problems.
  • What you should eat- think wholesome, nutritious, unprocessed. Skip the pop tart or the overloaded with sugar cereals and opt for some healthier options. Sure, they might take more time to prepare, but they will prepare you for a better, more energize and healthy day. Think proper nutrition with a combination of whole grain carbs and lean proteins with healthy fats.
    • Oatmeal: a classic that has never failed when it comes to providing healthy energy in the morning. If you choose the right kind of oatmeal versus the processed, loaded with sugar kind you will find loads of healthy carbs including fiber that will give you energy and keep your digestive tract in check.
    • Fresh fruit: you can never go wrong with fresh fruit, which provides you with some more healthy carbs as well as essential vitamins and minerals. Top your oatmeal with some fruit!
    • Eggs: a cheap, lean source of protein. Scramble an egg or 2 with some egg whites to up your protein stores for the day. Just be careful of having too many whole eggs as a lot of cholesterol is found within the egg yolk.
    • Low fat Greek yogurt or cottage cheese: Another good source of lean protein for lower calories. Look for brands with minimal added ingredients such as sugar and flavorings
    • Healthy toast: Choose a slice of whole wheat bread to top with organic peanut butter or almond butter for a mix of carbs, protein, and fats
    • Smoothies: Smoothies can be a well-rounded breakfast if you make them right. Choose some fresh fruit and greens to mix in with low fat Greek yogurt or skim milk, and some flax or chia seed to add healthy fats
  • How to make breakfast work for you:
    • Eat upon waking, that way you don’t have time to talk yourself out of eating in an attempt to “save” calories
    • Meal prep! Prep some scrambled eggs, smoothies, or overnight oats the night before to quickly fix up in a busy morning rush.
    • Eat breakfast with someone. Making it enjoyable will lead to making it a habit as well as being an encouraging factor to eat healthy.

Sources: ACE Fit, The Eat Clean Diet Recharged by Tosca Reno

21 Day Lower Body Challenge

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[[ IT TAKES 21 DAYS TO CHANGE A HABIT ]] – Scientifically proven!

I’m sure you’ve seen hundreds of different “squat challenges” before targeted at helping you get stronger, leaner, sexier legs. Well I’m here to kick those to the curb. Yes, I think they are great! Squats are great! But when it comes to overall muscle tone you need to do more than one exercise in order to target all of the various muscles in your lower body. Hence, the lower body challenge. Sticking to the traditional squats and building reps upon that, we will also be adding various other bodyweight lower body moves to have you feeling sore in places you didn’t know had muscles. Ready? Here we go!

**All are to be done 3X through unless otherwise stated**

DAY 1: 

  • 10 front lunges- each leg
  • 10 squats
  • 10 side lunges- each leg

DAY 2:

  • 5 clock lunges- each leg
  • 15 squat jumps
  • 15 standing leg abduction

DAY 3:

  • 10 squat to calf raise
  • 30 rapid calf raise
  • 50 standing leg extension- each leg

DAY 4:

  • 10 side lunges- each leg
  • 10 curtsey lunges- each leg
  • 30 wide stance squat

DAY 5:

  • 20 lunge to leg abduction- alternating legs
  • 20 squat to leg swing- across body
  • 20 lunge to leg kickback

DAY 6: REST

DAY 7:

  • 25 donkey kicks- each leg
  • 25 straight leg pulse- each leg
  • 25 butt bridges
  • 25 single leg butt bridge- each leg
  • 25 prone lying leg lifts- each leg

DAY 8:

  • 30 second wide stance squat hold
  • 50 jumprope
  • 30 curtsey lunge- alternating

DAY 9:

  • 50 squats
  • 50 walking lunges
  • 100 calf raises

DAY 10:

  • 20 straight leg deadlift (no weight needed)- each leg
  • 30 standing leg extension- each leg
  • 40 standing leg abduction- each leg
  • 50 air jumprope

DAY 11: (if fitting, hold something to add weight and make it harder)

  • 10 squat to burpee
  • 20 walking lunges
  • 30 wide stance squat
  • 40 calf raises
  • 50 second wall sit

DAY 12: REST

DAY 13:

  • 25 butt bridges
  • 25 lying straight leg lifts- each leg
  • 25 side lying leg abduction- each leg
  • 25 donkey kicks- each leg

DAY 14:

  • 50 squats
  • 50 lunges- total
  • 50 jumping jacks
    • Repeat 4 more times

DAY 15:

  • 20 squat to side kick
  • 20 front kicks
  • 20 back kicks
  • 20 donkey kicks
  • 20 hydrants

DAY 16:

  • 15 jump lunges- each leg
  • 30 narrow squat pulse
  • 45 jumping wall taps
  • 30 narrow squat pulse
  • 15 curtsy lunge- each leg

DAY 17:

  • 45 second wall sit
  • 45 butt bridges
  • 30 squat to calf raise
  • 30 single leg butt bridge- each leg

DAY 18: REST

DAY 19:

  • 12 frog hops- forward and back
  • 12 squat to side kick
  • 12 single leg deadlift- each leg
  • 12 plank straight leg lift- each leg

DAY 20: 

  • 20 leg abduction to leg swing- each leg
  • 20 back lunge to front kick

DAY 21: FINAL!!

  • 25 walking lunges- each leg
  • 50 squats
  • 25 inner thigh hops
  • 50 second wall sit
  • 25 calf raise each way- toes forward, inward, outward
  • 50 jumping wall taps
    • Repeat 5 more times

PHEW and after 21 days, tell me how ya feel! Make sure that you are eating quality meals that include protein and carbs and water to fuel yourself for this extra muscle work each day- especially if you are also going to the gym, workout class, runs, etc. still! And remember just because 21 days is over doesn’t mean you have to stop! Keep going, keep finding new challenges, and keep checking back here for other various challenges 🙂

OH- and any exercise you might not recognize the name of- just google! Happy exercising 🙂

 

Rainy Day Core Workout

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AbsWorkout

You’re taking a look out your window right now and what do you see? Dark, dreary skies and a glistening road filled with rain. You’re thinking hmmm how nice it would be to just cuddle here on my couch. You either do that, or contemplate it long enough that you just wasted to much time to make it to the gym. Well, don’t feel guilty about it! Put on your favorite play list , find a spot on the floor and devote 20 minutes to this do anywhere core workout. Ready to break a sweat? Okay, ready, go!

Set 1: 

  • High knees X 15 each knee
  • Regular sit ups X 15
  • Mountain climbers X 15 each knee
  • Russian twist X 15 each side
    • Repeat 3-4 more times

Set 2:

  • Jumping jacks X 25
  • Right side running man X 25
  • Butt bridge X 25
  • Left side running man X 25
    • Repeat 3-4 more times

Set 3:

  • Jumprope X 50 (no jumprope? Use an invisible one 🙂 )
  • Toe taps X 40
  • Bicycle X 30
  • Hip lifts X 20
  • V- ups X 10
    • Repeat 3-4 more times

Set 4:

  • Rapid front kicks X 10 each leg
  • Butterfly sit ups X 10
  • Hollow rocks X 10
  • Superman with 3 second hold at the top X 10
    • Repeat 3-4 more times

Set 5:

  • 30 second plank (hold longer to challenge yourself!)
  • 15 plank hip dips on each side
  • 5 burpees
  • 15 side plank on each side
  • 30 plank jacks
    • Repeat 3-4 more times

**Don’t forget a warm up and cool down and to foam roll for extra mobility with your cool down!**

Overtraining Syndrome

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How overtraining happens

  • Just like anything else in life, your body has limits. Pushing your limits and going beyond your comfort level is good in order to grow your muscles and improve your fitness, but it is important to know when enough is enough. The people who you see in the gym for 2 hours at a time are one of two people. 1: the person concerned with quantity over quality who think that if they are working out for hours on end, they will see results faster. or 2: A knowledgeable person training very specifically for a specific goals- these people usually defined as “body builders” take 3-5 minutes of rest in between sets which naturally extends their workout.
  • My point here is do not be the quantity over quality person. The quality of your workout will always be more important than the quantity. If you are consistently working your body for 2 hours there will come a point about halfway through that workout where your body will reach its limit, your performance will start to decline, your muscles will begin to starve and beg for fuel, and you could potentially be entering a damaging state for your muscles. Same goes for 2-a-days. If you choose to do these make sure you work different muscle groups/ type of exercise in each workout such as morning cardio and afternoon lift, and make sure to do them for less than half of your workout days, your body does not need to be worked that much. Go into the gym with a purpose, a plan, and go at it! If you are dead after a 30 minute workout then that means you did quality right!

Signs of overtraining

  • Consistent or extreme fatigue during your workouts that normally is not an issue
    • Why? your muscles are starved and yelling at you, your fuel is completely exhausted, as is the rest of your body
  • You are not seeing a change in your body composition- despite your hard work
    • Why? Overtraining will put your hormones out of whack which messes with your metabolism
    • Why? You are working out twice as much and twice as hard, but you are still consuming as much food as a baby rabbit- throwing your metabolism out of whack again
  • You can’t remember the last time you had a rest day, or a “light day”
    • Why? I cannot stress enough the importance of REST! When you workout you are literally tearing your muscles into unusual states and the only way to recover and go back to normal is to rest. Light days are equally important for the same reason, as well as throwing in some muscle confusion, it is good to switch it up!
  • You are having issues sleeping- either troubles going to bed, or falling asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow
    • Why? You are exhausted and it is showing in one of two ways. Science shows for a normal person who is not exhausted, it should take about 10 minutes to fall asleep, if you fall asleep faster than that consistently, it is time to take it easy.
  • You are getting sick more often despite your good hygiene
    • Why? When your body is tired, overworked, and fatigued, your immune system is compromised
  • You are noticing odd aches in pains in your joints and various parts of your body
    • Why? Your muscles are not the only thing that is being worked in a workout, your joints are going through too much range of motion too often, leaving no time to recover

Summer Chili

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God Bless the crockpot! Here is an easy, delicious, and healthy slow cooker recipe I got from my boyfriend’s mother! (God Bless the in-laws too right?)

  • 1 1/2 lbs chicken
  • 1 can black beans drained
  • 1 can pinto beans drained
  • 1 can corn drained
  • 1 can fire roasted tomatoes drained
  • 1 small can diced green chiles (or get a fire roasted tomato+ green chili mixed can)
  • 3 TBSP tomato paste
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 TBSP cumin
  • 1 TBSP coriander
  • 1 TBSP oregano
  • 1 TBSP chili powder

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker to cook on low for 8 hours. Chicken will pull apart easily. Serves 4

Macros:

Calories- 345   Fat- 3.5g   Carbs- 48g   Protein- 31.5g

Healthy Food for Healthy Skin

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Day in and day out we are reminded to “eat our fruits and vegetables” and to “choose whole grain over refined grain” and other “tips and tricks” of the sort just to stay healthy. But have you ever stopped to think that maybe all of those healthy options are doing more than benefiting your body internally? All of those foods claimed to be “healthy” or “powerhouses” of food get their cred for a reason. While most of those foods are helping to combat chronic disease they are also doing numerous good deeds for the health of your skin. So if you have a week of bingeing and find yourself staring in the mirror wondering where that blemish came from, now you know why.

Here are just a few examples of some foods to swap into your diet to walk around with that healthy glow!

  • Water: Did you know that water has more benefits than just keeping you hydrated and healthy? It actually has benefits to your skin. You want glowing, healthy skin? Drink up your water! It helps nutrients get into your body, can hide wrinkles, and rids your skin of toxins, leaving you glowing and confident.
  • Antioxidants: these are the number one fighter against free-radicals, which to put it easily, are bad for your body and your skin because they cause damage. Find these healthy antioxidants in colorful fruits and vegetables to protect your skin from long term damage
  • Fish: certain fishes provide different nutrients, all which can benefit the health of your skin in some way. Omega 3’s are known to be good for your overall health, but when it comes to your skin, these fats help keep that oily look away. Fish like shrimp, salmon, and tuna contain selenium which can protect your skin from damage, dry skin, wrinkles, and potentially some diseases. These fish also contain a nutrient called Coenzyme Q10 which is good at combating signs of wrinkles and aging.
  • Fruits and vegetables: The benefits are almost endless here! Already noted that fruits and vegetables are high in antioxidants, they also provide other benefits. Try eating orange foods such as carrots and cantaloupe which has Vitamin A to protect against dry skin. Choose citrus fruits, red bell peppers, and broccoli among others that are high in Vitamin C to firm up your skin and protect against the sun. To protect against skin inflammation, reach for the foods high in Vitamin E such as spinach and other leafy greens, asparagus, and even oils.
  • Dark chocolate: Rejoice sweets lovers! Not only has dark chocolate been proven to be good in the fight against chronic conditions, it can also leave you with skin that is smooth and glowing! The flavanols in chocolate help improve blood circulation to your face while it hydrates it to leave you with that smooth, fresh glow
  • Green Tea: Although green tea is usually a “You like it or you hate it” thing, this healthy powerhouse beverage can reduce skin inflammation, slow aging process, and prevent sun burns.
  • Olive oil: This oil has more monounsaturated fatty acids than other oils which makes it the champion fighter of aging. The fats that make up this oil play a “youth” defining role when it comes to your skin
  • Cut back on sugar: Refined and process sugar vs. the natural kind found in fruits for example is bad for your skin. Foods that contain refined or added sugar can make your skin oily or trap extra oil which would lead to pimples. If you want a pimple free, beautiful face, pay attention to your nutrition labels to cut out anything but natural sugar!
  • Go beyond just eating: Go to your local health market and find a natural face mask that has fruits and vegetables in it! For example: try a berry facial mask in addition to eating your brightly colored fruits to fight aging on both the outside and the inside!

 

For a more detailed look into healthy foods for healthy skin, check out my resources at: http://www.webmd.com/beauty/skin/ss/slideshow-skin-foods http://www.prevention.com/beauty/natural-beauty/25-best-foods-your-skin/dark-chocolate

How to: Come back after a Holiday binge

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Girl running with American flag on farm Image downloaded by melissa sherbon at 17:37 on the 29/06/11

The 4th of July weekend is always a time for celebration- with food, drinks, and desserts. So you may have had a cheat meal, or two, or three, or you may have even put all your healthy eating goals aside for the whole weekend. If you did, I’m here to say- so what.

We are human, we all “lose” control, weather it be voluntarily or involuntarily of things such as our goals. And when it comes to choosing between clean eating & sufficient exercise and a fun weekend spent gorging in festive food, we naturally are going to choose the latter.

We ALL probably had a cheat meal of some sort this past weekend, and if you didn’t, then you either have serious willpower, or you are too hard on yourself. The point here is that occasional cheat meals, holiday binges, etc. are OK! They will not, I repeat, will NOT hinder your success or your long term goals of a fit and healthy lifestyle. Moderation is key, so as long as you get back on track starting today there is nothing that hang your head about!

Tips to get back on track:

  1. Drink LOTS of water! – We’ve all known this for a while, water is good for your body. Not only are you going to rehydrate your body from the likely large amounts of alcohol consumed that puts your body in a dehydrated state, but water also has a natural cleansing So if you want to feel like you don’t have gut rut anymore and have your body feeling fresh, guzzle down more than those 8 recommended glasses of water a day, heck shoot for over 10.
  2. Get right back to healthy eating! – Don’t go with the “oh I’ve already screwed up this weekend’s diet, why not go another day?”. No, no, NO. That is not the way to go! Sure, one bad meal will not make you fat, but if you keep making excuses as to why you can go another meal, another day, another week without sticking to your health plan, then you will inevitably be so far off track that you won’t know how to get back on. So grab for that salad today! Your body will appreciate it and you will feel good too.
  3. Hit the gym – Seems like the obvious answer, but you’ll be surprised as to how many people take on the same mentality as in number 2, or some people- let’s face it- might be too hungover to go. But honestly what better way to cure a hangover than sweating it all out. It doesn’t have to be your most intense workout to date, but getting in there and getting your heart rate up and your blood flowing after a long, sedentary weekend is a much better way to get ready for Monday’s workout than going into the workout out week feeling sluggish and out of it still.
  4. DON’T be too hard on yourself– It’s perfectly okay to have fun every now and then and not feel guilty about it. We are human, we all deserve a few “off” days and an unhealthy meal. It’s life. But what you shouldn’t do after all that is be over critical of your decisions. NO, starving yourself today to make up for yesterday’s binge is not going to even out your weekly calorie count. And NO, working out for an extra hour to burn twice as many calories is going to magically work off your weekend. Calories don’t work like that, they are a daily thing- so if you’re thinking of going to the extremes today in an effort to feel better about your holiday choices now, you might as well just throw in the towel. Embrace the fun you had and get back on track, simple as that.

Cueing 101

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For all the fitness instructors out there, cueing may be one of the hardest things to keep up with. Sure, the moves can change all the time to keep your class guessing, but unless you are changing how you approach each move and what you are saying to go along with it, your class might not ever notice a difference and therefore get bored. Here are some things to keep in mind and try for your next class! Keep it fun, and keep each day a mystery!

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Understanding your class:

  • Some people like to know what muscle they are working and for what reason
  • Some people need positive reinforcement
  • Some people like getting called out in class, some people don’t
  • Some people are stuck in their ways- no matter what you say their energy, form, etc. might just not change
  • Some people like the more “cutthroat” approach
  • Some people are just there to workout for health, without goals in mind

Cues in our “comfort zone”:

  • Keep it up!
  • Squeeze your abs
  • Don’t forget to breathe
  • Only __ more seconds
  • Halfway

Cues to use more of:

  • Remember your goals!
  • Dip deep!
  • If you want to get stronger, you have to push through!
  • Stay with me, you will get through this!
  • You can either cheat yourself, or make yourself better!
  • Find your limits- push past them!
  • When you feel like you can’t do anymore- do one more, then two, then three!
  • Leave it all on the bag!
  • We will keep going until everyone is giving 100%

Get specific!

  • After you show a move- keep explaining how to make it harder, use more force during it, keep good form, etc.
    • “Pulling your hips through on a roundhouse kick will make it more powerful”
    • TRX- “Remember to make it harder, take a step in towards the anchor point”
  • Make the cues fun to understand and remember
    • “Think of sitting on a port-a-potty when doing a squat! You have to sit back and sit low if it’s going to work right”
    • When doing a cross curl- “Think of flexing in the mirror as you bring the weight up to your other shoulder”
  • Let them know what muscles they are supposed to be working!
    • Not only by naming the muscles but also by pointing to the part on your body- some people just don’t know what a hamstring is

Just HOW bad is Pop for you?

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Click, sip, ahhh. The refreshing taste of soda. You might drink it, I occasionally drink it, and according to a post in the Huffington Post, nearly half of all Americans drink it. But why do we? I’m sure it is no news flash to you by now that soda is one of the worst things you can drink, including the diet sodas. One of the worst, but why? Well if you’re an avid soda drinker, you know those who having a tall fountain pop a day is part of your daily routine, you are more than likely addicted. Yes, I said it, but I know that the bubbly delicious taste of that pop is just something many people enjoy.

So if you’re ready to kick the habit, here are some outlined downfalls of soda. I believe that knowing why it is so bad for you rather than just hearing it is bad for you will make you feel more inclined to drink less. And I’ll be honest here, I am not a pop a day kind of girl, but I am even researching this for myself too, a soda a week is even critical to my health I feel. So let’s kick that can to the curb with these researched soda downfalls.

Reason #1 soda is bad for you: Addiction

First, and most obvious- it is straight up, hands down, without a doubt addicting. Whenever someone is addicted to something they will find any reason to keep it in their lives- and these bubbly, fizzy drinks are no exception.

But why is it so addicting? The ingredients in soda’s leave you wanting more. For example- caffeine- it is addicting. Caffeine has been reported as the most popular psychoactive drug and its energizing effect on your body leaves you wanting more, and more.

Aside from that- ingredients such as soda and sugar could leave you feeling more thirsty in the long run or lead to a sugar crash and have you reaching for another Pepsi out of the cooler

Reason #2: Hazardous ingredients

Any kind of pop- well excluding the “diets”- are full, and I mean full of sugar. You might as well eat a sugar cube and call it a day. Some of that sugar even comes in the form of high fructose corn syrup– yuck! If you know nothing about “HFCS” you just need to know one thing- stay away from it!

Phosphoric Acid. Just like it says in its name, it is very acidic. Everything has a pH level, and the lower the level, the worse it is for you. For example- water has the purest acidic level at 7, whereas phosphoric acid has a level of 2.5. Compare that to the acidic level of 1 of battery acid that can eat through your skin and you see where you’re sitting at on the acidic scale every time you sip on that Coke. In addition, this ingredient also makes your body less capable of absorbing calcium, making your bones weak

Caramel coloring. AH! the caramel coloring, something you have may have heard of in recent years for its claim to bad health, especially in the diet sodas. The most basic way to put why this coloring is so bad for you is that during the process of making it- it also creates byproducts that are carcinogens. So that coloring goes into your Diet Pepsi and brings with it its friends the carcinogens.

Aspartame as a substitute for sugar in diet drinks could possibly be even worse for your health

Reason #3: Weight gain

The American Journal of Preventive medicine stated that over 20% of calories consumed by Americans daily comes from sodas! In a country where we are exposed to every type of greasy, sugary, bad for you food, we are prone to weight gain, and sodas only contribute to that problem.

Now obviously we know that calories in<calories out is the basic equation for weight loss- but when it comes to tracking liquid calories, many Americans just leave out their soda for example thinking that because it is a liquid it can’t count for much. WRONG! If those who drink just one 12 ounce can of Pepsi a day quit- they would save 1,050 calories a week. And in the world of calories and weight loss, a negative weekly balance of about 500 calories is all it takes to lose one pound! What do you think about tracking your soda calories now?

Reason #4: Long term health issues

The hazardous ingredients, excessive amount of sugar, weight gain due to calories, and even potential excessive amount of caffeine can have hazardous long term health effects such as:

    • 20% increased risk of having a heart attack
    • 26% increased risk of type 2 diabetes
    • 75% increased risk of gout

 

  • Seizures, brain disorders, and multiple sclerosis as a result of the aspartame

 

  • As a result of the phosphoric acid- osteoporosis
  • And most obviously- obesity

Reason #5: It breaks the bank!

Pop can cost you anywhere between $1-$5 depending on where you buy, and how many ounces. Just to be modest, let’s look at just below the average cost of that range at $2.50 a soda, I think that sounds pretty normal unless you’re at a ballpark. If you were to drink a soda a day, for 7 days a week, for 52 weeks in a year you would be spending $910 a year, on average! That is the cost of a vacation! Just think about what you could do with that savings if you switched to free water right in your own home!

All in all, soda is bad for you, it has been known to be bad for you, and it will continue to be bad for you. Opt for some water enhancers, natural tea, carbonated water instead! Give it 21 days to break the habit and stay committed from there!