First. I LOVE xkcd.com. It is one of the few websites that never fails to bring a smile to my face when I loose all hope in humanity…which happens from time to time.
As a coach and personal trainer, I am frequently asked about diet and nutrition…. I am just as frequently interrupted and immediately informed of what the inquisitive individual already believes and simply wanted me to hear.
I often feel like the above cartoon!
The other reason why I particularly like this cartoon is its depiction of sugar-laden drinks. I mean, when you put the sugar content in soda as equivalent to two Cadbury eggs……. uh…. wow.
This cartoon reminds me of a change I recently made in my own life.
A few weeks ago, I made the switch from constantly sipping on a sports-drinks or “vitamin-loaded” water to straight-up, all-natural H20 between meals. (Well, almost. I make an exception for my morning coffee. I need that to live.)
Why? No earth shattering reason, I was simply concerned about my teeth and I wanted to protect them – and my wallet – against cavities. So, my dentist suggested sticking with good ‘ol H20 between meals as a cheap and easy way to limit the daily amount of sugar I swished around my pearly whites.
I figured reducing my daily sports-drink-intake wouldn’t be a such a bad idea….especially since, at $2.50 a bottle, I’d save almost $100.00 a month.
Challenge Accepted.
The result? Well, it’s been two months and no new cavities to report. Hooray! In addition, I’m also happy to report that my wallet is a bit fatter and I’ve dropped a few pounds. Talk about an extra bonus!
As a health professional, I understand the power of small changes and this is no exception. While I’m pleased with the result, I can’t help but wonder how much extra sugar I was taking in without even realizing it. I guess this is just another one of the many benefits of drinking water.
So, my question to you is:
Have you looked at your daily water intake lately?
Keep on Swimming,
Coach Meg
wishing luck to my swimmers at Y States and 12&U Silver/Bronze!
