{Disclaimer: This is sponsored post. We would not promote something we did not believe to be true.}
During the second week of our Family Health Challenge, we will focus on sipping smarter. As part of an overall healthy diet, it is important to look for empty calories that are likely consumed through sugary drinks. This week, we will develop a plan to eliminate sugary drinks from your family’s diet. So where do we begin?
- Replace sugary drinks with better choices. There are many ways to accomplish this. But first, take inventory of what drinks are offered in your home.
- Shop smarter at the grocery store. Avoid buying soft drinks, sweetened “enhanced water” drinks, energy drinks and sweet tea. Check the label at the store – you should be looking at calories, sugar content, serving size and other ingredients.
Slowly eliminating sugary drink offerings will allow you and your family to find other alternatives. Better options include water, whether its plain, sparkling or flavored, diet soft drinks (if you must) or coffee and tea without added sugars.
As a former diet soda-addict (self-diagnosed), the elimination process took a while. First, I switched to sparkling flavored water (crazed La Criox lady) and eventually to plain club soda with lime or lemon. My obsession with carbonation slowly dissolved over time and I was able to convert mostly to just plain water. But, it certainly didn’t happen overnight. 
This week’s challenge is to take a look at drinks that you offer in your home. What is one change that you can make today?
Join Charleston Moms Blog on September 24th for the Lowcountry Heart Walk. If you can’t join us, you can always donate to the American Heart Association here!
