Recently someone told me that Mountain Dew is good for you. And that it helps with muscle cramps. I just about jumped out of my skin. If there is one thing I am passionate about its educating people what they put in their bodies. Most don’t care to read the labels. Maybe because they know how bad the crap is for them.

Mountain Dew is on on the top of the worst soda’s you can consume. Here is a great article that will inform you of just how awful it is.

Even Diet Soda is on the list! It can actually make you thirstier (has more sodium) and the artificial sweeteners may make you crave & eat sweet foods. Which in turn will make you gain weight. Read these facts.

Here are 6 beverages to drink and 6 to stay away from.

#1) Drink Water, not Gatorade. Replace the sugary, food dyes, and HFCS laden Gatorade with Smart Water or AquaHydrate. If you are exercising over an hour you need electrolytes not artificial junk that Gatorade has in it.

#2) Drink Homemade Mint Tea, not Iced Tea. Try this simple recipe: Pour 4 cups of boiling water over one bunch of fresh mint leaves. Steep for 10 minutes. Remove mint leaves with a strainer. Add a tablespoon of Agave Syrup or Natural Honey. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice. Serve over ice. You’ll cut the sugar by about 90%.

#3) Drink Seltzer Water, not soda/diet soda. If you like the fizz, opt for Seltzer Water. No sugar, food coloring, HFCS.

#4) Drink Skim or 2% Milk, not a Frappucino. Some of the drinks from Starbucks can have 32 GRAMS of sugar! That’s about 8 teaspoons of pure sugar. Never mind the saturated fat content. Opt for skim milk, 2% milk or low fat chocolate milk (again watch the sugar content).

#5) Drink a homemade smoothie, not a commercial smoothie. Smoothies are wonderful. If you know what goes in them. Most of the ones you buy are filled with sugar. You want pure protein, fruit and healthy calories. It’s easy to make a smoothies. Take 1 cup skim Organic Milk, fresh or frozen fruit, protein powder and some ice cubes. Blend in a blender. Bon appetite!

# 6) Drink 100% juice, not juice. Read the labels on juice bottles. Most will say “juice” on the label, but in fine print it will say “33% juice. Make sure no sugar is added. And for 100% juice, add water to your glass of juice. It will help cut the sugar (although natural) down.

Bottom line: avoid buying drinks/beverages. This includes Red Bull.

For more ways on how to live a healthy life, subscribe to the monthly “with-a-touch-of-sugar” e-newsletter here.

Photo by: realSMILEY

WHOA. Don’t know what is up with this weekend! An email came across last night from a cyclist asking if anyone wanted to ride. Well, I had to ride. BUT. This guy is a category 1 rider. Wins major triathlons. Sponsored by Gatorade, Elite, etc. FAST. Like SUPER fast. I emailed him and asked if he wouldn’t mind riding with a slow rider. He said that was fine. I didn’t warn him that I talk a lot. I knew I would never keep up with him. BUT, OK. I have a riding partner for at least the start/end of ride!

8am. Michael and Mark also joined Kevin & I. MORE. SPEEDY. RIDERS. Shoot! I knew I was in trouble when my usual average pace was the slowest pace. I hung on for dear life. For all about 10 seconds. Mark, Michael and Kevin were extremely kind in waiting up for me. I was just proud of myself for actually trying to keep up. Michael & Mark had to be back at 10:30am, so they headed back while Kevin & I stayed out for some more miles. AND yes, some conversation. You have to have that now!

Arrived back at meeting location. Kevin & I rode 45 miles (with hills) in 2:43. OK. JOY! HAPPY! AWESOME! Well, for me at least. For Kevin that was like a walk (hm ride) in the park.

Thank you guys for riding with me! It was a delight to see how you cat one people do it. ONE day I will be there:)

And this is the conclusion of the elite workout edition.

Photo by Duchamp