Sep 18, 2011 3 min read

Pop and Juice

Hey, Coach! I know I need to make better nutritional choices and am thinking about cutting out soda. I was wondering if switching to apple juice in moderation would be a good choice. That way I’m not getting all of that caffeine, and maybe I can lose a little weight, as well. What are your thoughts about this change?

Signed….Healthier Choice

Dear Healthier Choice: Reducing caffeine is a good thing, but sugar is sugar, whether it’s in soda or juice. A good thing to do is to start to read food/drink labels. Ten ounces of X drink may have 100 calories, while there are only 60 calories in Y, while Z drink has zero calories. Thus, while switching to apple juice eliminates caffeine, it still has its downfalls. Looking for sugar free and low cal drinks is a much better way to go, and, of course, water is always a great suggestion. Sure; it may not have that sweet taste that so many of us crave, or at least enjoy, but a cold glass of water may have a tendency to “grow on us” if given a chance. Also, surprisingly, some of the zero calorie drinks taste pretty good, or at least okay, so you may want to give some of those a try. So, if it’s apple juice you desire, a little sip here and there is much better than drowning in soda, but do not be misled that choosing juice over soda is always a good solution to reducing calories and losing weight. Good luck!

Weight Loss

Hey, Coach! Is there a different amount of exercise recommended for people who want to maintain a healthy weight versus those trying to lose weight, or does it mostly come down to calories? Signed…Counting Cals

Dear Counting Cals: First, please note that we can maintain or even lose weight without ever breaking a sweat. We can do that by simply eating/drinking nutritiously with “restraint” (easier said than done). Having said that, in a perfect world we would maintain a healthy weight by eating/drinking nutritiously and working out on a regular basis. However, few of us live in perfect worlds regarding this matter. To lose weight, we must consume less cals than we expend over time. Consuming 100-200 less cals a day can help us lose about 1-2 pounds a month; 300-400 less cals a day can help us lose about 3-4 pounds a month. Toss in some cardio, and those numbers can increase to something much greater. Engaging in 60 minutes of moderate to intense cardio on most days of the week is recommended to maintain good health. For those interested in losing weight, a minimum of 90 minutes of moderate to intense cardio is suggested on most days of the week. It all seems so simple (except making that much time), but having the discipline to make this lifestyle change is where most of us fail.

Coach’s Comments: There is no telling how far we may have to run while chasing our dreams, so that’s another great reason to always be in good shape. Be safe, and thanks for making the Coach a part of your Steelers’ weekend!

Send questions to askthecoach2003@yahoo.com.