Liquids are a big part of people's diet and a lot of the time go unaccounted for. Here are a couple basic "liquid laws" to go by.
1. Drink plenty of water: water is involved in every function of your body including energy and weight control. There are many recommendations on how much water you need, but a safe rule is about 6-8 cups. Feel free to ask me for tips on how to drink more H2O.
2. Cut down or out the soda: this article does a good job (although maybe a little over the top) of illustrating what pop does to you Click here to read the article.
3. Limit juices as well: Some juices are good because they contain servings of fruit and vitamins. But be careful because sometimes they can be loaded with as much sugar as soda. Check the food label for 100% fruit juice, look for an absence of high fructose corn syrup and other artificial sweeteners.
4. Drink your milk: "...so you can grow big and strong" not only does milk help your bones, but it helps in several other areas as well. Studies suggest that milk may help reduce risk of type II diabetes, high blood pressure, colon cancer, aging and many others. You should try and drink 24- 32 ounces of milk every day (3-4 cups).
5. Limit alcohol: My preference would be for you to not have any at all, but if you must have some then limit it to one or two drinks per day. There CAN be some benefits, but for most people those fly out the window when you start to consume more and more drinks. Here is a little article on how the body handles alcohol and what health risks it presents.
6. Account for your liquid consumptions: If you are going to drink anything but water, then account for the calories in your meals and diet.