Every week there is talk about a new artificial sweetener on the market. There is aspartame, splenda, truvia, stevia, and next week there will be a new "natural" artificial sweetener that is all the rage. Many people make the diet move to cut out sugary drinks and high calorie liquids from their diet only to switch to calorie free versions of their old favorites.

When you switch to beverages containing calorie free sugar substitutes you may be losing the calories but not all of the negative effects of sugar. Artificial sweeteners are broken down by the body the same way as sugar. It causes your blood sugar to spike and drop and can also trigger real sugar cravings causing you to consume even more calories than you would have with the original beverage.

Water and tea are the two beverages naturally containing no sugar unless you add to them. Tea comes in all different types of flavors from black, herbal, green, peppermint, and fruit flavors. Tea can be enjoyed hot or cold. Switching out water and tea for your usual calorie free or sugar laden drink will leave you feeling more refreshed, energized, and keep your thirst satisfied longer. Because sticking to water and tea can become very boring I have included five recipes to give your water a burst and adds no more than ten calories per serving.

Spice Up your H20!

• Cucumber melon water
• Slice up a cucumber and 7-9 cubes of honey dew melon. Place in bottom of pitcher and fill with water. This is a cool and refreshing drink and is also a great choice to serve for guests instead of regular water.
• Citrus
• Slice up a lemon, lime, and half an orange. Place in bottom of pitcher and fill with water. This is a tangy but sweet taste and one of my all time favorites
• Berry Delight
• Place handful of raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries in bottom of pitcher and fill with water. The berry flavor is the sweetest water created and while it's not my favorite it is loved by many.
• Coffee Fixer-Upper

When eliminating artificial sweeteners from their diet many people struggle with what to add to their coffee. Skim milk just doesn't add enough sweetness. Try some vanilla flavored PROTEIN POWDER! Or another flavor of your choice. It doesn't take much and adds a sweet and creamy flavor.

I challenge you to make the all natural beverage switch today. Water and tea does not have to be boring and the effect it will have on your diet and well being is insurmountable. Replace sugary or artificially sweetened drinks today with one of these delicious and flavorful recipes. Cheers!

Valerie is a trainer over at The Art of Weight Lifting...working for Taylor Ryan a NASM certified personal trainer. He has been training for years and works exclusively with women to help them train properly...eat clean...and work on fitness motivation. He studies program design and exercises for women. You can read more about him and Taylor on their article page. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Valerie_Matyskiel