Diet Coke bad...Aspartame bad, right? What do I drink then?

[noella17]

12. Ditch the caffeine.

It seems impossible (I say this as I sit here sipping coffee, LOL) but it's not. You may not have a weight problem right now but you say you want to maintain your weight. Caffeine increases our cortisol levels and that is said to increase weight. Maybe not right away but little by little. Plus, it has other negative effects.

You were asking about lemonade and it's so easy, quick and way more delicious with FRESH lemons! I think another aspect of maintaining healthy weight and health in general is making things yourself.

I have made a cool and refreshing drink called Green Lemonade. I squeeze a lemon (or lime) into a pint of distilled or reverse osmosis (or spring) water, add stevia ground leaves (NOT the extract, which does not have the therapeutic value) and it's a nice sugar-free alternative to white sugar. However, if you are going to use stevia, you normally will do it in tandem with a less refined or healthier sweetener such as raw honey, Sucanat or turbinado sugar, possibly agave (it has mixed reviews). Splenda is NOT natural.