Summer. It’s synonymous with relaxation, endlessly warm days, and weekends spent enjoying the company of others. It’s also the time of year that we may drink more and wear less.
So how does alcohol work into the “fitness” equation???
We’re all familiar with the medically accepted maxim: “Drinking is okay in moderation” or “One to two glasses of red wine daily may have ‘potential heart healthy’ benefits.”
But the bottom line is this, if you want to “lose weight”, you have to “lose the booze”.
This is especially true for those with Type 2 Diabetes and (dare I say it?) Women in Menopause (I know, I KNOW, it’s totally NOT FAIR…we bear the weight of our “monthly” burden, we birth ’em, we raise ’em, we deserve SOMETHING, right?!)
Guys are not immune to the negative effects of alcohol on the waistline either and while you just might be worried about having a “beer belly” or “love handles” Fellas, that “daily recommendation” is actually only ONE serving–which is considered 4 ounces for women and 8 ounces for men. (I can hear the collective groan right now)!
A steady supply of alcohol can contribute to fatty liver disease, Type-2 diabetes, some types of stomach cancer and stroke. Sure people will tout the “antioxidant” benefits of wine, but you can get even more antioxidant benefits from a fresh spinach salad with whole nuts and berries on top! (It just doesn’t go down as smoothly as a glass of Pinot Noir).
Whether you drink or not is a personal choice. Twelve (12) weeks before my first Bikini Competition, I quit alcohol, caffeine, and chocolate COLD TURKEY (you’re probably wondering how I survived. LOL). I still can’t drink caffeine after 12 noon without staring at the ceiling into the wee hours of the morning and chocolate seems to be a non-issue (thank God), but alcohol? Drinking it now makes me feel sick the next day–especially if I drink wine.
I have to be honest though, when my eating is on point, it’s easier to see my waistline…And I LIKE it!
And for the record, I LOVE food more than alcohol, so if my guilty calories are going to come from somewhere, it’ll be chocolate lava cake before Merlot. 😉