Again with the questions…
No intro needed. Questions asked. Questions answered.
Here we go…
What about Alcohol?
Q – What’s the healthiest alcohol to drink? Isn’t alcohol healthy?
A – That depends, but here are some tips.
• Please keep in mind that alcohol lower inhibitions, so too much alcohol leads to bad choices, not just too many booze calories.
• For the most part, alcohol is empty calories (i.e., zero nutrition), but more than that, it’s a ‘toxin’ that must be preferentially processed by the body. In fact, your body wants to get it out so badly that it spends a lot of its energy purging it when it could be burning fat and sugar calories. If you’re losing weight (or trying), keep in mind that less is more when it comes to booze.
• People can be healthy enjoying a little alcohol, and there are studies that show that a moderate amount has some benefits, but there are also millions of healthy people around the world who drink NO alcohol.
• Improving your health is NOT a good reason to start drinking, as there are many things you can start with much bigger benefits with far fewer risks.
• Any ‘health benefits’ of alcohol can quickly be wiped out with a few too many drinks, which can lead to a few too many cookies, and maybe a whole pie.
Losing weight drink choices?
Choose a booze that is low calorie AND satisfying to you. If you drink light beer so fast that you’ve had a twelve pack by noon, then choose a beer or drink that you can sip more slowly. I can nurse a Guinness for a long time…
People often think Guinness is high in calorie and alcohol, but it’s actually pretty light in both departments. A 12oz bottle of Guinness Draught has under 130 calories and is about 4% alcohol. Warning – Guinness Extra Stout is higher in calories and about 7% alcohol! Not all Guinness is the same.
Gluten free drink choices?
Gluten free beer is always an option, as is cider, wine, and most hard liquor. Even booze distilled from grains tend to be gluten free, because the distilling process removes all the proteins. Did you know gluten was a protein? Yep, it is.
When it comes to those hard lemonades and things like that, read the labels. They can be made with malt liquor, which is like saying tasteless beer. They may or may not have all the gluten removed, so if you’re super sensitive, skip them for a true gluten free option.
Here’s our list of Gluten Free Beers
Keeping your head drink choices?
Moderation is key, like I wrote about earlier. Lower alcohol drinks obviously are better than higher when it comes to getting drunk, but also remember to:
• Don’t drink when hungry. Always eat before you drink alcohol.
• Alternate drinks with water. It slows you down and keeps you from drinking fast from thirst.
• Steer clear of fizzy mixers. Those bubbles are like alcohol escorts, taking the booze straight from the bottle to your bloodstream, to your head. Boom, you’re drunk. Choose mixers that don’t bubble, when possible.
Slim Holiday Action Plan
Galina and I hosted several webinars and presentations on the subject of surviving the holidays, and we compiled a lot of our tips and tricks into this free document, which we’ve cooled The Slim Holidays Action Plan. Check it out!
Resolve NOW to end the year in shape, starting 2015 in better shape than ever!
The Chill Holidays Action Plan is three pages of quick, easy, and healthy tips and tricks that let you keep healthy, fit, AND sane during the holidays, plus a one page ‘cheat sheet’ suitable for printing and posting on the fridge.
The Slim Holidays Action Plan is your guide to a saner, slimmer holiday season, with tips on every holiday subject!
…except gift giving and handling those pesky relatives. You’re on your own, there, but we’ve got you covered on the rest, whether it’s exercise, eating, and drinking, all while keeping your cool.
For more tips on surviving the holidays in style (and probably coming out the other side lighter and leaner), download our free Chill Holidays Action Plan!
Enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving!
Roland & Galina