Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Consistently... Drinking


As a guy who likes to enjoy a social summertime cocktail, I was recently surprised at how intense it was to stop consuming alcohol for a few weeks.

I thought I would have no problem. But apparently the drink a day or a few a few times a week was training my system to count on that night-time dose of sugar. And when I suddenly turned off the supply, my body rebelled. No energy. Moody. It was so unexpected and more dramatic than I thought. But at the same time, I watched as a stubborn layer of fat around the waist melted away in just a few days.

Apparently, while in body maintenance-mode and generally watching what I eat and controlling portions, those social cocktails were helping to retain a little extra padding in the love handle department.

I culled the following information from resources on the web which might motivate you to take a cocktail sabbatical as well.

> "A couple every day" adds a LOT of extra calories to your daily diet. If you're talking about two 150-calorie beers, that's 300 calories extra a day or 2100 extra calories a week. Multiply that out for a year and you have 109,200 extra calories! That's potentially 31.2 pounds of fat in a year.
> If you DO account for the calories in those drinks, then you have another conundrum - the alcohol calories displace good valuable food calories. Drinking gives you empty alcohol calories with virtually no nutritional value (and some negative value in more way than one), while pushing out important vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals essential amino acids, essential fatty acids, fiber and other good stuff.
> Alcohol also inhibits fat burning. While your liver is busy metabolizing alcohol, it puts your fat metabolism on hold.

By the way, there's a major risk to drinking every day - even just one or two - that most people don't even think about: Daily drinking is habit forming. Anything you do every day easily becomes a habit that is difficult to break later. On the other hand, if you could establish the habit of working out, stretching, or eating 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables every single day, those would be habits worth forming!

Here's an idea, fill that shot glass with a teaspoon of Coconut Oil, one in the morning and one at night!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Carl...
Funny that you talk about this on the week I decide to have a few... MMM are you following me with the candid camera? XO

I realized that I am working to get healthy and fit. I L-O-V-E Dancing!! Now with that I have been following a few local bands, good friends now, at local bars. With that many pressures of drinking. I was ok until I decided to have a few on a rotten day. The moment I felt it was getting out of hand I return to my fav source of drink at bars WATER!! I can have fun without drinking.

So with that I have return to where I have been in the past... Do I want this so bad that it hurts? Well it doesn't have to hurt, I just have to plan and enjoy life. Working out and eating healthy gives me enough energy. Now I just have sleep more :)

Thanks for the advice. No alcohol is great to reduce the "padding". :)

XO Nice to see ya around! Thanks for WOWY

nessie said...

I used to have a glass of porto before bed for a year and it never really made a difference I found until I stopped - it fucked up my whole routine. Now sometimes when I am writing intensivly I need to have a glass of wine but other than that I am pretty ok. I just wish there was a easier way man.

Unknown said...

I hear you on giving it up being hard. Your body does get used to that sugar. Just like the person who needs there 3pm fix of coffee (me) :).

I have decided to have one glass of wine three times a week or less. this has helped a lot. I haven't given it up (because I like wine with my dinner) and I feel better about decreasing the calories I am consuming.

Not so sure I could swallow the coconut oil though...bleh.

Anonymous said...

Hi Carl, Third time I have tried to leave a comment!

Signed up for Slim in 6...look forward to getting 'fit'!

I also have a Blog! www.dianabiz.net

Thanks to Beachbody for the opportunity to get in shape....

Peach
from Peach on the Beach Blog

psalm9567 said...

I have to admit, Carl, I've never had a taste for the boozy stuff, though I do appreciate a Mike's every now and then.

Glad that you realized it was doing some mind-altering on you!! (and that you cut it out!)

Don't think I could do the coconut oil, but I would do a few shots of raw honey! :) Talk about yummy sugar!!

Sarah