7 Tips to NAVIGATING Holiday “CHEER”

THIS WEEK

‘Tis the season and that means lots of get togethers with coworkers, family, and friends. For for many of us  – that also means a lot more exposure to booze than normal.  In this post we are  going to outline our best tips for navigating the holiday alcohol boom!

Alcohol is known as a “foreign substance” to the body, but to everyone else, it’s the “life of the party.”

From a physiological standpoint, the body only knows the 3 main macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates, and fats. This means that when we consume alcohol, the body cannot store it so it must be broken down (metabolized) first. Basically, it puts on hold whatever food we consumed prior to drinking to sit in our stomach until the alcohol is cleared, raising your chances for weight gain.

The good news is that there have been multiple studies that show there is no direct correlation to alcohol causing weight gain. In fact, the weight gain will come from alcohol’s ability to increase our appetite & loosen our inhibitions = increased chances of consuming more calories.  Worse – It doesn’t stop there!  Over imbibing can lead to a poor nights sleep, hangovers, slugishness, and even depression the next day.  For some, the impacts of a night out drinking can take several days to fully recover from.

Here are some tips on how to enjoy alcohol while maintaining your weight.

Tip 1: Always have food in your stomach before drinking

Consume a high protein meal before to keep you feeling fuller.

Tip 2: Hydrate

Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Try starting your evening with a glass of water before your first drink and maintaining the one glass of water per drink for the rest of the evening.

Tip 3: Limit certain foods with alcohol

Try to avoid snacking or the higher-calorie meals like pizza, burgers, etc. as they are all very easy to consume, are so calorically dense and provide little nutritional value.

Tip 4: Set a limit

Set a limit to the number of drinks that you plan on consuming in advance.

Tip 5: Make it last

Most of us are not in our college days anymore, so the days of crushing a whole beer (or four) in ten minutes may not be ideal…enjoy your drink and make it last.

Tip 6: Limit sugary drinks

Limiting sugary drinks like margaritas or other fruity cocktails to prevent the added calories.

Tip 7: Stay “light”

The “light” beverages will always have fewer calories but will never be calorie-free.