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.
November Sponsor: Hunter Method
ConGRATULATIONS - ERIC FELTON
Eric took home the prize for being COMMITTED and showing up for class consistently all of November. The Felton family who absolutely crushed the Kickstart Nutrition Challenge last month and have lost a combined 45#s of body fat while adding muscle since joining Brigade.
This couple wants to demonstrate healthy habits for their kids and get into optimal health for the long haul. Since starting at Brigade last year, Laura has quit smoking and gotten off of medications she was looking to reduce. During the challenge, they both dropped 2 percentage points of body fat, several inches and pounds, and they both gained muscle, energy & endorphins working out with friends.
It is such a privilege to be a part of the Felton family fitness journey & thankful to have partners like Vibrant Meals to award their hard work with a special prize!
Want to be like Eric but don’t know where to start?
Schedule a 15 min. discovery call to talk with a coach. If one of our programs is a good fit for your goals our coach will:
💥 Schedule a Free “No Sweat” Consultation
💥Develop personal programming tailored to you and your needs
💥Work with you privately or in our small group classes and help guide you every step of the way.
