Is alcohol keeping you from losing those last 10 pounds?

It's Friday night you've had a long week and you reach for that bottle of wine?  Before you know it the bottle of wine is gasp, empty!  Well there went that diet as you were consuming that wine you had an extra piece of pizza and then a cookie or two and before you know it you've consumed over 1000 calories!  Saturday rolls around you have a slight headache and just feel like sleeping in.  There goes that gym date you said you were going to do in the morning.  Then later in the day your friend says hey lets meet up for a few drinks.  Before you know it you just repeated Friday night all over again.  You miss your Sunday workout and take a nap later in the day.  Then Monday comes around and your back on your strict clean eating plan.  You might have an occasional drink in the week but nothing major.  Is this cycle going to make you gain weight?

Well over the course of many months yes this will add up on the waist line.  This is not the healthiest lifestyle to lead.  Does this mean no alcohol ever?  Well no I typically tell clients 3 drinks or under a week to keep yourself in decent shape.  So when it comes time for that night out really think twice about how much & what your going to drink.  Those sugar laden drinks can really cost you your fitness goals.  So when you look at your fitness goals and think is alcohol keeping you from losing those last 10 pounds?  Look at the checklist below to help you keep your waistline in check.

Keep things in check, checklist

• Have fewer then 3 drinks a week
• Get out of the habit of drinking mid-week
• Don't get in the habit of splitting a bottle of wine with your spouse on a nightly basis
• Keep to drinks without added sugars.  Think water or soda water
• Wine & dark beer do have health benefits
• Understand a serving size a large glass of wine is actually 2-3 drinks
• Watch what you eat when you indulge in a drink

Start with one or all of the steps above to keep yourself from gaining weight and in the end hopefully losing a few pounds as well.

In good health,

Andrea

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Holiday Parties are here, how to prevent that weight gain!

Now that the holiday parties are about to begin how do you prevent that holiday weight gain?  Well there are many basic tips that one can follow.  I will share some of my top tips below. 

1. Eat before you go to the holiday party- If you go to a party hungry you will consume more food, more drinks than you intended to.  So eat dinner before you go and the food might not look as appetizing as it would if you were starving. 
2. Stick to 1 glass of alcoholic beverages of your choice- After one consumes to many alcoholic drinks you tend to want more to drink and eat.  So sticking to one and sipping on it all night is a better choice. 
3. If you do drink more than 1 drink- If you do go beyond your 1 drink max. make sure you drink water before you have your next drink to stay hydrated. 
4. Have a set time you want to leave the party at- If you and whomever you came with to the party both know what time you plan on leaving stick to that.  That way you know you will be getting a good nights rest.
5. Indulge in smaller treats- Most people have trouble not eating anything at a party, myself included.  Stick to the smaller treats such as a smaller christmas cookie, mini candy cane, and bite sized treats.  Just stick to 1-2 or you may end up getting more calories than you bargained for.
6. Get your workout in the day of and morning after- Make sure you get a good workout in the day of the event and the next morning to keep yourself motivated during this stressful time.
7. Take your workouts outside- Try a free local ice skating park, skiing, or snowboarding for the day. 
8. De-stress a bit and get into yoga- Yoga will help keep you centered and calm your mind and body down.  

Above are great tips to help keep you motivated and help you beat the holiday bulge. If you want more information check out www.safiretraining.com for more information.