Celebrations and cocktails go hand-in-hand together. Yet, have you ever considered the impact of drinking and your health goals?
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Spring is in the air! Sunshine, fresh air, and the freedom to fire up the grill seem to encourage a cocktail or two as the days turn warmer. And celebrations are around every corner: spring holidays, graduations, Memorial Day, and the list goes on! Have you ever considered how cocktails affect your health plans?
In this article, you will discover the relationship between drinking and your health goals, figure out if drinking is good for your health, and learn about healthy drinking habits.
This post is all about Drinking and Your Health Goals.
What’s the Big Deal About Drinking and Your Health?
Drinking alcohol to celebrate birthdays, weddings, graduations, holidays, and sometimes just surviving the day is extremely common. Yet, women often share stories of frustration because they aren’t meeting their weight loss goals, their energy is zapped, their sleep is suffering, or they have hit a plateau on their health journey.
My drinking years were at their highest during my college years. Thirty years ago, drinking and health goals were not even on my radar. Fast forward to today, my health is a top priority and every day I speak with women that are also prioritizing their health goals.
Although I am not an expert in the medical field, you won’t believe how cocktails impact your health goals.
In his book The End of Mental Illness, Dr. Daniel Amen blatantly asks, “Why do nurses rub alcohol on your skin before they give you a shot or insert an IV needle?” and “What is the reason alcohol is used to preserve dead specimens?” Alcohol is used to kill bacteria, cells, and tissues. Yikes!
This statement alone should make you wonder what alcohol is doing to your brain, gut, and body. Furthermore, if you indulge in cocktails frequently and wonder why you are struggling, alcohol may be part of your health hiccup.
Drinking and Metabolism
According to the Mayo Clinic, metabolism is the process that changes food and drinks into energy. Most women in their 40s and 50s prefer to blame age as the culprit for a slower metabolism. Yet, there are many factors to consider.
Hanging out near the pool, with a frozen margarita, is just one way to slow down your metabolism. Why? That margarita is stressing out your digestive organs.
Furthermore, alcohol is a toxin and your body gets to work metabolizing the margarita, or toxin, first. Any other fats or nutrients will be stored until the alcohol has been metabolized.
How long does it take for alcohol to move through your system? Of course, there is not one simple answer. Age, gender, and/or food consumption are just some of the factors to consider when figuring out how fast alcohol moves through your system.
Overall, it takes an average of one hour to metabolize one standard drink.
So, your afternoon at the pool, with 3 frozen margaritas and chips, and salsa, slows your metabolism. Over time, slower metabolisms make weight loss more challenging.
Drinking and Dehydration
Most health and wellness resources and programs stress the importance of hydration. When I work with women to support their health goals, I always suggest they drink half of their body weight in fluid ounces, as a minimum. The liquid of choice is water!
Alcohol is a diuretic, which consequently, causes more trips to the bathroom. Unfortunately, loss of fluids, without replenishing with water, causes dehydration.
In order for your body to function optimally, hydration is important. Staying hydrated allows your body temperature to stay regulated, deliver nutrients to cells, prevent infections, and keep your joints lubricated.
A body working properly allows health goals to be easily attained and maintained.
Drinking and Energy
When was the last time you had a glass of wine and felt an explosion of energy? Ha! Exactly!
A glass of wine might help your eyelids close more easily for your sleep schedule, but too much alcohol actually affects the quality of your sleep. Therefore, less sleep equals less energy.
Furthermore, tired people tend to make poorer food choices. And poorer food choices lead to weight gain and farther away from your health goals.
Drinking and Fitness
Health goals often include fitness. Movement is a habit that creates physical and emotional results for your health journey. Unfortunately, cocktails slow down muscle recovery and performance.
Even if you aren’t actively “training,” celebrating your run at the bar with friends, stalls your health journey. Your muscles may feel sore longer, dehydration unfolds more quickly, and injury chances increase.
Drinking and Your Next Decisions
Meeting your friends for a cocktail, after a stressful day at the office, may seem like a great idea. Laughter, a little alcohol, and a fun environment are great for the soul.
Hence, one Miller Lite often leads to two or three. Someone orders nachos and cheese fries. You forget about drinking a glass of water for every beer. Your bedtime routine gets kicked to the curb! You get the picture!
Drinking alcohol often leads to more decisions that move you away from your desired health goals.
Is Drinking Good for Your Health?
Although drinking moderately may have some health benefits, heavy drinking can damage your liver, increase your chances of developing breast cancer and some other cancers, and can contribute to depression.
According to Alcohol: Balancing Risks and Benefits, defining “drinking moderately” is a balancing act. One drink a day for women seems to be the most recent recommendation. Yet, recommendations on the benefits for each individual must be made by a healthcare professional.
Check with your healthcare provider to make an educated decision on whether drinking is good for your health journey.
Healthy Drinking Habits
Drinking alcohol affects your weight, fitness, and health goals unquestionably! And drinking every day versus drinking once weekly versus drinking occasionally makes a huge difference.
Yet, is it possible to still have an amazing drinking experience without killing your metabolism, your hydration levels, your energy levels, and stalling your fitness goals?
Absolutely! Here are a few healthy drinking habits to add to your health journey.
- Limit the amount and days you will consume alcohol. Maybe it looks like one drink on Saturday evenings or maybe it’s only one drink a month for a special occasion.
- Drink one glass of water with every alcoholic beverage.
- Skip the sugary cocktails. Try adding natural sweetness from fresh fruits and herbs like watermelon with vodka, carbonated water, and ice. You can use lemons, limes, oranges, cucumbers, mint, and berries. Or add a FUN, TRUTH, or PASSION packet to vodka or tequila.
- Eat a healthy meal one hour prior to your party or eat while enjoying your adult beverage.
With outdoor celebrations just around the corner, understanding how drinking affects your health goals allows you to make decisions to keep you moving toward your target.
This post was all about What No One Tells You About Drinking and Your Health Goals.
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