 If you are serious about losing weight, as tempting as it is, science is in favour of ditching alcohol. Research shows that alcohol consumption increases the levels of cortisol in our bodies. According to nutrition expert Philly Mac Mahon from Fit Food “having an increased level of cortisol in our body means more stress and a diminishing physiological ability to burn belly fat.”
But as a client debated with me “after a long hard workout, nothing quenches the thirst like a nice cool crisp pint of larger.” Despite advocating protein for the benefit of muscle repair, metabolism increases and hunger reductions for the next meal, it’s a losing battle. Alcohol is by far way more enticing than your sweetest, tastiest protein shake! So, if you are going to drink post work out, why not make these booze swaps which will help you on your journey to your goal of losing that excess belly fat. 1. Swap Beer for Red Wine Despite research showing that beer can replenish hydration post workout faster than drinking water alone, it is still very high in carbohydrates and calories. Instead of indulging in a large pint of beer with 208 calories, opting for a glass of red wine can reduce the calorie count from 200 to 120. With Hop’s being the main ingredient in larger, it can actually boost the female sex hormone oestrogen. If you are a woman this is great news. Low sex drive is actually as a result of low oestrogen. However, if you a man, this means your muscle building abilities post training are reduced if you drink a pint of beer. 2. Swap the Whiskey Coke for Vodka Soda Although Soda Water on its own might not taste as good as coke, it has 55 less calories. And if we are comparing light versus dark spirits in terms of a hangovers the Vodka Soda is actually a double win. Clear spirits contain less hangover toxins than dark ones. As we all know, when you are hungover we tend not to care about all of our new good formed nutritious habits. We opt for the hangover saving fry up which contains about 1000 calories! So swap the Whiskey Coke for a Vodka Soda with a bit of lime and you will find yourself reducing calories more than you think! 3. Swap the Long Island Iced Tea for a Bloody Mary Cocktails are notorious for being high in calories. The long Island Iced tea is no exception, racking up to 780 calories per serving. A bloody Mary on the other hand has 600 less calories! As a tip, make sure you request fresh tomato juice with your Bloody Mary. Tomato juice when fresh provides vitamin C and lycopene which is an antioxidant linked to the reduction of prostate cancer. Booze swaps won’t do it alone! Despite these booze swaps helping you on your journey to banish belly fat, you must remember, alcoholic drinks are empty calories. A gram of alcohol contains seven calories, just two less than a gram of fat. And despite its bad rep, fat actually contain vitamins and other compounds essential to good health whereas alcohol is just empty! To ensure you get towards your goal walking is a good start but getting a consistent training programme of lifting weights is one of the best ways to banish belly fat for good. For a more in-depth insight into how you can banish belly fat without even entering the gym why not check out my online coaching programme.
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