drinking-related stories
Drink More, Exercise More?
Drink up -- people who enjoy cocktails regularly are more likely to work out on a consistent basis.
Binge Drinking Adds Inches to Waistline
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| Photo: Nick Wheeler Oz, Flickr |
Mortified by your muffin top? Blame the booze -- according to studies, binge drinking can add a staggering 4 inches to your waistline if you're a woman, and 2 inches if you're a man. That's according to research from a few years ago that showed that ladies who regularly went on drinking binges were 4 inches bigger around the waist than those who kept their alcohol intake under control.
So just what constituted binge drinking in comparison to regular drinking? Those classified as binge drinkers drank at least 10 units in a single session at least once a month. But while 10 units seems like a lot, keep in mind that a large glass of wine can contain three 'units.' Eeps -- sounds like a regular Sunday dinner at my mother's house.
Still, this isn't really all that surprising -- alcohol can make you fat for a number of reasons:
Bottoms Up! Those Who Drink More Also Exercise More
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| Photo: Kristen Seymour |
Specifically, ABC reports that a University of Miami study found heavy-drinking women (those who had 45 drinks in a month) logged an average of 14 more minutes of weekly exercise than those who had up to 14 drinks in a month. When compared to teetotalers, the women exercised 20 more minutes, and were more likely to exercise vigorously than those who didn't drink at all. The fellas had similar results.
The results were a surprise to everyone involved, and many guesses have been made about why people who imbibe in adult beverages also hit the gym. For many, it could be a simple matter of calorie compensation. If you're calorie-conscious and have a few margaritas, chances are good you're going to work extra hard to burn those off.
Break Your Bad Diet Habits
When you're battling to lose weight (and let's not kid ourselves -- it is a battle), it's often the subterfuge that keeps you from winning. You feel like you're doing everything right, but it's those sneaky ol' bad habits that make the last five (or 10, or 20) pounds so dang hard to drop. Often, you don't even realize you're doing anything detrimental to your diet!
For example, eating a really light breakfast or skipping it entirely might actually sabotage your weight loss efforts. Oh, and those sexy heels you've been wearing? Yep, those aren't doing you any favors.
The video above gives some helpful tips for changing those deceptively bad habits, but if you have suggestions of your own, be sure to leave a comment!
And, because you can never have too many weapons in your arsenal when fighting those cravings, check out these new diet tools.
Recession - It Might Be Good for Your Body
Cutbacks in jobs or income: Bad. Cutbacks in recession-related smoking, overeating and drinking: Good. Despite the age-old idea that people drown their sorrows in times of stress, evidence shows that people are actually indulging less often in vices like eating out and drinking alcohol due to recession woes.Could the recession really turn out to be good for America's health? If the stress doesn't get to us, it just might. Sales of cigarettes and liquor are down, and people are eating fewer restaurant meals, which, when not chosen carefully, can be over-sized and filled with fat and sodium. Keeping an eye on the bottom line might just end up being good for our collective waistline.
Andy Delony of the Michigan Restaurant Association acknowledges that the recession has been tough for restaurants in his hard-hit state. "Michigan led the nation into the economic doldrums," Delony tells That's Fit. He says, "It's never been harder to operate a restaurant." Eating out is still a significant part of people's lives, says Delony, but even those who aren't finding themselves challenged economically are still watching their dollars more carefully.
Drink Smart - Low-Cal Cocktails That Won't Ruin Your Diet
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Lily Allen - Proof that Hypno-Dieting Works?
Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment, Nutrition & Supplements
It was with a fair amount of skepticism that we told you about Lily Allen adopting a bizarre-sounding weight loss scheme known as Hypno-Dieting, but according to reports, it was not only successful in helping her drop two dress sizes over the past year, but it also helped her give up her hard-partying, alcohol-swilling ways. Impressive, no?
So what's the deal with this 'hypno-dieting' anyway? We imagined a Freud lookalike swinging a stopwatch and chanting 'you are getting sleeeeeeeeeeepy,' ala some bad TV movie -- let's hope it's a bit more sophisticated than that. But while Lily's Hypnotist Susan Hepburn wasn't giving away any tricks of the trade, she did say this on the process: "During sessions, I taught Lily to favour healthy, low-fat meals instead of junk food. And to see that alcohol isn't a confidence booster, it's just extra calories that sabotage your efforts to get a good body."
Wow. It sounds so simple. And it obviously works. But at over $450 a session, you might want to stick to Weight Watchers. Or America Takes It Off. Click on the badge below for the skinny on this program.
Peer Pressure - How to Deal When Losing Weight
To Wine or Not To Wine?
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During the holidays, the wine flows freely at my house. Wine's the best of the alcohols, right? That's what we tell ourselves anyway. But one has to wonder, considering recent reports that the metals in wine are linked to Parkinson's and cancer. Plus, apparently, wine drinkers are most likely to drink too much. Egads. And yet, it's still true that wine is healthy for your heart. What's a wine lover to believe?
I, for one, believe in moderation -- living healthfully 90 percent of the time and giving myself a break that other 10 precent. I also believe that if we abide by every study on every food that causes whatever disease or condition, we're not really enjoying ourselves. I believe in enjoying the good things in life, all at once -- good food and libations with good family and friends. I believe in making up for indulgences with an extra long run on Monday.
What's your take?
Water - Five Ways To Get It, Even If You Don't Like It
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
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You know that rule? The one that says you should get eight to 10 glasses of water a day? What do you do if you don't actually like drinking water? Hey, some people don't. After all, it is, by nature, the most bland beverage out there. But drinking lots of water is important for your health and losing weight, especially during the holidays. If plain old agua isn't your thing, try ...
- Eating lots of produce. It's mostly water!
- Making or ordering soup. Again, it's mainly water, but try to stay away from high-sodium canned soups because they will cause you to retain water as well.
- Warming up with herbal tea. Vanilla, peppermint ... there's an endless variety of flavours to choose from, so choose one and drink up.
- Drinking juice. Most juices have a ton of sugar, but if you're not getting any other sources of hydration, juice will have to do. Add some carbonated water to give it a kick and up your water intake at the same time.
- Adding stuff. Things like lemon wedges and mint leaves will add a bunch of flavour and none of the calories, so it can't hurt to try.
How do you drink your H20?
Drinking on Friday - Maybe Not Such a Good Idea?
Motivation, Nutrition & Supplements
Ever noticed how an after-work drink on Friday makes you feel sluggish all weekend, even though a drink on Saturday doesn't have the same effect? You're not alone -- it happens to a lot of people. And according to nutritionist Jane Clarke, there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for this -- it has to do with how alcohol is processed by your body after a long, hard day or week of work. In other words: If you're tired, stressed or depressed, one drink can be pretty potent, even for the most seasoned drinkers.
Other things that affect how the drink affects you? If you've just come from a workout, a cocktail will affect you more easily than it would if you hadn't worked up a sweat. Similarly, if you haven't eaten a nutritious meal beforehand, alcohol will affect you more than it would have if you had.
However, if you're in college, you're probably thinking this is a good thing. Do your liver a favour and drink wisely.
Calorie Counts on Booze - Coming to a Liquor Store Near You?
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
If you knew a pint of beer had as many calories as a hot dog, would it stop you from downing six on a night out with friends. Experts in Britain think so, and they're looking into putting calorie counts on alcohol in an effort to curb binge drinking. It's thought that this move will target young binge-drinking women in particular, who are more conscious of their waistlines. The calorie count could also come with a warning like the kind you see on cigarette packs, an idea of what a food equivalent would be calorie-wise and an indication of how many standard drinks are in the serving size you're consuming (for the record, there are 2.3 alcohol servings in a pint of beer).
But not everyone agrees. Opponents of the initiative think that instead of deterring people from binge drinking, this will encourage them to compensate for the alcohol calories by skipping meals. Hmm. Good point.
What do you think? Are calorie counts on booze a good idea?
Guy Ritchie - Finding Comfort in Food?
The demise of a marriage is difficult enough to deal with -- imagine how much more trying it would be if every explosively-bitter detail were splashed across the media. How do celebs deal with that kind of public anguish? If you're soon to be ex-Mr. Madonna, you drown your sorrows ... in beer and cheeseburgers. Guy Ritchie, the British director who made international headlines when he married the first lady of pop, is apparently finding comfort in McDonald's take-out and late nights at the pub. But who can blame him after years of following a macrobiotic diet under Madge's reign? Still, if you're going through a public divorce, you don't want to be the one who gains weight -- especially when your ex is the uber-fit Madonna.
(via Calorie Lab)
Quench kids' thirst with these healthful drinks
Healthy Kids, Nutrition & Supplements
When my son and I go shopping, we always buy 100% fruit drinks for his school lunches. No matter how many times I insist on the 100% varieties, my son is always drawn to the sugary options. I know why, too. It seems as if the 100% juice products are packaged to attract parents -- with images of fruit and so forth. The sugar-added varieties are packaged to attract kids -- my son is drawn to the pouches that have surfers and skateboarders on their packages. But I insist on 100% juice. After all, fruit juice is sweet enough as it is... why would anyone need added sugar?Healthcastle recommends the five top drinks to pack in your child's lunch box:
- Milk. If the school provides milk, you may want to send your child with the money to purchase milk there. (If you're opposed to chocolate milk, be sure to educate your child on that.) If you pack milk cartons, use an insulated lunch box and a freezer pack to keep the milk properly chilled.
- Yogurt drinks. Try freezing yogurt drinks before packing in your child's lunch box. By lunch time they'll still be chilly, but thawed enough to drink.
- Water. Always the best option for hydration, fill a reusable water bottle with water and ice each morning.
- 100% juice. There's no reason for the added sugar, so if you're going to pack juice make sure to purchase one that's labeled 100%. Keep in mind that 100% juice is still high in sugar, so don't let your child sip on these all day. One at lunch is enough.
- Soy drinks. Be sure to pick a soy drink that is calcium-fortified, lightly flavored, and lower in sugar.
Alcohol during early pregnancy can harm development
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
I've never been pregnant, yet drinking during pregnancy is an issue that I'm very familiar with. My son's biological mother drank while she was pregnant with him. As a result, my son has Fetal Alcohol Effect. While he doesn't have the craniofacial features that are typical of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, he has many of the behavioral and cognitive impairments associated with the spectrum disorder. For example, though he is 11-years-old, my son's ability to comprehend cause and effect is about the level of a 2-year-old's. So suffice it to say that I'm glad to see this study stating that even a few glasses of wine in early pregnancy can cause some fetal cell death. The researchers studied the effects of alcohol on fetal development in mice. Evidence shows that a few glasses of wine over an hour can have lasting effects on fetal development.
If you're pregnant, or there's any chance you might be pregnant, don't drink. It's just not worth it. One fun night might turn into permanent impairment that your child has to manage and live with for their rest of his or her life.
