Written by Catherine Saxelby
on Wednesday, 19 January 2022.
Tagged: alcohol, guides, health, healthy eating, healthy lifestyle, nutrition
Trying to lose those Christmas kilos? Setting yourself a resolution to drop some weight and eat for health? Forget worrying about carbs and kilojoules. The real problem behind many people’s weight problems is alcohol.
January is a great month to cut out alcohol and give your liver some recovery time. It will also help your weight-loss efforts. Even if you don’t cut it out entirely, having a few alcohol-free days each week is a good idea.
Many of us don’t realise that alcohol is packed with kilojoules (or Calories). A glass of dry white wine (150 mL, not the tiny standard 100 mL one that government brochures all quote) has 500 kJ (120 Cal), while a trendy while a trendy cocktail (275 mL of spirit plus soft drink) has a huge 730 kJ (175 Cal).
Alcohol also loosens your inhibitions, so you eat things you normally wouldn’t. After a few drinks, potato chips, party pies and cocktail frankfurters start to look pretty tasty and appetising.
1. Say ‘No’ to alcohol, co-opting your friends so you’re all doing this together.
2. Go for non-alcoholic options, which can hydrate you and make a pleasant substitute, such as: tomato juicelime, soda and bitters
Living life without alcohol, even temporarily, has so many benefits.
Your skin will look better – alcohol is a potent diuretic, so it dehydrates your skin and reduces its elasticity. Your mental focus and clarity will improve. You’ll save money and sleep better, too. Alcohol is best known for the damage it causes the liver, including liver hepatitis, fatty liver or cirrhosis. But it also mucks around with your energy levels.
If you can say ‘No’ for the month, think of how much better you’ll feel. If you’re on the fence, accept that you may feel worse for a short time, but then you’ll feel so much better when you’re on the other side.
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