Beer is probably the last thing you would expect to be promoted on a fitness website. It is high in calories, low in nutritional value and does very little for your health. However, that does not change the fact that a lot of people (myself included) enjoy drinking beer. This is especially true over Christmas. Unfortunately, all this extra beer can quickly lead to festive weight gain. Most cans of premium lager contain over 200 calories which means that just 5 cans can take you over the 1,000 calorie mark. When you combine this with all the treats and 3 course Christmas dinners that are on … [Read more...]
10 Low Calorie Cocktails You Can Enjoy This Christmas & New Year
Alcohol is definitely not a healthy choice. It contains 7 calories per gram and has no nutritional value. However, most people (even those who try and lead a healthy lifestyle) do consume alcohol and their intake often increases over Christmas. Therefore, an effective strategy over the festive period is to look for alcoholic drinks that are low in calories. Straight spirits are the absolute lowest calorie alcoholic drinks available. They contain no sugars, no carbohydrates and no fats. All their calories come from alcohol. However, unless you are a hardened drinker you probably do not want … [Read more...]
5 Smart New Years Eve Drink Substitutes
With New Years Eve celebrations going on up and down the country you are likely to be drinking quite a bit of alcohol tonight. Unfortunately, at 7 calories per gram alcohol is one of the most calorie rich food groups out there. Drinking just 4 double Jack Daniels and Cokes, 4 pints of Stella or 5 standard 275 millilitre (ml) bottles of WKD can add over 1,000 calories to your daily consumption. Fortunately, if you make some smart drink substitutions you can minimise the amount of extra calories you consume. That is why today I am going to list 5 calorie saving New Years Eve drink … [Read more...]
5 Low Calorie Alcoholic Drinks To Consume This Christmas & New Year
When it comes to Christmas and New Year, low calorie alcoholic drinks can do wonders for your waistline. After all, alcohol is not the healthiest of drink choices. It contains 7 calories per gram making it the most calorie rich food group behind dietary fats (which contain 9 calories per gram). It also contains no vitamins or minerals, hence the reason the calories in alcohol are often referred to as “empty calories”. However, the reality is that most people (even those who lead a relatively healthy lifestyle) enjoy alcohol to some degree. With the Christmas holidays now in full swing and … [Read more...]
5 High Calorie Alcoholic Drinks To Avoid This Christmas & New Year
In an ideal world we would completely abstain from alcohol. However, the reality is that many people who lead a healthy lifestyle enjoy the odd drink (myself included). With Christmas and the New Year fast approaching you are likely to be consuming much more alcohol than normal. Unfortunately, only dietary fats (at 9 calories per gram) contain more calories than alcohol (at 7 calories per gram), making it one of the highest calorie beverages available. If you are not careful all the extra alcohol you consume over Christmas and New Year can quickly turn into excess holiday pounds. Today I … [Read more...]
Alcohol & Diabetes: Controlling Your Consumption
If you are diabetic then you need to moderate the level of alcohol you consume. Otherwise you could find yourself facing some serious health problems. First, alcohol does not combine well with chemical medication. Secondly, whilst alcoholic drinks do contain calories, they do not have the minerals, vitamins and nutrients that you get in your food. Thirdly, alcoholic beverages contain a lot of sugar which will impact on your blood sugar (glucose) levels. One of the key things you need to do as a diabetic is control your blood sugar levels. Getting adequate rest, consuming lots of fluids and … [Read more...]