Simple Ways to Include Alcohol into A Healthy Lifestyle

With technology catching up faster and faster with our lives, it has become difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It is no secret that long hours of screen time and sitting at office desks are slowly leading this generation into myriad health issues such as obesity, heart disease, back pain, etc. To counter these problems, people are becoming more and more conscious of their lifestyle and are adopting a variety of techniques to improve it including diets, exercise, yoga, meditation, etc.

The question that then arises in the minds of many bibulous folks is – how can alcohol be included in a healthy lifestyle? Well, we have got some suggestions for you.

Count Calories

Choose drinks with comparatively lower levels of calories. A neat wine or whiskey generally has less amount of calories. So you can pick a classy Cabernet Sauvignon or a glass of the evergreen Jack Daniels for the evening. If you’re more into mixed drinks, you can opt for a highball such as Rum and diet Coke or Vodka and Soda water both of which have 65 calories per 6 oz.

Avoid cocktails such as Margarita, Long Island Iced Tea and Mai Tai – all of which pack over 500 calories per 10oz.

Set Limits

Moderating your overall consumption is key. Decide on the maximum number of drinks you want to have for the duration of a month. And stick to your plan. For example- you can decide on 12 drinks in a month which is thrice each week.

Remind yourself of the health benefits attached each time you are tempted to diverge from the plan. You may find it difficult to carry out your plan to the letter initially. But don’t give it up entirely if you falter a little. Give yourself another chance and you will feel your willpower becoming stronger.

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Time Your Consumption

Following from the above, it is also important to choose when you will have your drink. This way you can keep a tab on the calories consumed and also make sure that you don’t have one drink too many. Also, some vitamins and supplement may cause an adverse reaction with alcohol consumption. So, make sure to consult with your doctor before consuming them.

If you prefer to have drinks with your friends while you’re out partying, opt to have those 2-3 drinks you have allotted to the week during the weekend. If, alternatively, you prefer having your drinks during meals, spread them out evenly during the week. The point is to indulge yourself at a time when you will enjoy your drink the most. This will help you stick to your target limit.

Furthermore, avoid drinking alcohol up to a few hours after a workout as research suggests that it may interfere with your muscle building and recovery process.

Have A Meal Before or With Your Drink

Having food with alcohol can deter its impact on your system. A full stomach will lower the rate of absorption of alcohol in your blood. Furthermore, having high-protein foods like cheese or eggs will stimulate your liver to break down the alcohol thereby reducing the rate of absorption in your bloodstream and increasing the rate of elimination. This will prevent you from getting “drunk”.

Choose Healthier Drinks

Studies have shown that some alcoholic drinks might actually be beneficial for health. Red wine has been found to offer cardiovascular benefits along with being useful for colds, boosting memory and burns fat. Beer lowers the risk of heart attack in women and may also prevent diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. Research also suggests that drinks like tequila can help you lose weight. So choose your drink wisely.

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Although it is said that consuming alcohol is a completely unnecessary addition of calories to our daily diet, it eventually depends on an individual’s preference whether to include it in their lifestyle or not. So whether you’re dealing with a stressful work life or a happening party season, if you follow the above tips, you will be able to consume your favorite alcoholic drink while keeping your lifestyle healthy.