Should I Be Cutting Out Alcohol?
When it comes to health and fitness, alcohol among other things is mentioned frequently when it comes to advice on weight loss, general fitness and more.
We know that many people (us included!) would be sad to give up our glass of wine, so we’re breaking down how to manage your alcohol intake and where it can have an effect on your health and fitness.
Can cutting down alcohol help you to lose weight?
Because alcohol is a higher calorie liquid, there is evidence that cutting out alcohol or even lowering your intake each week can help with weight loss.
On average a pint of beer has the same amount of calories as a mars bar but they are empty calories, providing you with little or no nutrients, so you can see how cutting down could help you to lose weight.
How does alcohol affect my general health?
An excessive intake of alcohol can have many effects on the body including:
High Blood Pressure
Effecting our endocrine system that maintains bodies stability
Weakening our immune system making us more vulnerable to illness
affecting our mental health
Liver Damage
It’s important to note that these are likely to happen if we consume too much alcohol on a regular basis.
How should I manage my alcohol levels to maintain a healthy body?
You don’t necessarily need to cut out alcohol completely to lose weight or keep healthy, there are many ways to keep healthy whilst still enjoying a drink:
Try to stick to the NHS guidelines of not consuming more than 14 units per week and having two days alcohol free each week
If you are trying to lose weight, swap the higher calorie drinks such as beer and wine for a lower calorie option such as a gin and tonic
Increase your daily water intake to ensure hydration levels remain high
If you are going out with friends, say before that you plan to drink a non-alcoholic drink, make yourself accountable before to avoid temptation.
To summarise, it’s not essential to cut out alcohol to maintain a healthy and balanced body, however, cutting down your intake or even going alcohol free will aid you in improving your overall health and wellbeing.
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