Mind the alcohol ladies......;-)

After watching the inaugural, stylish and celebratory event that is the AFL Brownlow medal last night, anyone would of noticed the plentiful and free flowing alcohol...beers, wines, spirits, champagne....
I'm not about to tell you to never drink again, for reasons soon to follow, BUT, I am going to warn you about the negative effects of regular drinking and also help you to make a more informed choice about what it is that you are drinking (in terms of weight management and good health).

It is recommended that adults should consume no more than 1-2 glasses of wine in a day, with at least 2 alcohol free days each week.

- Alcohol over the long term can do damage to your liver, leading to liver cirrhosis,
- Alcohol has been proven to be a risk factor for developing heart conditions, diabetes, and many forms of Cancer,                                                                 - Stomach Ulcers,
- Can contribute to alcohol related Pancreatitis,                       - Infertility,
- Can cause brain and nerve damage,                         - Obesity                 - Vitamin deficiency
- Can risk birth defects to an unborn baby if used during pregnancy,            - Skin problems.

Many Personal Trainers will tell you about the clients who have come to them begging for help to lose the extra weight, of which they 'can't seem to budge', but are left dumb founded after their client reveals they regularly drink 2-3 glasses of wine each night. Not only does alcohol contain high sugar and kilojoule levels, often alcohol is paired with fatty snacks such as chips, oversized handfuls of nuts and pastries; double no!!

Just to show you exactly how many kilojoules are in an average drink....(which may explain why you can't lose those cheeky tummy roles or muffin tops no matter how hard you work out!!!)....

Alcohol Beverage	Portion	Weight	Kilojoules	Protein	Fat	Carbohydrates
Beer (4,6% alcohol V/V)	1can	340	544	1,0	0,0	16,7
Liqueur (30% alcohol V/V)	liqueur glass	25	286	0,0	0,0	0,0
Port/Sweet sherry (17% alcohol V/V)	sherry glass	50	290	trace	0,0	5,8
Sherry, dry/medium (16% alcohol V/V)	sherry glass	50	222	trace	0,0	1,8
Spirits e.g. brandy, whiskey (43% alcohol V/V)	metric tot	25	263	0,0	0,0	0,0
Wine, dry, red/white, rose (12% alcohol V/V)	wine glass	125	378	0,3	0,0	1,5
Wine, white, medium/sweet (12% alcohol V/V)	wine glass	125	446	0,3	0,0	5,9

(http://www.weightlossdiets.co.za/kilojoule-charts/kilojoules-alcoholic-drinks.html)

So - if you must have a drink, which is fine in moderation, stick to a glass of red wine (high in antioxidants - hooray!), try one of the many 'lighter alcohol content' wines available on the market, mix your spirits with a low sugar mixer such as soda water with fresh lime, and try to limit your intake to 2 glasses in a sitting, with a big glass of water in between each drink.

As alcohol can interfere with our vitamin and nutrient uptake, it is important not to rob our bodies of the benefits of the great food and exercise we are doing to make ourselves feel amazing!!!

And remember - a hangover and workouts never mix well!!!!
Xxx