When looking at your diet for weight loss purposes, a frequent question that arises is how much alcohol are you consuming? More often than not, the advice heard is to eliminate most, if not all, alcohol from your diet – which might have you thinking twice about this new health kick.

Luckily, education is power, and the more you know about how it affects your body, the better you’ll be able to make smarter decisions, unless you switch to tequila. First off, look at how much alcohol you consume and ask yourself if you really follow the ounces per servings on the back of the bottle, or if you’re like a majority of people who just fill up the cup more than it should be.

Moderating the amount of alcohol that you’re serving yourself is similar to portion control when looking at food on a plate. Now that you have the proper serving sizes down, it’s time to check out what exactly it is that you’re drinking to look at the total carbohydrates and sugar content.

Most white and red wines are about 100 to 120 calories per serving, and as long as you use moderation, this should be okay. Try to stay away from sweeter wines, liquors, and handmade beverages because these types of drinks will usually contain more sugar and carbs – which will ultimately sit in your stomach and turn into fat as you sleep. Continue reading →

Most people mistakenly believe that when women are in relationships, they gain weight simply because they stopped trying to impress their significant other. Although relationships are great, there are barriers to healthy eating and exercise that come with it, and the more you know about how to prepare for those moments, the better off you’ll be in the future.

People love to date by going to eat a lot or drink and talk over dinner – which is a great way to get to know someone. However, if this is a majority of your first or many dates, suggest something different – such as a class, event, or something active and fun.

If you do get stuck behind the menu over and over again, most restaurants now offer healthier meal options, and you can mike wiser choices with your drinks and appetizers. Not every meal has to be this strategic, but if dinner dates are frequent, try to make healthier choices for the majority of them.

Once you fall in love, life can move fast and you get so busy that exercise and health seem like they’re on the backburner. This is the point where you might make more convenient choices rather than healthier ones. Continue reading →