Amazing Member Report--Sadie Sutter, Mt. Horeb WI

Weight Loss Hint--Alcohol & Weight Loss, Can You Have Both By Liz Noelcke

 

Alcohol is metabolized differently than other foods and beverages. Under normal conditions, your body gets its energy from the calories in carbohydrates, fats and proteins that need to be slowly digested in the stomach-but not when alcohol is present. When alcohol is consumed, it gets special privileges and needs no digestion. The alcohol molecules diffuse through the stomach wall as soon as they arrive and can reach the brain and liver in minutes. This reaction is slightly slowed when there is also food in your system, but as soon as the mixed contents enter the small intestine, the alcohol grabs first place and is absorbed quickly. The alcohol then arrives at the liver for processing. The liver places all of its attention on the alcohol. Therefore, the carbohydrates (glucose) and dietary fats are just changed into body fat, waiting to be carried away for permanent fat storage in the body.

Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning that it causes water loss and dehydration. Along with this water loss you lose important minerals, such as magnesium, potassium, calcium and zinc. These minerals are vital to the maintenance of fluid balance, chemical reactions, and muscle contraction and relaxation.

Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram and offers NO nutritional value. It only adds empty calories to your diet. Why not spend your calorie budget on something healthier?

Alcohol affects your body in other negative ways. Drinking might help induce sleep, but the sleep you get isn't very deep. Ultimately, as a result, you get less rest. Alcohol can also increase the amount of acid that your stomach produces, causing your stomach lining to become inflamed. Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to serious health problems, including stomach ulcers, liver disease, and heart troubles.

Alcohol lowers your inhibitions, which is detrimental to your diet plans. Alcohol actually stimulates your appetite. While you might be full from a comparable amount of calories from food, several drinks might not fill you up. On top of that, research shows that if you drink before or during a meal, both your inhibitions and willpower are reduced. In this state, you are more likely to overeat-especially greasy or fried foods- which can add to your waistline. To avoid this, wait to order that drink until you're done with your meal.   

Nutrition Hint--Are You Dehydtrated? 

By Melanie Albert, Nutrition Expert, Author, Speaker, Founder & CEO EXPERIENCE NUTRITION   

As we are reaching the end of summer there's still time to enjoy "summer food" and to stay hydrated. We all know about drinking water, but do you know how to tell if you are dehydrated and do you know how much water to drink? What about trying a refreshing, totally hydrating watermelon smoothie with a little ginger?

Stay hydrated. Your body is about 75% water, and your brain about 85% water. So, think about it, it's vital to keep your body hydrated. Water is important for heart health, brain health, lubricating joints, detoxing, weight loss and exercising.

The 3 Simple Questions to See if You are Dehydrated

1. Are you thirsty?
2. Is your morning urine dark yellow, like apple juice?
3. Is your body weight more than a couple of pounds (1%) lower than it was yesterday morning?

• If you answer YES to 1 question, you might be dehydrated
• If you answer YES to 2 questions, you are likely dehydrated
• If you answer YES to all 3 questions, you are very likely dehydrated

How Much Water? The amount of water you need depends on your size, age, level of physical activity and your climate. As a good starting point, drink half your weight in water. So if you weigh 130 pounds, drink about 65 ounces (a gallon) every day. If you weigh 180 pounds, drink about 90 ounces every day. Here in Arizona, drink more water since our weather is so hot and dry. Very importantly, drink water all day. Do not wait until you feel thirsty, at that point you are already slightly dehydrated.

3 Ways to Drink Water Today!

• · Start your day with a glass of water. While you sleep your body does not receive water, so it becomes slightly dehydrated. Thus, by drinking a glass of water, you replenish your reserves.
• · Buy a stainless steel or glass water bottle and sip water all day.
• · To make water a little more interesting, add fresh herbs, like basil or lemon basil, citrus fruit, like lemons or limes, or veggies like cool cucumbers.

Watermelon Smoothie Recipe: "It's amazingly refreshing."

Watermelon: Perfect for hydration, as it's 92% water!

Apples: Strong antioxidant power. Over a 1,000 varieties.

Ginger root: Great anti-inflammatory. Adds a new, fresh taste to smoothies.

• Chop watermelon & apple
• Place watermelon in blender & blend for a few minutes
• Add the apple & fresh squeezed lemon juice and blend for a few minutes
• Micrograte fresh ginger & blend another minute

Enjoy!

Metabolism Retraining Hint--Cornerstones

  

It's mid-August and many of the kids are heading back to school and it might be tempting to slack on our diets or workout regimen to take a much-needed break. In reality though, these are exactly the things you should make time for in order to avoid being weighed down by everything that life is throwing at you.  

 

Exercise and good nutrition are the best ways to stay sharp and at our best so we can maintain peak performance in all areas of our professional and social lives. It's when we're not firing on all cylinders that we begin to make mistakes and compound stress. We're all crunched for time, but as soon as you start making excuses for eating poorly, and succumbing to cheap and easy fast food options, the habit becomes harder and harder to break.

 

Here are five key things to remember in your diet:

1. Drink plenty of water.

2. Eat your vegetables (for fiber, iron, and a host of other important vitamins and minerals).
3. Keep your protein lean.
4. Keep snacks small and healthy. An apple or a handful of raw almonds is ideal.
5. Don't eat as a way of dealing with stress.

These cornerstones will help give your body all the nutrients and fuel it needs to sustain itself through this busy time. Skipping the morning run for an extra hour of television that night, or the gym on the way home from work, may seem like reasonable choices, but you'll not only be passing up some quality "me" time, but you'll be ignoring your body as well. The body needs exercise in order for all its systems to run properly, and the endorphins released during cardio are known to relieve stress and make us feel happy. Finding time for even a 20-minute, low-intensity daily workout will allow you to achieve deeper, less interrupted sleep, so you'll actually wake up feeling more refreshed and energized than if you hadn't worked out.