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Nutrition tip: Alcohol
Choose your drinks to save your waistline. With the festive season upon us, there seems to be an endless amount of parties, parties, parties to hit, and with them, plenty of alcohol going down the throat. If you do want to drink, there are certain types of booze that are going to have less (or more) of an effect on your waistline than others.
One of the biggest culprits for weight-gain and bloating is beer (but you probably knew that!) As a guideline, aim for spirits where you can (in moderation, of course); and the rule of thumb is that the lighter the colour of the spirit, the lower the impact on your waist. So, pick vodka over dark rum. Creamy liquers are super-loaded with calories, so try and steer clear of these. In terms of wine, red wine is purported to be healthier than white; and the sweeter the wine, the more sugar and calories it contains. So, less rosé and more merlot. Also, take note of your mixers. Your fizzy soft drinks (Coke, lemonade, etc.) are packed with sugar, and the worst choice. Rather go for lime and water, soda, or sparkling water. A great way to moderate your intake: Have a glass of water between each alcoholic drink, and keep it up through the whole event. Not only will your waistline thank you in the morning, but so will your head!
Exercise tip: Strategy
Do your focus-exercises first. When starting an exercise program, it’s best to have an idea of what exactly you’re trying to achieve. Do you want to lose weight? Build muscle? Tone up? Once you’ve pinpointed what you’re aiming for, you’ll know which type of exercises you should be targeting (for example, cardio for toning, or weights for muscle-building). Then, do those exercises first in your sessions. So, if you do a bit of weights and a bit of cardio when you’re at the gym, and you’re wanting to bulk up a bit, make sure to do your weights first, and only then your cardio. This way, you’re using your muscles for what you want more right up front, while they’re still fresh and strong, rather than only doing a half-job by tiring them out first on your non-focus-exercises…
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