If you are spending more time at the gyms in Santa Monica these days, then you should be commended. It’s not easy to get in shape, and it requires a commitment that extends to every aspect of your life. You need to spend the time to get to the gym and work out, even in the mornings when you’re still half asleep, or in the evenings after work when you’d rather go home and throw yourself on the couch. Then there’s the change in diet that often comes along with it too. It’s not easy to cut down on the processed foods and the trips to the McDonald’s drive-through. But today we’re going to talk about another unhealthy indulgence that might be slowing your fitness goals: alcohol.
Alcohol and Fitness
Santa Monica residents like their alcohol as much as any other segment of Californians you’re likely to meet. Whether it’s a few beers before a sporting event, a finely-crafted cocktail before dinner or a glass of Riesling with your filet of sole, alcohol might well be a part of your life, and not one that’s easy to discard.
The problem is, if you’re trying to get fit and you’re a fixture at the gyms in Santa Monica these days, alcohol isn’t helping the cause. It’s empty calories and sugar, neither of which is good for you. Alcohol causes bloat, and it’s bad for the complexion. Yet, as an adult, it can be lovely to include it in your life in some capacity if you’re not drinking to excess. So, what’s the solution? Is there a way for alcohol to still be in your life if you are trying to get in shape and lose weight?
There is, as long as you’re deliberate and mindful about it. Setting a realistic goal is helpful. Maybe you’re going to allow yourself four drinks per week, for instance. If you go into the week with your drinks planned out, then they can become like treats toward which you are looking forward.
You might also set yourself one or two nights of the week where you can drink, and you’re dry the rest of the time. Maybe it’s Friday and Saturday night. Perhaps it’s Wednesday, to break up the work week. Whatever you think makes the most sense for you, as long as you’re not indiscriminate about your consumption.
You can also drink lite beer instead of a full-bodied one or a cocktail. You can drink a glass of water for balance in between each alcoholic beverage you have. If you usually hang out with people who are big drinkers, you can explain to them that you’re trying to make a change, and you expect them to be supportive of you. If they’re really your friends, then they should have no problem doing so.
You don’t need to banish alcohol from your life to get fit. You can spend time in the gyms in Santa Monica and still enjoy a glass of wine with dinner. All things are best in moderation, and hopefully, you will be able to adjust to this new system with a minimum of difficulty.
