Drink Wine and Lose Weight
It’s possible.
Let’s be clear here – I don’t mean drink wine TO lose weight.
But if you truly feel that you’d rather walk over burning coals than give up the evening refreshment (and I’m with you), here are a few tips for achieving weight loss (or weight maintenance) while still enjoying your Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.
3 TIPS TO BOOZE & LOSE (ok that’s cheeky but it rhymes):
Eat veggies. Fill half your plate at each meal (whether you are a 3 meal a day or 5 meal a day gal) with vegetables. Raw, steamed and roasted are going to give you the most bang for the caloric buck in that order. Wondering how the heck to get veggies at breakfast? Throw a handful of spinach into your smoothie. Invest in a greens supplement (I like Vega Protein and Greens) or toss roasted veggies (from last night’s dinner) into your scrambled eggs.
Lift weights. You must lift at an intensity that results in a training effect. You may have heard that you need to lift heavy. This is true. But HEAVY is relative. If you are not currently on a strength-training program, start with loads that feel challenging around rep 8 or 9 out of 10. Consult a certified personal trainer to help you determine the best load for each exercise.
Rest. Rest is when the magic happens. Your body recovers and repairs. It’s when hormones do their thing. I hear what you are thinking – my kids have a secret pact to tag team waking up ALL NIGHT LONG. How am I supposed to rest??? It’s definitely tough. Have patience. You may not be able to work at the planned intensity the next day. And that’s ok. Remember to take a day or 2 in between workouts as well. Muscles need to repair in order to adapt.
There you have it - a few tips for being able to have your cake…ahem…wine and eat it too. Keep in mind, every BODY is different. Ditching the Malbec WILL likely get you results faster because wine adds sugar and calories with few nutrients to your diet. That said, do what works for you. I’ll be sipping my oaky chardoney and praying that my kids sleep tonight.
