Why alcohol makes and keeps you fat

You've had a hard day at work, the kids are finally in bed, and all you want to do is sit down and kick back with a glass of wine or two...or more.

But if you're serious about your health and your waistline then pay special attention to your alcohol intake! Limiting it will help to save calories and enhance your fat burning efforts.

So why does alcohol make and keep you fat?

Alcohol has a two-fold negative effect on our ability to lose fat:

1. Alcohol is highly calorific and easily over-consumed. Compare its calorific value with the other components of our diet: Alcohol is 7kcal/g, fat is 9 kcal/g, both protein and carbohydrate are roughly 4kcal/g).

2. The simple presence of alcohol in your system has a hugely negative impact on your ability to metabolise fat. This was shown by a study where 8 men were given two drinks of vodka and lemonade separated by 30 minutes. Each drink contained just under 90 calories. Fat metabolism was measured before and after consumption of the drink. For several hours after drinking the vodka, whole body lipid oxidation (a measure of how much fat your body is burning) dropped by 73 per cent!

The reason why alcohol has this dramatic effect on fat metabolism has to do with the way alcohol is handled in the body. Rather than getting stored as fat, the main fate of alcohol is conversion into acetate and the presence of acetate in the system puts the brakes on fat loss. The greater the quantity of alcohol, the greater the quantity of acetate created, the less likely fat is metabolised.

In other words, your body tends to use whatever you feed it, and after a time becomes adapted to the macro nutrient intake. Unfortunately when acetate levels rise, your body burns the acetate preferentially.
So the body simply burns the acetate first, this basically pushes fat oxidation out of the metabolic equation.

Acknowledgements: Burrell Education 2012, burrelleducation.com

Why water is a vital part of your fat loss

Drinking water is one of the best things you can do for your health, for many reasons that go beyond hydration. For a start, if you don't drink enough water, your body can't store carbohydrate energy (that you need in the muscles to exercise). BUT your body can still store fat, which can work against any fat-loss plans you may have!

Did you know:

• Your body is composed mostly of water, 65-75%!
• Water is required for every cellular action in the body.
• By keeping hydrated you provide the water required for your body to work optimally INCLUDING BURNING FAT.
• Being dehydrated will REDUCE YOUR CAPACITY TO BURN FAT AS FUEL!
• Water helps to DETOXIFY your system and should be considered one of your most vital supplements.
• Water will also help any substance that your body does not need exit safely and it will also greatly aid in transporting the necessary nutrients throughout the body.
• How much should you drink? Roughly about 3 per cent of your total body weight. For most people getting up to 1.5 – 2 litres a day is a pretty steep order but that is your ultimate daily goal.
• What counts as ‘WATER’? – Pure, clean, simple WATER & FRUIT TEAS!
• TOP TIP: Start by getting a re-usable 1.5 litre bottle and make a habit of having it with your all day so you can see exactly how much you have drunk. Aim to simply finish it before the end of your day, EVERY DAY!

So don’t sabotage all your other great efforts! Get that water in!

 Acknowledgements: Burrell Education 2012, www.burrelleducation.com

The age-old dilemma: how do I ditch the 'mother's guilt'?

All Mums experience some form of guilt - it could be a feeling that they haven't done enough for their children, the fact that they've gone back to work and their kids are in childcare, or that they are doing something for themselves.

In fact, the moment you are a mother, you will have guilt, irrespective of the fact that you are young or old, working or have never worked a day in your life.

Parenting expert and author of Addicted to Stress, Debbie Mandel, reckons we learn't from our mothers and grandmothers that we were responsible for everyone’s happiness. By the same token we were taught to feel guilty when expressed our free spirit or individuality at school (ie. "Don’t show off"). But this kind of guilt just stifles identity and spontaneity. 

“And when we feel guilty, " she says, "we try to make amends by engaging in overworking. This makes most mothers a low priority on the daily to-do list, as they feel selfish do something for the self which does not involve the family.”

So what to do? Well about the only thing you can do to save your sanity is to leave the good-girl zone and get some balance in your life. 

Try these 5 tips on how you can put yourself first. 

Take a break

Looking after children, babies and toddlers in particular, is exhausting – it takes a lot of energy and concentration. Taking a short break each day, whether it's to catch up on your favourite TV show, read a few pages of a book, listening to music, or talking with your partner or husband, can put a long day into perspective and help to re-charge the batteries.

Change your priorities

Learn to say 'no' more. If someone asks you to do something this week that you hadn't planned on – think about whether it will benefit your family. If the answer is no, then say no. You have enough on your plate already without putting yourself under the extra pressure.

Share a problem to find solutions

Accept the fact that you don't know everything and sometimes you just need to ask someone for help – from your neighbour, sister, Mum or friend.

Schedule 'spare time' in your diary

You schedule in a doctor's appointment – do the same thing for your spare time and respect the commitment you have made to yourself by keeping the appointment. Ditch the mother's guilt, and do something you enjoy each day, even if it's only for 15 or 20 minutes. Meditate to music, do some gardening, go for a quick walk around the block to clear your head and get some perspective.

Take small steps to being fitter and healthier

Don't rely on motivation to get you out the door each day. Take action! Research shows that just by taking small changes to what you eat and getting out for a walk each day can mean big changes to the quality of your life and health over time. Going for a run or preparing veggies to go with your pasta might seem like an extra hassle – but exercise and a good diet are closely linked to better mental health. 

Post baby fitness wish list

The key to success when starting any new health and fitness program involves setting realistic goals, what's important to you? And why is it so important?

In a recent survey, I asked Mums what was at the top of their post baby wish list. 

Here's the top 7 - what's important to you?

1. To lose weight and the 'baby fat'
2. To 'tone-up' ie. strengthen my muscles
3. To achieve a shape closer to pre-pregnancy than that of a fertility statue
4. To flatten my tummy, so I don't still look pregnant a year later - ie. I need to rehabilitate abdominal muscles, which will also relieve back pain
5. To fit into sizes and style of clothes I used to or want to wear
6. To increase energy - (this means getting fitter and increasing metabolism)
7. To relax, feel and look better as a Mum - take some time out for me!

To support you in getting started, click here for some tips on walking for fat loss.

5 fast ways to boost energy

Whether you’re a working mum, a stay at home mum, or a work-from-home mum, chances are that sometimes you need to find ways to boost your energy – FAST.

There’s no doubt about it, being a working Mum with young children is exhausting.

And some days you just feel drained – even just thinking about all the things you have to do (and the little time you have to do them in). You just need a fast energy fix.

I thought that once my kids had stopped breastfeeding, out of nappies and at preschool it would be easier, then I would have more time, and I would feel less exhausted.

HA! What planet was I living on?

Now they’re a little older and more independent there’s no end to their activities, which inevitably means no end to running around after them.

In-between fitting in my exercise, running a business, breakfast negotiations, making lunches, childcare and school drop-offs, helping out at school, cooking, cleaning, preparing dinner, dealing with procrastination at bedtime, and a million other things…to be honest, sometimes I just feel shattered, tired and cranky.

And I suspect that I’m not alone.

So in an effort to be a happy, energetic Mum, over the last few weeks I’ve been trying out different ways to find energy, and fast.

Here’s my five fast ways to boost energy:

Move. Research has shown that even a brisk walk three times a week can increase energy and lengthen your lifespan. Can’t fit the exercise into your day? Then have a think some of the activities you normally do and try to make them more vigorous. A quick vacuum can raise your heartbeat and burn more kilojoules, which in turn will increase energy. 

Other ideas: Skip across the playground to pick up the kids from school. It makes you feel as though you’re back in school yourself, & you can’t help but smile.

Kick the soccer ball around the back yard for 10 minutes with your kids. Or do a huge cat- like stretch as you push yourself away from your desk. A quick stretch is a quick and easy way to boost your energy – stretching releases toxins from the body’s tissues and stress from your muscles. And it feels good.

Hydrate. Let’s face it - drinking your bodyweight in coffee won’t help your long-term energy levels (if anything, you may be shaking from an overdose of caffeine – and you may not be able to sleep properly at night).

A glass of cold water is an instant pick-me-up. And the other benefits of course, is that it helps flush out the toxins, reduce fluid retention, and keeps your skin looking good. Herbal tea – like peppermint or lemon and ginger - will also put a zing into your step.

Crunch into an apple or a pear. Simple diet changes can have a huge impact on your energy levels. Try eating a fresh apple or pear – these low GI foods give you sustained energy rather than the quick peak and fall of high GI foods (that can actually stimulate hunger). Always carry a piece of fruit in your bag or in the car for that quick energy fix.

Freshen up. Kids driving you crazy? Retreat to the bathroom for a couple of minutes, wash your face and hands and brush your hair. Moisterise your hands. Smile in the mirror. It sounds simple, but you will look and feel better.

Sing in the shower, in the car, in the kitchen to the radio, wherever you are – it helps boost sinking energy levels, and lifts your mood. Singing opens up the lungs and lets your body take in a little more oxygen, which will give you a burst of energy.

These are the things that help give me a fast fix of energy so I’m ready to tackle a busy afternoon with the kids (well…until arsenic hour hits anyway!).

Try it out for yourself and see what works for you.

For more free tips on how to look and feel better as a Mum – check out my ‘refreshed’ website: abloom.com.au