Happy Hour

It's been a long week and all your friends are waiting for you at your favorite spot for happy hour. Sounds exciting!

Before you head out, there are some things you need to know about alcohol and it's effects on your health, fitness goals...aaaannnnd judgment.

First, excessive consumption of alcohol has negative long term effects on your health. Drinking one too many too often can result in heart disease, cancer, liver damage, pancreatitis...etc. If you don't believe me, Google the effects alcohol has on your health. Consider your body before you order that extra round.

Alcohol slows down your metabolism. Unlike carbohydrates, proteins and fat, alcohol cannot be stored in our body. Because of this, alcohol metabolism takes priority over other nutrient metabolism; this means all other processes that should be taking place are interrupted, therefore delaying proper nutrient digestion, thus slowing metabolism. Fatty food consumption seems to increase when consuming alcohol. And guess what? Alcohol inhibits the liver from metabolizing fat. This is not good - those fatty foods won't be properly metabolized, which is detrimental for anyone trying to lose weight. If you're trying to lose weight, excessive alcohol consumption won't allow it.

However, the case has often been made that moderate alcohol consumption is good for your health. Wine contains antioxidants that lower blood pressure, raise good cholesterol and is thought to protect against heart disease. Wine, again in moderation, also lowers risks of diabetes, certain types of cancers and slows neurological degenerative disorders like Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease.

FUN FACTS you should know:

1 gram carb = 4 calories

1 gram protein = 4 calories

1 gram fat = 9 calories

1 gram alcohol = 7 calories

5 ounces of red or white wine is about 120 calories. If you drink the whole bottle, you're consuming about 480 calories. Ah!

1 Miller Lite ~ 96 calories

1 shot of Vodka ~ 60 calories

1 shot of Whiskey ~ 56 calories

1 shot of Rum ~ 64

1 shot of Tequila ~ 69 calories

10 oz. Margarita ~ 740 calories

1 Long Island Iced Tea ~ 780 calories

To see a list of the ten most fattening cocktails from "forbes", click here

*Hungry girl provides smart summer cocktail recipes. Try one!

*Zilch is an amazing product: 0 calorie, sugar free and carb free margarita mix! WOW!

*My client Maggie told me about Skinny girl margaritas.

Tips when ordering out:

*When ordering a margarita, ask your server if they serve a "skinny" margarita. Less calories!

*Instead of a regular margarita, about 750 calories, order a shot of Patron on ice and add 3-4 limes - tastes like a margarita and only has about 70 calories! You could even add a little Splenda to make it a bit sweeter. - Good idea Lindsay :)

*If ordering you're favorite liquor with soda, always ask for diet.

*Order soda water instead of tonic water

*Avoid adding juice to your liquor - a single Vodka cranberry is about 180 calories; a single vodka orange juice is about 125 calories. Instead: a single Vodka soda water has about 60 calories! A single Rum and Diet Coke has about 65 calories!

You can't drink for free.