Spring and summer is a time of year when many people take extra steps to get themselves in shape. Abstinence, even from alcohol, can only go so far, so after failed new year resolutions are a fading memory and giving things up for Lent expired with Easter, now is the time to take things to the next level.
The problem with giving things up early in the year isn’t just willpower. It is the fact that cutting out unhealthy things alone is limited in its effectiveness without exercise. The fact is, it takes a lot of willpower to go jogging outside in winter or even brave the elements to make the trip to the gym.
Besides all that, dark gloomy days depress the mood, making mood enhancers comprised of alcohol or sugar all the more tempting.
Now, however, the warmer, lighter days are great for exercise and the approach of summer provides more motivation to work on your fitness. It could be you want to do summer sports like cricket or tennis, go walking in the mountains or simply look better on the beach in your swimwear.
This is, therefore, the very best time to combine abstinence from alcohol with exercise. The fact is that cutting out the booze really does save a lot of calories, but you are also likely to sleep better and may enjoy a stronger immune system. This is all to the good, because if you have slept better and are less likely to suffer the symptoms of colds, bugs and Covid, you can exercise more.
In addition, you will feel more encouraged if you are combining being on the wagon with training. A typical pint of beer contains 180 calories, so it may feel like a waste to have a training run and then sink a pint of that. However, if you exercise and then go for a non alcoholic beer, you get twice the benefit and feel great about it.
All that will give you lots of momentum and you will feel even more encouraged as you see your waistline shrinking and feel fitter every time you exercise. All that and with no hangovers you won’t have days when you can hardly climb out of bed, let alone exercise. It’s win-win all the way.
Indeed, according to Drink Well UK, those 180 calories in a pint are actually equal to 14 minutes of running, so if you do a quarter of an hour of running and then drink something else, it’s as if you ran half an hour. The equivalent calories also match one slice of pizza, so you can use this benchmark to make your eating healthier too. The momentum towards a fitter you will just build and build.
All this will get you in great shape for summer, but don’t forget that once you have gained the taste for alcohol-free beer, you can stick with it.
That means that when summer has come and gone and you’re no longer hitting the beach or running around the outfield because the old guys on your cricket team can’t, you can still keep down your calorie intake and ensure you don’t put all the pounds back.