Exercise Restraint With Holiday Drinking

(CARLSBAD, CA) - Drinking alcohol in moderation is fine, even beneficial when it comes to your health, but the holidays provide ample temptation to overdo. The dangers of drinking and driving are well known, but binge drinking can harm your heart as well as undermining your good sense.

According to research by the American Heart Association, the risk of developing metabolic syndrome (a condition identified by several cardiovascular risk factors) increases with the intensity and frequency of alcohol consumption. In fact, drinkers who fall in the high intensity category (many drinks per drinking day) have a 60 percent greater risk of developing metabolic syndrome than individuals who fall in the low intensity category.

“A history of heavy episodic drinking carries a greater risk of developing metabolic syndrome, regardless of gender,” notes Amy Z. Fan, M.D. Ph.D., co-author of the study, which was conducted at the Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation in Berkeley, Calif. “The drinking pattern of one drink per day is much healthier than seven drinks on a weekend.”

There are plenty of other reasons to be mindful of your alcohol consumption, including:

— One alcoholic drink is enough to seriously affect the motor skills of either gender, even though one drink is within the legal blood alcohol limit for driving in most states. A Dutch study found that people with blood alcohol levels equivalent to one drink had slower reaction times, poorer judgment and made more mistakes than their non-drinking peers.

— Liquids don’t satiate hunger, so people don’t compensate for the extra calories they are drinking by eating less food. A study of more than 70,000 French women found that the women who drank heavily (four glasses of wine per day) consumed more calories even after subtracting the calories that came directly from alcohol. In addition, the percentage of fat in their diets increased significantly as alcohol intake increased.

— Alcoholic drinks contain anywhere from 100 calories (5 ounces of wine) to a whopping 468 (5 ounces of Bailey’s® Irish Crème). You may be surprised at the calorie content of your favorite drink. A trend towards larger drink portions is escalating the calorie content as well.

— There is no gender equity when it comes to drinking. Women cannot metabolize alcohol as well as men, so they feel the effects of alcohol sooner and for longer periods of time. A woman’s blood will contain a higher concentration of alcohol than a man’s even if they drink the same amount. Women will also succumb to the physical risks of alcohol sooner. For example, a woman’s risk of liver cirrhosis begins at only two drinks per day.

Overindulging can really put a damper on your exercise program as well, says Jazzercise founder Judi Sheppard Missett. Who wants to workout with a hangover? Do yourself a favor and keep your drinks to a minimum. Then you’ll be ready to head to the gym the next day and try the following upright row exercise to strengthen your shoulders. 

Holding one end of a resistance tube or band in each hand, stand tall with your feet shoulder width apart.  Place both feet on the tube and take the right handle in your left hand and the left handle in your right hand so that the tube forms an “X” in front of your body.  Pull your abdominal muscles in tight and press your shoulders down as you pull your right elbow up to shoulder height, keeping your palm toward your body. Pause briefly before slowly lowering your arm to the beginning position.  Repeat with the left arm, and continue alternating right and left for a total of 10 to 15 repetitions on each arm.  If you need more resistance, widen your stance to increase the difficulty level.  If you need less, bring your feet closer together to lighten the resistance. 

Jazzercise, created by Judi Sheppard Missett, is the world's leading dance-fitness program with more than 6,800 instructors teaching 30,000 classes weekly in the U.S. and around the globe. Since 1969, millions of people of all ages and fitness levels have reaped the benefits of this comprehensive program, designed to enhance cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility. For more information on Jazzercise go to jazzercise.com or call (800)FIT-IS-IT or (760)476-1750.

Courtesy of Jazzercise, Inc. - jazzercise.com