Nobody's perfect....especially me!

Hi friends,

It's 4:30am and I woke up and can't get back to sleep. Why? I'll get to that in a minute. This is a problem because I have to start my work day in a few hours and I could really use a couple more (maybe one more) hour of shut-eye. Well, it won't be the first time I've functioned while sleep deprived. Ugh.

So far, I've done a good job of writing about everything I'm doing right but have neglected to mention many of my shortcomings. As the title of this entry says, no body's perfect. If I was, I would already be the svelte 115 lb woman I'm envisioning.

Like most people, I have a few downfalls, or weaknesses that sabotage my weight loss efforts. Near the top of the list would be my fondness for alcoholic beverages. I enjoy a glass or two, or three, etc. of wine in the evenings before, during and after dinner. Usually white but sometimes red. If it's red I tell myself it's good for my cardiovascular system and go with that excuse. It's not uncommon for me to polish off an entire bottle myself during the course of an evening, which sounds terrible until you realize a bottle is like 4-5 glasses. Okay, it's still not great.

I also love beer. All kinds as long is it's nice and cold. When I'm out with friends that usually what I'll drink. I also like martinis. And margaritas. I'm obviously not picky. So, now that I've confessed my sins I'll tell you why alcohol is not the best thing to consume for someone trying to lose weight (large amounts are not good for anybody obviously).

When you drink alcohol your body uses it for fuel instead of food. It's a very efficient energy source. That means the calories you've taken in in the form of food don't get used up, but stored as fat instead. BAD! Alcohol is also dehydrating. Make sure you drink extra water during and after drinking alcohol. I've also noticed it messes up my sleep. I don't get a sound sleep at night, and sometimes, like today, I wake up early and can't fall back to sleep. The next day I feel sluggish and tired and a lot less likely to want to work out or eat right: BAD!!

That bring me to Mary Lou's Daily Weight Loss Tip:
TIP #4:
Try to eliminate or at least cut back on your alcohol consumption. If you drink beer, drink "light" beer. Michelob Ultra is a good one. Drink extra water during and after drinking alcohol. If you slip up and overindulge (oops!), don't get too down on yourself, just try harder the next time.

Well, some of us have to work in a couple hours. Probably will not get my workout in today. I did dust off my bike and took a spin around the neighborhood yesterday. I also went for a jog and walked the dog. So I got that goin' for me!

Yours in Health,

Mary Lou