TDB Fitness Newsletter 6/27/2021
What you choose to drink impacts your health just as much as what you eat. We know summer holiday weekends often provide an opportunity to overindulge on drinking. This week’s trainer’s tips provides advice on how to make drink choices that will support your fitness goals!
Tip of the week:
Thinking about Drinking
Next weekend is holiday weekend in the U.S. Here in Michigan, summer holiday weekends often mean spending the day on the lake or river. Usually there is drinking involved.
Alcohol, that is. There’s something about sunshine and an open body of water that puts us Michiganders in a partying mood. And the thing is, that’s ok. I did not write this post to shame you for overindulging on the weekends.
However, if holistic fitness is your goal — as it always is ours — here’s a couple things you to keep in mind. The key is to make sure partying this weekend doesn’t impede your healthy lifestyle:
- Consider what mixers you use. Alcohol may not be the least healthy part of your drink. Sodas and pre-made mixes you buy at the store have tons of sugar in them. Opt instead for natural or low-sugar mixers (like tonic water and fresh-squeezed fruit juices). Hard seltzers are often another low-sugar option.
- Drink clear. When it comes to the alcohol itself, there are health-factors to consider. Red wine, for instance, contains antioxidants that keep your heart healthy. If red wine isn’t your summer jam, consider clear liquors. Darker liquors and beers get their color from naturally-occurring substances called congeners.
The aging and fermenting process activates congeners which adds flavor, color, and calories to alcohol. Congeners also make hangovers worse (although over-do-it on any alcohol and you will get a hangover).
- Stay hydrated, stay safe. Dehydration is always a risk on hot summer days. Alcohol dehydrates you even more. If you’re planning on enjoying some drinks in the sun this weekend, try to drink one glass of water for every alcoholic beverage you consume. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and stay aware. Recognize when it may be time to switch to water for good.
- Enjoy responsibly. Alcohol consumption presents health risks all year round. Always listen to your body so you know when it is time to stop drinking. And, as always, DO NOT operate cars, boats, or other machinery while consuming alcohol.
See the video for a summer mixed drink idea!
Food for Thought
Vinnie’s Summer Rum Punch Recipe
I call it a recipe, but really “Rum Punch” includes your clear rum of choice, ice, and whatever fruit juices you have on hand that you think would taste good with rum. For about 6 months in college, Vinnie was a bouncer at a bar. He would bar-back every now and then and got a quick education in mixology. He has therefore become our resident bartender.
Every summer season we come up with a new name for the mix drink Vinnie ends up serving our family and friends on lake house weekends. First, it was the Bayou Boogie – which is actually a mix drink a bartender might recognize (I’m fairly certain Vinnie was initially basing his drink idea off the real one). But Vinnie doesn’t necessarily have access to all the same mixers every time he steps behind the bar; so he gets creative.
By the next summer we were calling it “Swill,” after the unappetizing color the mixture sometimes makes. This summer it’s “Rum Punch.” Regardless of the name, Vinnie knows how to keep us entertained all summer long with his creativity behind the bar. Watch the video above for an example Rum Punch recipe (Note: Vinnie actually uses vodka and hard seltzer in this drink recipe – we still call it Rum Punch. Because that’s the name this summer…)
Team Announcements
Freebie Friday
Our next Freebie Friday will take place on Friday July 9, 2021. That means that 7/9 will be a Full Body workout, and that Saturday 7/10 will be Leg Day. Please share our public Facebook page with anyone who may be interested in joining the Team!
Happy Hour Workout
Thursday July 15, 2021 we will have another evening workout + happy hour. Join us on Facebook at 7:00 pm for a cardio workout, with a cocktail hour immediately to follow via Zoom call. 21+ only.
Team Cardio Outside
For our July outdoor workout, we would like to take the Team on a hike! Saturday July 24, 2021 meet us and the Team on a local trail (location tbd)! We’ll spend the morning on some light cardio and Team bonding. Hope to see you there!
Team Di Bella Fitness 