Five in Five!

Summer is here! For the majority of us this is the season that is defined by BBQ's, travel, long days at the beach, happy hours...We are all familiar with the planning of many of these events that commences as early as winter/spring time, both physically and emotionally. It is commonplace for many to begin dieting and exercising in the spring to prepare for the bathing suit season (refer to the previous blog entries if you are still awaiting to start this process) but maintenance of our general health and well being (and beach muscles) can be much more challenging then reaching the goals in the first place. Statistics on weight regain status post weight loss vary but basically demonstrate that the majority(upwards of 90%) of people that lose a significant amount of weight regain it within 1 to 5 years.

For those of you who have been reading this blog from its inception, you know that the concept was for me to live by my own advice as a physician. Well I am relieved to say that my energy level, clarity and waist line have all improved since taking this personal challenge. The fear is now that I have passed the honeymoon phase I will revert back to my previous habits (especially during the summer).

Thankfully I had the chance to go to the Bahamas for a trip last week. The weather was incredible, the water slides returned me to my youth, the black jack tables were not awful, the drinks were flowing and we had some awesome meals but there is no doubt I was mildly focused on not taking two steps back in my health related goals. When I returned home I stepped back on the scale and I weighed in at 5 pounds higher than before the trip, maybe this is one step back? Inevitably I felt somewhat disappointed by this objective evidence that I gained weight while on vacation, especially since my goal was to maintain, but I had an awesome time and this motivated me to kick back into high gear. Given this time of year (just like the holidays) features many opportunities to indulge I spent some time reflecting on the vacation and thinking of a few strategies to enjoy but in moderation.

Alcohol, larger portion sizes, inactivity and more alcohol lead to weight gain (shocking, I know). Based on this fact, I woke up an hour earlier on half the vacation days to work out and actually felt better on these days (maybe less guilt?). The crazy part to me is that I still gained weight even though I had probably burned 400 calories via exercise (half of one pina colada). When you expect to consume more calories at some point it makes sense to strategize beforehand so your previous health directed efforts don't go completely by the wayside. Activities such as swimming laps, tennis, long walks on the beach (had to throw that cliche in here) and paddle ball are all fun things to do in between sitting on a lounge chair reading a good book and cocktail hour. I am always surprised how many calories these types of activities can burn and sure beat running on a treadmill (pretty much most things are better than that).

Blame it on the alcohol (as Jamie Foxx said). The drinks that come with umbrellas usually taste outstanding but are definitely not less filling (since they are packed with sugar). A huge proportion of calories during vacations, BBQ, beach days, etc. usually comes from alcohol. Just as we should plan out our meals for the day it may also be wise to plan out our alcoholic beverages since there is a wide range in caloric content. For example a pina colada (a personal favorite) has approximately 644 calories! This is 100 calories more than a Big Mac. For those of us who enjoy Pina Coladas it would not be uncommon to have 2 of these a day (especially if they are weak) on a vacation day (almost a full day of calories). Some good poolside options include a light beer (Blue Moon-171 calories/Coors light-104 calories) or vodka on the rocks with soda and a splash of pineapple juice/cranberry juice. As far as cocktail hour/dinner drinks the calories generally climb exponentially with sweetness. This is because juices add 50-60 calories in addition to the alcohol (Cosmopolitan-143 calories). In an effort to cover all my readers alcoholic preferences, for you martini lovers the average calories per martini is about 150calories. Lastly, for those who love their grapes, a large class of dry red wine (166calories), a large glass of dry white (154 calories), Rose- a summer favorite (164 calories)...you get the point.

Logically we would think that we gain weight from alcoholic beverages because it is turned into fat but this is not the case. Less than 5% of alcohol is turned to fat but it is the active metabolite acetate that is the culprit. The formation of acetate via the liver becomes the bodies primary source of energy when it is available, therefore, we burn less fat during these times. In addition, the consumption of alcohol causes a drop in blood sugar (prevents sugars from being produced in the liver via glycogen breakdown) which triggers hunger and thus a larger consumption of food. A good trick may be to eat some food prior to having your first drink to compensate for the drop in blood sugar. As we have discussed previously, preventing spikes in our blood sugar levels will keep our metabolism in check.

It is always nice to take a vacation but it is always nice to come home too! Basically, my approach to getting back on track is to get back to my routine. As much as I love pina coladas and large meals it has felt good to return to a morning protein shake and eating a home cooked meal.

I wish you all an amazing summer! I hope you have the chance to take a trip and spend quality time with family and friends. With July 4th around the corner, it is a reminder of our personal Independence and the choices we are free to make for ourselves in both the physical and emotional aspects of our lives.

Please share your experiences, comments and questions.