What Holiday Habit Could Be Causing Havoc On Your Metabolism?

Sure the holidays are fun and create the excuse and opportunity for us to "cheat" on our usual clean ways a little bit. Now I am definitely not saying that you should not be indulging and having fun, because hell...we are all human and we all want that balance. That being said I did come across this article on www.popsugar.com which may put some things into perspective.   When it comes to drinking, it's not just empty calories that can affect your waistline. Overimbibing can also mess with your metabolism, making it harder to shed unwanted pounds. Dr. Caroline Cederquist, MD, creator of bistroMD, warns that excessive celebrating can make it that much harder to bounce back and see the numbers on the scale drop when you decide to buckle down. "Your body treats alcohol like a toxin, so whenever you drink, your liver makes the breakdown of alcohol a priority and can't focus on metabolizing fat as efficiently," she explains. Downing your favorite festive cocktail, in other words, tells your body to get to work at flushing that out of your system instead of fat. Add to that the fact that alcohol has the confusing ability to both dehydrate and cause water retention, and your holiday party choices can "leave you feeling bloated and puffy," Dr. Cederquist warns. However, there's good news. If you've been overdoing it every weekend since Thanksgiving, healthier eating habits can get your fat-burning potential back on track. "A proper diet balanced in lean protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates can prevent as well as treat metabolic dysfunction," Dr. Cederquist explains. In addition, make sure that you're sticking to guidelines on moderate drinking: five standard drinks per week for women and 10 standard drinks per week for men. So the next time you're at a party, be smart about how much you drink, stay hydrated, and be sure to opt for a few healthy appetizers when you sidle up to the buffet. Your body will thank you later!   Conclusion - have fun, but be smart. There is only one place you will live for the rest of your life and that's yours body ....treat it well, you only get one. Enjoy the holidays all xoxoxoxox