How to rethink your drinks

By Cian Minihane

Have you ever heard the saying: ‘You can’t untrain a bad diet’?

Well, I have talked to a lot of people who woke up on Monday morning and felt overwhelmed by guilt and regret over poor choices they made over the weekend. That’s no craic and it’s not really a sustainable way to keep positive change going.

We should be able to enjoy this newfound freedom from tight pandemic restrictions, and still get the results we want without living like hermits.

It’s not the fact you went out that has affected your results; rather it’s the options you may have picked and the choices you made. Today, I want to highlight some very simple tactics that you can just plug and play over this weekend coming, that will allow you to make progress towards your goals and still have fun.

As you can see in the image, a cocktail which we wouldn’t think twice about having is the equivalent of horsing down two sugary donuts – something we’d all class as being ‘super unhealthy’. Let’s be honest – most of us have had multiple cocktails and not even thought of the calories. The same goes for beers, sprits and soft drinks, ciders and wines.

So now you are asking ‘Well, Cian- what the hell can I have, so’?

Lots of things. I’m not the fun police. In this day and age, almost every drink has a lighter option available, which will house far fewer calories compared to the standard product, so you can continue to enjoy the beverage you like while minimising damage.

It’s the same concept with spirits - instead of having a coke as a mixer, use a diet version. That’s fewer calories, less sugar and overall it won’t set you back too much from your goals while still loving life.

Changing your lifestyle and building the body you have wanted doesn’t have to mean you give up everything and not allow enjoyment. Finding the balance and knowing what to implement in these situations is a skill you need for life.

It can’t be all work and no play; we just need to be smarter in how we play!