Get your body ready for the beach

Whether you’re jetting off to the sun, or hoping to catch some rays at home, summer is the season where we exercise our right to show off our bodies a little more. However, if like many of us you’ve spent the winter dreaming of a beach bum lifestyle while cosying up on the couch, it’s possible you’ve grown your very own ‘beach bump’ where that toned stomach was supposed to be.

We all know that regular exercise and eating right will help us fit into favourite shorts or bikini bottoms when summer arrives. But if you’re looking to get in shape and look your best for the season, it’s worth remembering that what you drink can make a big difference to your appearance too.   

Counting the calories

Experts agree that there are two keys to losing weight: exercise and diet. Keeping an eye on how many calories you’re taking into your body is critical, and according to Claire Williamson from the British Nutrition Foundation, alcohol can contain even more calories than food.

“Alcohol is a significant source of calories,” she says.

“Each gram of alcohol you consume contains seven calories. In contrast carbohydrates, such as bread, only contain four.”

Since a pint of beer can contain anything up to 250 calories, it can be all too easy to pile on the pounds if you drink to excess. Claire explains that the way people tend to drink alcohol means it’s more likely to have an additional effect on the waistline.

“The calorie intake from alcohol tends to be in addition to the rest of our diet,” she says.

“For instance, if you eat a big breakfast you’re likely to feel fuller and so eat less at lunch. However, many people will drink wine with a meal even if they already feel full – adding to the number of calories they’ve already consumed.” And alcohol can stimulate your appetite.

Building up a sweat

From jogging around the block to going down the gym, exercise sessions are a great way to tone up ready for the summer sun. But drinking too much alcohol can mean that you’re undoing all of your time spent building up a sweat.

That’s because while the body is happy storing nutrients, protein and carbohydrate, it can’t do the same with alcohol. This means that getting rid of booze takes priority over other processes, including burning fat. Not good news if you’re exercising in hope of shedding some weight.

It’s also worth remembering that while going to the gym may help shift some of the excess fat , it won’t do anything to stem alcohol’s long-term effects. Drinking less means you’re reducing your risk of facing liver problems, contracting cancer, and developing heart disease in the future.

Body benefits

If you’re looking to get beach-ready it pays to set yourself sensible limits  and to monitor how much alcohol you’re drinking on a regular basis. A good place to start is the government's daily unit guidelines. The guidelines advise that women should not regularly exceed 2-3 units daily and that men should not regularly exceed 3-4 units daily. A glass of wine, or a pint of 5% lager, is around three units.

Watching what you drink as part of a healthy lifestyle can help you look your best for the summer and beyond. Claire recommends that making positive long-term changes is far better than quick-fix faddy diets, or intensive bursts of exercise.

“Dieting to lose weight is relatively difficult,” she says.

“It may sound boring, but a balanced diet along with regular exercise is much more likely to have a beneficial effect.”

Page last updated by

Matthew Bateman, 05 Dec 2011.

Page checked on

18 May 2010