Being Fun and Being Healthy Aren’t Mutually Exclusive
ICYMI: Superwoman nutritionist Carolyn Brown is giving us her sagely advice on all things healthy living in a three-part column exclusively for the void (read her first column about staying healthy while committed to a boo thang here!).
Carolyn Brown is a registered dietitian at Foodtrainers and also the voice the refreshed blog. She has worked with a variety of clients to help them reach their weight and overall health goals, but she does it by implementing healthy changes into your lifestyle, rather than sacrificing your lifestyle for healthy changes because after all, “you can live a healthy lifestyle without losing a social life.”
That last part is what CB is focusing on this month: how to balance your health goals with your outgoing lifestyle. Read below to help you squeeze back into those party pants, girl!
The Void: Tell us your top tips for staying healthy with an active social calendar.
CB: Personally, I meet friends most days for workouts, I don’t drink at home, and I make sure we go to healthy-ish restaurants. When you go out to eat, it’s also good to check the menu ahead of time… the more veggies the better! I always start with a salad and get a side of veggies.
The Void: How do you maintain a healthy lifestyle without sacrificing what you love?
CB: I am a big believer in choosing your vice–for me it’s either drinks or a treat meal like really good pizza – otherwise I keep it reigned in! One of our foodtrainers rules for eating out is “1 of 4 and no more!” Basically, you choose one of the following four things: booze, bread bowl, dinner carb, or dessert (sometimes we go over, but the max should always be two!) Having some loose rules can really help.
My other rule is to keep your drink count in single digits for the week (9 or less).
The Void: Speaking of drinks, do you have any healthy suggestions for a “wild” night out?
CB: Be sure to get some water or seltzer in there, no sugary mixers like soda, tonic water, or juices.
The Void: That may help with the health, but what about the hangover? As we get older, man do the hangovers get worse!
CB: Oh they do! Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Always go 1:1 with water and alcohol. NAC and milk thistle are also great supplements for “pre-toxing” your liver (they act as a liver protectant). It’s also good to have a max number of drinks in mind when you go out–mine is always three, that’s the point where I start to feel crappy the next day.
The Void: Do you think choosing a healthier lifestyle can actually make your social life better?
CB: Yes! There is SO much to do in NYC, and any city, that’s not drinking-related. Often, people will love to be on a healthier track with you too! Maybe this means cooking with friends or having a potluck or going to a cooking class instead of going out and drinking. Fun activities, even if it means a weird workout or meditation experience or something, can be the best bonding experiences!
Check back here on March 15th for the final column in this series and be sure to follow Carolyn Brown on Instagram!