Tag Archives: beer

The Frozen Lemonade Sam Adams Summer Ale Slush You Have to Taste to Believe

sam adams lemonade slush

Last summer I spent a month in Savannah, Georgia, a true American gem that should be on your must-visit list. Aside from soaking up all the history, playing at the beach, and hitting up all the Forrest Gump tourist spots, one of the highlights was attenidng the fifth annual Fitbloggin’ conference.

If you’ve never been, mark your calendars for the last weekend in Denver this year. It’s a life changing three days with an inspiring, motivating, beautiful group of about 250 souls. No matter what your place is in within the weight loss blogging/social media sphere, there is a place for you within Fitbloggin’. And as last year proved, no matter how hot and sweaty you get — be it during one of the morning Zumba classes or out wandering Savannah’s scenic historic district — everyone still has plenty of love for ‘ya.

sam adams lemonade slush

On the last day of the conference, it was time to cool off and get even more scenic, with a drive out to Georgia’s Tybee Island. I didn’t go alone. My husband and daughter tagged along with myself, Emmie from AuthenticallyEmmie.com, and Alan from SweatingUntilHappy.com. After a whirlwind three days inside a hotel getting all of the hugs, blog lessons, and free California Almond trail mix snacks we could handle, sinking our toes in the sand and letting the sea breeze wash over our faces was the decompress everyone needed!

alan brandi emmie fitbloggin

And frozen lemonades, we needed those to fully complete the post-conference decompression slash Georgia heat exhaustion. After we dusted most of the sand from our bodies, we headed to a highly recommended local dive – AJ’s Dockside Restaurant. We sat outside, because we clearly love sweating as much as possible. We ordered po’boys, because when in Rome. And we ordered frozen lemonades. (more…)

Ed Sheeran’s Vodka Diet Helps Him Shed 35 Pounds in 3 Months

ed-sheeran-vodka-diet

While one star this week cited giving up vodka for his impressive weight loss (see Zach Galifianakis’ before and after), Ed Sheeran credits the Russian booze for helping him shed 35 pounds.

The English singer-songwriter said, “I have dropped like 35 pounds in three months just from not drinking beer. I have replaced it with vodka.”

We’re not sure how that would work exactly, and the comment even has our Mary Hartley, RD scratching her head.

“I just doubt that he replaced beer calories with an equal number vodka,” she told us. “A six pack is replaced with one pint of vodka. Do you think he drank a pint (16-ounces) of vodka a day?”

Well, just looking at him, we’re going take a stab that, no, Sheeran wasn’t downing a pint of vodka a day. What does a beer to vodka comparison really look like?

In a 12-ounce bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale (a bloody right English beer) there are 138 calories. The same 12-ounces of 80 proof vodka has 770 calories!

If he did make a swap from beer to vodka, we’re going to guess his consumption went down significantly. But as Sheeran and Hartley both pointed out — the bottle wasn’t the only thing helping him lose weight. (more…)

9 New Ways to Eat a Pocket Full of Pawpaws

pawpaw-fruit

Nine ways to eat a … what? That’s right, a pawpaw! It is North America’s largest indigenous fruit you’ve never heard of. Affectionately titled the “poor man’s banana,” pawpaw is PACKED with more potassium than a banana and three times more vitamin C than an orange, according to Modern Farmer.

Not convinced to try them? Maybe these recipes will change your mind.

Pick a Pocket Full of Pawpaws: Sure to be the Hottest New “it” Fruit

1. Straight up raw. 

Any pawpaw fan will tell you that the best way to enjoy this adventurous produce is straight off the tree during peak season, which is mid-August through mid-October. With a custard-like texture and taste similar to mangoes, bananas, and melons, it’s no wonder eating the raw fruit is the way to go!

2. Pawpaw pie. 

Think lemon meringue with a new twist. Combine pawpaw pulp (peeled and seeded) with sugar, milk, egg yolks, and flour to heat over the stove. Then top with whipped egg white meringue and bake for 12 minutes at 350. See the full recipe here.

3. A micro-brewery trend

Midwest microbreweries and distilleries are catching on to pawpaws and have introduced several craft beers and wines that incorporate the subtly fruity flavor. These pawpaw brews are most commonly found throughout Ohio and the Carolinas. (more…)

Exercise is Driving Us to Drink! Do You Imbibe after a Workout?

drinking

We know exercise can make you thirsty, but a new study is suggesting physical activity is making people reach for something quite a bit stronger than water.

In the study, published in Health Psychology, researchers asked participants to track their alcohol consumption and when they exercised over three stretches of 21 days. Strangely, the records showed that people tended to drink more on the days they exercised more.

Participants in the study reported more physical activity from Thursday to Sunday, meaning they exercised more on the weekends. They also drank more too, but it’s already known that people drink more on weekends than they do during the week. It would have been case closed for the study had the researchers not put a control in place to account for increased drinking on the weekends.

“We adjusted for the day of week, so any associations between physical activity and alcohol consumption could not be attributed to the fact that it was, for example, a Saturday,” said lead study author David E. Conroy in a statement. (more…)

Eat Like the Royals: 7 Ballpark Recipes Celebrating the Kansas City Royals’ World Series Run

Last night, my social channels bled blue as the Kansas City Royals clenched their first playoff bid since 1985. Chants of going all the way were deafening and will no doubt silence any time soon. It’s a moment these Midwest baseball fans have waited, in some cases, all their lives for. There are a lot of long games ahead for these fans, as many as seven if things go their way, which means a lot of tailgate-inspired eating is on the horizon.

How does one eat like a Royal? There’s no pinkies out around here like those other royals. This is both KC Missouri and Kansas — around here, it’s all about the meat!

Here’s how to eat like a Royals fan — we’ll even show you a few ways to trim down these ballgame faves so you don’t need to up-size your new champions T-shirt!

CLEAN CARAMEL CORN

clean caramel corn laurenslatestimage credit laurenslatest.com

No ballgame is complete without Cracker Jacks, but they’re kind of terrible for you. We love this recipe from LaurensLatest.com that uses coconut oil, maple syrup, sea salt, and vanilla to craft a treat as indulgent as the classic. Popcorn is naturally gluten-free, if that’s your thing. This recipe is also vegan and without adding processed sugars.

beef meatball kabobsimage credit Kacy Meinecke/DietsInReview.com

JALAPENO CHEDDAR BURGER BITE KABOBS

Grilling a batch of big, juicy burgers  these parts. But there are ways to teach these old dogs new tricks! Treat the burger as a side or appetizer with this tiny meatball kabobs. They’ve got big flavor, as we stuffed all-natural beef with jalapeno and cheddar cheese. (more…)

Pick a Pocket Full of Pawpaws: Sure to be the Hottest New “it” Fruit

pawpaws

Now is the time for “pickin’ up pawpaws and puttin’ ’em in your pockets” as the children’s chant goes. The best pawpaws are the fully ripe fruits that have fallen to the ground between mid-August and mid-October, perfect for stuffing your pockets or your face!

Pawpaws are the largest edible fruit native to the U.S. and are an indigenous plant to 26 states east of Nebraska, reaching from Florida to New York. The fruit was an important food for Native Americans and early settlers. Pawpaws graced George Washington’s table in colonial days. And even animals aren’t missing out on this delicious treat — squirrels, raccoons, possums, and bears happily feast on aromatic pawpaw flesh.

Pawpaws are large fruits, similar to mangoes or papayas, ranging in color from yellow to green with skin often flecked. When over-ripe, the skin will turn brown like a banana. They have big black seeds that are easy-to-remove, a custard-like texture, and a flavor that is related to bananas, mangoes and melons. They are known commonly as a poor man’s banana.

“It has a sweet, yet rather cloying taste….a wee bit puckery” is the way their taste was described by a botanist of yore.    (more…)

Why Every Fridge Should be Stocked With Beer

beer

I am well aware that not everyone loves beer, and that is more than okay. I am not recommending that you have beer in the fridge to drink necessarily, but I am here to share with you some other benefits of beer, plus some surprisingly ways to put it to use.

Beer strengthens the bones and heart
If you are a beer drinker, you likely know that it is a great post-run beverage because of the carbs, but did you also know that beer has high levels of silicon, which has long been linked to bone health? Not only that, but beer has proven to reduce the risk of heart disease in those who drank a pint daily. Great news!

Beer is rich in protein and vitamin B
Beer is also high in antioxidants, protein, and vitamin B. Please don’t try to just get your protein intake via beer, but if you are choosing between beer, wine, or liquor, pick up a pint.

Beer can be used for marinating
Like its cousin wine, beer is an awesome addition to a lot of recipes, especially when marinating meats. Since beer is acidic, it tenderizes meat, as well as adding flavor. (more…)

NYE Party Planning: Stop the Scale from Springing Forward When the Clock Does

New Year’s Eve. A night of champagne toasts, smooching loved ones, staying up way too late, and boogying the night away. At the start of the year this is feels like a fitting celebration. But it’s important to remember that calories still count on special occasions, no matter how much you’d like to think otherwise. One night of overdoing it can set you back several steps when it comes to meeting your resolutions. As in, if you wake up on January 1 feeling tired, hung-over, and a few pounds heavier than on December 31st, chances are slim you’ll reach for a healthy, well-balanced breakfast first thing of the morning. So, have fun, but plan ahead.

NYE dancing

Try to drink at least a glass of water between each cocktail—this will slow your rate of drinking, hydrate your body, and may even help you drink less overall. And be choosy about what you put into your body. Remember, sugary-tasting drinks are usually pretty high in calories. Choosing to mix liquor with soda instead of tonic water can save you hundreds of calories by the end of the night. Finally, to negate all of those extra calories you do consume, start dancing. Dancing is a great way to kickstart the metabolism, plus it’s fun to do!

Here’s how long you’ll have to shake it to burn off these popular these popular drinks:

(more…)

Do Beer and Wine Belong at the Yoga Studio? The Pros and Cons of Post-Yoga Drinking

Blending yoga with activities such as Pilates or weightlifting seems to offer just enough variety for non-purist types who are comfortable with thinking outside the box. As the yoga industry stretches its limits in an effort to attract more participants, for some, certain yoga-hybrid classes are pushing the envelope just a little bit too far.

Succeeding the latest trend of combining yoga with wine tasting, some yoga studios have recently begun to regularly offer post-yoga beer or wine for those who’d like to enjoy a little happy hour after hitting the mat. While most people are thrilled with the idea, some yoga-purists are not so enthusiastic about it.

Take a look at the pros and cons about commercially introducing libations into the world of yoga and how it’s creating a buzz in the yoga community. (more…)

Race Me, I’m Irish – The Best St. Patrick’s Day Races in the Country

You wouldn’t know it by looking at me, but I’m about as Irish as they come. For whatever reason, my sister got the red hair, then I gave up my maiden name, and unless you are my husband, my “Irish temper” stays under wraps the majority of the time. However, whene March 17 rolls around, I take that time to embrace my lineage that makes me who I am. It used to only mean wearing green. Then I became a runner and the day took on a whole new celebration. Now, most of my celebrations include a race and some of the best food the world has to offer!

There are fun runs, shorter races, long miles, and everything in between when it comes to St. Patrick’s Day race options. Some are clever and offer a 17K or Lucky 7K. Many others like The Leprechaun Lope in Salt Lake City, Utah offer some seriously silly awards for best Irish costume or fastest centipede, which is four runners linked together by a common costume. Not to mention the various distances from 2 mile to 10K have hidden leprechauns along the course for you to spot. (more…)

Small Goals Keep Jennifer’s True Weight Loss Story on Track

The most recent goal Jennifer had in her weight loss journey was to get down to the weight printed on her driver’s license. In the past month, she accomplished that. She’s now three pounds under her license weight and says “I really need to go get a new driver’s license.”

She’s doing a lot of things right in her weight loss, which we’ve been following since summer. For one, she’s not on a diet. She’s establishing healthy habits that are helping her achieve one goal at a time (which is one of the healthiest habits of all when losing weight). Setting small, manageable goals helps you enjoy achievement all along the way, rather than feeling like you’re pursuing something that, for many, will takes months and even years to achieve.

Since the start of her journey in February of this year, Jennifer is down a total of 44 pounds, currently weighing in at 257 pounds. She’s down from a size 26 to a size 22 and has bought a few new clothes. She admits to still ordering things online, but is pleased with how they definitely fit when they arrive.

She’s also celebrating what she called a breakthrough this past month. “I did spiderman planks!,” Jennifer bragged. “It’s a big deal to me!” She talked about not being able to do them at all before and now she can hold one for 20 seconds. (more…)