Women Drinking Scotch

I tell you what, I love a good drink. I'm not one to drink to excess, rarely even to a point of tipsiness. Rather, I drink for flavor. Call me a snob, but that's why I love craft beer. And living in Oregon, it's damn hard to avoid. The fact remains, however, that a few beers throughout the week begins to take a toll on your waste line. Especially if you aren't working out.

We went out for a drink and some shuffleboard tonight at one of my favorite Hawthorne places. The Bagdad Theater's Back Stage Bar. And rather than go for a cold brew, like I wanted, I opted for a scotch neat. Macallan 12 year. Scotch is my kind of drink, for all its earthy, smoky, chest-warming flavors. A 1.5oz drink (sip and savor) also has over 100 fewer calories than a Ninkasi IPA.

Earlier in the day, I did a couple workouts, so sipping that drink didn't phase me as much. Moderation. Below is the video I followed on YouTube this morning and after doing two of her other workouts yesterday, I'm hooked. You look at them and think, "simple enough!" But no....these make you work, they make you sweat. I yelled profanities. BUT, they're also totally doable. I needed zero weights, and none of these exercises required acrobatic coordination or contortionist moves.

Aside from this 27-minute workout, I ran a mile and jammed to the awesome Caravan Palace Pandora station. I seriously need to go grocery shopping, so my food intake has consisted of 5 whole wheat crackers with a dab of peanut butter. Water. And coffee. And finally, for lunch, a simple black bean soft taco. 

1/2 can of black beans: 210 calories  (seasoned with cumin, oregano, basil and pepper)

1 whole wheat tortilla: 130 calories

1 TBS salsa: 5 calories 

1 small handful mixed greens: 4 calories 

TOTAL Calories: 349 

I promise, as this blog progresses and as I get a grasp on what I'm doing, I'll have more interesting photos and stories for you guys. But for now, I would LOVE your comments and advice for the first few weeks of starting a fitness journey. What do you do to stay motivated? What foods do you eat? How do you avoid delicious adult beverages?