Belinda Norton shares the FIVE rules she follows when drinking alcohol to stay healthy

A super-fit gym teacher and mother of two has shared her top tips for enjoying alcohol while maintaining her enviable physique — highlighting that it’s possible to enjoy a ‘balanced’ lifestyle and stay in top shape.

“It’s a hot topic and I get asked about it every day, so let’s talk about alcohol consumption and how to create a balanced integration into a healthy, fit and flexible life,” Belinda Norton, a 45-year-old health and fitness education professional and certified trainer from the Gold Coast, said.

“Always stick to quality alcohol like Chandon, so you drink less and are less likely to overspend and drink consciously.”

A super-fit gym teacher and mother of two has shared her top tips for enjoying alcohol while maintaining her enviable physique — and insists it’s totally fine to enjoy a balanced lifestyle

“Always stick to quality alcohol like Chandon, so you drink less and are less likely to overspend and drink consciously.” she said

Belinda Norton’s 9 Secret Life Hacks Against Aging

1. Drink more water

The more water for the skin and cleansing of the whole body. I know this is cliche, but it really works. Personally, I drink water warm, cold, hot, with ice. I chew ice cubes and always drink a large glass of water before going to bed and immediately when I get up in the morning. Always start every meal with a large glass of water.

2. Eat blueberries every day

Eat blueberries for breakfast, be it in a smoothie, on oats, a handful of them on the run, frozen in yogurt just eat them. They are packed with antioxidants and high in vitamins and research shows that they have excellent anti-aging properties due to their cognitive benefits. These little fruits are high in vitamins K and C and have also been found to improve our blood quality, improving our cardiovascular health and fighting disease.

3. Less Cardio, More Lightweight Weights

Try running less. I know and I appreciate a good run, but I’ve found that excessive running is counterproductive to our best body shape. Over the years I have significantly shortened my running distances instead of completing quality sessions, speed sessions. I ran and ran and this caused so much stress in my body that I started aging faster. I now only run 3km – 7km unless I am completing a race. Otherwise I vary running, sprinting or complete high quality weight speed circuits with short term efforts in between.

4. Eat Foods That Improve Skin Health

– Try to eat spinach at least 5 times a week, in salads, in the morning with eggs or during dinners eg tacos. Snack on almonds daily – approx. a handful. Eat salmon at least twice a week Eat salmon once a week – rich in protein, fish oil and good fats for your skin. Eat vegetables with every meal.

5. Avoid ALL Processed Foods

Fewer processed foods and avoid the calorie or macro rating as it’s a ridiculous way of life, especially when it comes to eating processed foods. Please stop the ‘diet craze’, it will NOT prevent aging.

6. Avoid sipping from straws

They create wrinkles around your lips, just like the cigarette epidemic.

7. Wear sunscreen and sunglasses with a hat as often as possible

8. Get a massage (monthly/6 monthly but definitely yearly)

Massage should not be seen as a luxury item. It’s a healthy necessity, just like going to the dentist or other health professional. It is a preventive action to avoid injury. Loose and limber muscles mean less pain and less tearing or further damage to the ligaments; Not only that, but it also allows for better mobility and also flushes out unwanted toxins, leaving a more youthful body and skin tone.

9. Walk Every Morning

On waking, getting dressed and going for a walk – before breakfast and then eat on return. It will trigger the awakening of your body and your metabolism.

She always drinks “quality alcohol” because it “settles in your body because it contains fewer preservatives and has a higher quality of purity.”

“Drink slowly and enjoy the taste, enjoy the moment and sip slowly because this is how food and alcohol should be consumed,” she said, before adding that she always has water or sparkling water between drinks.

“Try mocktails in between drinks, or my favorite is coconut water in between.”

When she comes home after a day or night of drinking, Belinda always refuels with quality food before going to bed.

My trick is gluten-free toast and Aussiemite with avocado. I’ll have a green tea and a gallon of water, so you’ll have time to remove your make-up too,” she said.

She also always drinks ‘quality alcohol’ because it ‘settles in your body because it has fewer preservatives and a higher quality of purity’

‘Conscious consumption of everything in life creates balance.’

Earlier this year, Belinda shared her ‘magic elixir’ for improving health in 2022.

Her goal for 2022 is to “encourage others” – and her first piece of advice is to encourage the intake of raw, healthy foods.

“It really is the magic elixir for our body’s performance level. These soil-grown foods promote internal health, from digestion to blood-boosting components,” she wrote.

“I encourage you to eat raw vegetables daily and increase your consumption by adding vegetables to every meal, including breakfast.”

Belinda recommends making simple adjustments such as adding spinach to eggs, eating raw carrots as a snack, eating baby cucumbers, enjoying raw cauliflower with dips, and adding vegetables to any dinner.

Belinda Norton, a health and fitness education professional and Gold Coast certified trainer, said her number one goal for 2022 is to “encourage others” — and her first piece of advice is to encourage raw, healthy foods.

She often eats meals such as roasted organic vegetables with garlic (left) and breakfast bagels made with a toasted gluten-free bagel with seeds, egg, spinach, purple cabbage, and sweet chili jam

“The fact is, food is more than just calories. It’s the information our cells need to function, it’s the information our metabolism can use to work efficiently or slowly,” said the mother of two.

“When we eat sugars, fruit juice or refined carbohydrates, it goes straight to the liver, where it starts producing fat, causing insulin resistance and causing chronically elevated insulin levels in the blood, causing the body to store everything, meaning it’s toxic.”

She added that ‘real’ food such as vegetables and low-glycemic fruits, healthy fats (nut seeds, avocado, and olives), gluten-free whole grains, legumes, and responsible protein and seafood) give your cells the information they need to function at their best.

Earlier this year, Belinda shared her ‘magic elixir’ for improving health in 2022

“They improve skin, hair, brain function, mental clarity and immunity,” she said.

‘Good food should not only be about quantity, but more about quality.’

You can follow Belinda Norton on Instagram here†