Because I’m a Beachbody Coach, I get a lot of questions about weight loss. At least five times a week, those questions involve alcohol and weight loss. “Do I have to quit drinking?” “What should I drink?” “How often can I drink?” “Can I still drink beer?”
Well, it’s complicated. The truth of the matter is that alcohol is empty calories. There is no nutritional value. Besides that, it lowers inhibitions, and all of our good food decisions and will power go out the window. Making matters even worse is the way our bodies metabolize alcohol: the body breaks down alcohol FIRST, so anything you eat while there is still alcohol in your system is stored as FAT. So that plate of nachos at happy hour to go along with a few pints? Yep; it’s going right to your butt.
But it doesn’t stop there. Alcohol can still affect your body even after you’ve stopped drinking. Have you ever noticed what sounds good the day AFTER a night of indulgent libations? Biscuits and gravy, anyone? Hashbrowns? Or maybe pizza, or a big greasy burger? In fact, many people consume about 2,000 EXTRA calories the day after a serious booze fest. What? That is MORE than a whole day’s worth of calories for me!
I have put together some tips on alcohol for you, so that you can see progress on the scale while being able to indulge (a bit).
1. Double-fist. No, I don’t mean an alcoholic beverage in each hand. I mean your drink of choice in one hand, and a tall glass of water in the other. For every adult beverage you consume, match it with a glass of water. Every time you order another drink, order another glass of water, and don’t order another cocktail until your water is gone. This does several things. First, it helps you to pace yourself. Second, it keeps you hydrated. Then, it helps your liver flush the alcohol and other toxins out of your system (and yes, you will be visiting the bathroom - A LOT! But that’s a good thing). It helps you to avoid bloating and the dreaded hangover. Finally, it keeps you from focusing on food; it’s hard to think you’re hungry when your tummy is full of water.
2. Automatic portion control: A single serving size of alcohol is considered a 12 oz beer, a 5 oz glass of wine, or 1 ½ oz of hard liquor. Bottled beer is handy because the portioning is done for you; there is no way to mistake how much is in that bottle. Wine can be trickier; it might be difficult to judge 5 oz depending upon the size of the glass. I will tell you that it is definitely less than you think it is! Practice at home, using a measuring cup. It should be ½ cup plus a LITTLE extra. Study what it looks like in your wine glass, but just be aware of the size of glass you are using. Many bars and restaurants are actually pouring 8-10 oz of wine into your glass, which makes it easy to go overboard.
Hard alcohol is the most difficult to judge, especially if you are drinking mixed drinks. It is nearly impossible to know how much booze the bartender poured into your glass. If your go-to is, say, vodka and cranberry juice (more about juice later), you can ask for a glass of cranberry juice and a shot of vodka. That way, you get the shot in an actual shot glass, or if not, you can at least judge how much liquor is in the glass the bartender DID put it in.
And for the record? Shots count as FULL DRINKS, possibly more than one, depending on the shot. So either do shots, or do drinks, but don’t do both. Also, you should still drink a full glass of water for every shot you have.
3. Watch your mixers. So you have decided to have a mixed drink, but what do you mix your single serving of alcohol WITH? Really, you are best off mixing it with water and MAYBE a splash of juice, or flavored sparkling water, like La Croix. Before you protest, allow me to tick off the reasons other things aren’t good choices:
- Soda - WAY too much sugar, horrible ingredients, and empty calories
- Diet soda - artificial sweeteners? No way. And that’s ON TOP of the other nasty ingredients.
- Club soda - While there is no sugar, there IS a ton of sodium, and that, my dear will BLOAT you, and that is a look that no one wants.
- Juice - Most juices have added sugar, and many bars and restaurants don’t even use real fruit juice; it is a concentrated syrup that comes out of a beverage gun and is mixed with water, like soda. In addition, the average juice has 100-120 calories per 8 oz serving, and that’s not even counting your liquor! It’s better to stay away from juice or to just request a splash for flavoring.
- Sour mix - oh, how I LOVE a good margarita! But the calories… the SUGAR. There are SEVEN grams of sugar… PER OUNCE. There are 28 calories… PER OUNCE. Avoid it at all costs.
The long and short of it is that drinking mixed drinks in a way that complements your weight loss is COMPLICATED. Personally, I avoid it unless it is my cheat meal or a special occasion,
4. Limit your drinks. It’s easy after a long, stressful week of work to go throw back several drinks to unwind, but let’s face it: you’re not doing yourself, or your diet, and favors. If we consider that the average drink is 120 calories, and you’re drinking a six-pack four nights a week, that’s 2,880 calories of JUST BOOZE (I know, when you read that, it seems like a lot, but if you’re not drinking that much, I bet you know someone who is!) That’s not even counting the extra food you consume during and after drinking, and that’s already nearly one pound of calories in one week. How well does that fit in with your weight loss goals?
Moderate drinking is considered one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. Drinking this way will NOT wreak havoc on your diet. And no, banking your drinks and having seven on Friday night does not count. Anything more than this amount is considered binge drinking (Source: http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2010.asp).
“What?” you might say. “I can’t even catch a buzz on one drink.” Sure you can. That’s up next.
5. Do a 30. What do I mean by this? Well, usually, about twice a year (usually January and at some other point in the year), I like to do what I call “Doing a 30.” This is, very simply, avoiding alcohol for thirty days. This is especially effective if you are trying to lose weight. Think of all the calories you save in just one month! But there are other reasons to do a 30:
- Sometimes it’s just good to live life without alcohol. It forces you to remember how much fun LIFE can be! Instead of going out after dinner on Friday night for drinks, my husband and I might go bowling, or for a walk, or to an art exhibit. It can definitely help you get out of a date-night rut!
- After your 30, your tolerance for alcohol is practically non-existent. Imagine feeling completely relaxed after one glass of wine or one beer. That’s it. That’s all you need. It is not only calorie-saving, but money-saving, too! You’ve got to love that.
- You’ll sleep better. I don’t care what anyone says; science shows that alcohol disrupts sleep.
- It’s like a mental re-set. While there are times a 30 can be challenging (everyone at the wedding is smashed and you are stone-cold sober), there is something about it that puts life into perspective. It always makes me feel more clear-headed.
- It can help you push through a plateau. If your weight loss has stalled, this might be just the thing to kick-start it again. Your body needs some kind of a jolt; fewer carbs, more protein, a new workout routine, staggering of calories. A 30 can help with this, too.
You CAN enjoy an adult beverage or two and still see progress in your health and fitness, if you are smart about it. I hope these tips help you to stay on track when it comes to imbibing!
Remember, you don’t have to be intoxicated to BE FIERCE ;)
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