Z. Johnson
It’s that time of the year! Treats, family gatherings, celebrations, and yes, lots of cocktail parties too. It’s the perfect excuse to drink alcohol during festivities because it’s the season to be merry (especially if your boss sponsors that office party with booze,lol). However, many people also dread the holidays because they fear throwing all their fitness efforts down the drain. But, this doesn’t have to be the case. As a matter of fact, you can say NO to a drink. As well, you can enjoy your favorite sips during the holidays and still stay fit. So keep reading to discover some truths about holiday drinking and how you can do it in a balanced and healthy way that doesn’t affect your goals.
Holiday drinking 101: Keeping it REAListic
Let’s face it: Social gatherings can be hard… especially if you’ve been with a restricting mentality all year. Well, what does this mean? See, the holiday season can be an escape for many people that have been “dieting” for the entire year. For example, what happens when you decide to not eat a piece of pie all year? Then by the time the holidays hit, you can’t help but to have all the cake you can, for an entire week. This is very common, to the point that you start feeling undigested and gross. Surprised at this? Well, we’re humans, and our bodies tend to crave what we like and what we CAN’T have.
Many people go overboard with holiday drinking because they say “you know what, let’s indulge anyway, I’ll already mess up my health goals”… Then it goes from a couple of drinks to 14 margaritas. Seriously, it doesn’t have to be this way. You don’t have to fall into the extremes in order to have fun and stay healthy.
So, here’s the thing, it’s easy to get carried away by the overindulgence when you don’t know how to embrace balance. It really cringes me when I see a “diet plan” or a “coach” that pretends to cut out alcohol entirely from your life, because this is precisely what happens during the holidays with those scenarios. It’s simply not realistic, especially if you are used to having a social life. But, actually, drinking alcohol can be part of a healthy lifestyle, and in fact, you can even lose weight while enjoying those sips occasionally.
Here are some facts about alcohol
Many people think that liquid calories don’t count, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. As a matter of fact, alcohol has calories and eating more calories than our body can process causes weight gain. This is something I wanted you to be aware of, since alcohol consumption can go overboard.
Alcohol is metabolized differently than carbohydrates, protein and fat. When we drink alcohol, our bodies prefer to use it as energy first, because it contains acetate, which is toxic. Therefore, you are less likely to burn fat while drinking alcohol.
Also, our bodies don’t store alcohol, not even in the form of fat. This actually happens if you eat junk food after drinking. This is the main reason why a lot of people gain weight when drinking during the holidays, it’s really about the food as well.
Getting rid of alcohol becomes our bodies first priority, therefore, the other metabolic systems, like burning fat and regulating blood sugar, move to the back burner. So, the truth is if you drink alcohol in an irresponsible way, it can mess up your metabolism in the long run and make you gain weight. That being said, you want to do things in a smart way and make informed decisions about holiday drinking.
More holiday drinking facts: Here’s what we know about the types of alcohol
Alcoholic beverages vary in serving sizes, based on the amount of sugar and the alcohol content of the drink. Usually a serving of beer equals 12 ounces, a glass of wine is 5 ounces, and 1.5 ounces is a shot of distilled spirits. Typically, a serving of alcohol is 100 to 150 calories, but that doesn’t include sugary or high-caloric ingredients that you usually find in cocktails. For example, a glass of sangria can add up to 250 calories or more in a single serving.
Here’s the nutritional facts of common alcohol beverages like beer, wine, and liquor:
1 serving of beer (12 ounces) = 140-220 (depending on lite or heavy) and 10-30g carbohydrates
5 ounce glass of wine = 80-120 calories and 5-11g carbohydrates
1 ounce of liquor = 65-90 calories, 0g carbohydrate
As you can see, I don’t recommend drinking too much beer or wine (coming from a wine lover here!). With beer, there aren’t many options available when it comes to cutting down on the amount of calories. Besides that, people experience a worse hangover from beer because of the yeast and other ingredients. If you love beer, though, try to moderate it’s consumption. In terms of wine, there is more variety, and honestly, you can play with different kinds between red, white and rosé. The purer (dry) wines will be your best bet here. Red wine has many health benefits, but as well, you want to go easy on wine, as you can also get hungover and gain weight if you go overboard.
Now, as you notice, pure liquor is a good choice if you feel like booze without going overboard in alcohol or being hungover. I recommend clear liquors like high-quality vodka, gin, and tequila over dark liquors like whiskey because they’re purer forms of alcohol and you’ll feel so much different the next day. To be honest, one of the main things you want to avoid is being hungover, because this is what leads to eating a bunch of junk after.
Holiday drinking choices
Based on a research I made about alcoholic drinks, here’s how I rank beverages in terms of “healthier” (best choices) to more caloric (to drink sparingly). This is based on the alcohol content and the amount of sugar.
- Vodka, tequila, gin
- Dark spirits
- Dry champagne
- Or Dry white wine
- Dry red wine
- Sweet white wine or red wine, sweet champagnes
- Beer
- Sugary cocktails
As you see, vodka and dry drinks are going to be your best choice when it comes to holiday drinking. It doesn’t mean that you can abuse these either, it’s just that based on their nutritional value, you stand a better chance of gaining less calories and avoid the early effects of being drunk. Now, if you are a fan of sugary cocktails, try to have them sparingly or no more than 2 of these in one sitting.
Here are some holiday drinking tips and how to stay fit:
Go easy on the wine!
Sorry friend! I totally relate to you on this wine, because I’m a wine lover as well. But, here’s the thing, wine does contain sugar, and if you plan on staying on track, you should go for dry wines. These options are more pure, the taste is great and thus, have less sugar. If you don’t have dry wine options, then try not to have more than 2 glasses.
Beer should be your last choice
It should be a no-brainer that beer does add a lot when it comes to alcohol. Unfortunately, there aren’t many options of beer in terms of less calories, so you want to have it sparingly or go for other options. Try not to have more than 2 beers, if you want to keep in check.
Avoid sugary drinks or don’t add sugar at all
This one also seems pretty obvious, but sometimes we can get carried away by the love for these drinks, I include myself. I am a margarita lover, but if the options are available, I would skip the sugar or agave that comes with these types of drinks. Instead, you can ask for just a splash of juice, some pure fruit or vodka.
Don’t drink on empty stomach
Drinking on an empty stomach is one of the worst things you could ever do. First of all, your body will start holding on to the alcohol for energy, you’ll crave more junk food than you normally would and it would be a disaster for getting drunk. Please don’t!
Eat your protein at every meal
This is my go-to principle when I’m going to a social gathering. I make sure to eat well during the day, have my protein, eat enough so that I’m satisfied and my metabolism is in check. That way, I’ll avoid having unnecessary cravings and excess drinking.
Don’t forget your vitamins!
Taking vitamins regularly will help to boost your metabolism, improve your immune system and basically support your nutrition. I’ve found a lot of benefits since taking Whole Food Women’s MultiVitamin, from the Vitamin Shoppe. These are plant-based supplements packed with all the essential vitamins, minerals and omega-3. Head over to the link below to check out more about Whole Food Women’s MultiVitamin, at 10% discount.
Sip on some water between drinks
Drinking water is a must everyday. But when it comes to holiday drinking, having some water regularly will keep you hydrated, will help slow down your drinking and will keep you comfortable in a social gathering.
Drink mindfully
Exactly! Being mindful is not just about eating, but also includes drinking. When you enjoy your beverages, delight in the taste and enjoy it to the max. Sip slowly and don’t just force the drink down your throat! This will make you overdrink.
Live in the moment by focusing on family and friends
Remember that this time of the year is more than just drinks and food. You should make sure to share with the people you cherish and make the best out of the moment. The real reason for gatherings is to be with the ones you love and appreciate.
A final word,
The key to staying in shape and enjoying yourself during the holidays is to practice moderation. Keep eating in a balanced and healthy way, include movement and bear in mind that drinking during festivities is actually a personal choice. However, just know that you can still lose weight, stay in shape while drinking alcohol. Just follow these tips to smart drinking and you should be ok. What are your thoughts on healthy smart drinking for the season? Comment below.
Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you.
