Plus some alcohol free alternatives!

Alcohol. It's everywhere. From happy hours to date night to paint and sip. Bowling, ball games, weddings, funerals. My hair salon recently started serving wine! 

I’m not going to tell you that you have to avoid it if you don’t want to. When you have alcohol, plan it into your day first. 

This ensures two things: 

1. That you have room for the alcohol in your day 

AND more importantly 

2. That you are in control. Not the alcohol 

Remember: It's your choice what you eat and drink. You never NEED to drink alcohol. You can say no. It might feel difficult, but it can also be very empowering!

What Happens When I Drink?:

Alcohol acts like a toxin in the body. When you drink alcohol the body stops processing any other food and only focuses on eliminating the alcohol. 

This causes the body to either store anything it is currently processing straight to fat “I’ll deal with this later” until the alcohol has been taken care of.

This means that the burger and fries you've might have eaten at the same time aren't being used as an energy source and instead are being stored as fat.

Alcohol reduces your body's ability to build lean muscle by blocking the absorption of many important nutrients from your food needed for muscle to grow, contract and relax. This effect seems more pronounced in men than women, and really is a factor only when you have 2 drinks or more. 

Studies have shown that as little as one alcoholic beverage in the hours leading up to bedtime can negatively impact your body’s ability to get to sleep, stay asleep, overall quality of sleep, and daytime alertness the next day. And then you sleep poorly, your hunger the next day is more fierce.

What are my healthiest alcohol options?

When you do imbibe, I recommend wine, light beer, seltzers like Whiteclaw, and hard alcohol with a calorie free mixer (like a rum and diet coke). 

Cocktails are harder to track with their combination, and craft beers and ciders have 2-3 times the calories compared with the lighter options!! 

I have noticed that red wine seems to cause more digestive issues when compared to white wine. So if you notice bloating, try sticking with white wine instead.

Have a glass of water for every glass of alcohol to help with dehydration and prevent hangovers!

Beware drinks like margaritas! They can have way more sugar and calories than you intend. Get a scratch or skinny margarita instead, which leave out the sugary mix.

Alcohol Alternatives:

Having some tasty options available in place of alcohol can help when you want to have that relaxed feeling or socialization without alcohol! 

Don’t forget a good decaf coffee or tea - great for a relaxing few minutes on a weeknight 

Here are a few more ideas for you, use a wine glass to drink out of - seems silly but it really changes the mindset somehow!

PS: Click here for my taco guide, and here for my road trip tips!