Drinking Empty Calories

As it turns out, some of my favorite drinks have a lot of empty calories in them. This month, my roommate is taking the month off from drinking. She (and I) have found we drink far more than we think we do, let me explain. If you were to ask me how much I drink/week, I would probably say 2-3 drinks/week. But then, I stop to break it down and a typical week could include: a drink or two while watching a football on Sunday, wine while watching a tv show on Monday, meeting up with co-workers for happy hour on Wednesday (at least 2 drinks), rough day at work Thursday- have a beer or two at home, and lastly out with friends on Friday and/or Saturday (3-4 drinks). That alone brings us to a potential total of: 10 drinks in one week!!!

So this week, I challenged myself to see what exactly am I up against if I want to meet my goals, but still enjoy a drink or two.

Here are the calories per 12 oz in my favorite beers!

-Big Sky's Moose Drool: 177

-Deschutes' Mirror Pond: 170

-New Belgium's Fat Tire: 160

-Widmer's Drop Top: 140

-Bud Light: 110

Average bottle of red wine: 500-600 calories 

Average mixed drink: 300 calories

Before the New Year, it was not uncommon for my roommate and myself to drink a beer or two with dinner, or split a bottle of wine after a tough week or hard day at work. What I did not realize was how many calories were contained in these drinks. 

An article in a recent Women's Health magazine chronicled the benefits from "going dry", for in this case a month. Here are a few excerpts:

Women's Health:

1. "When booze is on board, your body, besides having to deal with the surplus of calories, prioritizes metabolizing the alcohol over burning fat and carbs."

2. "researchers found that alcohol decreased sleep duration and increased wakefulness"

3.  “Alcohol is a direct neurotoxin, so not only does it kill nerve cells, but it also interrupts absorption of important nutrients and alters the metabolism.” 

Things I have noticed:

1. When I am drinking, I find myself snacking on things I wouldnt normally snack on and eating more (portion size) than I usually eat

2. The gray areas seem to disappear and all that exists is black and white.

3. The last thing I want to do after a night of drink is exercise. I spend most of the next morning convincing myself to get off the couch, let alone get my booty to the gym.

Alternatives without feeling lame:

1. Ask for a cranberry drink or sprite with a lime in it. This gives the appearance of having a drink with the group, but not having the explain why you're not drinking

2. Only have one- I know, sounds basic. When we go out, it seems like I always get at least two beers or mixed drinks. What would happen if I only had one?

3. If you are going out to celebrate something and know you are going to have a lot to drink, swap every other drink with a glass of water. It is amazing the difference I feel on the nights I do this and the nights I do not. Plus, you may end up feeling more full and that could help with portion control