3 Healthy Tips You Should Follow When Consuming Alcohol

We all know that alcohol consumption is not healthy nor will it help us achieve our fitness goals. Alcohol contains an abundance of empty calories that can negate our weight loss and fat loss goals. At seven calories per gram plus the sugary content of mixers that are typically combined with liquor, a few drinks can easily increase your calories by the hundreds. Furthermore, ethanol has toxic metabolites that can damage the liver, and inhibit essential nutrient absorption like amino acids and B vitamins, while also impeding protein synthesis.

There are a number of reasons why we should not drink if we are looking to achieve certain fitness goals, but let’s get real – a few drinks at social and work events is a societal norm and oftentimes choosing to not consume alcohol is not always easy. So if you are going to drink, follow these tips to lower your caloric intake and do as little damage as possible while still working towards your health and fitness goals.

1. Avoid the Craft

Although craft beers may be delicious, they are also jam-packed with calories. Calories in craft beers primarily come from the carbohydrates in the grains that the brewer must add to give the beer its flavor. Unfortunately, these carbohydrates combined with the higher alcohol by volume (ABV) of most craft beers will provide approximately 500+ calories for every beer. What takes 10 minutes to drink may be destroying hours of work that you’ve put in at the gym. Instead, try some of these lower-calorie, yet still delicious beer options:

• Michelob Ultra-95 calories
• Guinness Draught: 125 calories
• Session Lager– 130 calories
• Saison Diego– 135 calories

2. Go Light on the Mixer

When it comes to mixed drinks and specialty cocktails, the more ingredients and fruitier the beverage, the higher the calories will climb. Try using infused alcohols and choosing low-calorie or diet mixers to give yourself the taste you are looking for without the calorie punch.

• Vanilla Dream– vanilla vodka, diet ginger ale, Stevia, orange slices (100 calories)
• Diet Mojito: Vodka, muddled mint, lime juice, club soda, Stevia (110 calories)
• Faux Cosmopolitan: Raspberry-infused vodka, club soda, diet cranberry and lime (115 calories)
• Low-Cal Margarita: Limes, salt, Mexican limóns, tequila, Cointreau, Stevia, ice (150 calories) 

3. Pace Yourself

Pacing yourself when consuming alcohol can greatly lower your calorie intake. Try these tips on how to limit your alcohol consumption.

• Order drinks that are large in volume of low-calories mixers with alcohol. Drinks like micheladas and other beverages that contain a low ratio of alcohol but high volume of calorie-free or low-calorie mixers will take longer to consume and result in lower alcohol and calorie consumption.
• Order water with or after every drink. The additional water will provide high volumes of liquid that will keep you better hydrated and limit your alcohol consumption in the long run.
• Order diet soda in rocks glass. This will allow you to keep up appearances without the calories.