Maggie Likes to Drink

And a lot of other people like to drink, as well. So I figured it might be time to write a little post about alcohol and healthy eating. Up front, let's go ahead and admit it: the healthiest choice is to avoid alcohol. Not only is it empty calories, the effects of alcohol on your metabolism are terrible. It slows down your fat burning system, dehydrates you, makes you crave horrible foods, and renders you worthless in the gym the next morning.

But come on, getting your drink on is fun.

Here are some guidelines that I use when I'm trying to loosen up without having to significantly loosen up my belt.

1. Keep your calories a little bit low.

If you're planning to go out and have a few drinks at night or after work, keep your calories at breakfast and lunch on the low side. Not dangerously low, but having one day where your healthy food intake is around 1000 calories isn't going to wreck your metabolism. This serves two purposes - it leaves more calories for booze, and it means you'll be buzzing a lot sooner without all that food in your system.

2. Choose drinks based on their calories AND alcohol to calorie ratio.

A lot of people see those commercials for very low calorie beer, with 50 or 60 calories, and think it's a great choice. The problem is, those beers tend to have low calories because they also have low alcohol, meaning you're going to end up drinking more of them unless you're someone very sensitive to placebo effects.

For beer, the best one I've found is Michelob Ultra Amber, which has about 114 calories per bottle and is 5% alcohol. It's got a nice, mild flavor and isn't terribly hoppy. Wine is also a good choice: most wines have about 100 calories in a glass, or 500 calories in a whole bottle. Just be sure to avoid sweet wines, like Riesling or other German varieties, as they have more sugar. If you like a nice fruity white, go with a Sauvignon Blanc or a Pinot Grigio instead.

Hard liquor is another good choice, but watch out for mixers with lots of calories. A standard American shot glass is 1.5 ounces, which means it's about 100 calories worth of vodka or gin. Mixing with diet coke, cherry coke zero, or diet tonic is always a good time. A flavored vodka usually adds about 10-20 calories per shot, so it can be worth it if it makes the drink a lot tastier.

3. Snack smart.

When I drink, I get an insatiable craving for chili cheese fries. If I'm not careful, I end up eating an entire order myself. There are ways to avoid the cravings you get for fatty carbs, however.

If you're drinking at someone's home, including your own, make sure you have some healthy snacks available. Popcorn is great, as are low calorie pretzels. A recent favorite of mine is this cheesy Puffcorn. This will help you resist the temptation to order a pizza, should your judgment slip a little bit.

If you're going out, try to contemplate the menu before you get to the restaurant or bar. See if you can find something that's not going to blow your diet. If you like, go ahead and order it before you start drinking, so it's right in front of you when you start feeling snackie.

4. Don't deny yourself the things you love.

Having a fanci fun time is not about punishing yourself and giving up the things that make you happy. If you adore margaritas, have one every now and then. Learn to make them at home with real lime juice instead of weird-tasting HFCS mix. Indulge your cravings and have a great time. The only hard and fast rule is to always love yourself, and that means being conscious and intentional. Even when you're tying one on.