How to enjoy alcohol while watching your weight
Relaxing and responsibly enjoying a drink is a big part of many people’s evenings, weekends and after work routines. Unfortunately, when you’re watching your figure or trying to lose weight, having a drink can all too often just become another thing to worry about.
Despite what you may think, it is possible to still enjoy a drink and lose weight at the same time – all it takes is a little bit of extra effort, planning and understanding of alcohol’s effects.
How Can Alcohol Affect Your Weight?
By its very nature and the process of fermentation, alcohol tends to be very high in calories and sugar. For example, a glass of red wine typically contains 160 calories, while a pint of lager is around 240 calories. It all very quickly adds up and you can significantly increase your overall calorie intake, just by having a couple of drinks.
Aside from the calorie content of the alcohol itself, it’s also worth considering the impact that the lowered inhibitions it causes has on your eating habits.
Many of us are all too familiar with partaking in an after-pub kebab or nibbling on crisps and nuts while having a drink. These are all extra calories on top of the alcohol itself, increasing your calorie deficit and making it even more difficult to lose weight.
Considering the high calorie content of alcohol and the effects it has on your eating, how is it possible to continue drinking while also losing weight?
Drink in Moderation
Unfortunately, the simplest solution is not always the easiest.
Drinking in moderation, keeping in mind calorific content, can be the best way to cut down on your overall calorie intake from alcohol.
Moderating your drinking doesn’t only mean having fewer drinks on a night out, it can also involve cutting your intake throughout the week. Cut out that after work glass of wine, or add a few more dry days to your week, and you will quickly find that you are drinking far less overall.
While cutting out or moderating your alcohol intake, try to avoid replacing it with any other high-calorie drinks, like fizzy drinks, as these will also make it difficult to lose weight.
It’s also important that you avoid “banking” your alcohol allowance for a night out, as this can lead to binge drinking which can have a serious impact on your general health.
Low-Calorie Drinks
Changing your drinking habits to only drink low-calorie drinks is a great way to cut down on your overall calorie intake from alcohol.
You can drink many spirits with low-calorie mixers, although please keep in mind that these will often be much stronger than your typical beers and wines, so remember to drink in moderation.
More and more alcohol brands and manufacturers are also catching on to the intent to limit calorie intake from alcohol and have started producing low-calorie versions of their products. You can now find low-calorie wine, cider and even low-calorie beer like Tennent’s Light, so you can still enjoy a pint while watching your waistline.
Low-calorie drinks are a booming market, so keep your eyes peeled for new products and have a look to see if your favourite drink already comes in a low-calorie version.
Calorie Counting
Counting calories is becoming an increasingly popular way to lose weight and can be a great way to build a proper understanding of the calorie content of your food and drink.
Unfortunately, many people still have poor nutrition literacy and understanding of just what they are eating or drinking. Counting calories helps to improve your understanding of what foods and drinks to eat and which ones to avoid, while making sure that you fall within the recommended calorie intake for your age and body type.
Calorie counting while drinking is no different, building an understanding of how many calories are in alcohol, while knowing how much you can drink to fall within your daily allowance.
The downside of calorie counting is that it is not immune to the impact alcohol has on behaviour. After a few drinks, it can be all too easy to dismiss the importance of counting your calories or to lose track.
Finding the Right Approach
Finding a method that works best for you is essential if you want to stick with it. While it might be tempting to take the most drastic route, or to cut out drinking all together, changing your habits can be very difficult and you may only be setting yourself up for failure.
Creating a balance between all the areas highlighted above may be the right way forward. Try moderating your overall alcohol intake, choose low-calorie alternatives and keep track of your overall calorie intake (even if this is just an estimate).
Taking this approach will help you to lose or maintain your weight, while also building a healthier relationship with alcohol and food in general.
