Go Ahead, Booze it up! (Sometimes)

Having a drink at the end of the day feels good. Mood-altering beverages have been around since the beginning of mankind, relieving stressful days for thousands of years all over our world. Even cats have catnip, so it's no surprise that humans are lured to the relaxation effects of Grandpa's ol' cough syrup. So when faced with choosing between kicking our feet up after a long day with a glass of wine or sporting rock-hard abs, many of us choose the wine simply because it feels good. (And who has rock-hard abs anyway? Okay... Brooke, Darby, Becca,.. okay ALL of the Fusion Instructors, but they have them for a living, darn it!) My point is that many of us want to be allowed to drink and not feel too badly about it, and still be able to enjoy a healthy body. So, here are some facts to consider when deciding on that next glass. (And 'yolo baby' only works once in a while.)

First, the good news. The Mayo Clinic notes that moderate consumption of alcohol may decrease your risk for heart attack, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and even lower your risk of gallstones. However, one drink is defined as 5 oz. of wine, one beer, or 1.5 oz. of distilled spirits. Their definition of "moderate consumption" is one glass per day for women, and two for men. (Insert your complaint here.) Also, a wine glass can hold 12-15 oz., while one "drink" is technically less than half of that. I wonder what Big Carl would say about that? On Cougar Town. It's a show I watch while drinking large glasses of wine. Shoot.


Many dietitians and corporate weight-loss programs allow clients to keep alcohol in their normal diet, as long as the calories are accounted for and other items in the 'indulgence' category are traded and cut out for the day. Life is all about balance, even inside our bodies. The cals you get from an apple are also bringing with them a heap of nutrients. That vodka-7 you just ordered? Just plain, empty calories. So the idea of drinking your dinner on occasion may sound appealing, but while you are topping off your calorie count for the day, you are also depriving your body of protein, complex carbs, and fiber to name a just a few.



Save the cals, avoid this platter!

Our own Weight Loss Boot Camp and Amp Camp Instructor Shawna Wright tells clients that if they feel the need to have alcohol in their lives, "make it worth it. Cut out the wine with dinner, skip the happy hour with co-workers you don't really like anyway, and save your booze calories for a night to celebrate. If you are at a function where others are drinking and you aren't, grab a plain soda water with a lime to keep a drink in hand; not to fake it, but just to avoid feeling awkward with nothing to sip on in between conversations. If you have a "worth it" night, drink clear alcohol with 0 cal mixers and enjoy yourself. Just stay within your calories and do NOT eat crap."


Would you eat 10 sugar cubes? No way!

All of our Fusion Instructors recommend clear liquor with low-cal mixers; think vodka and club soda, gin and tonic, or a shot of Patron on the rocks, sipped. The trouble many of us get into is not what's in the alcohol itself, but what we choose to mix with it that really packs on the pounds. Nutritional Consultant Dr. Mike Russell warns that just 4oz (two shot glasses) of some daiquiri and margarita mixes contain 35 grams or more of sugar, and of course a regular soda contains around 40 grams. Swap your Coke for a diet or club soda, and wazaam! 140 calories and all that white sugar zapped. Inspired by Bethany Frankel's Skinny Girl brand, many bars now offer 'skinny' cocktails that replace the regular mixers with lighter ingredients, shaving off cals and making room for that cheese dip! Kidding. Sort of.

As for beer, many of us are scared off by the ol beer belly that can kind of creep up if we're not careful. We all know beer is full of calories, and even the low-cal versions can get tricky when you have to drink six of them to catch a buzz. But if you're a beer gal, don't fret, because studies have shown that dark micro-brews, produced in smaller, more specialized batches than something, say, sporting blue mountains when cold, contain an exaggeratedly higher amount of antioxidants such as flavonoids and polyphenols in the increased hops, which help kill viruses and reduce cellular damage while (bonus) packing more of a punch.

Red wine also follows the rule of the darker the better. While both red and white contain about 125 calories per 5 oz. glass, red wine totes a higher amount of antioxidents just like their predesessors, red and green grapes. It can also help increase your (good) HDL cholesterol (white wine does too, but red wine just does it better.) White wine generally has less alcohol than red so additional sugar plays a balancing role, making white wine sweeter. All this being said, all alcohol contains calories and sugar, so in order to include them in a healthy diet there has to be moderation.

Once in a while though, moderation flies out the door and we lose count (and don't even want to consider) all the calories consumed in a fun night out. When you wake up the next day craving a big ol' burger and fries, go ahead and do it. Yolo baby. Okay once in a while you can do that, but the majority of the time, think of the bigger picture and how hard you've worked and how many squats you've done in Barre, and consider heading to Panera for a big ol' turkey sandwich and cup of veggie soup instead. Amy Hodes reminds us that "the real damage is done from feeling tired and dehydrated the day after and wanting to eat your way through the day." So if you can stay in control and opt for a healthier hangover cure than the grease remedy we've all been taught, a fun night out once in a while can be do-able.

Amy also notes that alcohol slows our metabolism, since our bodies are working hard to first metabolize the alcohol, and then finally get around to the bar food, Taco Bell at 3am, and the next greasy day. Stop the insanity! Booze gets such a bad rap in the weight loss argument that many people are led to believe it's the black sheep of healthy, when it's really our pigging out that does the damage. I know, I know, it lowers are inhibitions so of course those potato skins look delicious, and I literally once ate McDonald's for breakfast and Chic-fil-A for lunch to deal with an aching hangover. YUCK! and EEK! And then I said, "I'm not losing weight, I need to cut out drinking." Ha!

We all need balance in our lives, and cutting out something entirely will most likely lead to such overwhelming cravings that we end up going overboard anyway. So every once in a while you can have a cookie or a glass of wine, just remember to make it worth it by choosing the yummiest, most satisfying version of whatever you're having, and enjoy it with the people you love. And if you do overindulge, chalk it up to fun times, say yolo, and head to the salad bar for a couple days :)