The Impossible Equation

Before I begin, I gotta stress something here: don't binge drink. A drinking binge is generally considered five or more drinks in a row for men, and four or more in a row for women. They constantly remind us that at my school. For a brush up lesson in binge drinking, check out this site: http://www.intheknowzone.com/binge/what.htm


It is a bad idea for so many reasons. Don't be dumb! 

Q: If you combine: Diet + Exercise + Drinking Alcohol, Can you still lose weight?

A: Well, here's the science of it:

http://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/research/alcohol.htm

In general, you probably shouldn't drink if your focus is weight loss. 



But if you're boozin', is losin' still possible?

Hmm... let's rephrase that question...

If your lifestyle involves drinking and you aren't willing to trade alcohol for faster weight loss because it is something you take pleasure in doing (in moderation), is it possible to not gain weight? 


My friends, the answer is yes! You don't have to (and shouldn't) give up something that makes you happy if you can enjoy it with some self-control. Making the right choices will help avoid packing on weight.

A shot, glass of wine, and a beer all contain equal parts alcohol. Their calories contents, however, are different

Hard Alcohol: 115-200 calories per shot

Wine: 85-125 calories per glass

Beer: 100-200 per can

(For specific varieties, check out http://www.rochester.edu/uhs/healthtopics/Alcohol/caloricvalues.html)

Pretty shocking, huh? Most people think that vodka and gin are calorie-free, but that definitely isn’t the case! I'm not going to get into how many hidden calories are in chasers and mixers. Stick to diet sodas or sugar-free juices. Read your labels for drink mixes.With those numbers in mind, my best piece of advice is to plan ahead.

Let drinking be a treat: Don’t splurge during the week on sweets if you know you’ll be drinking on the weekend. Factor it into your diet.

Avoid salt that day & drink water: Drinking alcohol dehydrates you. Fill up on water that day and make sure you sip water between drinks to keep yourself hydrated! 

Mix with carbonated diet beverages: Diet soda mixed with hard liquor allows you to feel the effects of alcohol the fastest. The carbonation and lack of sugary syrup sends the booze right to your brain, making the effect more “efficient”. You’ll need to drink less alcohol to feel the buzz, saving yourself hundreds of calories.

Don’t eat while you’re drinking: Drinking lowers your inhibitions. You’ll be less likely to care about your diet and more inclined to eat nachos. Make yourself a promise that you won’t eat unhealthy food while drinking! 

Work it into your work out: Do cardio that day and the day after. Strength training will be counter-productive. Alcohol is made up of empty calories that will only go away if you burn them off!

Sneak in exercise: That being said, try to move a bit more on day that you know you’ll be drinking. Take the stairs, park your car further from the store, dance at the party you’re drinking at, wear ankle weights while you’re getting ready (my roommate thinks I’m crazy), walk around and socialize wherever you are. Make it fun!

When it comes to food for that day, At WomensHealthMag.com they say: “It doesn't matter what you eat, just eat less of it. Trim calories a little at breakfast and lunch in preparation for a larger amount later. Eat only half of your lunch at noon and then the other half just before you leave for supper to help curb appetite. But definitely don't skip meals. A little food in your system will keep you sated, but none at all will make you ravenous”