Someone sent me this email about alcohol. I thought it was pretty good.
Help With Happy Hour
Q: How can I responsibly fit alcohol into my diet? I enjoy having a cocktail or a glass of wine at the end of the day, but I don't want to blow my calorie allotment out of the water. Are certain kinds of alcohol "better" than others?
A: There are several answers to these questions. Unfortunately, when you're trying to lose weight, alcohol is the enemy for a number of reasons:
Alcohol is really just a ton of empty calories.
It releases estrogen into your bloodstream, promotes fat storage, and decreases muscle growth.
It weakens your willpower and inhibition — one minute you're at happy hour, the next you're at the all-night diner ordering the bacon cheeseburger with fries and a vanilla shake. I mean, who does that sober? Certainly not you! (At least, not on my watch!)
Now, don't get me wrong — I LOVE my red wine, and I can knock back tequila shots with the best of them. But those things should be enjoyed once you're in maintenance mode, not while you're trying to lose weight. If you must give in to temptation, do so with extreme caution.
If you are going to drink, my recommendation is wine. Although alcohol poses a breast cancer risk, one study showed that women who had an occasional glass of wine (one or less a day) increased their risk by only 7 percent. When you consider that moderate consumption of red wine is also associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, that increased risk might not seem so bad. However, if you have a family history of breast cancer, or other risk factors, talk to your doctor about what's best for you.
Also, try to find organic wine, produced without pesticides or preservatives, such as added sulfites. All wines contain a small amount of naturally occurring sulfites, but many wine manufacturers add more to increase wines' shelf life. Check labels for added sulfites. Once you've started drinking wines without them, you'll never go back — you'll taste the difference right away.
If wine isn't your thing, you might occasionally go with clear alcohols. They're not as good a choice as wine, but I'd rather you choose them than dark-colored alcohols. Have a vodka and soda water with lime, or a tequila shot (careful, don't go nuts with these!). Be creative. But ladies: BEWARE the fruity Barbie drinks! Piña coladas, frozen margaritas, apple-pineapple-strawberry-mango-whatevertinis, and so on. They can add up to 1,000 calories each — and only pansies drink that stuff, anyway.
Whatever you do, remember the golden rule: Watch your calories. Count the alcohol you consume in your daily calorie allowance, and try not to have more than one drink a day or four drinks a week.
Help With Happy Hour
Q: How can I responsibly fit alcohol into my diet? I enjoy having a cocktail or a glass of wine at the end of the day, but I don't want to blow my calorie allotment out of the water. Are certain kinds of alcohol "better" than others?
A: There are several answers to these questions. Unfortunately, when you're trying to lose weight, alcohol is the enemy for a number of reasons:
Alcohol is really just a ton of empty calories.
It releases estrogen into your bloodstream, promotes fat storage, and decreases muscle growth.
It weakens your willpower and inhibition — one minute you're at happy hour, the next you're at the all-night diner ordering the bacon cheeseburger with fries and a vanilla shake. I mean, who does that sober? Certainly not you! (At least, not on my watch!)
Now, don't get me wrong — I LOVE my red wine, and I can knock back tequila shots with the best of them. But those things should be enjoyed once you're in maintenance mode, not while you're trying to lose weight. If you must give in to temptation, do so with extreme caution.
If you are going to drink, my recommendation is wine. Although alcohol poses a breast cancer risk, one study showed that women who had an occasional glass of wine (one or less a day) increased their risk by only 7 percent. When you consider that moderate consumption of red wine is also associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, that increased risk might not seem so bad. However, if you have a family history of breast cancer, or other risk factors, talk to your doctor about what's best for you.
Also, try to find organic wine, produced without pesticides or preservatives, such as added sulfites. All wines contain a small amount of naturally occurring sulfites, but many wine manufacturers add more to increase wines' shelf life. Check labels for added sulfites. Once you've started drinking wines without them, you'll never go back — you'll taste the difference right away.
If wine isn't your thing, you might occasionally go with clear alcohols. They're not as good a choice as wine, but I'd rather you choose them than dark-colored alcohols. Have a vodka and soda water with lime, or a tequila shot (careful, don't go nuts with these!). Be creative. But ladies: BEWARE the fruity Barbie drinks! Piña coladas, frozen margaritas, apple-pineapple-strawberry-mango-whatevertinis, and so on. They can add up to 1,000 calories each — and only pansies drink that stuff, anyway.
Whatever you do, remember the golden rule: Watch your calories. Count the alcohol you consume in your daily calorie allowance, and try not to have more than one drink a day or four drinks a week.
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