My clients want to know if they can drink alcohol. Of course they can, if they understand what is considered a serving, and how many servings they may consume.
Alcohol has good and harmful effects. You need to limit yourself to one drink/day for women and two drinks/day for men. No, they are not accumulative. Also, these drinks supply calories.
Examples of one drink or serving, and calories:
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE
1 bottle (12 oz.) beer - 5% alcohol: 135 - 150 Cal
1 bottle “extra light” beer - 2% alcohol: 60 Cal
1 glass wine (5 oz.), 11% alcohol: 100 Cal
1 shot (1 1/2 oz.) liquor - rye, gin, rum or scotch: 100 Cal
Gin and tonic (1 ½ oz gin with 6 oz tonic): 170 Cal
Liqueurs (1 ½ oz.): 185 Cal
The Good News
• May lower risk for heart disease, especially red wine
• Social
The Bad News
Excess can lead to:
• Fetal alcohol syndrome if pregnant
• Increased cancer risk
• Liver cirrhosis
• High blood pressure
• Increased family violence
• Increased home accidents
• Increased traffic accidents
• Dehydration resulting in a hangover
• High calorie intake: alcohol supplies 7 calories per gram, slows fat burning, lowers willpower around high fat snacks
• High costs
DRINKING RULES
1. Drink water when thirsty.
2. Eat a small fat-containing snack before you drink to slow down absorption of alcohol.
3. Sip alcoholic drinks slowly.
4. Dilute your drinks with soda water or diet pop.
5. Drink what you want to drink, not what is expected of you. If you don’t feel like an alcoholic drink, have an orange or tomato juice, tonic water or club soda. If you feel guilty, tip more.
6. Limit your alcohol intake to recommended servings and save money!
