How-to: Have a Healthier Happy Hour
I’ll let you in on a little secret. From a nutritional perspective, nothing needs to truly be off limits if you don’t want it to be. Oftentimes we just need to make a shift in the quality and/or quantity of what we’re having if we want to make it a little healthier.
When it comes to alcohol, while there’s not much nutritional benefit (except those good-for-you antioxidants in wine), there still ways to enjoy it to make it healthier. I’m certainly not suggesting anyone start up a new hobby if a few cocktails isn’t your thing, but I think it’s important for you to know that there are always simple ways to make an upgrade.
Below are a few simple tips to help you have a healthier happy hour and enjoy an adult beverage at the end of the day.
Quality: It’s important to look at what you are drinking because that can make a world of a difference.
Alcohol is sugar, plain and simple, so when it comes to your drink of choice, the less added sugar the better. Frozen margaritas, vodka and cranberry, espresso martinis, mimosas… yup all those delicious, sugary cocktails are just that- sugar and inflammation-causing bombs that can result in bloating (including in your face), fatigue, acne, hormonal reactions, weight gain, sugar cravings… I could continue.
Stick to basic and simple drinks: wine, vodka or tequila and club soda with fresh lime, dirty martini (my favorite)
Quantity is also a factor. 2 drinks vs 5 drinks makes a big difference in the amount of carbs/sugar, empty calories, and late-night munches you consume. This is a good place to practice mindfulness and slow down to truly enjoy.
Stay hydrated: alcohol is dehydrating (as is coffee) so be mindful to consume water while drinking. This will help manage the alcohol and help you stay better hydrated. Add water to your lemon or go full club soda for some bubbly.
Eat: I used to think that if I didn’t eat much then I would save those calories for the alcohol, but at the end of the day you’ll make up for them, even if it’s snacking your way through your kitchen before bed, and NOT eating is only going to cause the alcohol, and the sugar in it, to hit your system much quicker, leading to a spike in blood sugar and eventually the munchies that having you making lot's of unhealthy decisions.
When choosing what to eat, ideally you want to include some protein and healthy fat, which will help you not only stay fuller and more satiated for longer, but these nutrients help to slow the release of the sugar from the alcohol into your blood system.
Move your body the next day to help sweat out some of the sugar and alcohol from your system, get your blood flowing and oxygen circulating, and boost your overall energy and mood (since alcohol is also a depressant).
There’s nothing wrong with having a good time and enjoying good food and drinks. Simply try to be more mindful about the way you go about this and the habits that you have come to follow, and see where you can upgrade your choices so you can have your alcohol and drink it too ;).
