Hey there! Can you believe that tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day? After seeing this delicious treat on my friend Meredith’s blog, I was immediately jealous that I hadn’t thought ahead to do anything creative! Oh well… Maybe I’ll add some green food coloring to my wine or something! For anyone who lives in the Boston area, I am guessing that 80% of you are planning on heading to Southie for the parade. I am embarrassed to say, that in my 5 years of living in the Boston area, I have YET to make it to Southie for their annual parade. Shame on me!

 

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I announced in class last night that we had to work extra hard since most of us would be partaking in some type of celebrations this weekend. At the end of class, I had a member come up to me and ask if I had any tips or suggestions for what to drink in order to be a little on the healthier side. It got me to thinking that some of you might find it helpful for me to post a couple of tips/suggestions to keep in mind when going into whatever festivity(ies) you may have lined up.

• Stay Hydrated

We all know that we tend to get dehydrated when drinking alcohol, especially when we are drinking in excess (we forget to drink water when we are drinking since the alcohol makes us think we are not thirsty).  If you hydrate well BEFORE you drink, it will help keep you in better control that day and help lessen the hangover you might have the next day. Also, try to have a glass of water in between every drink… every little helps! I usually try to carry a water bottle with me as a helpful reminder.

 

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• Pace Yourself

If you’re going to be drinking all day, you don’t need to pound 4 beers or a couple of glasses of wine in the first half hour you’re there! Try to space out your drinks to 1 drink an hour for the heavier stuff (hard liquor and wine) and maybe 1 beer every 30 mins or so. I have totally been guilty of getting to a party and drinking way too quickly to “catch up” and let me tell you, things never end as well as I want them to when that happens.

 

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• Bring Snacks

I generally don’t “forget” to eat, but I’ll admit that when alcohol is involved, sometimes it does slip my mind for a bit (until I sober up a little and want to binge eat on late-night pizza). It’s a good idea to bring a couple of snacks with you to make sure you’re staying fueled and to try to soak up some of the alcohol;) My favorites are Luna bars, goldfish, animal crackers, etc.

 

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• Avoid Sugary Drinks

As good as a big margarita or pina colada or other fruity mixed drink may taste, they are PACKED with calories.  Alcohol has enough calories as it is, so I try to avoid those drinks (I’ll always have a margarita at a Mexican restaurant, but limit it to just 1).  I usually stick to wine (I am a total wine-o and order wine even at the bar) or Sangria (you can make it so it’s not too sugary), Champagne or Prosecco (duhhh) or vodka and soda water with a lemon or lime.  These are the best ways I have found to drink, but leave out some of the calories. Personally, beer makes me full and feel gross, so I would rather drink more slowly and drink something that I enjoy. If you like a different type of booze, just make sure your mixers are low or zero calorie because drinking those calories is just silly!

 

Have fun!

Even though I try to always be mindful of what I am putting into my body in terms of food and drinks, we all have to let loose and have fun every once in a while without beating ourselves up too much. I always tell myself that if I have an “off” day or get a little heavy-handed with my late night snacks, the next day will be a new day and after a workout and some clean eating, I will be all back to normal.  Afterall, the best hangover cure is a workout!! You may think I am crazy, but trust me on this one, it works! I do feel badly for others around me as I am sure they can probably smell the Chardonnay seeping out of my pores. Sorry;)

 

Questions for you: What do you do to try to stay “healthy” when enjoying drinks and partying? What’s your best hangover cure?