Last Updated on November 4, 2021 by FS Studios Personal Training

Drinking can be part of a wonderful social experience for many of us however, it can also come with a price.

Is it realistic to assume that no drinking at all is the answer? Perhaps not but, there should be some heavy consideration taken in regards to the consequences of excess intake of alcohol.

Here are a few stats to keep in mind:

Your Body Wants it Out

Your body doesn’t like alcohol so it’s going to flush it out. This is going to cause water loss, possible hunger, a possible drop in blood sugar and the obvious other effects of having a drink or two. Salts and electrolytes are often lost in this process as well which can lead us to reach for another drink only furthering the calorie and health consequences. Speaking of calories..

It’s 7 Calories Per Gram!

Wine doesn’t taste sweet but, it is. Keep in mind that regular carbs and protein are 4 calories per gram whereas alcohol is 7 calories per gram. The only higher calorie content per gram is fat coming in a 9 calories per gram. Most people can’t eat tons of fat at one sitting but extra drinks can sometimes slip in if we’re not careful.

Is it really Bad?

Yep! That being said, your organs can handle some alcohol and process it without it leaving you with lasting effects (we hope anyway). Many studies are now saying that any alcohol for men should be avoided and possibly a half glass of booze can be ok for women but in general, you want to avoid alcohol if you can.

Another Sneaky Secret

It’s not just the booze. If you love grabbing a drink before, during or after the game, you’re probably going to eat something with it. Items like wings, pizza, nachos and other alike bar treats can be mega calorie hits. Just 1 pound of wings can add up to 1200+ calories or more depending on the sauce. If you eat the skin, you’re taking in major calories so be mindful of the food as it can have an impact too. Bar foods that go well with beer and or wine often tend to be high in calories as they offer a great flavor spectrum with the alcohol. Unfortunately, they also pack sugar and salt and can have you engaging in a really unhealthy cycle of eating and drinking if you’re not careful.

5 Steps to Curb Your Alcohol Consumption

1) First, remember alcohol is a dehydrator. So, after the first drink, have a glass of water. This will vastly curtail the urge to have 3-4 glasses of beer or wine. The trick is to have the glass of water after the first beer. This is a great spot to slow things just enough before they get out of hand.

2) Try a “Near Beer”. Near Beer, aka De-Alcoholized Beer is getting better. Loblaws and Whole Foods have growing selections and many grocery stores carry a wide variety too. One great way to approach this is by starting an evening with a Near-Beer. Your body is very aware of the weight of food and drink it takes in thus taking in a de-alcoholized beer will have an effect. Some people also like the reverse approach. Having a regular beer, then a de-alcoholized beer. Try a .05 Heineken, I can barely tell the difference!

3) Pre plan. If you know you’re going into a tempting drinking situation, have some healthy food and water ahead of time. This will help you avoid the slippery slope of creating the perfect storm of drinking with no food or drink on board.

4) Choose your social circles wisely. If you’re looking to make genuine changes, try to pick groups where drinking is more moderate or the activity isn’t solely based on drinks. This will give you a more supportive environment to curb any potential excess consumption.

5) Ask yourself if it’s worth it for tonight. As the afternoon or evening goes on, look around during the party and think about tomorrow. This can help you realize it might not be worth having the extra drink or two. All too often, we can have a few more just for no reason other than to push things a bit later into the night. The extra cheap thrill is rarely worth the damage it inflicts the following day. You don’t want to be the one keeping the party going for no good reason. There’s nothing worse then saying goodbye to the last guest just as you realize you had too much. Cut your sips earlier and you can still enjoy the fun and enjoy the following day too without being the life of the party that had already slowed down awhile ago.

For some great alcohol stats, here’s a page of statistics on consumption from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism:

https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/alcohol-facts-and-statistics

Cheers,

FS Studios