Can you live a healthy lifestyle AND drink alcohol?

The answer is....YES!

Yes you can both live a healthy lifestyle and consume alcohol! One thing to know about alcohol is that it is EMPTY calories! There's nothing beneficial or nutritious about drinking. That's why when we consume a surplus of it we tend to gain weight! I'm not gonna lie though, I enjoy my 1 or 2 light beers or glasses of wine on a Friday or Saturday night after a long week. With that being said there IS a way to find that balance. HOW you ask? Well that brings me to my list of multiple ways you can find this balance.

1.Using the IIFYM method (see my previous blog of how to track your macros) With this method you can pre plan your meals that day to fit in your drinks! For example, it's about 100cals for 1 shot of Vodka and you can either track that as 25g of carbs OR just 11g of fat OR a combo of 14g of carbs & 5g of fat!

2. Moderation. Moderation is KEY in living a healthy lifestyle! Wether its regarding food or alcohol. Having treats and things you love that might not be the best for you can be consumed in moderation - but only you have the control to not go over board and letting that 1, 2, or even 3-4 beers turn into an entire 12 pack OR those 3-4 Oreos turn into the whole row! (Which hey guess what? REALITY CHECK it happens! I've done it. Multiple times. Don't be hard on yourself, every day is a new day to start over and learn from our mistakes.)

3. Choose wisely. If you're gonna consume alcohol & you're a huge beer fan maybe try to choose a lighter beer like Michelob Ultra Cactus Lime versus a Blue Moon! Less calories, less carbs. Maybe you like your mixed drinks and instead of getting a Sex On The Beach filled with sugar and calories stick to a Vodka & Diet Sprite with lemons and limes! Yes, it may not taste AS good but good bartenders out there know a few tricks to keep your drinks lower calorie but still taste pretty good - don't be afraid to ask!

4. Food choices. We all know if you do end up having a few drinks and it gets us a little buzzed you know...the clubs and bars are closing and you start to CRAVE pizza and all the bad foods. (I've BEEN there, haha) But that's where that self control comes into play - choose your food choices wisely! You already spent a couple hundred cals on these drinks, so let's choose that delicious fruit versus that whole pizza in your fridge. I promise you'll thank yourself in the morning.

5. WATER INTAKE! I can't stress this one enough. It is so important to make sure you are drinking tons of water when drinking alcohol. Alcohol dehydrates you so drinking water will reduce the chances of a hangover and bloating the next day! Drink a glass of water in between each drink and at least 1 or 2 before going to bed!

I hope these tips / tricks for finding that balance with consuming alcohol is helpful for you! People have this misconception of thinking if you drink alcohol you'll completely trash your progress. This is NOT true! Life is ALL ABOUT BALANCE. It's the journey to finding your own balance that's KEY.