I know more than a few people who are out enjoying the joys of Mardi Gras, namely the alcoholic joys. So I thought I would take this opportunity to shed some light on the whole alcohol calories subject.
Alright, carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram, as do proteins. Fats have a whopping 9 calories per gram, which is why to lose weight, its best to cut fat grams as well. So where does alcohol fit into this mix? A gram of alcohol is 7 calories, almost as much as a gram of fat!! Shocking, I know, and very disheartening for those of us who enjoy a night cap or 5 ;)
Here's one of many sites that brings to light just how many calories that super fun night out with the girls contributed: http://www.ivillage.co.uk/dietandfitness/alcoholcaloriecounter/
So I decided to look into some of my favorite libations: a pint of Blue Moon = 228 calories. I must say, this is a damn shame, because one measly pint of my favorite brew is twice as much as a glass of white wine and almost as much as a WHOLE BOTTLE of sauv. blanc! Speaking of wine... I found another interesting site: http://www.myfoodbuddy.com/alcohol_calorie_counter.htm where you can calculate how many glasses of wine (or other beverage) you drink and see how many calories this adds up to over the course of a year and what that translates into pounds. Scary right?! So apparently drinking a wimpy 3 7oz glasses of wine a week = 24000 calories a year, which could be 7# of weight gain a year if I don't compensate for these calories. Yikes!
I wouldn't dream of telling anyone I know to stop consuming alcoholic beverages, so it's got to be a matter of evening things out. For example, I know I'm going to have some Blue Moon's one evening, so I try to leave myself some wiggle room to fit them into my overall caloric plan. Don't get me wrong, I do NOT go around calculating my calories all day, but I do make one choice over another when I know that I'll be treating myself later. After all, we still have to enjoy life right, and not just obsess over calories.
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Obsessing over calories is no fun, but I think it's at least a little necessary when you first start losing weight to heighten your awareness of how many calories foods contain. I have been quite surprised by a few and in my skinnier days I could tell you (much like Bridget Jones) how many calories were in anything. Alcohol is so hard too, because it's so hard, especially if you are out having a good time with the girls (or the boys) to stop and think about calories. Alcohol begets alcohol in my experience, much like chips and salsa. It takes a while to satiate oneself. It is good to know the calorie content and the sites that Ms. RD recommended are an eye-opener indeed!
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