Slim and Smart Drinking Secrets

In the U.S., low-risk drinking is defined as:

Men: Two standard drinks (40g alcohol) per day
Women: One drink (20g alcohol) per day

One standard drink contains 14 grams of alcohol.

One drink = 12 fl. oz regular beer, 5 fl. oz wine, or 1.5 fl. oz spirits (80 proof)

And sorry folks! Saving all your daily drinks for one weekly occasion doesn’t count! In fact, it could be classified as “heavy drinking” and cause health problems. It is also usually recommended that you have two alcohol-free days a week.

For some people, safe drinking will mean no alcohol at all. Even one drink may impair driving skills, particularly if you are tired. Try not to exceed four drinks in one session if you are male or three drinks in one session if you are female. It is advisable not to drink at all if you are:

• Pregnant or trying to conceive
• Taking drugs or medication (unless approved by your doctor or pharmacist)
• Have a condition such as liver or heart disease
• Planning to drive, use machinery or play sports
• Studying or needing to concentrate

Of course, most people don’t stick to the safe alcohol limits every day of their lives – particularly if there’s a party involved. If you're planning to have a few drinks at a party or function, there are certain things you can do to protect your health and waistline. Try these smart tips for social drinking:

• Have a few glasses of water before you go out.
• Have something healthy and filling to eat before you go out. Food slows the rate of the alcohol absorption. Drinking on an empty stomach may also lessen your resolve to drink sensibly.
• Plan how much you are going to drink before you go out and stop when you've reached your limit.
• Have a non-alcoholic “spacer” between drinks (examples: water, orange juice, diet soda). Take your own diet soda with you to the party or function if necessary.
• Compare the alcohol content of different drinks and select those with lower content. Check the CalorieKing.com database for information on the alcohol and calorie content of different drinks.
• Ask for half measures of alcohol, such as a half shot of scotch.
• Try a wine spritzer – mix white wine with mineral water.
• Drink slowly. Chugging or drinking fast is the major cause of illness and death from alcohol poisoning.
• Avoid cream-based cocktails.
• Do not drive, swim, or operate machinery while under the influence.
• Have one or two glasses of water before you go to bed.

If you do happen to overdo it and wake up with a throbbing head, you’ll need some hangover cures to curb the poison.

Before you hit the sack - If you want to make the morning after easier, try to drink a big glass of water before you go to bed. Taking a pain killer at this stage may actually make things worse. Aspirin may upset your stomach and intensify the symptoms of your hangover, while acetaminophen – an ingredient in some pain killers - can cause problems for your liver when combined with alcohol.

Fluids - Fluids, and lots of them, will help you recover. Try a few big glasses of water, some fruit juice or whip up a smoothie with a banana or any other fruits, some skim or soy milk and some honey. 

Food - Excess alcohol means excess calories, so the morning after is not a good time to indulge in high-calorie foods. If your favorite hangover cure tends to be a fast-food burger or a fattening pastry, read on for some calorie-friendly alternatives.

CalorieKing.com dietitian, Boris Kazakov, suggests the following low-calorie ideas, which are perfect for a pre-party meal or to help you recover the day after.

Low-fat pizza– Spread pita bread with tomato-based pasta sauce and top with grated reduced-fat cheese and assorted chopped mixed veggies, such as red pepper, onion and tomato. Sprinkle with dried oregano. Place under broiler until cheese starts to bubble.

Healthy beef burger – Fry an extra-lean beef patty in a non-stick pan sprayed with fat-free cooking spray and toast a burger bun. Place the patty in the bun and top with a slice of reduced fat cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and ketchup.

Low-fat hot dog – Put a non-fat turkey or chicken hot dog in a bun and top with mustard and/or ketchup, grated reduced-fat cheese, and sauerkraut.

BLT– Zap any brand of low-fat or turkey bacon in the microwave for 30 seconds. Sandwich between two slices of toasted bread, with lettuce, tomato and a squirt of low-fat mayonnaise.

Hawaiian bagel pizza – Cut a large plain bagel in half. Top with low-fat deli ham, grated reduced-fat cheese and crushed pineapple. Place under grill until cheese starts to bubble.

Chili turkey potato – Grab a large potato, a can of low-fat turkey chili, some grated reduced-fat cheese and plain non-fat yogurt. Wash the potato under running water. Pierce with a fork. Zap in microwave for seven minutes. Remove from microwave and cut a criss-cross pattern with a sharp knife. Empty half the can of chili into a microwaveable dish. Zap on high for one to two minutes. Once ready, pour over the potato, add a tablespoon of cheese and a dollop of yogurt.