25 Mar Cheat Right – Part 1

You know the drill. It’s a new year and you vowed to give up sugar, carbs or alcohol. You decide to book a night out with your friends after work. You arrive at the restaurant starving and you order a glass of wine. It hits you hard and next thing you know you’ve ordered an appetizer, a meal and dessert!

Is it possible to go out for an evening with friends, drink wine and not blow it?

Thankfully, YES!

There is a right way and a wrong way to drink wine or cocktails. Personally, I like to splurge now and then and, if I do it right, I get to do it more often and not “blow it” all in one night.

Here are some ways I “cheat right”:

HAVE YOUR WINE AND DRINK IT TOO:

A U.K. study (on men) discovered that study participants consumed 30% more calories if they enjoyed an alcoholic beverage before or during a meal.

CHEAT TIP: Eat a high protein food before you have your first drink. The protein stays in your stomach longer than carbs (skip the piece of bread) and it will lessen the effects of the alcohol (trust me, you want this!). If I’m at home I might nibble on some nuts or pumpkin seeds. If I’m out, I will order a protein based appetizer such as prosciutto and fruit or a cup of protein based soup, such as a minestrone.

Staying in with friends? Try some of my mocktails!

ENJOY DESSERT, FIRST!

Okay, not really, but here’s what I do: I look at the dessert menu first and if there’s a dessert listed that I really want, I will cancel my appetizer or I might just order two appetizers for dinner instead of a larger meal.

CHEAT TIP: Pick out the dessert you know you want and cut back on the meal so you can enjoy your dessert. Me? I’m a sucker for a good gelato 🙂