I know, I know, a lot of Intuitive Eating stuff on the blog this week! Today is actually day 19 of 21, I can’t believe it’s almost over! Today, however, we’re not talking food, but alcohol! (Did Blame It On the Alcohol just pop into anyone else’s head? Oh I miss college…).
Aaaanyway, I was surprised to open up my e-mail last week and see an IE Challenge about intuitive drinking. However, after reading through the e-mail I had so many thoughts swirling through my head about it, so I thought this would be a great discussion post. Personally, I don’t actually drink that often at this point in my life. After coming to law school I realized that I just wasn’t one of those students who could go out until 3am and then pull it together enough to get my reading done the next day. Nope, I was out for the count.
But you know why else I stopped drinking much? Calories. When I started counting calories I realized just how many empty calories and sugar I’d be taking in from drinking and that took away all the fun. And if I knew I was going out drinking that night, I’d eat less to save up calories. Yep, I did. As do many girls, especially in college (I feel like I could write a whoooole other post on that). Luckily, I’ve managed to push those numbers out of my head (for the most part) and learned to enjoy a drink (or a few…) from time to time.
So when I received this e-mail from Jamie it really got me thinking about why we drink and why we choose certain drinks.
Sometimes we drink to relax and wind down.
Sometimes we drink to have more confidence.
Sometimes we drink to forget.
Sometimes we drink to fit in.
Sometimes we drink because it tastes good.
Sometimes we drink to have fun.
So what does this have to do with intuitive eating? Well, with the intuitive eating challenge we learn to think about what we’re craving before we decide what to eat. Shouldn’t we do the same with drinking? Yea, that vodka soda may have fewer calories, but don’t you really want a cold beer? Or a margarita? Before I went out to get tacos with Kelsey and Lindsay, I realized I couldn’t remember having had a margarita since college, back when I didn’t care how many calories were in my drink. I’d put them on the no list ever since then, but that night, I wanted a margarita. And I had three glasses. THREE. They were delicious.
Photo stolen from Kelsey
Now, I’m not saying I’m going to go drink margaritas every couple of nights from here on out, but I’m saying that I was so glad I let go and enjoyed the evening. Life is about balance, and life is much to short to go without margaritas.
Do you think about calories when picking an alcoholic drink?
Do you drink intuitively?
I used to have the same mentality about drinking aka I never really drank because of the calories. I still dont drink much but I enjoy a drink or two sometimes without worrying about it now. I looove margaritas!! 😉
haha they are so good!
I do think about the calories which is one reason I don’t have mixed drinks very often, but when I do it usually is a margarita. Yum.
I don’t have them often, but I do when I really want one!
I do think about the calories, but because I don’t drink very often, I usually go for the fruity (usually sugary) drink that I’m craving!
Haha gotta love those sugary drinks! Dangerous though!
Margs have been on my s*@! list as well. I used to drink myself not to intoxication, but severe stomach aches. My roommate loves them, so I’ve enjoyed one here and there (including on St. Patty’s, which was a little weird).
I used to drink so much wine throughout the week- a glass here or there for no real reason. However, I try to keep the detox going through the week so I can enjoy an extra drink or two on the wknd and not sweat it.
You just reminded me to throw some white in the refrigerator for when I get home tonight… Thanks! 😉
Oh that’s too bad they gave you stomach aches! And I’m not a weekday drinker either, just socially! Haha enjoy your white wine.
I drank through … gradschool (less and less as I got older) and then somewhere along the line just stopped!!
Havent had a drink in eons and just feel better.
following your intuition!
i typically like red wine or vodka with club soda when i drink just because i like the taste, but yes the calorie count definitely crosses my mind at times. and i usually finish my drink because i paid for it… i bet if i drank intuitively that wouldn’t necessarily happen all the time
That’s one thing I refuse to do – I’m always the one who hasn’t finished their drink, usually because I don’t want it anymore!
I regularly have a few glasses of wine every week and then maybe something a bit heavier, such as a margarita on the weekends. I’m definitely aware of the calories in alcohol and I try to not fill up the entire wine glass (you’ll be amazed what 6 oz. of wine actually is!) and on an evening when I do have wine, I eat less chocolate in the evening to account for the additional calories- not the same as not eating lunch in order to drink later.
oh gosh, I do not want to know how much 6oz of wine is! Although I only drink socially, so I think balances out. And I think subbing wine for chocolate is a great way to create balance!
well… I never count wine calories. But i love wine for it’s taste and enjoy it EVERY night (one glass) with a meal. It’s about the process, the art of winery, and i learn to savor that, ya know?
YOU are my wine loving inspiration! All your instagram photos reminded me that it’s okay to enjoy a nice glass of wine in the evening (especially when I’m home and it’s my mom’s good wine…).
I don’t drink that often so I don’t worry about the calories, but I always feel heavier and puffy the next day!
I think that definitely depends on what kind of alcohol you drink, although it probably also depends on each person!
Enjoy the margaritas! I def think about the calories too often. I don’t drink at all during tr week and in weekends keep to wine. Though sometimes I just crave a craft beer and that I will go with and have no guilt
I’m the same – I try to reserve drinking for weekends/social events!
Life is completely about balance- good for you for enjoying those margaritas! I have to admit when I’m at Mexican restaurants I always think about a margarita but I’ll usually order a corona light or something like that, because I know how many calories are in it. Next time I’m going for the marg!
I agree, it’s all about balance! Have that margarita every once in a while!
Like Miz, somewhere along the line I just stopped. I don’t miss it at all.
I think that’s great – following your own intuition!
I had the same mentality for years with drinking – I usually went for rum and diet coke (which I do actually enjoy) automatically rather than looking at which new or fun drinks were standing out to me. Anything frozen was an absolutely-not. Now Im a little better at picking out exactly what I want to drink, whether that’s a glass of wine or a frozen, tropical frozen convection (pina coladas…I’m kind of in love)
That’s great that you’ve loosened up a bit, I agree it’s hard to get past the calories in frozen drinks but they are so much fun every once in a while!
That song also came into my head when I read this post. In terms of alcoholic beverages i try to limit myself to one drink. Btw I clicked the link about intuitive eating and am now on it. Thanks 🙂
I’ll be emailing you back soon, Christina! It’s been quite a week and I haven’t gotten to blog emails.
I am so sorry about my comment. I did not mean to come off rude at all. I totally understand about having a busy week.
I’m not big on drinking to begin with, actually I do it very rarely these days. I don’t drink just to drink. I only drink when I REALLY want it, and so I do feel like I’m pretty good with intuitive drinking.
For example, I had dinner with a friend last night and all day I was craving a nice, cold glass of sangria. And so I treated myself to one and it was perfect. It was just one of those weeks where I wanted a drink to wind down and relax!
Now that is intuitive drinking! Glad you enjoyed that sangria!
I definitely still think about the calories in drinks… it’s hard not to BUT I’m much better about following my cravings now. I used to not drink when I wanted to because of the calories and now if I want a drink I’ll have it and rarely adjust food calories to compensate. Small progress I guess? Hopefully over time the calorie counting aspect will go away.
I agree, it’s hard not to, but I feel like it’s a treat on the weekends (or TACO NIGHT) and I shouldn’t worry about it.
In college, there was no calorie count for me drinking, I just went for mass volume.
Now…I rarely drink, less so now with a toddler and running. I can’t afford to have drank more than a couple of drinks and feel off my game the next day.
When I do have a time to have a drink, my tolerance is so low, I just drink what I enjoy since I’m not having volume.
Haha I went for volume quite often in college too. And I can imagine having a toddler in the morning would deter me from drinking too, just having myself in the morning deters me from drinking too much!
Such a relevant post! I can’t even tell you the number of times in college I decreased my food intake or upped my cardio because I knew I was drinking… I cringe at the thought now. Maybe growing up has made me drink less so I don’t think about it as much but I definitely don’t beat myself up anymore for “drinking away my calories”. Don’t get me wrong, it still happens every now and then but focusing on the company with whom I am drinking definitely chills out that anxiety. Thanks Katie 🙂
I’m glad you could relate, Davida! I cringe sometimes too looking back at the things I did in college, but I think back then I had a more reckless mindset and didn’t think about a lot of the consequences
In college, calories from drinking ALWAYS mattered. I only drank vodka waters (65 calories!) and would compensate my eating during the day to make up for my drinking. NOT healthy. Now, I drink what I want. Mostly wine, sometimes beer and sometimes fruity drinks while on vacation 🙂
That’s how I did things my first year of law school, when I was heavy into calorie counting. No fun!
Freshman year of college I just went crazy. Then, I started to get into running and fitness and realized just how unhealthy staying out late and drinking was. So, I stopped for the most part. For me, it’s hard to justify just having a few drinks – I guess because I know about the calories and sugars. So, I tend to either get smashed or not drink at all. I guess that mindset isn’t very intuitive (or healthy).
I’ve gone through that phase as well – like there’s no point in taking in the calories unless I’m getting smashed, so I understand. Hopefully you’ll find a balance.
I don’t think about calories when I drink. I don’t drink a ton, so when I do, I get what I want. Mixology is huge in LA and there are so many awesome, unique cocktails everywhere! I’ve been into cocktails with beet juice in them lately!
Oh that sounds like fun! I try to order an interesting drink when I go somewhere that has a fun menu, but things tend to be more simple here in Chicago unless you’re somewhere really nice (haha which never happens on my budget).
I don’t drink much now because getting school work done takes priority over a fun night out. I do love a glass of wine with dinner on ocation and when I do drink I try to think about what a healthy choice might be but if that’s not what I want ill order what I want.
I agree – my school work has definitely affected my drinking, I just can’t be hungover the whole next day.
You have no idea how whole-heartedly I agree on “life is to short to not drink margaritas”!! It’s my favorite cocktail. And I remember a day when I would avoid them, too. So glad that I can now thoroughly enjoy them. My husband makes the best margaritas ever–it’s not worth missing out.
I’m glad you love margaritas too! Haha I wish I had a husband to make them for me!
I’ve never heard of intuitive drinking lol! I really don’t think about the calories where alcohol is concerned and only tend to drink a couple of times a month.
Haha then you’ve got intuitive drinking down!
I’ve never been a big drinker and admittedly, I do think a lot about calories when I do drink (which totally sucks and most of the time takes the enjoyment out of it). I’ll never forget my friends and I in college once tried to eat as little as possible so we could have a few drinks later at night – AWFUL idea. We were hangry – now that I look back, I realize what an awful idea that was. We should have just had a few drinks and not felt guilty about it because with not eating during the day we ended up stuffing our faces with any and all food within reach after those few drinks. I like this topic a lot – and I’ve been talking about having a margarita for like the past 10 days, so I think tonight will be the night! 😀
I did the same thing, and I cringe looking back on it. I hope you had a great margarita! I’m going out for more tonight!
I soooo need to cut down on the alcohol in my life, but I just LOVE wine! I love the taste, the history & the social aspect of it, and to me that’s enough reason to justify 🙂
That’s definitely enough reason – and intuitive!
I don’t drink alcohol, so I found all of this super interesting! Way to go on enjoying those drinks the other night!! IE for the WIN!
Thanks, Annette!
the intuitive drinking email was one of my favs!!
Me too, it really got me thinking!
I didn’t realize that homebrew has tonnnnns more calories per ounce than commercial beer. When Matt calculated the number and shared I started drinking less to save a few but I still enjoy a good beer!
I agree that it’s important to be aware of things like that, I certainly wouldn’t have a margarita every night! That’s interesting that Matt was able to calculate the calories in his homebrew.
Great post! I definitely think about the calories in drinks, and that I’d much rather have dessert than a glass of wine or two. Plus, I’m super sensitive to the taste of alcohol, which makes cocktails hard to drink; even the sugariest ones still scream nail polish remover to me. When I do (like twice a year, literally!) have a drink, it’s usually a gin & tonic that I down with a huge grimace. Maybe I’ll go for a margarita next time, too…
Haha well then you’re intuition to not have a drink is spot on if you don’t like them! Definitely go with what you want instead of what you feel like you should – if you want a piece of cake instead, go for it!
Often, but not always, I’ll choose my drink based on calories. I tend to try to find a lower calorie version of a drink if I’m not craving something in particular, like a skinny margarita instead of a margarita, or a light beer if I’m just craving beer in general. I do try to limit the number of drinks I have in an evening, though.
I think it’s good to be conscious of calories, but also good to have what you want every once in a while!
I think actually I drink pretty intuitively. Even during college, I only drink something what I actually enjoy the taste. I know many people, though, that consider calories before/during/after drinking.
That’s great that you have such a good mindset, Amy!
This is a really good topic…and I’m glad you pointed out that it’s okay to have a drink (or 3 😉 if we’re craving it…I definitely think “intuitive drinking” is relavant because though I rarely drink, there are times when I both crave a glass of wine and times when we’re out with friends and because they have a beer with their dinner I feel like I should too, whether or not I actually crave one.
I do the same thing sometimes, ordering certain drinks to fit in with everyone instead of what I really want. Definitely something I’m changing!
Great post sweetie! I feel like all I do is talk about IE too lol. Oh well, your IE posts are amazing <3
I honestly choose NOT to drink because I don't like how I act, so that's the reason I don't drink. I've never liked the affect alcohol has on me or others, so that's why I choose not to. I thought long and hard about this during the IE challenge, but I truly know that it why.
Love u
I’m glad you were able to make that choice for yourself, I think choosing not to drink at all is following IE!