Among the reasons not to drink too much on New Year鈥檚 Eve? The calories. Lean Plate Club blogger Sally Squires has the numbers, so you can be careful out there 鈥� or at home.
A five-ounce glass of wine has about 120 calories 鈥� not so bad, Squires said, but there鈥檚 a problem: 鈥淢ost of the glasses that we鈥檙e now getting in restaurants and homes often will have twice that amount. So you may be getting 240 calories and not realizing it.鈥�
Even hot mulled wine will run you about 100-110 calories.
(Photo by David Silverman/Getty Images)
Photo by David Silverman/Getty Images
A 2.5-ounce Bourbon and soda also has about 120 calories: 鈥淏ut that鈥檚 for one,鈥� Squires said, 鈥渁nd how many people stop at one? So you鈥檝e gotta watch that.鈥�
(AP Photo/Bruce Schreiner)
AP Photo/Bruce Schreiner
A 12-ounce beer is about 150 calories. A light beer is only 90, 鈥渟o if you like light beer, that鈥檚 probably a good option for you.鈥�
(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)
AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File
An Irish coffee? Now you鈥檙e really getting up there: It has about 210 calories. The good news, Squires said, is that since it鈥檚 a hot drink, you probably won鈥檛 hoover it up so quickly.
(AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
AP Photo/Eric Risberg
One great way to lessen the caloric impact, Squires said, is to alternate alcoholic drinks with sparkling water. Wine spritzers are also 鈥渁 great way to take that five ounces of wine and maybe spread it over two or three drinks.鈥�
(Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
Squires鈥� big tip? A water bar. Set out bowls of individual fruits and flavorings such as ginger, mint, basil and others. Then everyone can mash up their own flavors and add still or sparkling water. 鈥淵ou get a really flavorful drink that is very low in calories. It looks good; it looks festive; it tastes great, and it鈥檚 just really fun.鈥�
(Thinkstock)
WASHINGTON 鈥� There are all sorts of reasons not to drink too much on New Year鈥檚 Eve, or anytime really, but there鈥檚 one that people might overlook: the calories.
鈥淲e often tend to not consider what we鈥檙e drinking as calories,鈥� Lean Plate Club鈩� blogger Sally Squires told 草莓传媒, and that can lead to regrets of a different kind New Year鈥檚 morning.
It鈥檚 particularly important to keep an eye on your alcohol intake if you鈥檙e trying to keep weight off, Squires said: A gram of alcohol has about 7 calories 鈥� about twice what you鈥檇 get in a protein or a carbohydrate, and just a little less than what you鈥檇 find in pure fat. And your body is 鈥渧ery efficient鈥� in turning those calories to fat.
Squires has the numbers so you can at least arm yourself with knowledge about what you鈥檙e loading up with 鈥� she also has suggestions about how to minimize the calories you鈥檙e taking in.
Rick Massimo came to 草莓传媒, and to Washington, in 2013 after having lived in Providence, R.I., since he was a child.聽He's the author of "A Walking Tour of the Georgetown Set" and "I Got a Song: A History of the Newport Folk Festival."
