Keep track of your drinking at dinners, parties
You may not be a big drinker, but you are likely to feel the social pressures to consume more alcoholic beverages during the holiday season. When at family gatherings, meeting with old friends and at holiday parties, you will probably encounter alcohol in various forms. Enjoy yourself, but remember alcohol can wreak havoc on both your waistline and your health. Here are tips to keep in mind when drinking this holiday season so that you still have room for Grandma's famous pie.
• Pace yourself. The American Heart Association recommends an average of one to two drinks per day for men and one for women. Drink lots of water and have snacks in between drinks. The smarter you are about your night, the less likely you are to overdo it.
• Most drinks get their calories from sugary juices or soda as mixers. Know what's in your favorite drink. Swap that regular soda for diet when possible, or mix your favorite liquor with tonic water or soda water.
• Drinking will potentially harm not just your health but your safety. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, most of us don't realize how much alcohol can affect the body, which is why two to three times more alcohol-related car crashes occur during the holiday season. Stay safe by stopping drinking early, no matter how great you feel.
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyEating/Alcohol-and-Heart-Health_UCM_305173_Article.jsp#
http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/RethinkHoliday/NIAAA_NYE_Fact_Sheet_2011.pdf
