BLOG: The…Healthy…Side to Drinking

As a recenty-turned 21 year old, I find it very appropriate to tackle the issue of trying to live a healthy lifestyle, but also enjoy the social life that comes with being 21.

Before I turned 21, the only thing I worried about was how to afford it, because the bar scene is spendy! Now, money isn’t even the problem: figuring out if, or how much I should drink, is.

I was a late bloomer in my class; I didn’t turn 21 until July, 4, months after my best friend. Needless to say, I felt deprived and wanted to enjoy it as much as I everyone else obviously did. I have good news though; you can enjoy it and still live a relatively healthy lifestyle.

The first thing that needs to be discussed is what to drink. If you are like me, you love your beer. Beer of all kinds: Blue Moon, Leinenkugel’s, Fat Tire, Landshark, and the list goes on. When I am at Carey’s though, I like to enjoy a good ole Coors Light pickle beer. If you decide you’re also in the mood for beer, drink it slowly! Beer has a lot of carbs, but you can still enjoy the good taste; just not five in one night.

If it’s drown night and you want to drink hard liquor, vodka and water is your best bet. The key is to find the healthier mixer. I hate vodka, and so do a lot of other people, especially if it’s just mixed with water. My advice, which is in no way professional, is to choose your alcohol of choice and then think about what you are going to mix with it. The problem with hard alcohol is that there is already sugar in it, but when mixed with drinks that have an even higher sugar content, it’s a health death-trap. I personally choose lemon rum and diet coke, but that isn’t much better for you because of the sodium content.

Finally, how much should you drink in a night? It’s college, so people want to get drunk, but if you want to be in the best shape, health and state of mind you can possibly be in, you have to monitor what and how much you drink. If you plan on drinking more than usual in a night, replace your salty snack with fruits or vegetables throughout the day. It is also very important to remember to get your work out in, and dancing on the Char Bar dance floor doesn’t count.

In the end, it’s all about figuring out what works for you and what you like. It also goes back to what I said in last week’s column and what will come up in every column; your plan. Do not go out and get drunk every night, but the nights you do decide to go out, plan. Also, always keep in mind: Would you rather spend money on alcohol, gain weight, and lose that good self confidence you have acquired through hard work, or save your money and spend it on new clothes because the old ones don’t fit anymore. Just a little ‘food’ for thought.