Welcome to WWW! 

WWW is for sharing tips and ideas and options for healthier alternatives.

Tomorrow is IT, STalkers. The beginning (for me) of the holiday feasting. Most of us will celebrate something over the nex few weeks: Thanksgiving, Christmas, holiday parties, Pig Out (food) days at work... And those things that happen all year 'round: birthday parties, bridal showers (ugh), family reunions, bachelor/bachelorette parties, class reunions, wedding anniversaries (another invite!), gender reveals, baby showers... Would anyone like to change places with me on Sunday at a much-dreaded baby shower?? LOL

Maybe you've been saving up for weeks/months. Dieting for Seasons Eatings so you can have that second piece of pie without remorse. But along with all of the partying and too many good eats is the Beverage Consumption.

Hot chocolate, wine, egg nog, hot cider, beer, mulled wine, wassail... all of them loaded with calories and (often) sugar. Ugh!!! Sure, you can add pop to your vodka or whiskey, but that's MORE sugar and calories. Or you're drinking the pop with chemically-laden caca (artificial sweeteners) that leave a bad aftertaste like a mouthful of nasty hotel pool water. BLECH!

What are some things you can do to lighten the load? Cut down on the calories and sugar? Or even just cut back on the alcohol? Here are a few of mine:

• Drink light beer. Mich Ultra/Ultra Light, Heineken/Corona/Coors/Bud Lights, Yuengling Light or Lager. Less filling.... less taste! I'd rather drink one reeeeeeally good stout and stick to water ther rest of the night, but to each their own. 
   
• Bypass the Bailey's and choose clear hard liquor. Liqueurs (like Bailey's, Kahlua, Galliano) are made by mixing alcohol and sugar. In fact, to be called as such, a liqueur has to be at least 2.5% sugar by weight. Gaaaaah!!! Spirits (hard liquors) are made by fermenting grains, veggies, fruits, and other stuff in a process called "distillation". During distillation, all sugars are removed from teh liquor, which means that they are sugar-free. BUT they still contain calories! Stick with clear spirits/liquors that are around 40% alcohol: vodka, gin, whiskey, scotch, brandy, rum, and tequiiiiiiiila. 
   
• Swap the pop! Bubble up your beverage with sparkling waters that are sugar/calorie/chemical-free, like LaCroix or Klarbrunn. Add a squeeze of fresh citrus (lemon, lime, blood orange) to bump up the flavor. 
   
• Lighten it up! Turn your glass of wine into a spritzer using club soda or sparkling water. Folks in my area lighten up their eggnog: 75% eggnog and 25% Vernor's gingerale.
   
• Word of warning: tonic water typically contains about 32 grams of sugar in a 12 oz serving. Try using club soda and a dash of bitters. Bitters come in many flavors. Rhubarb is my favorite!

What are your tips to lighten it up? Please share!

Whatever you do, please do not drink and drive. Call a taxi, call Uber, call a friend. Have a Designated Driver (DH and I take turns being Designated Driver and Designated Drinker). Stay safe, STalkers!
Aniki