Gregg's Blog: Balancing Pub Enjoyment with Weight Loss

Enjoying the Pub Healthily

Right, the beer gardens are open, and nobody enjoys a pint of beer or a glass of wine more than me. I manage to indulge without putting on lots of weight, so I thought I’d share with you my tips for enjoying the pub without overindulging.

Stay Hydrated

Firstly, when you arrive, you are likely to be thirsty. Don’t use alcohol to quench your thirst. When you order your first drink, also order a glass or a bottle of water and drink that first.

Choose Your Drinks Wisely

Next, remember the most calorific thing is a Stout or a Guinness. Next is beer or lager, after that comes wine, slightly better than that is sparkling wine and the best option of all, but not something that you can do all day, are spirits.

Set Your Limits

Before you go out, try, and work out how long you’d like to be out for and also the feeling that you want to get from your drink. If you set yourself a reasonable time limit and stick to it, it can’t become an all-dayer. If you have in mind the feeling that you want from the alcohol and I’m guessing, it’s that euphoric state of chill, then you’ll know when you’ve got there, right? And you can slow down once you’ve arrived.

Understand Your Drinking Pace

Knowing what you want from your booze, I think is key. My wife, Anna, has taught me this and has very much an Italian approach to booze. I find it’s the second drink or the end of the second drink that I feel great, I’m relaxed, I like the music, I’m chilled. I then slow down my drinking, I used to think that if I drank more, I would just prolong the nice second drink feeling that I had. But that’s not how it works, you end up going somewhere else. A few drinks later everything’s not quite as happy as it was, you may become argumentative or maybe sad. Know where your happy place is. Try then to drink as much water as you do alcohol.

Plan Your Meals

Lastly, work out where and what it is you are going to be eating. With our relaxed slightly inebriated state, often comes hunger and a relaxed approach to bad choices. You know what I’m saying. So, are you making it back for dinner? Are there good choices on the pub menu? Is there good food nearby? I don’t in any way want to stop your enjoyment for a day or a night out, not at all. I just want to teach you what I’ve learnt, so you can do it in the healthiest way possible, enjoy.

Key Takeaways

- Quench your thirst with water before starting on alcoholic drinks.
- Know your limits and understand the feeling you want from your drink.
- Plan your meals and make healthy food choices.