My Inadvertent Detox

Unsuspectingly, my alcohol intake has reached lows not seen since before college. I haven't limited my drinking on purpose...sort of. It is sort of an indirect result of being on Weight Watchers, since it preaches and demands that I track EVERYTHING that enters my body, including any kind of beverage and any small bite of food.

I love all sorts of beers...Sam Adams, Sam Summer, Heineken, Guinness, most of the beers at the BBC, and of course the occasional hard liquor. But 12 oz. of regular beer is 3 points, and that can add up during a night of shenanigans. Even a beer at a restaurant during dinner can be costly...a lot of those restaurant beers on tap are 16 oz., so it would be 4 points per beer. Some have "super-sized" servings of 22-24 oz., so one of those can be 6 points...just for drinking a frosty beverage. Some of those malt beverages or pre-mixed drinks, like Smirnoff Ice or Mike's Hard Lemonade, are between 4-6 points for 12 oz. But the worst drink is a margarita in a pint glass...11 points! Mudslides come in second with 8.5 points, and long island ice teas take third with 8 points. Surprisingly, hard liquor is not that bad...usually around 2-3 points per shot. In addition, the best alcoholic drinks have hard liquor in them: rum and diet coke, and vodka and soda each cost 1.5 points. White wine spritzers and bloody marys are only 2 points.

Since I would rather spend my points on food, I have been drinking either light beer or just water. Although light beer is only 2 points per 12 oz., it can add up, and I REALLY like spending my points on food. Therefore, I have really only been drinking water over the past couple weeks. I've probably been pretty lame lately because of this, but it's been kind of nice...sort of like a detox or a cleanse, I guess. Maybe it's the exercise and the dieting, but I feel healthier by just drinking water...I feel more in control of my body.

Concerned readers: I haven't eliminated alcohol completely from my life...that would just be tragic. Beer will always have a special place in my heart.