3 Ways to Keep Wine While on a Diet

After enjoying the holiday season, you’re not alone deciding to make a nutritional lifestyle change in the new year. When trying the shed unwanted pounds, you might be tempted to put the wine glass away. Let’s be real about it though – with kids running around and long hours working at home or in the office, that’s just not a reasonable concession. The good news is: you don’t need to let go of that magical glass of pinot grigio if you play it right.

If Stress Burned Calories, I’d Be A Supermodel

Do you know your calorie budget? Determine how many calories you will drink in alcohol before you pop open the cork. A glass of wine varies from 100 to 300 calories. For every 1 ounce of a cabernet, calculate 25 calories. Watch out for sweet dessert wines: a 4-ounce port glass will run you 300 calories! To compare, a shot of rum is approximately 100 calories and a can of beer is roughly 150 calories.

For The Love Of Carbs

Go beyond counting calories and pay attention to carbs. Carbohydrates raise blood sugar. Your body then produces extra insulin, which is a fat storage hormone, to bring your blood sugar down. The more carbs, the more insulin, the more carbs converted to fat and stored away (you know where!). A glass of pinot grigio will run you about 4 grams of carbs. A can of Snapple iced tea is 37 grams of carbs. Although an ideal carb intake varies for each person, generally 50-100 grams of carbs per day would allow for someone to lose weight.

Move it. Move it.

To make room for the wine calories and to help drop dress sizes, exercise is essential. There are many diets and opinions, but there is one simple fact: you must burn more calories than you eat and drink to lose weight.

Here are examples for a 125 lb woman and how many glasses of pinot grigio (~6oz) she can have after 30 minutes of exercise:
Playing with kids – 120 calories = 1 glass
Stretching / Hatha Yoga – 120 calories = 1 glass
Walking/ Jog – 180 calories = 1.5 glasses
Pilates – 240 calories = 2 glasses
Fast Running – 480 calories = 4 glasses of wine

Bottom line

Our bodies are all different and there are many complex metabolic processes at play. But, just because you’re trying to shed a few pounds before the summer comes, doesn’t mean you have to omit wine from your diet. With a bit of planning and commitment, we know you can get to whatever your New Year resolutions are. Just remember to give yourself a break and enjoy life’s little pleasures. Cheers from all of us at Gooseneck Vineyards to a happy and prosperous YOU!