It's that time again. Pull up a chair, grab your favorite drink, and spend some time here at Carol's Corner. I hope everyone has had a great and productive week. Going to start with the picture portion as usual. I totally love everything about my outfit today. Everything just blends so beautifully. It didn't take me long to title today's ensemble. Peaches and Cream anyone? This pretty blouse is another thrift store find from this past year. I made this jewelry and it really brings out the peach tones.

Another example of how layering can add something to any outfit. This light sweater pairs really well with the whole ensemble and adds extra brightness to the paler peach shades, as well as a little extra warmth when needed.

And of course, have to have my FitBit combo. Used two of the narrower cuffs for this one and utilizing the two colors in the band.

So for tonight's topic we're going to discuss how alcohol consumption can work or not work in your weight loss efforts.

We'll begin with an article from everydayhealth.com. It's titled ” Can Alchohol Derail Your Diet?”

A glass of wine with a weekend dinner or a glass of beer at your family gathering doesn't spell disaster for your weight-loss plan–that is, unless you overdo it.

Reaching for another alchololic drink on a regular basis can pile on the pounds, just as binging on cookies or chocolate might. According to the USDA (The United States Department Of Agriculture), nearly two-thirds of all adults drink some amount of alcohol. The percentage of calories from alcohol in the typical diet ranges from between 3-6% in men and 1-4% for women. That may not sound like a lot, but when you're watching your weight, every calorie counts.

ALCOHOL AND WEIGHT GAIN: DO THE MATH

Donna L. Weihofen, RD,MS, health nutritionist at the University Of Wisconsin in Madison, says “Alcohol does add up in calories. When I'm really trying to watch my weight, I watch what I drink.”

Weihofen recalls giving up her signature drink, a Southern Comfort Old-Fashion, for wine to cut calories, and then moving toward wine spritzers, a mix of wine and club soda, to cut calories in half. Now she says she is often happy with club soda and a twist of lime.

If you're wondering how your favorite alcohol stacks up, check out the approximate numbers.

1). Light Beer, 12 ounces, 90-100 calories

2). Regular Beer, 12 ounces, 150 calories

3). Red Wine, 5 ounces, 120-150 calories

4). Rum or Whiskey, 1.5 ounces, 98 calories

5). Gin, 1.5 ounces, 120 calories

6). Vodka, 1.5 ounces, 98 calories

Now mind you the alcohol's #4-6 are without any added mixers.

Stopping with one drink keeps the calorie count down, but if you are drinking alcohol every night, you could easily put on a pound or more over the course of a month, just from the alcohol alone. It's also important to remember that the total calories in your drink, includes any additions to the alcohol -the fruit juice, mix, or soda in your cocktail counts too!

ALCOHOL AND WEIGHT GAIN: HOW TO CUT BACK ON CALORIES

National dietary guidelines recommend women drink no more than one alcoholic drink a day and men no more than two. While some studies suggest that a glass of alcohol, such as red wine, may help your heart, recent data suggests that the benefit may actually be reversed when you reach for a second glass-yet another reason to drink in moderation.

One way to cut back on your alcohol intake might be to change the shape of the glasses you use. An interesting study of 198 college students and 86 bartenders demonstrated that, even when they had previously been shown the exact measure of a serving of alcohol, both groups tended to pour more into short wide glasses than tall, thin glasses– even bartenders with more than six years of experience. So when you are planning to make yourself a special cocktail treat, you can maintain your diet by reaching for a tall, thin glass.

ADDITIONAL TIPS FOR ENJOYING ALCOHOL WITHOUT THE WEIGHT GAIN:

1). Drink water or another no-calorie beverage between drinks.

2). Cut calories where you can–a wine spritzer instead of wine; light beer instead of regular.

3). Save alcohol for special occasions.

4). Budget the calories into your diet and limit your alcohol servings.

5). Do your research before eating out: if you know the calorie count of that monster margarita at your favorite restaurant before you order, you might think twice.

With a little planning ,you can enjoy your favorite alcoholic drink in moderation and avoid sabotaging your diet.

Here are other links on the subject you might also find useful.

http://www.shape.com/weight-loss/weight-loss-strategies/ask-diet-doctor-can-you-drink-alcohol-and-still-lose-weight. Ask the diet doctor: can you drink alcohol and still lose weight?

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=563. Alcohol and weight loss: can you have both?

http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20670897,00.html. How to drink without gaining weight.

http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20670897,00.html 7 ways to keep alcohol from ruining your diet.

So there you have it, all the things you needed to know on alcohol and your weight reduction or weight maintenance plan. As always, it seems to boil down to planning and moderation, things that serve you well in this journey. So as the weekend continues to kick into gear , stay focused , stay motivated and above all, never give up. Till next time God Bless.