Where does alcohol fit into intuitive eating? Is “intuitive drinking” even a thing? Keep reading to learn more about alcohol and intuitive eating, and what to consider if you’re evaluating your relationship with drinking.
What You’ll Learn In This Post
In a world filled with food rules, diet culture, and social norms, intuitive eating has emerged as a refreshing approach to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It encourages individuals to listen to their bodies, recognize hunger and fullness cues, and reject the oh-so-common (toxic) diet mentality.
But what about alcohol consumption: can we apply the same principles to our drinking habits?
Hi, I’m Cara, a non-diet dietitian here to help you explore your relationship with alcohol and find what works for you. Whether it’s the occasional glass of red wine or a bubbly non-alcoholic mocktail, you get to choose your own adventure here.
My goal with this post is to explore the idea of intuitive drinking and to make space for you to get curious about which drinks – with or without booze – are right for you. We’ll explore how your drink choices can align with intuitive eating and provide some of my favorite cocktail and mocktail recipes for you to pin to your summer beverage board.
To make it very clear: Alcohol does not provide nutrients or health benefits the way food does. As a dietitian, I would never recommend that someone start drinking, or start drinking more, in order to improve their health. That’s just not how it works. And you should definitely avoid alcohol if you’re currently pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding.
Let’s start with a quick Intuitive Eating 101 to lay the foundation for this article.
What Is Intuitive Eating?
Intuitive eating is a philosophy that promotes a healthy relationship with food by encouraging you to trust your body and its internal cues, not an arbitrary app, calorie counting, or keeping track of grams of macros.
This paradigm was developed by dietitians Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch and is based on ten core principles, including honoring your hunger and rejecting the food police (1).
Intuitive eating is not just about eating; it’s about overall well-being. By learning to trust your body and its signals, you can improve your mental and physical health (2).
This holistic approach encourages mindfulness and self-awareness, traits that can easily be extended to all areas of your life.
So, where does alcohol fit into this? Let’s take a look.
Combining Intuitive Eating and Alcohol
We live in a culture where there is a lot of social pressure to drink alcohol… if you really think about it, alcohol is the only drug that you have to defend not using.
If you’re planning to hang out with friends after work, go on a date, or have a romantic dinner with your special someone, chances are alcohol might be on the menu.
How do you decide to drink or not to drink?
The right answer for you may well depend on a few different factors, including your reasons for drinking, knowledge of how different kinds of alcohol make you feel, and choices that support your physical and emotional well-being. I hope that this article will support you in fearlessly choosing what is best for you.
What Is Intuitive Drinking?
I think it’s critically important to point out that eating intuitively and drinking intuitively are different. The main reason: we have to eat food each day, but no one actually has to drink alcohol. We can survive (and thrive) without it.
So, what makes a drink the right choice for you? It starts with your why.
Why do you want a drink?
One of the core concepts of intuitive drinking is understanding the motivation behind your choice.
Are you reaching for that glass of wine because you genuinely enjoy it, or is it due to social pressure or stress from a wretched day? Drinking a glass of wine because folks at a social gathering are pressuring you doesn’t feel good, and more importantly, may not be in alignment with what you actually want in a given moment.
On the other hand, sipping a perfectly paired glass of wine to compliment the nice dinner you’re cooking might feel lovely, or going on a tour of scenic vineyards and tasting local wines might be your dreamiest vacation. And if you want to raise a toast to the new year, be my guest!
But I find it interesting, even a little bit odd, that while our culture tends to demonize emotional eating there are lots of instances where emotional drinking is accepted or even encouraged.
Recognizing the difference – who is putting pressure on that drink – can help you make more conscious choices that match what you actually want.
Why do you not want a drink?
On the flip side, part of evaluating your relationship with drinking is getting curious about why you avoid alcohol or drinking.
For many of my clients, it has a lot to do with a fear of calories.
Alcohol provides 7 calories per gram of ethanol (pure alcohol). Compare that to 4 kcal/g for carbohydrates and protein, and 9 kcal/g for fat. But it can add up quickly for brewed or malt beverages like beer or cocktails and mixed drinks that combine liquor with juice, soda, or sweetened syrups.
I share this not to imply you’ll gain weight or have “too many” calories…remember, that’s how our bodies get energy, and calories aren’t inherently “bad” or meant to be limited to as few as possible.
But since drinking can lower your inhibitions or cloud your judgment, you might fall into a cycle of drunk eating or even “drunkorexia“. This unofficial term refers to the pattern of restricting meals or food in preparation for a night out or planned drinking. In other words, it’s the idea of “saving up [calories]” knowing it could offset the amount of calories from the drinks you have later.
These could be red flags for disordered eating or eating disorder behaviors. Both of these mimic the restrict-binge cycle that can feel chaotic and out of control. If this sounds familiar to you, it might be a good time to seek professional help by working with a registered dietitian with experience in this area.
But if you simply don’t like the taste of alcohol or the way it makes you feel, that’s a much different reason for wanting to cut back on how much or how often you drink (if you choose to drink at all).
Do you feel like you need a drink?
Then there’s a very real possibility you feel like your choice isn’t actually a choice at all…maybe it feels like you need a drink.
I often hear this from clients who struggle with social anxiety. While alcoholic drinks might take the edge off or help you feel relaxed and uninhibited, it can be a slippery slope.
If you have a family history of substance abuse or alcoholism, you might be more at risk of developing an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. That could involve binge drinking (AKA, heavy drinking in a short amount of time), using alcohol as a coping mechanism, or developing a form of alcohol dependence.
To learn more about the harmful effects of alcohol and get help, visit the National Institute of Health’s site for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
Mindful Alcohol Choices
When practicing intuitive drinking, it’s important to choose drinks that you genuinely enjoy. Pay attention to the flavors, the experience, and how it makes you feel.
Moderation and balance are key. By savoring your drink and consuming it slowly, you can enhance your enjoyment and reduce the likelihood of overindulgence.
It’s also important to know what actually counts as “one serving.” We may have some rather large mugs and travel cups, ones that can easily hold multiple drink servings…just because it is in one drinking vessel does not mean that it only counts as one single drink.
Which brings us to…
Current Recommendations for Alcohol Intake
How much is too much? No, it’s not a matter of how much you can drink before you start to feel buzzed, intoxicated, or drunk.
The recommended daily limit by most health organizations is a max of one drink per day for women and a max of two drinks per day for men (3).
There are standard drink measurements for beer, wine, and liquor. Read more about them in this post: What Is a Standard Drink? The Measurement That Matters. There’s even a link to a standard drink calculator for things like canned cocktails or low-ABV drinks that are harder to measure.
Health History Considerations
Outside of your taste preferences and dietary guidelines, it’s also important to consider your health history, including any family or personal history of addiction.
You should also take stock of any medications you’re taking. Some will clearly state they should not be taken with alcohol. Be sure to check with your prescribing doctor or pharmacist if you’re unsure or have questions.
It’s also a good idea to talk with your healthcare team if you have a family history of other medical conditions. Alcohol can increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. It may also worsen your mental health.
Now that we’ve chatted about the why, let’s talk about tips and strategies to feel intuitive as you choose to drink…or not to drink.
Practical Tips for Navigating Intuitive Eating and Alcohol
If you’re aiming for a different relationship with alcohol, it’s helpful to understand your tolerance and know when to stop. The “right” amount (for you) in a given moment might change, and that’s OK. Your hunger and appetite can also fluctuate – this is normal!
Listen to Your Body’s Signs
Just like with intuitive eating, you can try to reconnect to and notice your body’s signals. Pay attention to how you feel before, during, and after consuming alcohol.
Is alcohol helping you to have more fun or feel more relaxed? Do you wake up feeling good the next morning? Are you able to have fun without alcohol? If so, a few drinks now and again might be just fine for you.
Are you able to make safe decisions around transportation so that you don’t put yourself or others in danger? If not, skip the booze.
And if you hit a point where the hangover is just not worth it anymore, it’s probably time to opt out. The important thing to remember is that alcohol isn’t necessary…you can still have a great time without it.
Take a Mindful Approach to Drinking
Enjoying alcohol mindfully can make a significant difference.
Savor the flavors, drink slowly, and be present in the moment. This practice allows you to appreciate the experience fully and avoid overdoing it.
You can also tap into your taste preferences to prioritize what you genuinely enjoy. And skip what you don’t!
For example, my partner really loves tiki drinks. But I’m not a big fan of rum, so I opt for more simple mixed drinks, something with carbonation, or a nice glass of wine instead.
Set Your Personal Boundaries
Navigating social situations involving alcohol can be a challenge. Be prepared with strategies to maintain mindfulness in group settings, especially how you might choose to answer pushy questions about what you’re drinking (or not drinking).
It is harder to get taken by surprise if you have a few planned responses to share and/or set boundaries with folks getting nosy.
While you don’t owe anyone an explanation, it can be helpful to have a few scripts at the ready. For example:
- “I have an early start in the morning, so I’m avoiding it tonight.”
- “No thanks, not tonight.”
- “I don’t like how it makes me feel.”
You can opt for a non-alcoholic beverage or set a limit for yourself before attending social events.
Deal with Emotional Triggers
Identifying and managing emotional reasons for drinking is important detective work here.
If you find yourself reaching for alcohol to dull big emotions such as stress, boredom, sadness, or loneliness, acknowledge that first (those are hard feelings!).
Next, explore other tools that might help, too. This might include exercise, meditation, or talking to a friend. This is not to say that you should *never* have a drink in the name of big emotions, but rather to say that just like emotional eating is one tool in the toolbox, it shouldn’t be the only tool in the toolbox.
…kind of like it is perfectly OK to eat comfort food; you should eat comfort food, AND you should also have additional strategies to manage big feelings (I explain it all here.)
Consider a Booze Break
These days, there are more options than ever for non-alcoholic beverages, including wine, alcohol-free spirits, and bubbly water or canned mocktails without a drop of booze. And with movements like Dry January or Sober October it is more socially acceptable to take a booze break.
Not that you ever needed anyone’s permission, but it is nice to have space to experiment without your friends or family razzing you too much (4).
Mocktail and Cocktail Recipes
And speaking of different beverage options, I’ve got you covered. I love experimenting with unique ingredients so that I can share memorable options for both cocktails and mocktails.
Here are a few refreshing options for both:
- Sparkling Apple Margarita Mocktail (Zero-Proof Cocktail Recipe)
- Spicy Pomegranate Mojito Mocktail (Non-Alcoholic Pomegranate Cocktail)
- Ginger Beer Paloma Cocktails with Fresh Grapefruit Juice
- Yuzu Margarita (with a Mocktail Option!)
Bottoms Up! Here’s the Bottom Line
Whether you’re sipping on a cocktail, a mocktail, or a rotation of the two, you get to choose which drinks are the most fun and most aligned with your values, goals, and health at the moment. We are allowed to take breaks from alcohol.
Intuitive drinking encourages you to develop a healthier relationship with alcohol by listening to your body, making mindful choices, and respecting your limits. This approach complements intuitive eating and promotes overall well-being. By incorporating these practices into your life, you can enjoy alcohol in a balanced and mindful way.
I hope you found this article both helpful and inspiring. I’ll leave you with one request so you’re ready for your next gathering: will you please pin these recipes on Pinterest? You and your guests can enjoy mocktails, cocktails, and a mindful drinking experience. Cheers to you and to eating (and drinking!) fearlessly!