Best 5 Tips For a Healthier Happy Hour

Do you enjoy happy hour, but want to also maintain your healthy lifestyle you’ve been working at? I want to tell you that it’s possible to do both. Just follow these best 5 tips for a healthier happy hour, without the guilt or hangover.

It’s a Wednesday afternoon and your friends have asked you to meet them for happy hour after work.

You’ve been trying to avoid this because you KNOW you’re going to consume way more calories than you want to. Plus, you’re trying to cut down on drinking or at least made the decision recently (for the eleventh time) that you were going to.

The week has been stressful though, being your boss just dumped a big project on you with a quickly approaching deadline. So, you give in and agree.

You deserve a break. You can still join in on the festivities without totally falling off the wagon, right? After all, you’re about to learn the best 5 tips for a healthier happy hour. So why not?

#1 You Choose the Healthier Happy Hour Location

Suggest to your friends a place that you know has some healthier options.

Since you’ll most likely be hungry after work, you’ll at the very least want something to munch on. So, try to suggest someplace that you know has salads or some healthier appetizers like a hummus plate.

If someone tries to override your suggestion, then consider speaking up about why you’d like the healthier option. More than likely, they will understand and be happy to go where you suggest.

In general, friends and work colleagues like to support each other. Also, chances are, someone else in the group will be grateful you suggested someplace with healthier options!

The more you start looking at healthier options and deciding to forego the less healthy places, the more likely it will become habit to just go with the healthier restaurant or bar.

#2 Choose What You’ll Eat Beforehand

There’s a part of our brain that distinguishes us and other primates from other mammals. This part of the brain is the pre-frontal cortex.

The pre-frontal cortex is the higher functioning part of the brain that allows us to critically think, plan, etc.

When you plan ahead of time using the pre-frontal cortex, you are much less likely to act “in the moment” for instant gratification.

Humans and other mammals naturally have the tendency to want to seek pleasure, avoid pain, and conserve energy. This is called the motivational triad.

The motivational triad was necessary for survival way back when. However now, it can lead to some unhealthy habits, especially given we don’t have to worry as much about the survival of our species.

Since you will know where you’re going for happy hour, look at the menu before you go. Decide on the healthier option you want to order and commit to that. No matter what.

Even if your friend orders the fried dumplings and says they’re the best dumplings she’s ever had.

Notice how I mentioned the healthier option you want to order, rather than you should order. If you end up ordering a healthy option that just doesn’t appeal you at all, you’ll feel very dissatisfied.

You may even be tempted to order something else afterward that doesn’t fit in with your health goals.

So, choose something that is both “healthier” and appealing to you. It may not be a completely healthy option, but sometimes you need to meet yourself halfway given the circumstance.

#3 Decide Ahead of Time How Many Drinks You’ll Have

Here’s where that prefrontal cortex comes in again.

Decide before you head to happy hour, how many alcoholic drinks you’ll have, if any.

Will you be driving yourself home? Then take into consideration how long you’ll be at happy hour, so that you are sober before you get in the car.

Also, keep in mind that you probably need to wake up early to go to work tomorrow.

If you decide that you’ll just have one alcoholic drink, then plan what you’ll have after that that is non-alcoholic.

That way, you’ll have a drink in your hand the whole time. You won’t be as tempted to have a second glass of wine, beer, or martini if you didn’t intend to in the first place.

I’ve been practicing this for the past year and it works great. If I’m going to a party, I decide ahead of time if I’m going to just have one glass of wine, two, or none.

Then I bring a travel mug of tea or a kombucha with me, so I have something to sip on after the glass of wine is finished. Works like a charm!

#4 Walk Your Way to a Healthier Happy Hour (or Park a Bit Away)

If you’re within walking distance to the happy hour location, why not walk and burn off some calories?

Just bear in mind that you’ll have to walk back afterwards, so if it’ll be dark, make sure your path back is safe.

If you’re not within walking distance, then park a little bit away if you can. It won’t burn off many calories, just walking a short distance, however it’s good to get your body moving. Especially after a day of sitting at your desk and then sitting some more at happy hour.

#5 Get Creative With Your Drinks

If you decide you’ll have a beer, stick with a lighter one, rather than a stout or porter, which have a way higher calorie count.

Perhaps it’s been one of those weeks that you could really go for a cocktail. If so, ask the bartender to go light on any sweeteners. You can also consider replacing tonic water with seltzer, so you omit the sugar.

• Read (or skim) this too! Sugar Addiction: How to Stop the Cycle
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If opting for wine, keep in mind that although many sources say a 5 oz. glass of wine is about 120 calories, this is just the lower end.

Red wines can range from 125 calories to 190 calories for a 5 oz. serving. Whites can range from 121 calories to 190 calories for a 5 oz. serving. This is according to an article about calories in alcohol by The Huffington Post.

Just a note that if you’re skipping the alcohol, be wary of “mocktails” as they often have a lot of calories and sugar.

A neat trick that Natalie Bacon, Certified Life Coach does is she asks for club soda with lime in a wine glass. That way, she is sipping on something a little more cocktail-like, without the alcohol or calories. (If you haven’t listened to Natalie’s podcast, “Design Your Dream Life” yet, definitely do that! She helps women and moms with personal development tools.)

I started doing this at home with wedges of grapefruit, lemon, or lime and it’s so refreshing!

Final Notes

An important thing to remember when going to happy hour is that it’s never going to be a completely healthy happy hour.

That’s not the point. You just want a healthier happy hour.

You’ll want to still allow yourself to take part in happy hour, without the feelings of guilt afterward.

Knowing you didn’t completely go off track with your health or weight loss goals will always result in a much happier happy hour.