Stay on Track: How to Make Alcohol Fit Your Macros

It’s summer, and that means BBQs, get-togethers, and for some, day drinking. How does this impact your goals? How do you calculate the macros in alcohol? Let’s dive in and talk about how to track alcohol and how to stay in line with your goals.

Yes, you can enjoy your drinks while tracking macros!

Alcohol doesn’t quite fit the normal macronutrient numbers. Whereas protein + Carbs = 4 calories/gram and fat = 9 calories/gram, alcohol contains  7 calories/gram. It doesn’t fit neatly into either category, so we need to do a little math to get us there. The easiest way to track alcohol is to count it as carbs or fats. You can track it as both, but that can get confusing.

Tracking alcohol as carbs or fats is the easiest solution. If a glass of wine has 150 calories, divide 150 by 4 to figure out how many carbs that will be: 37g of carbs. If you want to count it as fat, divide 150 by 9 to get 17g.

You can look up the average calories in each drink to do the math. MyFitness Pal has some accurate options for tracking alcohol as carbs, fats, or both, just make sure you double-check that math.

The beauty of macro counting is that you can fill your macros however you would like. That being said, filling your carbs and fats with alcohol is not a great idea, and the drinks add up quickly. Plan your drinks ahead of time so that you don’t end up with weird macros that only allow you to eat a piece of chicken like an apple. Plus, you’ll give yourself a limit so you’re less likely to go overboard. I would even plan for an extra drink if you know you could be tempted, just so you have a safety net. Have a non-alcoholic drink between each drink to help you stay hydrated. I like to have club soda with lemon or lime so that I still have something bubbly and flavorful to sip on.

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