I am a big boned girl. Unfortunately, my bones are in my butt. At 5’8″ my weight has fluctuated from 140-170 pounds. My internist wants my weight between 150-155 pounds. Once, when I was having problems with my blood pressure, my doctor sent me to a cardiologist. He asked me how much I weighed when I was 18. My response – “I’m not sure, but I think I need to find a new cardiologist.” I don’t do fad diets but will exercise my booty off when I’m feeling motivated. All this blogging and wine tasting made we wonder if I was going to start packing on the pounds by drinking my calories.
The USDA and US Department of Health and Human Services defines moderate drinking as 1 drink a day for woman and 2 drinks for men. But here’s the kicker – a drink is defined as 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, 1.5 ounces of 80 proof distilled spirits. I don’t drink beer and rarely hard liquor. I got out my measuring cup. Oh, hello…my big William-Sonoma wine glasses are mighty sexy…but they probably easily hold 10 ounces of wine. A five ounce glass of white wine will add 100 calories and red wine 105 calories. Twelve ounces of beer will add 145 calories and 1.5 ounces of 80 proof liquor 97 calories.
A “pour” is usually 2 ounces or 40 calories. Those seven wines I tasted at Channing Daughters Winery last weekend cost me over 280 calories or 1.5 hours on the treadmill. I am not going to stop drinking wine but I will be measuring out 5 ounces or less…and I will definately be bumping up my workout schedule.
500 calories for a bottle of red…I’m told. Add a little bread and you have a meal!