Wondering about on plan alcohol on Trim Healthy Mama? Get the scoop on your best options to drink here.
Please always drink responsibly.
If you are wondering if and when you can have a glass of wine or an ice cold beer while following the Trim Healthy Mama plan – don’t worry. Lots of us have wanted to know! Here you will find all the rules and guidelines for enjoying alcohol on Trim Healthy Mama.
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The Rules for Alcohol on Trim Healthy Mama
From time to time I see someone say “well alcohol is not allowed on Trim Healthy Mama.” And while drinking large amounts of alcohol is not condoned by the plan, a drink (or even two) can be enjoyed on occasion.
This post will answer all of your THM alcohol questions like how much alcohol can I drink? What kind of cocktail can I have and which fuel do I drink it in? At the end of this you will basically be a THM bartender. Well, you will at least be able to pour a glass of wine and feel good about it!
THM Alcohol Serving Size
One serving of alcohol (regardless of the type) is the general rule for Trim Healthy Mama. You will need to see what works for you and also judge your situation as to what you are willing to tolerate and give grace based on the activity.
For example, if I am just having a glass of red wine with my husband at home while watching a tv show, I might try and keep it to the recommended one serving. However, if I was at a best friend’s wedding or on vacation I might indulge a little more (just like I might with a piece of off plan wedding cake etc).
The serving size is important but so is moderation in the frequency that you indulge in a cocktail. In the early part of COVID my day job became incredibly stressful and I found myself having a couple of beers after work frequently. And not a shocker, I gained some weight during that time period because I was not watching my servings as closely as I should (and I was going off plan and giving myself a bit too much grace).
Under normal circumstances, I try and limit my alcohol consumption to once or twice a week depending on what is going on, activities that we have planned etc.
What THM Fuel Is Alcohol?
You can enjoy an alcoholic beverage listed below with any fuel type. I used to stress about if an S or an E meal would be the best choice but it really just doesn’t matter.
Most of these selections for alcohol on Trim Healthy Mama are low in sugar and carbs. They still have calories so you have to be mindful of that & the other side effects of over indulging. But pair it with whatever fuel you want.
Thinking of the Lingering Effects of Alcohol & THM
This is not going to be new information but I think it is worth mentioning.
Drinking too much can result in eating more than you might have otherwise. Sometimes it results in an extra meal that you might not have eaten – hello midnight Taco Bell run (was I supposed to outgrow that in college?). It might also mean that you decide to go off plan after a couple of drinks & have a slice of sugary dessert.
And then the next day comes. Hangover & regret fill your body. If you are sick from a hangover, you are probably less likely to get up and make that Deep S breakfast that you crave after an off plan event (assuming you ate that burrito and slice of cake I was mentioning above). You probably won’t work out and may just feel crummy most of the day.
I don’t say all of this to criticize, certainly been there & Grace is our middle name on THM. It is just worth thinking about all of the consequences if you are choosing to exceed the recommended serving of alcohol.
Now that we have that covered, on to the alcohol choices for the THM plan.
The THM Alcohol Menu
These are some popular alcoholic beverage choices to enjoy while following the Trim Healthy Mama plan.
Hard Seltzer
There are several companies that have come out with hard seltzers that are a great option for drinking alcohol on Trim Healthy Mama. My favorite is the Truly Lemonade by far! It is sweet like real lemonade but only has one gram of sugar & is sweetened with Stevia.
Here are a few of the Hard Seltzers that you can enjoy:
- Truly Lemonade (original, black cherry, strawberry lemonade & mango)
- Truly Flavors (these are not nearly as sweet as the lemonade if you prefer just a hint of flavor – think a spiked seltzer water)
- Truly Iced Tea
- White Claw (2g per serving of sugar)
- Light Beer Seltzers (Bud Light Seltzer / Corona Light
- Michelob Ultra Organic Seltzer (gets a category of it’s own because it has 0 sugar & 0 carbs)
Wine
The key thing to remember with wine is dry, dry, dry.
Good THM dry wine choices:
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Chardonnay
- Pinot Grigio
- Pinot Noir
- Malbec
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Syrah
- Merlot
Wine types to avoid on Trim Healthy Mama:
- Riesling
- Moscato
- Ice Wine
- Port Wine
Beer
Beer is probably the worst choice of alcohol on Trim Healthy Mama out of these personal choices. That being said, I love having an ice cold beer in the summer!
Your best bet is to go with a light beer and have one (as in one bottle, not a 6 pack). I know, I know, one beer is not fun but beer racks up calories and carbs pretty fast. If one isn’t enough, try to max it out at 2.
Also, if you are a fan of the dark craft beers, those are not going to be very friendly to your Trim Healthy Mama efforts. I never say never so if this is what you really love, just get back on plan in 3 hours.
Liquor
Liquor is my least favorite option for alcohol on Trim Healthy Mama. I’m not sure if it is because I just don’t normally drink much liquor or if it is because drinking liquor adds one extra step for me in the way of a cocktail mixer that I don’t have to deal with when choosing a hard seltzer or wine.
But I know some of you probably love your liquor, so I’ve come up with a few options.
Ketel One Botanical or Smirnoff Zero Sugar + A Sparkling Water (unsweetened)
Absolut Mandarin + THM Orange Hydrates or a Virgil’s Orange Soda. A splash of cream would be great too.
Ketel One Botanical and a Bai beverage
Whiskey & Zevia Cola
Things to watch for when buying liquor for THM:
- Flavored liquors may have added sugar. I added some links to “safe” options that don’t add sugar but lots of the “whipped” and heavily flavored liquors will have added sugar.
What is your favorite way to enjoy alcohol on Trim Healthy Mama?
More THM Beginner Guides
On Plan Store Bought THM Bread
On Plan Store Bought THM Peanut Butter
23 On Plan Store Bough Desserts
THM Fuel Rotation – How many S’s, E’s & Fp’s to eat per week
7 Day No Cook Drive Thru Sue Menu (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
