Between holiday parties and, well, let’s face it, 2021 itself, you may have been drinking a bit more than was wise at the end of last year. So, as the new year approached, you may have made the decision to forgo alcohol altogether for the month of January.

Alcohol and weight loss don’t usually mix as seamlessly as vodka and club soda but that doesn’t mean socializing and losing weight have to be worlds apart.

Health professionals like myself can rattle off tons of reasons why drinking too much alcohol can impede weight loss but I’m sure you don’t want to listen to that speech with only a few weeks left of summer. So instead, I’ll share my favorite strategy to help you strike the perfect healthy balance whether you’re at Center City Sips, a backyard barbecue or down the shore. All you have to do is ask yourself these questions: