How to Enjoy Alcohol Over Christmas (Without Breaking Your Low Carb Lifestyle)

The festive season is filled with celebration, laughter — and often, a few glasses of something bubbly. But if you’re following a low carb or real-food lifestyle, you might wonder: can you really enjoy alcohol without derailing your progress?

Good news — you absolutely can. With a little planning and a few smart swaps, you can stay aligned with your goals and still raise a glass this Christmas and New Year.

Alcohol and Your Body

Before we dive into what to drink, it helps to understand how alcohol works in your body.

• Alcohol provides energy but no nutritional value, so your body burns it before fat.
• It can slow weight loss, especially if it becomes a nightly habit.
• It disrupts sleep, even if it feels relaxing at first.
• And it can lower your willpower around food — which is why those Boxing Day leftovers often disappear faster than planned!

But awareness is everything. Once you know these effects, you can make choices that support both your joy and your health.

1. Know Your Wines 🍷

Dry wines are surprisingly low in carbohydrates, making them great for low carb living:

• Dry whites and reds (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon): ~2g carbs per glass
• Champagne or Brut sparkling wine: ~1g carbs per glass

Avoid sweet or dessert wines — they’re loaded with sugar and will spike insulin.

2. Choose Zero-Carb Beers 🍺

If beer is your festive favourite, go for truly zero-carb varieties (check labels carefully!).

Top Australian options include:

• Burleigh Big Head Zero Carb Beer
• Better Beer Zero Carb

These won’t kick you out of ketosis or stall progress.

3. Spirits Are Low Carb — But Mixers Matter 🍸

Straight spirits contain 0g carbs, but mixers can quickly undo your good work.

Best combos:

• Vodka + soda + fresh lime
• Gin + soda
• Tequila + soda + squeeze of citrus

Avoid: premixed drinks, cruisers, hard lemonades, and alcopops — they’re basically liquid sugar.

4. Make Low Carb Cocktails 🍹

Get creative and festive with these delicious, low carb cocktail recipes:

Dry Martini (0g carbs)

• 60 ml gin
• 10 ml dry vermouth
• Olive or lemon twist

Low Carb Espresso Martini (~1g carbs)

• 90 ml vodka
• 2 shots espresso
• 1 tsp cacao powder
• 60 ml low carb syrup (see recipe below)

Citrus White Rum Cocktail

• 60 ml white rum
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 60 ml low carb syrup
• Zest of orange
• Ice and seltzer to top

Low Carb Syrup Recipe:
Mix equal parts water and monkfruit/stevia/allulose. Heat until dissolved, cool, and store for up to two weeks.

5. Go Alcohol-Free (Your Future Self Will Thank You) 🍹✨

There are amazing alcohol-free alternatives now that let you celebrate guilt-free:

• Lyre’s non-alcoholic rum – add soda water, lime, mint, and ice.
• Monday Distillery G&T – zero sugar and refreshing.
• Non-alc sparkling wines – look for less than 3g carbs per 100 ml.

Or make your own mocktail: sparkling water, berries, citrus, herbs, and a touch of low carb syrup — delicious!

You don’t have to skip the celebrations to stay true to your goals. The key is mindfulness — noticing how alcohol affects your body, your sleep, and your mood.

Choosing wisely (or skipping altogether) is an empowering choice — one that keeps you feeling good long after the holiday cheer fades.

From all of us at Real Life Medicine, we wish you a safe, merry, and low carb festive season.

Cheers to celebrating in a way that supports your body, your health, and your goals. 🥂

Dr Mary Barson and Dr Lucy are the founders of Real Life Medicine. They help women who have been on every diet under the sun, optimise their health and achieve long lasting weight loss without feeling miserable or deprived.

They do this with their 3 step framework:

• Strategies to improve your metabolism
• Brain-based skills to overcome self-sabotage
• Tools to make it easy to implement

With this comes increased energy, vitality and confidence.

You can avoid chronic disease and stop living life on the sidelines!