Surviving St. Patty's

Like most holidays, there is a lot of drinking involved on St. Patrick's Day. But I'd argue to say that St. Patty's may just be the king of all boozy holidays. To most Americans, it is just an excuse to get wasted, because hey, that's what the Irish do!

I'm not Irish myself, so I'll be honest: all St. Patrick's Day really signifies to me, too, is a good time. * Lucky * for us (no pun intended), St. Patrick's Day falls on Saturday this year. But that may just be too good to be true...

How can you enjoy St. Patrick's Day this year without feeling like a total Healthy Chick failure? Here are my plans:

Say yes to:
1) Drinking most of the day, starting early. Don't wait until 9 PM to pregame because everyone else will be dead by then.
2) Drinking beer. I know, it has a ton of calories. But if you drink vodka on St. Patty's, I'm going to look at you funny.
3) A healthy, hearty breakfast before drinking beer most of the day. Kegs and eggs may not be such a silly idea; eggs are full of protein that's going to keep you full and energized throughout your festivities (and you will be less tempted to binge eat later when your decision making isn't as strong). Just be careful to avoid the carb overload that can sometimes seem acceptable while drinking (say no to a side of hash browns, no matter how much potatoes were part of the Irish culture. They really have no nutritional benefits and will just load you down with unnecessary cals.)

Say no to:
1) Indulging in green baked goods and treats. Growing up in New York, green bagels on St. Patty's morning was a tradition. Maybe it's just Brueggar's that dyes their bagels green for this holiday (?) but with all the beer that is to be consumed, the last thing we Health Chicks need is baked good or dessert. Choose to sin with the drinking on St. Patrick's Day, not with the sweets. Leave those to the other less boozy holidays. On St. Pat's, I'll stick to a breakfast of eggs, thank you very much.

What are your plans for Saturday?