Calories and alcohol

goldenglow90

If I have vodka and a mixer it's fairly easy for me to calculate the calories, but when I go to a cocktail bar, they all make their cocktails slightly different so how can I calculate the calories?

MG_Fit

What do you mean by "slightly different"?

A little extra OJ?

OJ and grenadine?

A lime twist?

.1 oz more of vodka?

More ice?

mrmagee3

If I have vodka and a mixer it's fairly easy for me to calculate the calories, but when I go to a cocktail bar, they all make their cocktails slightly different so how can I calculate the calories?

Drink scotch. It's 0 calories.* Problem solved.

*this is a lie.

hydromobile

The only thing about alcohol is that the calories are put into MFP as raw carbs, Some of these carbs are alcohol carbs and in my opinion should be treated as a sugar where your daily limit is far lower than is granted in just carbohydrates . Alcohol has an affect on liver function and burns quick like sugar so I mark every gram of alcohol as a sugar when plotting MFP. An average 12 oz beer has about 12 g of alcohol, so with my personal sugar allotment per day I can only have two beers and still have enough sugars to get my vegetables and grains in for the day. This method sucks if you like getting plastered snot-faced wasted, but I've personally seen a significant aid to my weight loss since getting on the wagon and only having one or two drinks occasionally.

P.S. with liquor a shot is 1 oz which is about 28 g, a 100 proof liquor is 50% alcohol and therefore about 14 g of "sugar" which I input.

goldenglow90

What do you mean by "slightly different"?

A little extra OJ?

OJ and grenadine?

A lime twist?

.1 oz more of vodka?

More ice?

That's the point, I don't know. If I drink at home I have vodka and diet lemonade, and I measure the vodka so I know exactly how much I've used. If I have a cocktail at a bar then I don't know what measures they are using or even some of the ingredients. I've looked up some cocktails on MFP and the number of calories varies wildly depending on brand. Does nobody else have this issue? I suppose it is much easier if you just drink beer

Pearsquared

The best you can do is tell them how much you want (e.g. two parts vodka to one part soda) and estimate the best you can. It'll never be perfect, and wanting it to be perfect is just going to cause you unnecessary stress.

nomeejerome

What do you mean by "slightly different"?

A little extra OJ?

OJ and grenadine?

A lime twist?

.1 oz more of vodka?

More ice?

That's the point, I don't know. If I drink at home I have vodka and diet lemonade, and I measure the vodka so I know exactly how much I've used. If I have a cocktail at a bar then I don't know what measures they are using or even some of the ingredients. I've looked up some cocktails on MFP and the number of calories varies wildly depending on brand. Does nobody else have this issue? I suppose it is much easier if you just drink beer

Unless you are making the drink yourself, there is no way of knowing the exact amounts, especially in foo-foo cocktails. You could drink beer, but what is the point if you don't like it? Drink what you enjoy, estimate the best you can and move on.

popsicklestar

Just look at the options that come up and pick the one in the middle.

Jennloella

even if I wanted to count calories while out with my friends, after a couple drinks my math would suffer. Have fun.

knk1553

Bars are suggested to pour 1.5oz pours, however that will vary, when I go out I do 1.5-2oz with my liquor and I always drink soda water so thats an easy one. You can do vodka with soda water and 2 lemons to give you the lemon flavor, save you the calories of a mixer.

Myhaloslipped

It is difficult to know exact amounts when you go out. I used to bartend, and on busy nights, I didn't have time to measure everything. I just got to a point where I could eyeball amounts fairly accurately. Also, I would add a little extra alcohol to the drinks of my regulars and good tippers. But that's just me.

micheleb15

The best you can do is tell them how much you want (e.g. two parts vodka to one part soda) and estimate the best you can. It'll never be perfect, and wanting it to be perfect is just going to cause you unnecessary stress.

This. You can never know exactly what meals/drinks are when you are out. Even if a restaurant has nutrition info, it's very unlikely they are all made the exact same and there's always room for error. Don't drive yourself crazy over this.

MG_Fit

The best you can do is tell them how much you want (e.g. two parts vodka to one part soda) and estimate the best you can. It'll never be perfect, and wanting it to be perfect is just going to cause you unnecessary stress.

This. You can never know exactly what meals/drinks are when you are out. Even if a restaurant has nutrition info, it's very unlikely they are all made the exact same and there's always room for error. Don't drive yourself crazy over this.

Michele is correct on this!

jen_zz

Doesn't exactly answer your question, but here's a short 5 minute video showing how inaccurate food labels are in terms of calories... which is kinda scary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGunZpKLb5o

rainunrefined

What do you mean by "slightly different"?

A little extra OJ?

OJ and grenadine?

A lime twist?

.1 oz more of vodka?

More ice?

That's the point, I don't know. If I drink at home I have vodka and diet lemonade, and I measure the vodka so I know exactly how much I've used. If I have a cocktail at a bar then I don't know what measures they are using or even some of the ingredients. I've looked up some cocktails on MFP and the number of calories varies wildly depending on brand. Does nobody else have this issue? I suppose it is much easier if you just drink beer

This is an issue whenever consuming calories outside of something you prepared, not just with alcohol. I would use my best judgement, log it and move on.