ALCOHOL

MiirandaC
MiirandaC Posts: 14 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Only two weeks into my journey and I'm faced with a birthday party and one of my worst vices.. alcohol.

Give me some advice her folks. If it wasn't such a close friend I would excuse myself from the entire event, just to not tempt myself, but unfortunately that isn't an option.

So what are my options? I don't want to be deemed a party pooper for not drinking, and I'm not sure if I would have it in myself to not drink period ha-ha.

Are there such thing as "healthy" alcohol options?
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Replies

  • sjaplo
    sjaplo Posts: 974 Member
    Yes - it's called drinking what you like and fitting it into your calorie allowance OR recognizing that birthday's happen once a year and what the hey.

    But for the love of purple cows don't demonize ANY food it's a waste of time and energy and just plain insulting to various food types.


    :smile:
  • MiirandaC
    MiirandaC Posts: 14 Member
    I know i would definitely be over my calorie intake, unless I didn't eat all day.
    An average mixed drink is 200 calories alone, unless I'm drinking straight shots.

    I had my first weigh in and lost three pounds so I'm pretty scared of not seeing a change on the scale, or god forbid, a gain.
    This may be a 'what the hay' event, but I'm regretting it already!
  • TAsunder
    TAsunder Posts: 423 Member
    Well, I guess you could go with hard alcohol straight or on the rocks. A little goes a long way. Then, either you won't have too many calories or you will uncomfortably learn not to drink so much hard alcohol.

    ETA: If you do drink, chances are good your weight will temporarily bump up the next day or two. Happens to me every time.
  • powerpuffgirl66
    powerpuffgirl66 Posts: 143 Member
    Vodka + Diet Coke = ~ 60cals
  • sjaplo
    sjaplo Posts: 974 Member
    I know i would definitely be over my calorie intake, unless I didn't eat all day.
    An average mixed drink is 200 calories alone, unless I'm drinking straight shots.

    I had my first weigh in and lost three pounds so I'm pretty scared of not seeing a change on the scale, or god forbid, a gain.
    This may be a 'what the hay' event, but I'm regretting it already!

    ok - now the bigger question - what's your daily allowance?
  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
    Vodka + Diet Coke = ~ 60cals

    ^^^^

    I am sure there are other low cal options. I have to figure this out, too. I like sweet drinks.

    Have fun at the party.
  • alicecorsiatto
    alicecorsiatto Posts: 35 Member
    Vodka, Club soda and a shot of water flavoring for taste. I enjoy this
  • KahalaGal
    KahalaGal Posts: 112 Member
    Tall Club soda, a shot of Kettle One and a Splash of Cran plus 2 limes
    refreshing plus only really one shot of calories
    its my go to
  • wkwebby
    wkwebby Posts: 807 Member
    Rum and diet coke? Don't know specifically how much, but it has to be less than 200cal. Stay away from the fruit juices. That would be killer on the calories.

    Selzer mixers might also be an option?
  • Momjogger
    Momjogger Posts: 750 Member
    One shot of hard alcohol measured pour, one five ounce glass of white wine are both 100 calories. Michelob ultra is 90 calories - the flavored are a little more (100 - 110), but taste better - I like Michelob ultra pomegranate and the apple should be out soon. My go to is pinot grigio white wine or Honey Jack with a side of ice water.
    You could try walking around with diet coke all night - don't tell anyone - for a new experience. It may change the way you view and use alcohol. If you can't just have two or three drinks and switch to diet soda or water, you may want to take a close look at that.
    Whatever you decide, it's a CHOICE like everything else in life, so make a plan and try to stick to it. :smile:
  • Momjogger
    Momjogger Posts: 750 Member
    PLEASE also keep in mind that the less you eat, the more alcohol will affect you, so you need to pay attention to that.
  • JupeJones
    JupeJones Posts: 107 Member
    Yeah, the problem with many tasty drinks isn't so much the booze... it's the sugar they typically have. If you mostly drink sweet drinks, you'll have to really limit yourself (or budget plenty of calories that day!)

    Some low-cal options, some of which have already been mentioned:


    Cuba Libre: Shot of rum, Diet Coke, on the rocks, garnish with a lime wedge

    Moscow Mule: Shot of vodka, diet Ginger Ale, fresh lime juice, all on the rocks

    Paloma: Shot of tequilla, Fresca, fresh lime juice, all on the rocks

    Scotch and Soda: Self-explanatory. The "soda" is just plain soda water.

    White Wine: Go with something very dry. Five ounces will run about 100 calories.

    Spritzer: Half dry white wine, half soda water. Half the calories, ounce-per-ounce! Add a few drops of orange or Angostura bitters for bonus points. Serve on the rocks, but still in a wine glass.

    Shandy (aka Radler): Beer mixed with fizzy juice or soda. You might be able to buy some already made. Stiegl's Grapefruit Radler is starting to become available in the States, for example. It's super refreshing at about 90 calories a glass.
  • Kitship
    Kitship Posts: 579 Member
    Vodka diet cranberries!
  • ukaryote
    ukaryote Posts: 874 Member
    One hangover is not going to destroy all progress.
    Eating nothing and then drinking is a bad thing.
    Eat like you usually do, have a few drinks, have fun.

    Log it and move on.
  • La5Vega5Girl
    La5Vega5Girl Posts: 709 Member
    Vodka + Diet Coke = ~ 60cals

    I agree. yum! :smile:
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
    Vodka + Diet Coke = ~ 60cals

    Except that a standard bar pour is 1.5 ounces. So more like 90-100 calories.

    Pretty much all the hard alcohols are 65-70 calories per ounce. But again, a standard pour is 1.5 ounces. Malibu is lower Cal at 50 or so calories per ounce. Also lower alcohol, so that isn't such a bad thing, imo.

    Flavored vodkas are usually about the same calories as regular, so mixing them with club soda is a good option. I always go with single talls to make my drink last longer.
  • Richardlaing1
    Richardlaing1 Posts: 23 Member
    A little booze now and then is good for the soul. And whatever your weakness can not be denied long term without a price to pay. That being said red wine and white liquors are the best way to go for diet. Just don't go crazy and not get back on track. And wearing lampshades will clash with your lipstick.
  • MscGray
    MscGray Posts: 304 Member
    My go to is vodka and diet....but a STRONG word of advice..be cautious how much you drink when mixing with diet, I cant remember the source but experienced first hand that diet soda alters the amount of alcohol your body absorbs or something like that. My first go at it, I got drunk more rapidly then normal and it was more severe with less consumed...so be careful! Also some hints that people gave me when I faced this same issue, #1 figure out how many drinks you can fit into allotted cals, if its 3 drinks put 3 coins in your right pocket and transfer them one at a time to the other pocket when you finish off said drink. when you are out of coins, you are faced with knowingly going over cals (this helped me because I would lose track pretty easily) #2 drink diet soda or water in between each drink. This will help it appear that you are still drinking with the best of them, but allow you to pace yourself at a more moderate level...plus the added bonus of adequate hydration can never be a bad thing. Remember it is just one day, but work towards making good choices. If all else fails dust yourself off and get back on the wagon tomorrow.. :drinker:
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
    Rum and diet coke? Don't know specifically how much, but it has to be less than 200cal. Stay away from the fruit juices. That would be killer on the calories.

    Selzer mixers might also be an option?

    Rum has essentially the same calories as vodka. I don't know where this myth that vodka is lower cal than everything else originated. A rum and diet should be about 100 calories. Same as a vodka diet
  • SandyBVTN
    SandyBVTN Posts: 367 Member
    I've lost 13lbs in the last eight weeks and had plenty of booze. Usually I go for lower cal options (club soda or diet mixer) or wine, and I watch my snacking during - but I don't drink on an empty stomach. I try to get a bit more exercise in on the days previous or following as well.

    Life is short, enjoy it!
  • MiirandaC
    MiirandaC Posts: 14 Member
    Thanks guys. I don't drink muh of anything other than gin and juice. I'll have to give some of these lower calorie options a try.

    And according to MFL my intake is 1400. But I've been trying to keep it more around 1200
  • RejsGirl
    RejsGirl Posts: 205 Member
    I used to drink Jack Daniels but he's more calories than this guy. 1 oz. jim beam + crystal light pink lemonade = 75 cal.
    1 shot jim beam + crystal light pink lemonade = 105 cal.
  • yolohunter
    yolohunter Posts: 79 Member
    I usually go with vodka diet, vodka soda with a splash of cran or mio, or flavored vodka with soda. Delish!

    I work it into my calories and try to make sure that on days I'm going out I do an awesome work out too. And I agree about lowering the intake- I seem to get tipsy much faster on much less! I try to fit a lot of water into the rotation too!

    Keeping the alcohol within my calorie goal isn't the hard part...making sure I don't eat more food once I've lowered my inhibitions is the challenging part! It's so easy to overeat after or while drinking, so that's the hard part for me. I want to eat greasy pizza or nachos either when I get home from going out or if heaven forbid I'm hungover the next day! I've had to really push myself to not do that and get back on track asap and just drink a bunch of water when I get home!

    Also, I recently took 6 weeks off drinking- I still went to parties and went out, but just didn't drink. It was actually just as fun and I did get some flack from friends, but they got over it quickly. It was refreshing and I think I will do that more often now!

    Oh yea and I haven't noticed a change in my weight after a night of drinking- as long as I stay within my calories, drink water and don't overeat I maintain or lose. If I binge on pizza then I definitely notice an increase lol!
  • 50sFit
    50sFit Posts: 712 Member
    I decided to just quit drinking.
    Too many guys in my family were alcoholics, and they all died before their time very sick.
    I don't make a huge issue of it, but my calorie intake is much easier to manage without the booze. I allow myself a cheat day where anything goes; however, I noticed that I always felt bad for 3 days after heavy amounts of booze. It's just no longer worth it.
    Good Luck to you!
  • xmichaelyx
    xmichaelyx Posts: 883 Member
    Get Drunk Not Fat: http://getdrunknotfat.com/
  • MiirandaC
    MiirandaC Posts: 14 Member
    ^^ too late for that! haha

    Malibu and diet 7up sounds like a good option. Screw it.
    My birthday is in two weeks, gift to myself will be no alcohol to make up for this debacle! ????
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,989 Member
    Alcohol is nutrient free, so it's not "unhealthy" however calorie from alcohol disrupts energy usage. Since it can't be stored, it has to be metabolized by the body and is the FIRST source of energy until it's used up out of the body. That means no carbs or fat are being used for energy. Even worse is if it's in your system at night before bed, NO FAT BURNING is happening till it's metabolized out of the body.
    It's up to you. I gave up my "party pride" at 28 years because I was more concerned about competing at the time. Haven't looked back since.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • yolohunter
    yolohunter Posts: 79 Member


    Moscow Mule: Shot of vodka, diet Ginger Ale, fresh lime juice, all on the rocks

    Oooo my favorite drink is the moscow mule...and I quit drinking it because of the cals...don't know why I didn't think of just using diet ginger ale...thanks!!
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    Why not order one mixed drink and nurse it through most of the night? Have water along with it, and drink mostly the water (or, go for a diet soda or two in there as well, just not mixed with alcohol).

    If "friends" give you grief about not getting drunk, tell them you are feeling a bit ill and don't want to make it worse, or that you have something going on the next day and want to make sure you have a clear head, or some other excuse. Honestly, real friends shouldn't bother you about it.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,282 Member
    can you get half measures there?

    You can get them here and that reduces calorie (and alcohol, of course) content of each drink.

    A half measure Southern Comfort is only 35 calories - mix it with diet coke so no added calories there.

    You could drink 10 of them (not that I am recomending that) and only add 350 calories.No big deal as a one off - from a calorie content point of view.

    Im sure other spirits are around the same amount, I just know that one because its what I drink.

    Dry white wine diluted with soda water woudl be quite low too.

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