Drinking with friends!!

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jess_austin
jess_austin Posts: 33
in Food and Nutrition
Being a student i find it really difficult not to drink with my friends, which often means i end up drinking away 1000 calories in shots, cider and beer every time we go out. I try to resist but they don't seem to get the fact i'm trying to lose weight and so will try and get me to drink through peer pressure. I haven't really helped the stereotype of being a party girl as before i met my boyfriend i was a wild child getting drunk 3 nights a week, eating takeaways all the time which i've now changed in an effort to become a better person and to lose weight.

So does anybody have any good mocktail recipes that i can drink which are low calorie? i just have too much hassle saying i'm not drinking :(

Replies

  • Jayfitness27
    Jayfitness27 Posts: 42
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    I found a great website that might help you...

    http://www.calorieking.com/foods/



    Note: Make sure you know your drink or choose one off the list it tells you the nutrition facts for that drink
  • Jconner30
    Jconner30 Posts: 311
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    Any alcohol that is clear (such as Vodka). Dont drink anything with juices they are loaded with sugars. Tonics, diet soda's, and on the rocks. Also, light beer is good. You know, its a good practice to have at least one night where you throw calorie caution to the wind :smile:
  • Lsqueezy
    Lsqueezy Posts: 128
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    It's really hard when you go out to get a bartender to make "special" drinks for you, unless of course you know the bartender, but what I do is order flavored vodka and water. As for shots...same thing flavored vodka and water. Luckily there are so many flavors of vodka that you have a lot of choices. If I have to drink beer I drink light beer of course and try to have a water every other beer. Good Luck.
  • firegirley
    firegirley Posts: 86 Member
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    Oh I like JConnors advice!!! I'll be keeping that one in the memory banks for sure :)
  • lisaweaver3
    lisaweaver3 Posts: 29 Member
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    While having "mocktails" is admirable, they would still be empty calories. I think it's time you re-evaluate your friends... True friends stand behind you and support you. The friends you have currently want you to stay the same so they don't have to change their lifestyle or so they don't feel guilty about their unhealthy habits. It's time to become an adult... And I say all of this from and older and wiser point of view. I support you in your efforts to become healthy!
  • queenofthemountains
    queenofthemountains Posts: 29
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    A Moscow mule is a good one providing it's made with low-cal ginger ale. Basically anything that's long and has one shot in it is better than a big stinking cocktail with 5 shots in. That said - alcohol is liquid cake! You might try my line, which is I only consume calories I can chew!
    Also, the good thing about mfp is that everything is allowed as long as it's in moderation. So if you think you're going to have a bit of a heavy night - it might be worthwhile having a thrash on the treadmill before you head out. After all, as long as your calories 'out' are more than your calories 'in', you're going to be onto a winner.

    xx
  • firegirley
    firegirley Posts: 86 Member
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    Oh AND LSqueezys!!! Flavored Vodka and water...great idea!! What kind of water?
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
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    develop a taste for bloody marys - they're reasonably low cal, and at least you're getting some nutrients! Yummy too.

    It is difficult, keeping sociable and losing weight. Try alternating your alcoholic drink with water or fizzy water. When I'm with heavy drinking friends this helps both my weight and my liver. With fizzy water, if the peer pressure to drink is particularly heavy, you can always pass it off as gin and tonic or vodka and lemon.
  • queenofthemountains
    queenofthemountains Posts: 29
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    While having "mocktails" is admirable, they would still be empty calories. I think it's time you re-evaluate your friends... True friends stand behind you and support you. The friends you have currently want you to stay the same so they don't have to change their lifestyle or so they don't feel guilty about their unhealthy habits. It's time to become an adult... And I say all of this from and older and wiser point of view. I support you in your efforts to become healthy!

    And this is tremendously good advice. The uni friends that I am still in touch with throughout my two degrees are the ones that were supportive and fun. The ones that were less of a good influence have fallen by the wayside (and they're not looking that great either!)
  • msarro
    msarro Posts: 2,748 Member
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    I'm a homebrewer, and my recommendation is to actually drink a strong beer. The higher the alcohol content, the slower you will drink it. The heavier the mouthfeel, the more full you will feel after drinking it. With the higher alcohol content comes more calories, but if it keeps you from doing shot after shot, you'll come out ahead.
  • vjohnso3
    vjohnso3 Posts: 34 Member
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    If your'e going somewhere to drink before the bars, always bring your own chaser for shots. I particularly like Fuze juices- they're 10 calories and have lots of flavor. Many people buy 2liters of lemonade, etc. which are full of calories. Choosing low cal chasers is a great way to help keep the calories down! I was in your same position last year - college is one of the best times of your life and I didn't want to sacrifice hanging out with my friends for a diet. Therefore, I tried to workout every single day that I knew I was going out and burn as many calories as I thought I would be drinking that night. (Didn't always work, cause like you said sometimes you drink 1,000 but it's better than nothing!)
  • hbrekkaas
    hbrekkaas Posts: 268 Member
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    Being a student i find it really difficult not to drink with my friends, which often means i end up drinking away 1000 calories in shots, cider and beer every time we go out. I try to resist but they don't seem to get the fact i'm trying to lose weight and so will try and get me to drink through peer pressure. I haven't really helped the stereotype of being a party girl as before i met my boyfriend i was a wild child getting drunk 3 nights a week, eating takeaways all the time which i've now changed in an effort to become a better person and to lose weight.

    So does anybody have any good mocktail recipes that i can drink which are low calorie? i just have too much hassle saying i'm not drinking :(

    If you don't want to drink, then don't drink. Its your decision, not theirs. If you do want to drink, then drink, but don't blame it on others as "peer pressure". Own your decision and either fit it into your calories that are left or work out before so you have the extras to use.
  • CARNAT22
    CARNAT22 Posts: 764 Member
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    Most decent places will serve mocktails (or else you can have a J20)

    Can you not say you are driving / up early next day for important meeting next day if friends start making you feel bad for not drinking?

    If you do actually want to have a few drinks then go for vodka and diet coke as opposed to beer or cider.

    Also make sure you eat before you go out and try to have a healthy option if you do end up eating out (chicken shish without the pitta?) or just have beans on toast when you get home.

    When I know I will be having a few drinks I exercise to earn some 'extra' calories and I make sure that I eat healthy the next day and exercise (I used to badly overeat on a hangover and stay in bed the whole day!)

    You don't have to totally stop your social life but you do have to be fully prepared to make some changes.

    Be firm with those around you though - don't feel pressured into drinking anything you don't want to!

    I feel for you hun, I spent my late teens and early 20's (in fact most of my 20's!) living the good time party girl lifestyle. That is how I got fat in the first place though and I wish I'd nipped it in the bud.

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