How to beat the Bartender?

TiffADee

Hey MFPals!

So I'm only 22 (still at the peak of my going out and partying days), and I'm coming up on my first "party weekend" since I've been on this nutrition and exercise plan. Do you guys have any tips for tackling the bar? What drinks have the least calories? Nurse all night? Anything that might help prevent me from regressing this weekend...

:drinker: Cheers, Tiff

jfluchere

Vodka + club soda + lime
Eat protein not fried bar food

Sl1ghtly

I thought we were going to discuss the bill drop/swap... nevermind.

cawalt

Vodka with diet 7up/Sprite. Thats what I have... and usually I get a flavored vodka.

Scott613

Dumb young bucks and horny old dudes will be buying you your drinks. Stick with shots, a mixed drink or beer and you gotta chit chat with them when all you wanted was a free drink. Learn to like vodka, rum,or tequila shots! Least amount of calories for what your drinking.

3dogsrunning

Vodka + club soda + lime
Eat protein not fried bar food

This is now my one of my favorite drinks. Not too sweet.

Vodka with diet 7up/Sprite. Thats what I have... and usually I get a flavored vodka.

I don't love most flavored vodka, but I made my own. Soak some strawberries in for the day, add some club soda, mmm. You can add the strawberries to the drink (they absorb some alcohol) but if they soak too long they lose their color and turn white. If you google there are tons of flavored vodkas you can make. Some take longer than others. I have even seen bacon flavored vodka recipes, which apparently used to be quite popular in the past.

(I realize you can't drink that at the bar but we always had pre-drinks and I would bring this)

ogmama12

Have a snack or meal with a little fat and carbs before going out. Saving too many of your calories for booze leads to getting drunk faster and making bad decisions later ("of course we should order breadsticks at 2am!"). Also, alternating your alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic drinks helps pace yourself. If you want to look like you're having a drink to avoid anybody asking questions, get diet coke with a lime or cherry or club soda with a garnish. As for lighter choices, order light beer, wine, flavored vodka with a calorie free mixer, a bloody Mary, or something you'll sip slowly, like a nice scotch or premium tequila. Pack some nuts or a larabar in your purse to avoid fatty bar or party fare. Hope this helps!

mshel19

three olives cherry vodka with club soda (fountain not bottled has more bubbles!) and a lime or two DELICIOUS and i usually am drunk by 3-4 lol i think they do a double shot in mine sometimes i swear ..

Lesa_Sass

Vodka/water or club soda is good. Try drinking a glass of water in between. Dance Dance Dance!

kfitzpa

I usually drink Vodka & Diet coke. I think a shot of vodka is around 50 cals and of course diet coke is 0. I also limit my calorie intake throughout the day if I know I'm going to be drinking later that night.

SpectacuLaura

I usually opt for Bloody Marys or Vodka Soda with extra lime. No super sugary shots, heavy beer or anything with fruit juice in it. And I actually save all my calories for alcohol especially so I won't have to drink more- getting drunker faster has it's perks when you're watching your calories (as long as you don't get too drunk to know when to cut yourself off!) :happy: Honestly, as long as you eat really well the rest of the day, avoid any late night pizza binges and don't order any drinks that are an absolute calorie bomb (ahem, margaritas. Sad, but true), then usually I think most people will come out of a party weekend alright and without going crazy over their calories. :drinker: Cheers to a fabulous weekend!

castaliavt

vodka, club soda, splash of cranberry juice and lime. Every other drink, skip the vodka. It'll save calories and your friends won't know you're not drinking as much.

ccmccoy09

I love flavored vodka and soda if you're going somewhere busy where you need to yell at the bartender for them to hear your order. My fav right now is Stoli blueberry soda, lime.

Champagne (BRUT, not sweet, extra dry or Prosecco) is very low in calories and makes you look classier than your friends doing shots. Or at least like you think you're classier than they are.

Tequila with lots of fresh lime, a bit of soda, and a tiny splash of grand marnier is a good light margarita.

Gin, if you like it, with a splash of ginger ale and lime. Ask for bitters if you are into that.

Basically, any liquor with soda and lime is going to be OK. Make sure you are drinking lots of water though and eat before you go out so you don't get wasted after dieting all week! After changing what I eat and cutting out weeknight drinking for 6 months, I can only have about 4 cocktails before I'm hammered and begging to be taken home.

cee134

diet soda and vodka or rum is what I do. Shots are even better if you can deal with the taste. Just be careful, when drunk people tend to fall of there diet because they aren't feeling as strict so they eat more junk food.

kaetmarie

vodka water with a lemon and lime .... super refreshing!!

marcenepea

I like Tequila shots. But I'm also a beer drinker so my favorite beer is Michelob Ultra it only has 95 calories

rockerbabyy

my bartender likes to be beaten with a belt. sometimes i just use my hands though..
oh..OH! drinks...
vodka and diet soda
or just call it a free night and drink what you want, getting back on track the next day.

duetwithjosh

I usually drink Vodka & Diet coke. I think a shot of vodka is around 50 cals and of course diet coke is 0. I also limit my calorie intake throughout the day if I know I'm going to be drinking later that night.

Sorry to break it to you, but if you have a standard sized 1.5oz shot of any 80-proof alcohol, you're ingesting about 100 calories. Alcohol itself is very caloric, so it doesn't much matter which type of liquor you're drinking. (1 gram of alcohol = 7 calories... whereas 1 gram of protein or carbohydrates both are 4 calories, and fat is 9.)

That's not to say all drinks are created equal... lots of drinks have extra carbs from mixers and such... but you're looking at a baseline of about 100 calories per drink, no matter what you drink.

It's hard, but your best bet is to stay away from alcohol entirely while in intense weight-loss stages of dieting. It really sabotages it. If you must partake, simply plan accordingly with your eating the rest of the day.

zippo32

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/622-like-minded-lushes

snowkid03

vodka soda with lime (not tonic) order a single in a double glass so you drink a little slower... a 1.5 oz pour (shot) has something like 70 calories for rum/vodka/whiskey/tequila (they all have the same amount of sugars)

also dance the night away- I know i am an active drunk so i look at it as the extra calories are being exercised off

its not the drinking "light" cocktails that tend to make people fat, im pretty sure its eating fried bar food, drunk 2am burritos, and hangover breakfasts!

aah, college taught me well!

RoboLikes

three olives cherry vodka with club soda (fountain not bottled has more bubbles!) and a lime or two DELICIOUS and i usually am drunk by 3-4 lol i think they do a double shot in mine sometimes i swear ..

Yes! This is my fave drink, and Im usually pretty happy after just a few

sweetiepie31612

Extra long workout before. And an extra long workout and lots of water after.

tb_lawkid13

I found a site that gives you an estimate of the calories in most types of liquor, wines and beer. http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/CollegeStudents/calculator/alcoholcalc.aspx

I pick a drink--no more than 2--and sip diet Coke in between.
Also, don't skimp too much on the calories before a night out...easy to get drunk.

jamiem1102

I usually do vodka shots with water as my chaser. If that seems too hardcore, the vodka soda water is a pretty good idea... but if they have orange slices, i prefer that much more than lime or lemon.

brynnsmom

The latest craze in our house is vodka mixed with Fresca Peach, Diet V8 Berry Blend, and a splash of diet OJ. Almost no colories in the mixers. AWESOME.

TiffADee

Ahh you guys are awesome! Thanks so much for the help! I'll def have a great, low-calorie weekend LoL

danithegirl89

Vodka + club soda + lime
Eat protein not fried bar food

Haha that's what I was gonna say. Vodka soda lime all the way