Alcohol and hanging out with friends

Ewh1983

So I do night work at Dubstep shows in Philly and often go to parties VIP n the such and it's pretty awesome. However, I keep join for the Jack and Cokes. I try to limit the calorie intake with jack and diet cokes but I always feel guilty at the end of the night when I enter that in the database and see the caloric intake. I would just not drink, but I won't let loose on the dance floor as I would with a little booze in me. Does anyone else encounter this? Any recommendations?

Lauren26493

This is exactly the same for me. I live at a college, aka a group of young university students, and it's pretty much required to go out every night and get hammered (which I did last year and gained 10 pounds)
This might not be what you want to hear, but for me, it was honestly a decision between going out/drinking and being healthy. I chose to try and be healthy, and I have lost a few friends over it, but it's the better decision for your body and mind.
Maybe to start with just try limiting yourself to drinking once or twice a week if possible, and mix your drinks with soda water instead of coke/lemonade to minimise calories. Diet drinks can just bloat you up and make you feel gross anyway, so avoid them.
Other than that, be prepared to cut back on your partying a little. Find ways to have fun that don't involve eating or drinking. Good luck!

JanetLM73

For the past 2 Saturday's I've been out, I don't go out very often (I have kids), but I drank both times, and felt so guilty the next day. But soon the guilt wore off because it's not like I do this all the time, before this I had not gone out for drinks in months. I think anything in moderation, if you're going out once in awhile then I don't see an issue, maybe just burn some extra calories that day.

60in60

”I would just not drink, but I won't let loose on the dance floor as I would with a little booze in me.”

Oh if only I had the confidence to dance in public like I dance in my own house! In the kichen cooking with Katy Perry Pandora station...

I do enjoy the cocktails. I believe that if I could cut those out and exercise more, there'd be more progress.

Tara1B

Try Gin & Slimline tonic or Vodka, Lime & Soda if you're worried about the calories.

MissClarey

You could always use the tactic of waiting until everyone else is smashed and then just dancing how you want because they won't remember it the day after? But I understand the issue! I'm 18 and from the UK so it's the age where suddenly everybody seems to be going out all the time to drink - just because they can. It's very difficult to just say no to a drink because people seem to think you're incredibly boring

Jebbster007

So I do night work at Dubstep shows in Philly and often go to parties VIP n the such and it's pretty awesome. However, I keep join for the Jack and Cokes. I try to limit the calorie intake with jack and diet cokes but I always feel guilty at the end of the night when I enter that in the database and see the caloric intake. I would just not drink, but I won't let loose on the dance floor as I would with a little booze in me. Does anyone else encounter this? Any recommendations?

Yeah, Ecstasy....Just kidding. You're drinkin Jack & Coke, yea??? Have one, then just drink diet coke the rest of the night. No ones going to know you don't have Jack in it (no pun intended....<shakes head>) As far as letting loose on the dance floor, I used to be so self conscious, I wouldn't even think about dancing unless I had 5 or 6 drinks in me. Solved that by taking a few dance classes. Sounds funny but confidence and letting loose on the dance floor comes from knowing what you're doing, not chemical inhibition killer. Once I started cutting loose without alcohol, I never used it again. If we were going out to drink, we drank, but if I was going out to dance, alcohol just got in the way. Something to think about.

WhitneyAnnabelle

Yeah, nix the coke and get something on the rocks. Preferably more clear. I hear vodka and tequila are the ways to go. I like wine better, though, and I feel like you get more bang for your buck. Haha. That sounds awful.

fionarama

being an old lady of 43 I have finally faced up to the truth that one cannot expect to get the results one wants if one drinks. So i don't drink AT ALL if I am trying to lose body fat. Thats my recommendation. disappear for 2 months , don't dirnk at all, then go back to a VIP looking, well , like a VIP!!!

fionarama

You could always use the tactic of waiting until everyone else is smashed and then just dancing how you want because they won't remember it the day after? But I understand the issue! I'm 18 and from the UK so it's the age where suddenly everybody seems to be going out all the time to drink - just because they can. It's very difficult to just say no to a drink because people seem to think you're incredibly boring

personally I would rather be boring and super hot, than not boring and chubby!!!

glitterysam

Try Gin & Slimline tonic or Vodka, Lime & Soda if you're worried about the calories.

Totally agree with this!

romoli

I work as a Tour Manager for a fairly famous underground punk band started in the late 70's. I just did a tour 27 shows in 30 days 11 countries. In 30 days I am frightened to say I probably drank the equivalent of 300 beer. I come home 10 lbs heavier and need to hit the gym. Now I don't drink ANYTHING! Unfortunately/fortunately for me, I like it, I can do without it, but if I have a bottle of wine... I drink a bottle of wine. I think if you can do without it, obviously this is the healthy choice. Take those calories in as something with some nutrition in it.

Jebbster007

You could always use the tactic of waiting until everyone else is smashed and then just dancing how you want because they won't remember it the day after? But I understand the issue! I'm 18 and from the UK so it's the age where suddenly everybody seems to be going out all the time to drink - just because they can. It's very difficult to just say no to a drink because people seem to think you're incredibly boring

Ahhh MissClarey, that is so sad. You seem like a very bright, intelligent and quite beautiful young lady. If someone thinks you're boring because you don't drink...get new friends. Life is too short to hang out people like that. You should hang out with people that accept you for who you are, as you are. You deserve nothing less.

victoria4321

This sounds like a college party girl method, but I skip a meal on the days I know I'm going out. Its pretty bad advice and unhealthy actually, but as long as you don't make it an every day thing I think its okay. Leaving like 500-600 calories for drinking give you around 6 drinks. Stick to vodka sodas and straight shots too. You'll also get drunk faster on an empty stomach so you can drink less too. Also skip any flavored liquors like raspberry vodka and what not. They have tons of sugar in them.

Now if you're the kind of person who gets drunk and eats a baby cow then I don't know. I don't feel hungry drunk, I usually just go to sleep and deal with the hangover the next day.

tangerinepen

I still drink quite a lot but I have changed my drinking habits. Lots of people I know are very 'into' craft beers, so its hard for me to avoid the beer sometimes but wine is lots better and gin and slimline if I know I will be drinking a lot.
I also try and do some extra exercise on the day that I know I will be going out and then dance my *kitten* off at night because that counts as exercise too!
I frequently choose having fun over my diet but, so long as I am good in-between, then I am still doing okay. Most of all using this app has taught me to make better choices for sustained weight loss. Its no good giving up drinking for a month if you're just going to go back to it and put weight on. You need to find a way to make it work.

That's what I think anyway!

poedunk65

Drink a glass of water for each drink is the only thing i can say. It will flush your system and maybe cut the drinking in half. SOunds like you have a self confidence issue to me. Just try and go for it one time wihtout drinking and let the dancing give you the high.

ambitioniscritical

This is pretty much my biggest problem. I'm just finishing my first year at uni in one of the biggest clubbing cities in England, so it's difficult. Especially considering the fact that I hate going out sober... I know a lot of people have got a little bit pudgier since starting uni, just from the viewpoint of drinking, having to feed themselves and late night visits to the kebab shop.
When it's a party or we're going clubbing I can't not drink. I try to limit it by drinking vodka and diet coke, because vodka is quite a lot of alcohol for relatively few calories (especially compared to cider or anything like that) and during the day I do as much exercise as I can to prepare (I'm usually negative calories before I go out, and then the alcohol brings it back up to a decent amount). I know it's not the healthiest but as long as you don't do it all the time it's not gonna do massive damage.
And depending on whether you want to actually get drunk or just be part of the experience, you could just always drink one alcoholic drink and then make the next few just diet coke or whatever.
And if you get drunk enough to dance like an absolute idiot all night (not that I'd ever do that... not at all... ) you burn off a fair bit of the alcohol doing that :P

katenmills

i have a 21st tomorrow night and this has been on my mind today too! what i'm thinking of doing is just getting a cardio session in at the gym and having a lower cal dinner or lunch than i usually would (probably a salad) to make sure my calories for the day aren't totally overboard. also, try to only have justtt enough drinks to feel comfortable dancing, as opposed to getting completely drunk. i'll be doing that too because, when i'm drunk, food increases tenfold in deliciousness and i don't wanna be tempted to do a McDonalds run on the way home -_-

helenwilliams78

I love drinking, my boyfriend loves drinking, my friends love drinking..... It's hard to get away from.

If I know I'm going to the pub in the evening, i'll often get up early and go for a jog before work so I earn a couple of 'free' drinks and don't feel so guilty the next day.

delikium

same here on fridays.... but i usually burn quite a bit by dancing too

yourenotmine

Believe it or not, it's a lot more liberating to DECIDE to do what you want without the alcohol and then do it, than is losing a little bit of your control and then dancing. Having said that, if you enjoy drinking, as I do, then you might also feel, as I do, that it's not something you want to give up altogether. I don't like feeling deprived, and anyway, I don't anticipate giving up alcohol for the rest of my life, so I keep it and try to manage it. For hydration purposes, it's good to drink water in between alcoholic drinks. I also agree with the poster who suggested having one drink with alcohol and then having just the coke after. Bartenders are used to alcoholics avoiding pushy people's questions, plus, they just want your money, so they won't judge.

AshinAms

Dude, my son thinks you are so cool cos of the dubstep stuff I like dubstep too but apparently there are not many moms who do

adamb83

I think it might be more important to learn how to let loose/have fun comfortably without alcohol, than trying to find ways to make alcohol more healthy.

Most of us have certain things that make us nervous... but when you're sacrificing your health (and it's not just about calories, when it comes to the damage alcohol does to our bodies/brains,etc)... well, maybe it's time to re-evaluate.

DeniseB0711

I think it might be more important to learn how to let loose/have fun comfortably without alcohol, than trying to find ways to make alcohol more healthy.

Most of us have certain things that make us nervous... but when you're sacrificing your health (and it's not just about calories, when it comes to the damage alcohol does to our bodies/brains,etc)... well, maybe it's time to re-evaluate.

Gonna have to go with this one. I like to drink as much as the next average lady...but I find I have LOTS more fun if I am not drunk...a little buzzed after a beer or two....but not hammered. Plus its a heck of a lot cheaper.

holleysings

You don't need alcohol to have a good time. Go dance anyway! Pretend you're buzzed if you need that excuse to dance.

yoovie

Try Gin & Slimline tonic or Vodka, Lime & Soda if you're worried about the calories.

Totally agree with this!

marquesajen

You might fare better with Vodka, soda, and lime or the like. Rum's pretty high in calories if I remember right. Do some research ahead of time and pick a lighter libation.

p.s. woot, philly!