Alcohol

pennaal
pennaal Posts: 18
edited December 26 in Food and Nutrition
Hey guys! Just wondering how you all stay in caloric control when you're out at a bar or in a setting in which alcohol is being served...I like to go out with friends maybe every other week and I was wondering what types of drinks are out there in which I can have a couple and not completely massacre my progress for fhe week, and I know there is isn't really a "healthy" alcohol beverage out there, but was just wondering what you all think!

Replies

  • EmmaM2211
    EmmaM2211 Posts: 536 Member
    Spirit and diet mixers are best - vodka diet coke, gin slimline tonic or those type drinks are around 60cals each.
    Light beers like coors can be around 100-120 cals each.

    If you're only having one or 2 then I'd say have what you like and work it into your calorie intake for the day. I know most of the time I'd rather just have one good beer than a few light beers or quite often I offer to drive and skip it altogether so I can have dessert lol

    If I'm going out to have a few more drinks I'll stick to spirit and diet mixers - stops the damage being as bad haha xx
  • p0kers0ph
    p0kers0ph Posts: 250 Member
    I find it near impossible to control myself when I'm out drinking. I start with good intentions, and then once I've had a couple I just carry on, no way of tracking my cals!
    So, after a few incidents that were alcohol fuelled in the past months, I'm stopping drinking for a while at least. It's just empty calories.
  • ChristyRunStarr
    ChristyRunStarr Posts: 1,600 Member
    I don't know about you and where you are but a couple of the bars around me, have a list of maybe 10-15 drinks that are all under 150 calories each (a couple are even only 50 calories) and it includes beer as well as wine and other things
  • Dave_MFP
    Dave_MFP Posts: 32
    I add my alcohol calories to my daily goal. So if my goal is 1,200 and I've had 500 alcohol calories, I will consume 1,700. If you stick with 1,200 while drinking for long periods of time, you run the risk of nutrient deficiencies, which can lead to health problems.
  • bethmac_va
    bethmac_va Posts: 65
    Red wine is good, if you can stick to a glass or 2. It's heart smart in moderation. I've been told, but not sure if it's really the case, that the best "diet" alcohol is vodka. The "clear" liquors have no carbs. Stay away from sugary mixers though!

    I try to stick to Michelob Ultra if I drink beer or better yet, Bud Select 55. If you are a beer drinker, I've found that this site is great for looking up calories, ABV and carbs of various beers.

    http://www.beer100.com/beercalories.htm
  • Purple_Orchid_87
    Purple_Orchid_87 Posts: 517 Member
    i stick to shots and diet mixers
    i used to drink 12 pints of magners on a night out, with full sugar blackcurrent mixer, til i realised each pint was almost 280cals - thats almost 3300cals on drink alone! one night every week! needless to say, magners is now a treat :o)
  • Gailey
    Gailey Posts: 36 Member
    Wow ...it would be great for there to be a list by calories, as sort of a reminder ;)

    Unfortunately, I am in rural Cumbria and there's nothing like that.....in fact I rate it as a sucess when I manage not to have a few drinks and then get tempted by the food board!!

    I think the idea of diet mixers and high proof spirits is a good one - so the mixers will fill you up before you down too many shots ...I think I'll try that next time I'm out.

    The next step though is to deal with the munchies that alcohol brings on....maybe fit a lock to my fridge!
  • brooshie
    brooshie Posts: 141 Member
    i guess it all depends on what your goal of the night is. if your goal of the night is to get intoxicated, i would suggest taking shots. that way, you don't need mixers with a lot of sugar content etc. and also, if you take multiple at once (not that i'm condoning it), your likelihood of becoming intoxicated is increased instead of just sipping on drinks all night hoping for a buzz (thus drinking more drinks)
  • insectseige
    insectseige Posts: 28
    Vodka with ice & soda water is low cal for alchohol. My problem is if I get drunk I snack like there's no tomorrow & end up in the red big style, even if I have already prepared some snacks for when that happens I just have more so now cutting back on the booze
  • brooshie
    brooshie Posts: 141 Member


    The next step though is to deal with the munchies that alcohol brings on....maybe fit a lock to my fridge!

    i definitely need a lock on my fridge after a night of drinking!
  • insectseige
    insectseige Posts: 28
    For anyone that needs a good alchohol calorie calculator try this one:
    http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/tips-and-tools/drink-diary/?gclid=CJDdtrCYprECFbMJtAoddX8eog
  • Swissmiss
    Swissmiss Posts: 8,754 Member
    For health benefits have a glass of red wine. But, stop at one. For more heavier drinking a mix would be better.
  • roland72
    roland72 Posts: 58 Member
    i stick to shots and diet mixers
    i used to drink 12 pints of magners on a night out, with full sugar blackcurrent mixer, til i realised each pint was almost 280cals - thats almost 3300cals on drink alone! one night every week! needless to say, magners is now a treat :o)

    12 pints!? Are you sure? That is a hell of a lot to drink, that one night out alone would also take you well over your recommended alcohol intake for a week!
  • Gailey
    Gailey Posts: 36 Member
    Just looked and I see that pernod has 75 cals a shot - so diet coke and pernod might be my treat next time....

    And vodka and sugar free red bull looks fairly good too

    Could never stick to one glass of red wine unfortunately..... "no thanks, I've had enough" seems to escape me..but often the muppet I make of myself after a bottle or so makes me alcohol free for a little while at least lol
  • HunterKiller_wechange
    HunterKiller_wechange Posts: 369 Member
    I normaly eat light during the day if i know im going out then drink my calories. But also as brooshie pointed out its best to have a lock on the fridge in case of a drunken binge! :)
  • ssilvey726
    ssilvey726 Posts: 107 Member
    I drink beer for a couple reasons.

    1. I like the taste of beer far better than that of hard alcohol. I was a beer critic for two years at my old student newspaper.

    2. Hard alcohol mixed with anything is a sugar hangover waiting to happen.

    3. Beer actually fills me up. It makes me feel less hungry than when I drink hard alcohol. I'm not sure if I'm alone in this feeling. But as long as I'm actually drinking in moderation, I'm usually fine filling myself up on beer.

    Yes, I know beer will let you pile on the calories if you're trying to "really" drink. But, if you have 2-3 strong beers, you can feel really nice and keep within a 500-600 calorie range.
  • docturtle
    docturtle Posts: 156 Member
    Skinny Girl Margarita, Skinny Girl Cosmo, etc. has fewer calories and less sugar than margarita & cosmo.
  • EmmaM2211
    EmmaM2211 Posts: 536 Member
    i stick to shots and diet mixers
    i used to drink 12 pints of magners on a night out, with full sugar blackcurrent mixer, til i realised each pint was almost 280cals - thats almost 3300cals on drink alone! one night every week! needless to say, magners is now a treat :o)

    12 pints!? Are you sure? That is a hell of a lot to drink, that one night out alone would also take you well over your recommended alcohol intake for a week!

    She's from Ireland - the Irish can drink hehehe but yea unfortunately thats probably about average for the UK....we're a nation of big drinkers!! I remember the American girls who came over at Uni were all shocked at how much we drink here....sad but true!

    To the OP - you can also try www.getdrunknotfat.com

    Edit to say - myself included! Before joining MFP I would think nothing of drinking a whole bottle of vodka in a night (70cl) I would have it with diet coke because then it's the least calories....not good!! I still havent got it entirely under control but I'm trying!
  • lil_pixie
    lil_pixie Posts: 48
    I try to stick with gin and slimline tonic or a straight whiskey (I always sip whiskey so it lasts quite a long time). These are about 60 calories a drink. Recently though I've also started alternating my alcoholic drinks with water or a diet coke so I still have a drink in my hand when I'm out, but I'm not wasting my hard work by drinking empty calories. And I feel so much better in the mornings too - no hangover!
  • Smuterella
    Smuterella Posts: 1,623 Member
    12 pints - it sounds scary but i'm sure it is possible. I can easily polish two bottles of wine off on a night out if i don't keep an eye out. :-(
  • insectseige
    insectseige Posts: 28
    I drink beer for a couple reasons.

    1. I like the taste of beer far better than that of hard alcohol. I was a beer critic for two years at my old student newspaper.

    2. Hard alcohol mixed with anything is a sugar hangover waiting to happen.

    3. Beer actually fills me up. It makes me feel less hungry than when I drink hard alcohol. I'm not sure if I'm alone in this feeling. But as long as I'm actually drinking in moderation, I'm usually fine filling myself up on beer.

    Yes, I know beer will let you pile on the calories if you're trying to "really" drink. But, if you have 2-3 strong beers, you can feel really nice and keep within a 500-600 calorie range.

    I find 2-3 strong beers always lead to 6 or 7 more beers
  • ssilvey726
    ssilvey726 Posts: 107 Member
    Also, as Hunterkiller said above, it's best to just eat a little bit lighter during the day if you think you're going to be drinking. It's surprisingly easy to cut 300-400 calories over the course of a day, so that when you do drink, you're not taking a huge hit on calories.
  • AmyDewTupper
    AmyDewTupper Posts: 5 Member
    Hey guys! Just wondering how you all stay in caloric control when you're out at a bar or in a setting in which alcohol is being served...I like to go out with friends maybe every other week and I was wondering what types of drinks are out there in which I can have a couple and not completely massacre my progress for fhe week, and I know there is isn't really a "healthy" alcohol beverage out there, but was just wondering what you all think!

    I'm cutting back drastically on my alcohol consumption because it is a huge reason why I am 50 pounds overweight. I'm trying for 3 or 4 drinks a week and what I've found is pretty good is the low-calorie beers out there - Michelob Ultra Light and Molson's Canadian 67.
  • _Ben
    _Ben Posts: 1,608 Member
    Really, you need to steer clear of fruity drinks and mixs, and go straight for the liquor. For me personally, most the time I plan ahead and eat extremely healthy the day of and the day before, just to essentailly save up on calories, but the other is I have learned what drinks get me to my goal quicker. If Im looking to get drunk, Ill do maybe 2 boiler makers, which is about 3-400 calories, which is a lot, but thats all I need for the night. Otherwise, Id just say make sure you are not drinking too often (once a week maybe) and you dont really have to worry about splurging
  • ClairBears84
    ClairBears84 Posts: 531 Member


    The next step though is to deal with the munchies that alcohol brings on....maybe fit a lock to my fridge!

    i definitely need a lock on my fridge after a night of drinking!

    OH ME TOO! and they should shut MC donalds down if I have been out drinking! Its terrrrrrrible! so I am laying low for a while
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