Alcohol

cmugirl33
cmugirl33 Posts: 4
in Food and Nutrition
So I am a college senior, and its no surprise that my friends go out frequently. I know drinking is super horrible for a diet, but really don't want to give up my social life on the weekends for my diet. I was wondering if anybody had any little tips for me to kind of make up for drinking a little heavily Friday and Saturday in order to stay on track with my weight loss? Thanks!!:drinker:
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Replies

  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    learn to moderate your intake
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Account for the calories just like you would any other food or drink.

    Avoid sugary mixed drinks, learn to drink dry wines and/or straight spirits (or spirits with low/no calorie mixers). More alcohol for your caloric buck. But at the end of the day it has to fit your calories like anything else.
  • houselightner
    houselightner Posts: 3 Member
    Just a few ideas:
    * alternate drinks with water
    * double your work outs on the days you plan to drink, but again... hydrate hydrate hydrate and take your multivitamins/emergen-c
    * go for the lower cal beers like Michelob Ultra Light, Miller 64, and Skinny Girl beverages (admittedly, not as tasty...)

    And another couple of suggestions, which you might have already considered:
    * sometimes it's pretty hilarious to be the only sober one in the group. if you have parties at home, you can volunteer to be the bartender and everyone will love you for it.
    * similarly, you'd be doing a great service as the designated driver at least once a week...
  • XxAngry_Pixi
    XxAngry_Pixi Posts: 236 Member
    I drink spirits with coke zero, so pretty low cal compared to other drinks. nips are a standard size so easy to work out your cals. I dont drink at pubs or clubs, so I pour my own. I have a little measuring cup so I can measure and record each drink as I pour it. And if I'm too drunk to measure properly I'm too drunk to keep drinking and I go to bed haha.
  • alexomahony71
    alexomahony71 Posts: 13 Member
    Pint of Guinness, pint of water, pint of Guinness, Pint of water, pint of Guinness, pint of water, pnt of gines, pin of water, prit of guines, pnt ot warder, p of gnss, TAXI. Gym in the morning
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Account for the calories just like you would any other food or drink.

    Avoid sugary mixed drinks, learn to drink dry wines and/or straight spirits (or spirits with low/no calorie mixers). More alcohol for your caloric buck. But at the end of the day it has to fit your calories like anything else.
    This. Count the calories, stick to your overall goals. It's really that simple.

    Oh, and stick to your overall goals means keep your long term goal in mind. If you want to stick to just one drink very time you go out, fine, but if you want to hit the gym a little harder one week to get an extra drink or two, or just totally go crazy and get hammered once in a blue moon going way over calories, you can.

    Just don't get hammered every day. That could cause issues. And also, alcohol consumption in moderation actually has positive health benefits with insulin sensitivity and cholesterol regulation, so that's a bonus also. :drinker:
  • kirkor
    kirkor Posts: 2,530 Member
    http://www.leangains.com/2010/07/truth-about-alcohol-fat-loss-and-muscle.html
  • katefitness8
    katefitness8 Posts: 16 Member
    When possible my go to drink is raspberry flavored vodka with diet sprite. It's only about 70 calories and tastes like candy lol. However most bars don't carry diet sprite like they carry diet coke. A vodka tonic might be a good back up plan.
  • jayrudq
    jayrudq Posts: 475 Member
    No on the vodka tonic - sorry, but tonic is as sweet as the rest of the mixers...

    I drink vodka (citron if they have it) with club soda in a very tall glass with a twist of lemon. If that is not sweet enough for you, ask them to add a small spash of cranberry juice. It is 70-100 calories per drink. And because you order it "tall" it lasts awhile.
  • ironmonkeystyle
    ironmonkeystyle Posts: 834 Member
    drink like this:
    imxpt.gif
  • ken_hogan
    ken_hogan Posts: 854 Member
    learn to moderate your intake

    This. When I got serious about really needing to lose weight, I learned that drinking a little heavily on the weekends was no longer an option, to me at least. Cut down on the heavy part of it and maybe drink diet coke in between drinks, if you drink mixed drinks.
  • annakow
    annakow Posts: 385 Member
    keep your numbers :) stay in your daily intake, drink wine or clean vodka, no sodas or juices, thats all
  • TheSlorax
    TheSlorax Posts: 2,401 Member
    Pint of Guinness, pint of water, pint of Guinness, Pint of water, pint of Guinness, pint of water, pnt of gines, pin of water, prit of guines, pnt ot warder, p of gnss, TAXI. Gym in the morning


    awwww yeahhhhhh

    great answer! :drinker:
  • ihateyoga
    ihateyoga Posts: 111
    alcohol has the same amount of calories as fat. Drink moderately.
  • jojo37696
    jojo37696 Posts: 93 Member
    Do you HAVE to drink alcohol to have a good time with your friends. Think about that.!!!!
  • ItsAnIllusion
    ItsAnIllusion Posts: 63 Member
    http://www.leangains.com/2010/07/truth-about-alcohol-fat-loss-and-muscle.html

    This link was really interesting - thanks for posting it.
  • MartiCat70
    MartiCat70 Posts: 59 Member
    When possible my go to drink is raspberry flavored vodka with diet sprite. It's only about 70 calories and tastes like candy lol. However most bars don't carry diet sprite like they carry diet coke. A vodka tonic might be a good back up plan.

    This is very practical advice. Yes, vodka. Usually I call these empty calories, but it's great to hang with friends on the weekend. Have fun and keep track:)
  • sweet_blasphemy
    sweet_blasphemy Posts: 129 Member
    Exactly as others have said... save calories earlier in the week and the day of. It's alright to go over a little one day so long as you're in an overall deficit for the week. Don't get me wrong, I love me a nice drink now and then but lately it just hasn't been worth it to be hungry all day just to drink later. It's always harder to resist my old stand by indulgent foods once I'm numerous sheets to the wind, and I'm useless the next day, too busy nursing a hangover to go to the gym and the thought of eating a nice big plate of green veggies is enough to send me running to hug the toilet...

    But that doesn't always stop me. And it definitely wouldn't have stopped me in my early 20s so I empathize with you..

    iifym, then Na Zdrowie :drinker:
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,038 Member
    So learn moderation so you can enjoy alcohol your whole life... and btw, being the "designated driver" is fun within itself...you can be the one taking pictures ... I promise.
  • MORECHABLIS
    MORECHABLIS Posts: 164 Member
    Just count wine, beer etc... Like any other food or drink...

    I drink regularly (3 glasses wine), with days off in-between and evenings out when I have more... And 3-5 days off every now and then...

    Too lose weight and keep it off you have to live your NORMAL lifestyle, you are just curtailing your loves of the things you like, and increase exercise...
  • redsnapper8
    redsnapper8 Posts: 31 Member
    vodka and soda water with a dash of lime cordial is a good option for drinking out, drinking at home I stick to dry wines with a low % (eg., 11%)
  • ilovemaisy
    ilovemaisy Posts: 54
    At about 200 calories per pint, that's a crazy amount of calories. Not worth it.
  • burtnyks
    burtnyks Posts: 124 Member
    I was recently working with a nutritionist, and she told me alcohol is fine but you must track it as part or your caloric intake. So I kind of try to regulate my drinking. I've cut back though since I prefer food calories over liquid ones from alcohol. I usually will have vodka with water and lemon/lime or put some Mio in it. Also, Captain Morgan has about 60 cals per serving I believe and I will do that with diet coke. I can't think of anything that is lower calorie than those 2 options.
  • sarahf3092
    sarahf3092 Posts: 147 Member
    Vodka, water and squeezed lime :) You need to find a balance between drinking and social and being serious about weight loss - if you know you have a heavy night out at the weekend then maybe be extra good one day in the week? Its all about balance and moderation x
  • Myhaloslipped
    Myhaloslipped Posts: 4,317 Member
    I love wine, but I got to a point that when I went out to bars and parties, I couldn't do it in moderation. It was either one glass or 8. So I have almost completely cut it out for those reasons but also because I decided I would rather et than drink. :) I know it's hard in college though. Alcohol is served at 98% of the social events.
  • danofthedead1979
    danofthedead1979 Posts: 362 Member
    there's no getting away from the fact that you will either have to moderate the drinking, or burn it off the next day.
    burn those gained calories the next day by doing an activity, got any pals into sports? aside from going to the gym, i used to play 5 a side football and badminton at Uni which helped to burn off those cheap student drinks and kebabs consumed on a Friday and Saturday night.
  • EmilyJackCO
    EmilyJackCO Posts: 621 Member
    So learn moderation so you can enjoy alcohol your whole life... and btw, being the "designated driver" is fun within itself...you can be the one taking pictures ... I promise.

    So much this. Blackmail is so much more fun than being hammered. As someone who's been the designated dragger for almost 6 years. :D
  • RosyBest
    RosyBest Posts: 303 Member
    My favorite drinks were/ are margaritas and Long Islands...Those drinks are close to 500-700 cals/ glass. When I found this out I was like Wtf? Definitely stay away from drinks like that...it's not worth it! Martinis are better, even some cosmos but none are healthy not even the Bloody Freaking Mary.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,988 Member
    in a bar I stick to single shots of vodka with soda and lime. That's only 60 cals for the vodka.

    If you worry about not seeming like a party pooper by not indulging, you can alternate with plain soda every other round without anyone noticing. I have a friend whose job involves going out drinking beer with clients. Instead of a draught, he has a bottled beer, so that his rounds occur in a different phase than everyone else's. No one notices that he consumes much less, because he nurtures his bottled beer, and you can't see how fast someone is drinking from a dark bottle.

    I like to have copious amounts of dry wine with meals. To accomodate for this, I do big cardio workouts. An hour on the elliptical with my heart rate around 140-155 is approximately 500 cals or a bottle of wine.
  • MsJulielicious
    MsJulielicious Posts: 708 Member
    drink like this:
    imxpt.gif

    Omg I thought you said you erased this video!

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