Alcohol and Weightloss

I can really relate, I love going out and going out is usually to a bar. I've basically found a few things that help to prevent my weight loss from completely stalling from the drinking.

- Low calorie drinks only! Resist the temptation to have a delicious fruity mixed drink or a giant icy margarita. They're loaded with calories. My usual drinks are diet coke and something (rum, flavored vodka, etc), light beer, and wine. They are your lowest calorie options. Don't add calories with mixers. Not worth it.

- Limit your drinking to a few occasions a month. I used to like to have one drink with my meal when going out, but honestly, I'd rather be able to have a few in an evening and enjoy myself then just drink one for the taste. One drink doesn't do it for me... haha. So I'll save my drinking for those couple nights I go out and have a few drinks. Not more than a few... drinking til you're falling over isn't good for you or your diet.

- DRINK WATER. Actually, drink water between alcoholic drinks. Your body will recover faster if you stay hydrated. And you won't feel terrible in the morning either

I go with Kettle One and club soda and lime. 1 oz of Kettle one is about 64 calories. I try to work out before hand and won't have too many.

Vodka, soda and a lime! Vodka and any Crystal light is good too! Cheers!

I've nixed mixers all together, and have my drinks either neat or with water.
It's not for everyone, but they definitely have fewer calories than traditional mixed drinks, you tend to drink less because of how strong they are, thus saving calories AND $$, but they still get the job done.

Beyond that, I drink wine...though I've tried to curb that lately because I'm one of those people who will consume a bottle before I even realize it...

If you like margaritas like I do, I have them make a "skinny margarita" (like that girl from Real Housewives).

I ask for a shot of Patron over ice with club soda and 2 limes. I squeeze the limes in it. It is VERY close to the flavor and like 80 calories. If you want you can sneak some Crystal Light lemonaide (the small portions) in your purse then pour a little bit of it into your drink to make it tangier, it might taste a little better.

I drink at least once a week, sometimes two nights, and I have been able to keep my body rocking. Just be careful of what you drink and what you eat after you drink!

I love my beer, the darker the better. I tend drink 3 or less in a night, 2 to 3 days a week, I also try to have a glass of water between each one to make it last longer and to stay hydrated. Just make sure you have the extra calories available and if not go for a workout before you go out to give you the extra cals.

As a former BIG drinker, I cut it out for the most part on this journey, yes unfortunately has meant I have missed out on a lot of my social event that I normally would have attended, but I figure I partied my a** off to get it that big, I can take a few (so far, 10) months off.

BUT in order to NOT pull my hair out I have let myself go out once a month on average. It's usually to celebrate someone's birthday and not a random Saturday night. I am a big fan of the water in between drinks, it def helps...and coming from a girl who used be able to put down an 18 pack on her own...take my word :-)

Ever see those ridiculously skinny girls drinking tequilla straight from the bottle? I always laughed at them before, but they got the right "idea." No juice mixers, its not worth the calories and say h*ll no to the frozen drinks - they are a killer! Go for Vodka and dt soda, also Bacardi is supposed to be low in sugar and carbs ect if you want to go that route. Otherwise, I stick to light beer or a glass or 2 of wine, otherwise I'd be on my tail-bone anyway after not drinking for this long!

Good luck! and no... you are absolutely not the only one!

margarita
tequila half club soda and half real lime juice no mixers thats all sugar. bars usually have a bottle of real lime juice. and no salt

vodka club soda and if u want it a lil sweet a splash of cranberry

pretty much any clear liquor w club soda and a squeeze of lime is low cal. the best liquors are vodka and rum anything brown like whiskeys have more cals

I live at the beach and feel the SAME way you do.. pretty much everything revolves around a few drinks.. wether its hitting up Happy Hour, grabbing a drink after working in the evenings.. or watching football on a saturday.. and that's just a few occasions!

I try to limit drinking (if i'm going to at all) to once a week or so.. like you mentioned on your saturdays out dancing.. If i do I work for the calories in the gym and try not to indulge in that margarita (which is my favorite, btw).

For liquor, my suggestion is pick your favorite two crystal light flavors! I carry the packets around in my purse or hell, in my pocket if i have to! Order a vodka water TALL. and put about half the packet into it and save the other. so, while most people would order a double tall.. you're drinking more water with your vodka than normal.. so you're slowing down your alcohol intake. sometimes if you want to fake it to limit the peer pressure from being out and everyone asking where your drink is.. just order the waer and put the crystal light in it.. once your friends see you do it in your liqour drinks they assume its the same and lay off! if i'm really wanting to just catch a buzz and have a great time, I really try to limit it to maybe 3 or 4 drinks.. since i'm only drinking about once a week.. i become a lightweight anyways and it save you $.

For beer, i'm not much of a light beer drinker but coorslight or mich ultra aren't bad.. i like the beers a little on the darker side.. michelob ultra amber or yuengling light are good and again.. only have maybe one and i count it as an empty calore/carb snack.

But once again.. you are obviously not alone in the battle for weight loss vs. alcohol consumption!

Hope this helps along with the others

I love Vodka...I drink Cherry Vodka with Diet Coke I'm glad to see these suggestions.