Eating right and alcohol

digidoomed
digidoomed Posts: 151 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello all! As a college student, I'm no stranger to alcohol. One might say it's my minor. However, I'm wondering whats the best way to balance eating right and staying within my calorie range while enjoying my drinks on the weekend when going to clubs/parties.

Replies

  • gamerbabe14
    gamerbabe14 Posts: 876 Member
    Low calorie drinks
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    Low-cal drinks - liquor + diet soda, setting a limit and banking calories. Also, pre-logging helps!
  • Cheeks223
    Cheeks223 Posts: 46 Member
    Good luck with that. It's an everyday struggle for me.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    It's hard. You don't want to waste TOO many calories on drinks because...it sucks to be hungry. Stop using mixers, or have vodka sodas. I like wine or whiskey straight. I usually try to pre-log my after drink snack as well...so I don't order and eat a whole pizza. I'll make sure there is a pint of halo top in the freezer or something.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
    Bank calories for the weekend. And when I drink more than budgeted (it happens), I add miles to cardio the next day.
  • Happysoul0317
    Happysoul0317 Posts: 119 Member
    I agree with everyone above. All smart moves. I just make sure that I get more cardio in if I know I'm going to drink. I also cut my drinks (wine) with flavored seltzer water. It makes it last longer. Just a mind trick that works for me.
  • Janice6543
    Janice6543 Posts: 92 Member
    Exercise ahead of time.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    Maybe eat slightly less on week days so you can go over with drinks on the weekends. Also choose lower calorie drinks. Alcohol is a real bummer. One or two drinks isn’t bad calorie wise but I don’t want to drink just one or two drinks.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    It's easier in maintenance.

    When I'm cutting, I cut back quite a bit and keep it to vodka and diet Fresca when I do drink.
  • JennJ323
    JennJ323 Posts: 646 Member
    Exercise ahead of time to have extra calories, and drink simple drinks. Vodka soda, Rum & diet.. wine, beer, "girly" drinks add up quick!

    I've lost 30lbs since Dec 2016 and have not stopped enjoying adult beverages!
  • justlog
    justlog Posts: 125 Member
    All moderation and honest/accurate logging.
  • jmredinger
    jmredinger Posts: 23 Member
    If you drink vodka, mix it with water and mio (or some other no calorie flavor drops). You want to avoid mixing your alcohol with drinks like Gatorade or fruit punches that are all high calorie. You can achieve the same flavor profile with flavor drops with little to no calories.
  • Lean59man
    Lean59man Posts: 714 Member
    Just about everything stupid I've ever done in my life has been under the influence of alcohol so I recommend moderation. Don't get drunk.

    Other than that, you just fit your alcohol calories into your allowable calories.
  • RaeBeeBaby
    RaeBeeBaby Posts: 4,246 Member
    gypsysoul0317 wrote: »
    I agree with everyone above. All smart moves. I just make sure that I get more cardio in if I know I'm going to drink. I also cut my drinks (wine) with flavored seltzer water. It makes it last longer. Just a mind trick that works for me.

    ^^^^^This works for me, too!

    I started doing this several months ago and I'm definitely drinking less and consuming less calories. Still able to have a few drinks without breaking the calorie bank. If you're out at a bar or restaurant, just order a white wine spritzer.
  • BigRed2525
    BigRed2525 Posts: 45 Member
    I do my best to fit it in to my allowance. I mostly drink bourbon on the rocks, so no extra mixer calories.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    peaceout_aly wrote: »
    Low-cal drinks - liquor + diet soda, setting a limit and banking calories. Also, pre-logging helps!

    pretty much all of this ↑

    If the purpose is to be relaxed (overcoming social anxiety), then 1 drink after cardio before eating will have a greater effect. If boredom drinking at a bar, then my advice is single talls with less ice to make the sipping last longer.
  • wryone4
    wryone4 Posts: 118 Member
    I add it into my weekly plan, but keep it to weekends. You can make alcohol part of your plan.
  • BecMarty14
    BecMarty14 Posts: 351 Member
    Moderation and hydration. One of the hardest things is to maintain control after a few drinks. If you space drinks with water, you may have an easier time maintaining that control.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,204 Member
    My 62-year-old self wishes my 20-year-old self had had relatively more athletic and intellectual goals (not to the point of obsession) and relatively fewer social and hedonistic pursuits (but not none) in order to have an overall healthier, happier and better balanced total life, but realizes 20-year-old self s**ked at taking boring advice from old people.

    That said . . .

    Drink water 1 for 1 with alcohol when possible to avoid draining the alcohol faster due to thirst, minimize hangover symptoms, and space the alcohol over more clock time. This can be separate water, or drinks (like clear spirits/tall soda) that include plenty of water. If your friends would laugh at separate water, tell them you need it because of the monster workout you did that afternoon. (To make your tale persuasive, ideally do that monster workout in the afternoon.)

    Think of a strategy that will help you avoid alcohol-induced over-eating. Different things work for different people, so this could be some insight about non triggering bar snacks, filling up with low cal stuff pre-club, banking calories during the week, or an intermittent fasting strategy.

    And dance, energetically and long.
  • Marykaylady2010
    Marykaylady2010 Posts: 69 Member
    I’m struggling with this too. All good info on the plus side I do enjoy a iced glass of whiskey but if that’s not for you google low calorie alcoholic beverages for some ideas there are a lot of copy cat recipes for way less calories.
  • HM2206
    HM2206 Posts: 174 Member
    Everyone is different. Some people like to have low cal drinks, like vodka with some diet soda. That doesn't really work for me though. Spirits make me super hungry.

    I usually stick to wine, and preferably those with a lower sugar content. I count wine as a "treat" (instead of say, chocolate). I find the benefit that you drink a glass of wine much slower than you would eat a piece of chocolate. So while you can enjoy a few glasses all night, 500 calories worth of candy is gone in NO time (for me, at least).

    But yes, plan for it. I go to the gym morning or afternoon, and make sure I get healthy protein and slow carbs throughout the day and "make room" for drinks.

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